my mother has gone crazy

July 4th,
That was the day our vacation would begin. I had a list, the week before of things I had to get done and when the list was complete we would be on vacation.

I had to get though work for the week
Work second job on Thursday.
Run 5k on fourth of July with my niece
Pack for vacation
Clean house so dog sitters would not be grossed out.
Go to the bank.

Each day I would check a few things off,
O.k. three more days and we will be on vacation.
O.k. two more days and we will be on vacation.

I was really tired and ready for vacation to begin.

A few weeks ago my mother was diagnosed with a tumor on her kidney after a biopsy the Dr. determined it was cancerous and the only course of treatment was to freeze it. It was the least non-evasive process. The plan was to insert a scope of sorts and move all her parts(intestines) away from the kidney then zap it with cryo something. The Doctor said she would have a little discomfort the first 24 hours after the surgery and after that she would be up and walking, and released from the hospital with in 3 days of the surgery.

The date of the surgery was scheduled for the Tuesday before our vacation. I was a little concerned she would not be stable by the time for us to leave but the surgeon was very optimistic she would be o.k. She may have to stay with a family member for a few days but other then that nothing to worry about.

My sister is a teacher and off for the summer and her children have both just Graduated so they were going to be around(they also live about 10 minuets away)(I live 45 minuets away)

We all met at the hospital on Tuesday and sat with my mom while they prepared her for the surgery. As they wheeled her in th the post op area we departed for the waiting room. The nurse said the surgery would take about 6 hours, another nurse said that would include all the pre-op stuff.

My sister took my moms cat to the vet and my niece and I stayed at the hospital. We waited and waited. We watched as everyone else in the waiting room spoke to the doctors about their loved ones. We waited and waited, the receptionist went home and we were alone in the waiting room. Hours past, finally the exhausted surgeon came in and was very optimistic, he said everything was fine and my mom would be in recovery for about an hour. He also recaped the surgery and what would happen to the tumor over the course of the next year, which by the way was completely different then anyone in my family understood it to be before the surgery.(yet another topic for a future blog)

When my sister and my brother in law returned we were informed we could move up to the intensive care waiting room. We knew she would be in ICU for a short time do to a nursing shortage at the hospital. The Doctor wanted her closely monitored for the first day and new in the general ward they were not staffed to do this. (If you could stomach it nursing seems to be a job in demand, great pay and all the overtime you can handle.)

Tomorrow.... Oh not sure we were ready for that!