Jann spent the night with Mom last night. Sid got up and went into the hospital at 4:30 and Bruce went in at 6:00 in the morning. They did find Mom and Jann awake and talking to each other, which was good.
Today was Sunday and it was so fun to see all our family visitors wearing suits and dresses for the day. It helped give a special feel to the day, even though we had to be in the hospital. Today was also a "hang around the hospital" day. Mom woke up telling all the doctors and lab people that if they were "sticking her" or prodding her, that it better not be to help her get better, because she wanted to die. However, Jann had a heart to heart talk with Mom and explained to her that we were ready to let her go, and we knew she was ready to go, but since she had rallied overnight, it seemed obvious that to us that it was not in Heavenly Father's timing for her to go yet. Jann explained that Mom needed to get into alignment with Heavenly Father's will as to what he wants for her to do before she can go...
Bret and Wendy came in the morning after Bruce left. Mom was awake and very much wanted to hear Bret's talk that he would be giving at their Stake Christmas fireside. So we had a song and opening prayer, and then Bret gave his talk. It was a very good talk and Bret was pretty emotional. He talked about service to others, and I thought about it as Jann, Jill, Bruce, Curt and so many others gave Mom ice chips, Jill curled and combed her hair, Liz massaged lotion into her feet, and Curt and Liz showed Mom pictures from off their computers. Surely there was a lot of love in the little room!
When we arrived this morning, there was a big NPO sign on Mom's door. We discovered it was because they had worried about Mom's swallowing capabilities, and wanted to give her a swallowing test but the speech pathologist wouldn't be in until tomorrow. So Mom only had ice chips and swabs in cranberry juice and water all day.
Her day was much better. Dr. Rich was very happy with her kidney output, and said that her creatinine and BUN numbers were now about the same as when she had come into the hospital, so we were excited. Her oxygen saturation levels were still around 93-95, and her heart was in A-fib. However, Dr. Wade ordered her to have some amioderone and metropolol to get her heart into sinus rhythm. She was alert most of the day, and "tested" well when the doctors came in to ask her questions. Dr. Wade said that if she could get more stabilized, she might be able to go home for Christmas and even maybe have the surgery...
One of the nice parts of the day was the Sacrament meeting held at the little chapel downstairs. An assigned group of priesthood holders and chorister came and they conducted, did the sacrament ordinance, and gave the 2 1/2 minutes talk. It was a nice meeting, and so fun to see the doctors and nurses come in to feel of that spirit on Sunday and to partake of the Sacrament. Afterwards, the priesthood went around to rooms to administer the sacrament to patients and staff. They also gave the sacrament to Mom, even with the NPO in place...
We were blessed with lots of good food contributed by Wendy (pork supreme stew), cheese, crackers, grapes and carrot cake by Jeannie, and yummy rolls and honey butter donated by Janey. Thanks SOO much! It was VERY much appreciated so that we didn't have to pay to eat in the cafeteria.
Family members came and went. Brittany and Tanner drove back to Rexburg. Jill and Kyle went to see new little grandson, Stephen, who had been born to Christina & Rob the day before up at Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful They then went to Jennifer Fisher's Christmas open house that night. Bruce and Jeannie went to their meetings, and then Jeannie stayed home to prepare for Dallin, while Bruce came back to the hospital that night. Bret's family went back and forth to church, Madrigals performances in Sacrament meetings, and Bret's Stake Christmas fireside. We had a fun visit from Blaine and Kristi and their family, as well as Mom's bishop and his wife, Bev Nye and her daughter, Heidi and husband, Paul and Ronda, Cameron Archibald and Cam's girlfriend. The Archibalds had just come from their missionary open house, as Cameron will be going to serve in the Raleigh, North Carolina mission. Mom stayed alert most all of the day, and only dozed off from time to time.
All in all, it was a very good day.
Jill, I love it when you post. You are so very thorough. I feel like I was almost there - oh, wait! I was there. I have to say how grateful I was that Tanner came down as I felt like I was able to have someone there to rely on from my immediate family. Thanks so much Tanner. It was also fun to get to see Chels and Ash on Skype. Keep on keeping on while Mom is gone.
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