Letter from Mom

In addition to a photo of Mom standing by my side in the bride's room just before my wedding, another priceless treasure of mine that has given me strength these past few weeks is a simple handwritten letter Mom wrote me on lined notebook paper on April 1, 1998. She mailed it to my college dorm at KU during my freshman year. It had been a tough year. I was working three jobs, juggling a full load of classes and struggling with the unexpected death of a floormate of mine. Mom's words always were comforting and arrived just in time. Here's an excerpt:

"Lori, Here you go, my hardworking girl! ...

I hope by the time you get this, that things are going better with your computer. Your test should be over and you should be more relaxed. Take deep breaths! And you thought life was tough in high school. I never said that life was easy as you got older ... I couldn't tell you what to expect either. It might have scared you! Ha ha. Seriously ... life is just what happens when you have already made other plans. The trick is to get over each hurdle with as much grace as possible. If you trip, be more aware the next time.

You are doing so well! I'm so very proud of you and the way you are growing. Keep up the good work! Each phase of life seems difficult until you book back at what has already happened. That is growth. Like I said, you are doing well! Hang in there! It all works out ... one way or another.

You are always in my thoughts, prayers and of course, my heart!

Love you!
Mom"

During Mom's darkest days in the ICU, I rediscovered this letter in a collection of cards and letters I have kept throughout the years in a basket in my bedroom closet. It's now yellowed and torn. I must have unfolded it and read it dozens of times. Finding it, I cried and then took it up to the hospital to read back to her. I shared it with friends and family, and we marveled about how well her words of advice fit her situation, especially when she wrote, "Take deep breaths!"

Mom continues to get stronger. She surprised herself this evening with how easy things have become for her compared to where she was even a week ago. Tonight, for instance, she bent over and picked up her slipper-socks off the floor and put them back on. That wasn't feasible just a few days ago. She has three-pound ankle weights that she wears while doing squats, leg lifts, etc. Her voice is getting stronger, and she's been chatting up a storm. I love it. As a wise woman once told me, "It all works out ... one way or another."

Makeover magic

It seems everyone was getting a makeover this weekend.

Before the quilt show on Saturday, Janice & I went to the wonderful, inspiring Sisterhood of the Divine Makeover Luncheon. (Wouldn't you know that my mini bundt cake had a high heel shoe pick!)

Three deserving local women received head-to-toe makeovers, and their looks were unveiled during the event.

Also on the makeover front: Mom's fluffy cat Libby got a new do.












And Brian picked up a new set of shears to use on our pups. Dakota, who wasn't feeling well this weekend (the vet told us he thinks it's an allergic reaction of some sort) was the first to be buzzed this summer. We had this done professionally last year, and the dogs seemed so much happier and more comfortable in the summer heat. Brian spent two hours to shave nearly three pounds of shag from our mutt. Lilly, enjoy those strawberry blonde doggy locks while you've got 'em: You're next.

Quilts on display

I spent several hours shopping and gawking at more than 800 quilts this weekend at the Common Threads Quilt Show at Century II. Janice & I went for a bit on Saturday and Sunday, and my friend Chris joined us for a couple of hours on Saturday.

I was humbled at the talent, creativity and craftsmanship the quilts portrayed. They were beautiful. Many gave me a lump in my throat because of the stories behind them or what they represented.

Take for example the heart quilt pictured, titled "It's Like I Said" and displayed as a memorial quilt. It was made by a former quilt guild member who died since the last show in 2006. The quilt summary in the show's program said, "Norma was always collecting sayings and she kept them in a notebook. She loved scrappy quilts and this heart pattern. She decided to use the blank space in the center to write some of her favorite sayings -- they always brought a smile to her face."

Among those sayings: "Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you have."

"Who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see believes in God."

"Count your age by friends, not years; count your life by smiles, not tears."

Now I am inspired to get to work on my own projects. Mom said that I should enter our "Spring Survivor" quilt -- and its story -- in the next show.

