Well, I had a post all typed up and ready to put on the blog, when...woooosh!...It was gone. Here's attempt number two (typed via a text editor this time, which I should have known better to do in the first place). =)

It's been another eventful week. We aren't sure what was causing Mom's low-grade temperature, but it has subsided now. The cultures they did turned up negative for another infection. Praise the Lord!

Her blood work mid-week did show that she was low on blood (not sure why). Mom had been having a bad headache (and exhaustion), and the doctor thought that might have been the cause. They gave her two units of blood, and she's feeling much better.

Mom was also dealing with stomach pain and nausea, so they had a endoscopy done to make sure it wasn't an ulcer. That, too, turned up negative. Another praise. They did find that things were moving too slowly through the stomach (they'd been giving her medicine to help slow things down, since she doesn't have much bowel, between the stomach and the ileostomy, to absorb nutrients), so they've adjusted her medicine to take care of the issue.

If her blood work goes well today, Mom might be able to come home tomorrow or Wednesday. We can hardly wait! This hospital stay has been much longer than we all originally anticipated, and we're glad it is now nearing its end. We are all looking forward to having her among us again, and she couldn't be happier or more ready to come home. =) She's looking forward to being around us all day again, sleeping in her own bed, eating our own home-cooking, going for walks in the fresh air, and just being home (knowing that she's getting to come home has been the best medicine of all for her)! As Dorothy so aptly put it, "There's no place like home!"

We cannot thank you all enough for your steadfastness in lifting us all up in prayer--especially our darling mother (wife, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and friend). We're also thankful for the many ways you've shown your love through cards, gifts, flowers, visits... .

If all goes well with her coming home, Mom will be the next one to update blog (she's been without internet access since being transfered to Select Specialty Hospital). She's looking forward to sharing her heart with you all.

With a grateful and joyful heart,
Amber (for all)