the day after hell

It must have been the longest night ever for Fay. The pain was so out of control. It's got to get better. Right? Early this morning radiology came in to get a chest xray. The tech was as bad as they came. She roughly pushed the film canister under Fay without any care for the incision or epidural. When Fay cried out in pain and asked her to stop, she told her she had a job to do and that she had to do it that way. Sometimes it makes me wonder why these people paid money to gain the education needed to do a job that obviously they are not suited for. We are hoping that today will be better. That Fay can get some rest. That mom can get some rest too! Thanks for your prayers and support.

The "real size of the tumor" vs "assumed size"

Today we found out that the tumor, which was thought to be about 9X9X9 cm was really 14X12X12 cm. If my math is correct the real size, in volume, was 5 times what was originally thought. I think we can all say ouch.

Thursday, Day 1 towards recovery, AKA going through hell

Fay has had a pretty rough afternoon. She has not been able to manage the pain and is suffering from no sleep which makes the her pain even harder to take. Fay was on so much methadone, that she has built up a tolerance to some of her narcotics they are trying to use for pain management. They have her off the PCA machine (that's the "patient pushes the button herself and gets enough morphine to last 10 minutes" machine. She pushed every 10 minutes, and was still not doing well). They are working with IV push morphine combined with oral tablet. We are hoping that at some point things will start to work and she can get some rest.

Scratch the "pretty rough". She is so miserable that I heard her swear out loud while crying in pain. I'm her mom, I am not happy with her nurse tonight. Her PO2 is down to 75, with the alarm going off, and I don't feel like she is concerned enough. Fay will kill me for saying this, but until she does, I'll feel better "for having" said it!

Tome for some pics!

Fay is sitting up!!!! However, she is ready to lay down again!

Thursday am

I'm here at the hospital with Fay. She had a rough night last night. It's been difficult to find the right dosage and mix that will control the pain. She is off oxygen, but has a hard time not catching her breath. She is sitting up this morning and if there is room out on the Cardiac-Thoracic floor, they will move her out of ICU (yeah!) Jared stayed with her last night and he has gone home to try to get some sleep. Baby is doing well. Last night they got a scare when they were trying to get a heart beat, but they eventually found it and the little Slugger/Rock is in there and making himself known!

Fay and the pain

Just heard from Jared. They were able to up the dosage of her narcotic, and she is beginning to rest easier. Jared is amazing. I don't know how always manages to stay so calm and cool.

Fay in ICU

Fay is out of surgery. The doctor said it went much better than he had hoped. The tumor was much larger than thought. The doctor said it was the size of a cantaloupe. We don't know how she managed to breath with most of her lung capacity on the right side was taken up with the tumor. She is in ICU right now. I would love to say she is settled in and resting, but she is not. The doctors had Fay on Methadone for 3 weeks. She had developed a tolerance to it and when I left they were having a really hard time helping Fay to get her pain under control. She was crying when I left. It is going to be a long night for she and Jared.