Mom update: The event was fun, but I wished that Mom could have enjoyed it with us. Lots of her quilting friends that I saw asked for an update and passed along their wishes for a good recovery. I purchased a CD of photos of all of the quilts, and she & I will have a private viewing later this summer. Mom had a good weekend with more in-house therapy. She told me this evening that she can tell that she's feeling better because it's bothering her that she's been unable to fix her hair or do her makeup. We might just need to have a girls pampering party. Tomorrow she will have been home for a full week, and she has a lot of work ahead of her this week, including tackling the house stairs with a therapist's help.

A message from Mom & Dad

Because my blog, along with Jen's "The Happy Couple" blog, has been the unofficial place for Mom updates for family and friends across the country during the past five weeks, Dad has asked me to post this message that he wrote from him and Mom:

"As you know, Ann came home last Monday. I got such a charge watching her as she settled in during the first several days. All of the little things we take for granted every day that were such a thrill for her: her favorite squishy pillow that she snuggles with, the alarm clock right where she knows it will be before she opens her eyes, the early morning sunlight coming in though the window lighting up the bedroom and, oh yeah, coffee made the way she likes it!

A couple of things that I want to share with you about Ann’s experiences in MICU:

Ann talked with other family members and me about her visits from angels and deceased family members who visited her in her room. At first, it started out with one or two off in the corner of the room. She talked about how she got cold and one of the angels gently moved its wings and how she felt a warming stream of air over her body. Then there were more and more angels. She told me that, at one time, there were so many angels in her room that there was standing room only. When the nurses came in to tend to her, they would part a path to her bed and then would reoccupy the space after the nurses would leave. She told me that both of our sets of parents were there with her grandmother and how her mom would joke with her and make her laugh. (Those of us who knew Doris really can appreciate this.) Ann and I talked about these visits, and it is my belief that the angels were delivering prayers from all those who had prayed for Ann, one prayer at a time. This is why her room was so crowded. I thank all of you who have prayed for my Annie and asked Our Father to allow her to be with us at this time.

As Ann and I sat sharing thoughts one afternoon in her room, we realized that we had discovered a golden lining in this cloud. Ann likes to refer to it as 'Part Two,' and I like to refer to it as 'do-overs.' (It's like how, when we were kids playing games, we found that we were at a point of deadlock where no one could win or lose. We would call for do-overs!) We have decided that we are going to draw a line in the sand and leave all past hurts, ill feelings, disappointments and failures in the past. What is important is what we do from this point forward.

Thanks to all of the special people who have helped us through this and who continue to lend support as we go forward with Ann’s healing. You have no idea how much you have helped us! To our children -- Shawn, Lori, Jenny and Amanda -- and the special people that you have brought into our family, what can I say that I have not already said. We love you and are very proud of all of you and how you have stood together and helped each other through this time of need!

Dan & Ann"

Home sweet home

It's been such a wonderful week with Mom at home. I can tell that Mom's cats are glad she's home, too. Lucy, at left, is 100 percent Mom's cat. She's been quite the moody kitty in the past month and has been pouting without her. What a beautiful sound to hear Mom's laughter and her voice in her home again.

Mom uses a walker to get around upstairs but is gaining mobility each day. On Thursday, she had visits from physical and occupational therapists, who evaluated her and gave her "homework" to keep her limber and to help her grow stronger. Janice and our family friend Faith, who both work for school districts and are off this summer, have been keeping Mom company during the days while the rest of us are at work. That's been a blessing. Mom should get a wheelchair today, which we'll use (soon, hopefully) when she's feeling up to getting out of the house to see a movie, shop, etc.

Jen & I have been spending much of our evenings at Mom & Dad's and keeping Mom company. For now, Mom is still on a soft food diet but has been able to eat more of her favorite foods and drinks, including tuna and chicken salad sandwiches, Little Debbie Oatmeal Cookies, puffed rice cereal, coffee and another Fruitista. (My Aunt Ruthie, who lives in Texas, had seen my previous post about Mom's first "taste of the outside" while she was in the MICU and mailed Mom a coupon for a free Fruitista. Mom made sure I got it for her.)

