Thursday, May 14, 2009

Judy B...surgery update

Sorry for the day late post, lots of you have been asking about my mom! She is at home & seems to be doing well. Excuse the old picture, haven't gotten to take many pictures lately. She is in a lot of pain. Her ear is all cut up & raw in the back from top to bottom. She doesn't take pain meds well so she hasn't taken it at all since surgery - what a trooper! She has a new stylish ear muff that is almost as huge as a basketball off the side of her head. They had to go in through her head (not just the ear as anticipated) so they had to shave a little bit of her hair....that's no big thing to her, she's happy to be home & well. She will have the second surgery (I know...yuck) in 3-4 months to put her hearing bone back in place & hopefully restore her hearing, then repair the other ear. She will have lots of follow-up tests & scans to find out more, but the doctor feels that they were successful in removing the infection & patching the brain leak on the right side. He says her chances for a relapse of bacterial meningitis should be much less now.

As long as we're doing the medical updates, Garrett has had quite a week. He has thrown up several times a night since Monday & seems to be in a lot of pain. I don't get it - this surgery wasn't supposed to be a big deal. He SCREAMS when he gets his ear drops & is constantly tugging at his ears. He has always been a thrower-upper but this week has been extreme. I'm talking throw up from one side of the room to the other & up almost to the ceiling several different times a night. That's fun to clean up. I feel so bad for him. Something is just not right! Last night I sat & had a good cry then felt like a huge pansy. Oh well...guess we're all allowed to have a breaking point at some point & mine most definitely happened last night.

This has been quite a week year!

Sidenote - going to TX Children's on Monday put things into perspective. I'll take a chronic thrower upper over any of the other conditions I saw that day. We have it easy compared to LOTS of people. I felt so bad for even having a remote feeling of frustration when I saw a 6 year old with an oxygen tank. So thankful that our problems aren't bigger ones....there are lots of people out there who have to endure way more than I could ever imagine

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm so glad everything went well. We are praying for your family.

Barrow Family said...

I am so glad your mom is doing well! Thank GOD!!! I wonder why little man is having such a rough time after tubes.... poor little man! Did the doctors give you any reason as to why he might be getting sick?

The Ziebarths said...

First off, I'm so glad to hear that your mom is doing well.It sounds like she's really strong and has the right mind set to get though all of this. Second, I'm sorry to hear that G is not better. That sweet boy and both you and John need a break! You guys are in our prayers and nver far from our thoughts. Kelly, don't feel bad or like you've failed for hitting your limit. He is your son and all you want is for him to be healthy and happy. I hope that if I have to face something like that, I will be able to be half as stong as you have been. You're a GREAT mom and I look up to you!

Kathy said...

You are such a fantastic mom. I am in awe of you. My sister has to take her son to TX Children's on a regular basis for a variety of problems and she says the sam thing as you. Once she sees all the other kids with their problems it puts things in a whole new perspective.
Hang in there, you are making it!
Love ya!

Lauren said...

I am glad everything went well with your Mom. Hang in there Kel.

Unknown said...

Caitlin is working at Texas Children's this month. She's on the 14th floor. Maybe you'll get to see a friendly face while you're there.