Everything's coming up roses, we hope and pray

Last May I took this photo of a Tuscan Sun Rose at Portland's Rose Garden. I thought it illustrated very well how today went, in a totally unexpected way.

This is entirely random, out of time sequence, whatever--sorry.

OK, here's what happened. Mama's symptoms of nausea and the feeling that her eyes were floating in a pan of water were so much better today that the neurologists consulted with the cardiovascular surgeon and afterwards, they made the decision to postpone the surgery, to see if this continues.

Naturally I asked postpone for how long. What if she wakes up tomorrow nauseous and vomiting, what then? The answer from the cardiovascular surgeon--medicine for that and wait and watch to see if it comes back on Saturday morning--not in those exact terms, but that is what he meant. He said that he'd be around all weekend if need be but he really didn't think he'd be needed because he believes that the steroids that Mama's been taking since late Sunday afternoon have finally had the proper impact on her inner ear nerve which, if this is what's really happening, is no longer inflamed.

The neurologists said she is to have physical therapy again tomorrow, and over the weekend we will do things with her. Today, before I had left work to head over there, Lamont and Lindsay got her into a wheelchair and took her up and down the hallway, asking her to read signs and look at photographs, etc. decorating the walls. None of this bothered her equilibrium or made her feel dizzy.

After I'd been there for a while, taking all of this in, she said, "I feel like I've been let out of a cage." Lamont kept saying, "I can't believe what I'm seeing," after having seen her yesterday for a couple of hours before going to work at 1 p.m. She was lying curled up in the bed, not wanting to focus her eyes on anything. He'd ask Lindsay, "Are you as amazed as I am?" "Yes," she'd say and grin real big.

About 1:45 p.m. the cardiovascular surgeon called and told us that he wanted to delay and that he'd come later to formally tell us why and to answer questions. Naturally Mama was hungry--she'd had nothing since applesauce the night before around 10 p.m. So, we asked her nurse if she could have something, jello even. She said she'd have to check for doctor's orders. Lamont told her that he'd just called, etc. so she said she'd believe us and get some. She never came back. In the meantime, Lamont and LIndsay were getting very hungry--they'd been there since right before noon. So I told them that I had four homemade turkey wraps in my lunch bag and they could have one each if they liked. They declined and when down to the cafeteria to find something more to their liking. All of a sudden Mama said, "Give me on of those turkey rollups." So I did, and she ate the whole thing! Slowly, along with sips of water. Then Lamont and Lindsay came back with a cup of sliced canned peaches for her which she ate, bite by bite. As she looked down at the cup of peaches and fished one out with her spoon, she said, "I couldn't have done this two days ago, I would have been feeling awful." I ate a turkey wrap with her, and the kids ate their food. We talked and kept looking at each other like what is going on here? Is this a false better brought on by medicines?

Leland came from school, hungry. I offered him the last two turkey wraps but they were too plain for him, so he went down to the cafeteria salad bar and got some shredded cheese and also added mustard from a packet that Lamont had. He ate both of them. We had a picnic in the hospital.

I helped Mama walk into the bathroom which she had not done since she first got to Mt. Tabor, last Thursday afternoon. She wasn't dizzy or wobbly. Her blood pressure was more normal, too. Her nurse and two student nurses are supposed to give her a shower this evening at 10 p.m. which is when she requested it. At 8 p.m. she's supposed to get a grilled cheese, some peaches, vanilla wafers and milk.

Right before we left, her medical doctors arrived. Both of them were pleased with how she looked. One said he felt cautiously optimistic which is a plain and effective way to put it. Mama feels like that herself, as do all of the rest of us.

So, thanks from the bottom of our hearts for all of your prayers and positive thoughts and kind words and wishes.

I'm about to sit on the couch with my little dog.