Mom's brothers Eric & Joey are in town for a visit from Missouri, and Dad grilled brats for dinner. Earlier this week, I cooked Dad dinner. He gave me two thumbs up on a couple of my favorite recipes, Parmesan Pork Cutlets and

Avocado-Corn Salsa
1 cup salsa
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 (11-oz.) can Mexicorn, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
***
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving time.
Makes 3 cups.
Source: Pillsbury

Pond puppies

Earlier this week (between Kansas rainstorms), Brian & I took the pups to the park and went on a nice five-mile walk. First, though, we let Dakota & Lilly swim in the lake. They looked like little Loch and Ness monsters out there:

She's home!

After 26 days in the hospital, Mom is home. Woo-hoo! She left the hospital late this morning. Dad drove her home (the "long way" so they could drive around the house and see the garden from the street), and she said that it was so much fun to get out of the hospital -- even though it was a dark, rainy day -- and see how the flowers have bloomed. Dad carried her into the house, and Mom reunited with her kitties, Lucy and Libby, and had lunch in her own bed. It was a good day. Thank God we've been able to celebrate it with her.

Posted is one of the last pictures I took in the hospital. One of the perks of being in a standard hospital room, where she'd been staying since Thursday, was that she finally could receive flowers. During the weekend, she received two beautiful bouquets, which we admired against her great room view.

Mom & the rest of us appreciate the visits, cards, flowers, e-mails and phone calls that she has received and continues to receive. She says that it has given her strength to know that so many people are thinking of and praying for her. We already have talked about how best to preserve the many cards, e-mails, etc., that she's received during her stay. She looks forward to her daily mail call and is tickled with each greeting. The support has been amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Ahhhhhh

That's the sound of my sigh of relief after the most "normal" weekend I've had in about a month. Mom is doing so well that her doctor said this afternoon that she might not even need any breathing support (additional oxygen, for example) once she is released to go home, which we're expecting to happen in the next few days. She continues to gain strength and mobility and today walked 100 feet on her own (using a walker), which is double the length of her last walk.

In addition to spending time with Mom at the hospital this weekend, I was able to make time for some things I've been putting off for weeks, including a haircut and some rest. I also met a couple of my close girlfriends for a cup of chai latte, which turned into a two-and-a-half-hour gabfest over a shared slice of carrot cake (and very cheap therapy for me).

I did some shopping for a new swimsuit to wear to Padre next month and ran some errands for Mom. I returned a blouse that she bought a few weeks before she was admitted to the hospital. It was too big on her, and I didn't like how it fit me. I caught Meow Meow trying it on for size before I took it back. (Believe it or not, I DID NOT set up these photos. Before I headed to swim at the YMCA on Saturday morning, I caught her playing in the shirt, including sticking her head through the sleeve.)















Brian, who has been so patient and helpful during the past month, picked me up at the hospital Saturday evening for a date night at the Starlite Drive-In, a summer favorite of mine. (Is it sad that I liked "Kung Fu Panda" better than the new "Indiana Jones" flick?)




This evening, Brian & I celebrated Father's Day at his parents' house, where his dad tried out some new tongs (unbeknownst to his wife):


Brian and Lilly played catch,


Dakota sampled grilled corn on the cob,


and Dad got to be a normal guy, playing with dogs in a backyard on a sunny day.


Ahhhhhh. Good weekend. Now forward march toward a good week, which we all hope includes a long-awaited homecoming.

Bed bug

Now that Mom is doing much better and we're expecting her to come home sometime soon, I've vowed this weekend to get caught up on some R&R. Brian fired up the grill for a late dinner Friday, and I have some fun things planned for the weekend. I think my pretty kitty is up to a restful weekend as well ...

Meow Meow always loves to help us make our bed, a hobby that means that the simple chore takes twice as long to do. (Don't tell her, but I don't mind one bit.) One of her favorite things is to sneak underneath the fitted sheet when we first put it on the mattress:

Beauty in midst of the storm

I arrived home from the hospital this evening in time to catch a beautiful sunset just as a heavy rainstorm was moving in. The image sums up how I've felt in the past month: The rain's coming down, but there's something amazing just over the horizon.

