When someone is gravely ill there needs to be one member of the family whose job is just to field all of the phone calls and visitors. Once people knew of Becky’s plight and that she had pulled through OK we had a flood of both. She would not have been able to answer the phone or to visit with her company. I opted to stay with her and was pleased the hospital was supportive of my doing so. Most hospitals appreciate having a family member with the critical patients to give them a leg up on caring for others.

On Sunday they moved her out of ICU up to the 9th floor of the hospital. It was like a penthouse suite. The view from there allowed visage of the whole city and I was mesmerized watching the traffic flow on the streets below. It entertained me between her naps, the calls and the medical folks coming and going. Becky was not able to enjoy it for several days…..her trips to the bathroom were agonizingly slow and painful….she didn’t opt for more than just getting back to bed. She had been through two surgeries within 6-days. She was wiped out.

They were closly monitoring for infection...the biggest hurdle she faced now. Becky was given a morphine drip to aid her comfort zone and in the beginning, she slept a lot. The calls were constant and I reassured everyone to the fact that the worst was over. They called for updates several times a day and those who lived close enough made efforts to come in person. Our Driver’s Examiner people came at different times and we knew it was a sacrifice driving up after work or taking a day’s vacation to come. We appreciated them so much…..our other family.

I was outfitted with a recliner by her bed and the nurses brought extra towels, shampoo, soap, toothpaste and a brush……..they appreciated me being there and made sure I had the essentials needed to stay with Becky. Jonathan came to see his mom and stayed over night in the waiting room with blankets and remained most of the time she was there……Bear came during the day, and stayed with Jonathan one night. They neither one slept much. Hospitals aren’t conducive to much sleep for anyone. Bear made the long drive home at night and came back the next day each time.

The days crept by, each with new expectations. First to go on liquids for nourishment, then solid food…..getting up and sitting in a chair, then walking, walking further, etc; The doctor’s that took charge of Becky were excellent. Dr. Cordonnier, Dr. Buckner and Dr. Powell were exceptional and used aggressive measures to get Becky up and going again. Days went by and Saturday rolled around again. Becky could now be up in a wheelchair so I took her over to the side of the floor where we could see the fireworks that Springfield displayed every year. It was a good vantage point and we did enjoy them…….but Becky tired before they were over so we went back to her room.

We were hoping to be released soon but Dr. Kim, the lung specialist, had been concerned about fluid building up in her right lung. He drained the lung and sent a specimen to the lab for testing. He later came by to tell us it wasn’t anything serious and everything was OK. He was releasing her to go home whenever Dr. Buckner thought prudent. However, Dr. Buckner was held up in surgery and didn’t get to our room until 6:15 that evening to tell us we could go. The nurses hurried to unplug Becky from things no longer needed and get her things together so we could leave. It didn’t take any of us long to get her to the car and travel the 80-miles home. We arrived at 10:30, a pretty tired bunch but family was waiting and the lights were on…….no sight is more beautiful than the lights of home after an imposed absence.

And so, 6-days after her first surgery and then a second surgery and 10-days of recuperation together………we came home.

Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther