Laughter is the Best Medicine

Dear Family & Friends,

If you are ever in need of a good laugh, call me!  Mom's CO2 levels were higher than normal last week so she practically slept from Thursday afternoon to Sunday afternoon.  I was able to read a couple of books and just chill which was nice for a change.

Being in the hospital for 10 weeks and most of that time being in ICU you learn to tackle everything a day at a time.  You also start fine tuning personality skills such as not yelling at the ultrasound tech when she tells your mother that this is what she signed up for.......trust me it took everything in me not to physically harm that person or when you have a nurse that doesn't want you in the room whenever she is doing anything to your mother.  We have our highs and lows everyday.

Our low today was apparently when Mom took the nurse and doctor to task prior to me arriving for the day.  The high was watching her apologize to the nurse and doctor for showing out this morning, and then making everyone laugh hysterically.  I will say that it takes a special nurse to be able to take care of my Mom, and for those nurses I am and will be forever grateful.

Other than Mom being silly there isn't much new news. (Now watch something hit the fan after I post this :) that would be my luck!)

Until next time peace, love, and chicken grease.

Much love,

Robyn

9 Weeks

Greetings All,

Today marks 9 weeks since Mom's transplant surgery. (I'm counting weeks like pregnant women do....it's kinda unnerving:)  I have been here since August 1st.  Dad was here for the month of July.  Lately we have had nurses who had my Mom back in July and they see her now and say how much better she looks!  Each week has its highs and lows.  It is easy to become frustrated at the lack of progress and then you see that another patient is flat lining, my frustrated turns to gratitude that Heavenly Father has granted us another day with Mom.

I noticed that I forgot to upload pictures to my last post of Mom having her hair washed so here are the before and after pics.

Before

After - The nurse was super sweet and made Mom a purple headband!

Today we received a letter from the Brandon Ward Relief Society.  It was a welcomed letter indeed!  Mom loved all of the sweet notes from all of the sisters in the Ward.  It made me think that ya'll do not have her address if you wanted to send a card.  So here it is:

Coleen Statum - ICU 73
c/o Oschner Hospital
1514 Jefferson Hwy
New Orleans, LA 70121

I'm enjoying all of the little moments with Mom.  Right now she is listening to the "George Strait" station on Pandora.  It's fun to see her mouth the lyrics and move her feet to the music.  Yesterday she ignored a nurse because the nurse kept saying her first name incorrectly.  I laugh seriously out loud at that one.  The nurse wasn't the most pleasant and Mom was less than thrilled with her.  The nurse came back in the room and kept calling her Colleen.  Mom kept saying "that's not my name."  The nurse looked at me because I was laughing hysterically, and I told her that her name is Colleen it's Coleen.  I guess you had to be there. :)

In other news, I have decided to relocate to New Orleans and take care of Mom.  Many of my friends back in Logan were shocked at my decision, and to be honest so was I.  At the same time there is no place I'd rather be.  I ask that you pray that I am able to find a part time job to help pay for gas, food, and whatnot.  I don't know how all of this with Mom is going to turn out all I know is that everything will work out.  It always does.

Much love,

Robyn

Decisions

Hi Family & Friends,

Yesterday Mom and I celebrated being in ICU for 8 weeks.  Today we received some daunting news.  Mom will be in the hospital for some time.  They can't really give us a definitive answer, but we are looking at least another month in the hospital before we can go to The Brent House.  We will have to stay at The Brent House for all of the follow up appointments and so they can fine tune the anti-rejection medicine.  That stay is about 4 weeks on average.

Many have asked what exactly is wrong with Mom.  So far her transplant liver is doing well.  It's her lungs, kidneys, and heart that are creating a viscous cycle hindering her recovery.  Right now, I need her lungs to gather their strength back, her kidneys to start working, and her heart to stop playing hopscotch.  We also have to wait for her last incision to close. (It has closed 4cm since I have been here, and we still have 48cm more to go.)

Right now I have quite a few decisions to make, and we all know how much I hate making them!  So, I ask that you will pray for me and my family that we will be able to make the right decisions.

On a lighter note, Mom's nurse washed her hair for the first time since she arrived!  She loved having her washed with her normal shampoo instead of the dry shampoo.  Mom is slowly but surely gaining her physical strength back, and her mind is coming around.  She still has moments of disorientation, but her mind is a lot clearer than it was a month ago.  We have our ups and downs and everyday there is a new challenge presented or a small victory celebrated.

Mom and I appreciate the calls and visits by those who have been in the area.  We love seeing friendly faces and talking with loved ones rather than discussing medical matters.  Thank you for lightening the load of this challenging journey!

Much Love,

Robyn