"The secret of life, though is to fall seven times and to get up eight times. "

— Paul Coelho in “The Alchemist”

Hooray for moving day

A bit past three this afternoon, Mom called me at work with a surprise request: "Come help me move!" She was released from the MICU and transported to a "regular" hospital room, where she has a roommate (boo) but her own phone (yay!).

When I arrived at Mom's MICU room, I packed up the many belongings she'd accumulated during her 22-day stay: cards, quilts, birthday gifts and helium balloons, physical and occupational therapy tools (resistance bands, etc.), stuffed teddy bears, books, the "overnight" bag I packed for her on the evening she was first admitted and more.

A cool cart that I called her "sled" showed up to load up her and her things. Two hospital employees helped escort her off the critical care floor. We waved goodbye to many nurses, respiratory therapists and other people we'd met in the past three weeks. Mom's nurse told me it's always a joy to watch people recover and leave with a happy parade. Amen to that.

Mom called my sisters and me awhile ago to say goodnight to each of us. She's unplugged now (not connected to any IVs) and walked 50 steps earlier today. Do I see a homecoming party on our weekend calendar? I pray so. She's already made a dinner request for her first night home: grilled hot dogs and Paula Deen Orange Brownies, a new dessert Mom discovered earlier this spring. We are way overdue, after all, for a Memorial Day cookout.

Happy b-day, indeed

Mom got quite the birthday gift today: she had her trach removed! She's been breathing on her own since 7 a.m. Tuesday and is impressing her occupational and physical therapists with her strength and motion. She had several visitors today, including a couple of her quilting friends, who stopped by for a birthday hello. She had a quiet evening to catch up on her rest and to gear up for another big day. Her doctor and nurses say she may even be released from the critical-care floor to a general hospital room Thursday. Like Mom's been saying, whatever gets her closer to the door is a good thing. I'll keep you posted.

Birthday celebration times two

More great news on Mom's recovery: Today the doc capped her trach and let her breath for two hours completely on her own. And while she was breathing independently, an occupational therapist (and very cute young male whom Amanda nicknamed "a little slice of heaven in green scrubs") worked with Mom. He helped her stand up twice and take small shuffle steps sideways. (After the first time she stood, he asked her if she was done for the day. She told him that she wanted to stand once more. I was wowed by her determination.) The activity wore her out, but it's a good sign that she has the will and is gaining the strength she'll need to regain mobility. I just returned home from the hospital, where a nurse was amazed that Mom sat up in bed on her own when she needed to take a few pills.

Mom's 57th birthday is Wednesday, but while Amanda was in town, we got the family together for a surprise birthday party in Mom's ICU room. Here's a hilarious photo of everyone cracking up over a funny card we gave Mom from her two cats, Lucy & Libby:


We got permission from Mom's nurses for her to have a carrot cake cupcake. Jen & Amanda found cute plastic candle cake picks. Mom "blew" them out. I bet she made one hell of a wish.










On Sunday evening, Brian & I had a late birthday celebration for his mom, who earned her AARP membership in late May. His dad, Eric and Grandma joined in for the dinner party. Birthday blessings to two very special women and mothers. May the year ahead be filled with love, laughter and good health. We are thankful to have you both in our lives.

A taste of the 'outside'

After several days on a hospital-regulated "soft food" diet, Mom received clearance this afternoon to have one treat from the "outside." On the afternoon of her first day in the hospital when she was intubated and thirsty, she had requested a specific drink: Taco Bell's mango strawberry Fruitista Freeze. None of us had heard of it, but Mom was on the cutting edge and had seen TV commercials about it. She seemed to enjoy it but joked that it could be improved upon with a shot of rum.

Mom had a good day. She jokingly arm-wrestled the doctor when he came to check on her. She's done so well on her breathing exercises that they're going to try to leave her on blow-by all day tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Amanda was in Kansas City on Saturday to be in the wedding of her high school friend Emily and will be in Wichita through tomorrow. It's good for my Arkansas sis to be able to spend some time with Mom at the hospital, pictured at left, now that she's doing better and able to chat a little.


After some challenging physical therapy that Mom does daily now, she & I watched a bit of TLC's marathon of "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" this afternoon while she dozed and I worked on my quilt. Later, Jen came up and worked on her cross-stitch project for the baby's room. Jen's joked that we should be wearing bonnets when we're working together. Trust me: Neither of us would have believed even a year ago that we'd be hanging out and sewing together. I know Mom's getting a kick out of the irony.


