Day 1 After Lung Biopsy 5/13/06

So far, so good. They did an x-ray this morning to make sure no air pockets have developed within her chest and it looked good. Her blood gas (O2, CO2 levels) wasn't great but she was upset when they took it and she was on tylenol with codine. They went up on her rate in order to help these numbers. She was peaceful unless you messed with her. She had a rough time when they changed her arm bandage so they had to give her a shot of morphine. When I got there this afternoon, she was awake and happy-ish. She wasn't quite herself but she's definitely been worse. I got her to give me a smile and she was interested in pulling my hair, eating my finger, and swatting at her mirror.

I forgot to mention yesterday that while she was in the OR for the lung biopsy they did a debrievement on her arm. This means they cut out the old skin in order to make way for new skin to grow. The surgeon says that it is worse than they first thought. He said it may need a skin graft. He also said that her arm will probably cause her more pain than the incision from the lung biopsy. That certainly rang true today.

I am still amazed at how well she is doing. This recovery is worlds apart from her recovery periods from all her other surgeries. She is such a fighter and she loves to prove everyone wrong :-)

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Although it saddens me emmensely that I have to spend yet another holiday without my baby girl there to enjoy it with me (outside of her hospital room), I feel like I am the luckiest mom in the world because I have a wonderful son who is so loving, compasionate and understanding even at age 5 and a wonderful daughter who is the strongest miracle angel that I have ever known. I thank God that I was the one chosen to be the mother of these two special children.

To all of you mothers reading this message, including my own mother (don't know what I would do without you!!!!): Happy Mother's Day- Enjoy yourself and enjoy your children! Never take them for granted.