Jen found a creative place to stash her embroidery floss while she was working ... Smile!

Healing, comforting quilts

Today is Mom's 18th day in the MICU. On one of the first nights of her stay, I had hoped to get some sleep up at the hospital. So I brought my little down-filled camp pillow and this quilt that I finished earlier this spring. But that night, Mom got the chills, so the quilt went to her bed. And, unless she's overheated, that's pretty much where it's stayed for the last two weeks. I told her that, based on her recovery, it must be her lucky quilt and that she must keep it now. Quilters often name their projects, and I hadn't yet named mine, until now: I'm calling it "Spring Survivor." When a new nurse comes on shift and introduces him or herself to Mom, he or she almost always compliments the quilt on her bed. "What a gorgeous quilt! Who made it?" they'll ask. Mom points to me and smiles. Then I point back to her and reply, "She taught me everything I know about quilting." I'm so pleased that Mom and I have shared this hobby during the past seven years. It's giving us an excuse to shop, spend time together and even travel a bit. We're in the local quilt guild together, have seen a quilt-related play, gone on a quilt-themed home tour and more. During that time, she's taught me so much about quilting, life, herself and myself. How appropriate that quilts would be part of this experience, too, no matter how difficult it is. I've kept another quilt at the hospital for whomever may be visiting. Last night, for example, Mom had her new floral quilt on her bed while I wrapped up in my "Kite Strings" quilt. (I don't have a photo of that one. I'll post it later, though.)

I've mentioned in a previous post that I've been sewing the binding on a quilt while keeping Mom company in the hospital. The one I've been working on is the one pictured at left, which I had quilted professionally. Mom & I picked it up from our long-arm quilter earlier this year.







Last night, my mother-in-law Janice and I went to the Barnes & Noble in Bradley Fair, where Kansas authors of a new quilting book "Red, Green and Beyond" were having a book signing event. Featured quilts from the book, including the one at left, were on display. A couple of the women who made quilts featured in the book were there too, and asked about Mom. I passed around my copy of the book for them to sign and delivered it to Mom afterwards. She was so tickled. I'm looking forward to reading the book together with her. There are several stories about Kansas women in it that look fascinating.

The errand was another good escape for me. Quilting and shopping can be great to take your mind off things. The bookstore had displays of different quilting books, so I bought a couple of those, including a precious children's bedtime book that I gave to Mom. It'll come in handy in September when my sister Jen has her baby.

Mom is on her blow-by breathing exercise now and may stay on it for 12 hours or more today. She also continues to work on physical and occupational therapy, including doing arm exercises in bed and sitting on the edge of her bed to work on mobility, which will continue to be a challenge after spending so much time in bed. (Mom's O.T. team consists of two young female therapists that Mom & Dad have nicknamed the "torture twins." Funny stuff.) More steady progress. I think we'll be back to sewing together in no time!

Good riddance!

Mom got rid of her feeding tube yesterday, and it's fabulous to see her without a tube hanging out of her mouth or nose. She dined on chicken pot pie and a coffee shake that Dad crafted for her by pouring a splash of her hospital coffee into her vanilla soft serve ice cream. We all laughed watching her suck that treat down.

We had hoped they'd be able to cap Mom's trach yesterday, but she was a little too tuckered out from her blow-by breathing trials off the vent (but with extra oxygen). She's on one such trial right now, and they're hoping she can make it four hours. Good luck, Mom! We are reminding her not to get discouraged and that she's making drastic improvements and that she needs to stay positive and patient while her body recovers, at whatever pace that will be.

More signs that she's feeling better: She complimented my outfit and earrings when I saw her last and was playing with my hair. She's very in tune with what we're doing outside of the hospital, keeping up with our lives. And she's curious about what's going on around her. During visiting hours, a large crowd of crying people gathered inside and out of the MICU room next to Mom's. A nurse came and pulled the curtain to Mom's room closed so the commotion wouldn't disturb her. But she kept looking toward the noises. "Go peek!" she mouthed to me.

My uncle (Mom's younger brother) Joey and his beautiful wife Terry were in town from Columbia, Mo., to pay her a visit. It was good for Mom to see them and for me because they got me out of the hospital for a few hours Friday night for dinner at Piccadilly:

Brian enjoyed a cold, tasty adult beverage. (I must confess that my glass of Fat Bastard chard tasted mighty fine.)

Dad indulged us with stories from the good ol' days.













And I got to catch up with my aunt and uncle. Joey and I traded stories about Mom, and he made me realize that some of my personality quirks (including that I must have a cup of coffee in the morning ... or someone's going to get hurt) I get from his and Mom's side of the family.

Music to my ears

Mom is doing so, so, so great. I could just do a happy dance (and in fact have ... several times!). In the past 24 hours, she's had breathing tests off the respirator for up to two hours at a time. During those periods, she's able to talk a little. My heart did a cartwheel when Dad called me at work yesterday and put Mom on the phone. "Hello, my baby girl!" she said, before asking me whether I needed another quilting project to work on. (Mom knows that I've been sewing the binding on my latest project while keeping her company in her MICU room. She has some projects that are at that same stage and wanted to let me know that if I was wanting something else to sew on I could use her quilts.) That's Mom. Always thinking about others. (She has also already talked about needing to write thank you notes to people who have cooked food for the family, mowed the lawn at my parents' home and done other thoughtful things. Pretty sweet for a woman who's been in intensive care for 15 straight days.)

She's also been able to have a variety of food and drink, including coffee (a favorite of hers) and graham crackers. She had a snack size of Swiss Miss vanilla pudding last night that she said "tastes like the best food in the world." Tonight she enjoyed a bit of buttered roll, mashed potatoes and gravy, milk and soft serve ice cream.

What I've loved most recently is seeing the content look on her face. "I'm a survivor," she says. Indeed. Her face is a rosy pink, her beautiful blue eyes are sparkling. She's my miracle Mom, and she's demonstrating that she's loving getting stronger and experiencing life every day. Her birthday is Wednesday, and I asked her what she wanted. I could have predicted her answer: "To go home!"

She's exhibiting her wonderful sense of humor, cracking jokes through a combination of sign language, writing, mouthing words and speaking. This evening, she told me that she's been watching a lot of the TLC show "What Not to Wear," waiting for inspiration to strike regarding a mother-of-the-bride outfit she could wear to Amanda's Aug. 9th wedding. She also said that she can't wait to shop in downtown Newton and check out a new plant store on South Rock (she saw a commercial about it on TV today). I love hearing her talk about what she wants to do when this is all behind her.

This morning, she was able to get the sutures holding her trach in place removed. She's hoping that tomorrow she gets her feeding tube (which has remained in her mouth, even when she's eating and talking) removed. They're also planning to cap her trach in the morning and let her breath on her own for as long as she's able.

My family & I believe Mom's recovery is a testament to the power of prayer. Thank you, everyone, for your continued prayers.

'Mama gaga, boo-boo she wawa'

Wha-huh? Unless you're a child of the '80s or a big Muppet fan, you may not know the song "I'm Gonna Always Love You" from the '84 movie "Muppets Take Manhattan." When my sisters & I were kids, we'd sing the song along with the movie with Mom. You can read more about the goofy song on Muppet Wikia, but it's about how Kermit and Miss Piggy knew each other as babies. It also inspired the adorable "Muppet Babies" TV series. Last week, when we were thinking of music to play for Mom while she was sedated, my sisters thought of this one. I brought it in to play for Mom. When she woke up this week, we played it for her again. It brought a big smile to her face. I wanted to share with you the music video of the silly song:

Dad was a little more romantic: He asked me to play John Denver's "Annie's Song" for Mom, whose first name is Ann and sometimes goes by Annie. The song was her bridal march 33 years ago, and I incorporated an instrumental version, played on the harp, in my wedding nearly seven years ago.

Funny or sweet, I do believe that music played at least a small role in Mom's dramatic recovery. I just returned home from the hospital, where Mom was showing some of the best vital numbers of her 13-day MICU stay. She also had a 30-minute breathing trial where she was breathing oxygen but was off the respirator. Woo-hoo! You can read more about her first trial today on my sister Jen's blog, The Happy Couple.

Good luck on tests & junk like that!

Mom continues to be more alert and look more like herself. I visited her Monday evening, and, before a peaceful nap, she was making faces that communicated her pain, that she thought things we were saying were funny and that she was curious about what was going on around her. I also read her some of her many, many cards that she's received, and I could tell that did her good, too. (At left is just a portion of what her friends and family have mailed her.) She seemed especially surprised that some relatives have sent her as many as 15 cards (you crack me up, Eric & Marty!) and that she's hearing from extended relatives and friends at Prairie Quilt Guild.

She became frustrated that her hands were too weak to do American Sign Language (Mom & I know the alphabet, which has come in handy in this occasion and others). She also was unable to write. But I talked with Dad briefly this morning, and he said that she was writing a little bit this morning and telling him that she doesn't like what they're feeding her through her feeding tube. That's our Mom! Another sign that she's on the mend. I told her that I hope a chicken fried steak dinner is not too far away. (My sisters & I tease Mom endlessly about her bizarre affection for chicken fried steak. If we go to a restaurant, Mom will study the menu for quite awhile. "What have you decided?" we'll ask. "Hmmm ... I think I'll go with the chicken fried steak," she'll reply. She really seemed to have no idea of this ordering routine until we pointed it out to her. Hee hee!) Need more proof that she's getting stronger? Mom watched the TV in her MICU room for a bit, too. She was pleased that she had control over the remote.

Mid-morning today Mom will try a new breathing test to help the doctors assess the strength of her lungs. She remains on the respirator but has been initiating breaths for most of the day. Her physical therapist, who first visited her on Sunday, also will come by to continue to teach us stretches we need to do hourly on Mom's legs and exercises that she can do on her own (lifting her arms, stretching her fingers, etc.) When I see her this afternoon, I'll make sure she's doing her homework!

Sweet, sweet smile

Mom's 11th day in intensive care was a very good one. She slept most of the day but is now off sedatives and is able to communicate with us in limited stints: She smiled when we told her that her cats, Lucy and Libby, miss her. She squeezed my hand and wiggled her toes when I asked her to do so. She nodded yes when I asked if she wanted me to read some of her dozens of cards she's received (they definitely cheer her up!) and shook her head no when I asked if she felt up for a shopping trip. (She also smiled when I asked her if she's been dreaming that she's in a giant fabric store where everything's half off.) Jen showed her a cross-stitch project she's making for her baby's room, and I told her about a quilt project I've been working on in her room. Amanda & Kurtis were in town to visit, and I know it did Amanda's heart good to see Mom's progress. What a relief after such a frightening week to be able to talk with her a little. I could tell that she's frustrated that she can't talk back right now. She motioned that she wanted to write to us, but she's not strong enough for that right now.

She still needs lots of rest and seems a little confused about what's going on. Her nurses continue to constantly monitor her vitals to make sure that they're finding the right balance for her blood sugar level, nutrition (she has a feeding tube still), other medication and breathing treatments. Her fever has subsided, but she is fighting a sinus infection right now. Another great blessing this week: The docs ordered a cat scan to ensure that Mom had no neurological damage from oxygen deprivation, and, thank God, the results came back clear. That one had me really worried.

Many of her family and friends hope to see her soon, but we must be patient and limit visitors for now in hopes that she'll continue to make steady improvement. Understandably, she's in a great deal of pain and discomfort, and we need to give her a chance to heal as needed. Thank you, everyone, for your understanding!

Her doctor is impressed with her recovery thus far, but it looks like she'll have a day or two minimum in the ICU before being released to a specific rehabilitation hospital in Wichita. She'll likely stay there for a few weeks to be weaned off her ventilator and work on physical therapy to regain strength. We're so pleased to have the opportunity to explain to her what's going on now. We hope that will relieve her anxiety a little bit and keep her emotionally and mentally strong for the days and weeks ahead. As long as she can keep smiling, I know she'll do great.