Its 1PM

Thanks to everyone with the calls, emails and instant messaging. The support is really appreciated. If you want my IM addresses, send an email to pat-mary [a] lamey-hughes . com (replace the [a] with the @ sign and remove all spaces). I am on Yahoo IM, AOL's AIM, Google Talk and Office Communicator (Applied employees only) and I'll send my user name by return email.

Mary is aware but in a lot of pain. The nurse asked for and got authorization to increase the pain medication. The IV is providing liquids so she produces urine at a regular clip. Mary is lying on her left side and that allows her to see the clock on the wall. As she just got back into bed after a bathroom run, she noted it was 10 more minutes to go until her next painkiller injection. This seems to be her focus today--obtaining her pain meds on time. She is not allowed any foods or liquids by mouth. Its a rough day for our foodie.

My cousin, Dr. Mary Jo, called and we spent some time discussing the situation. Today's pain is not unexpected. Stents often do this, especially where her's are located. The key is the readings of the metrics on her liver performance and other key measurements. For example, her most recent BP, pulse and temp readings were all A-OK. In fact, the BP was the lowest we've seen since she checked in.

As for next steps, it depends on the pathology reports. As Dr. Mary Jo says, you cannot hurry those, it takes a fixed time to get valid results and I must learn to accept this situation. She suggests I learn patience and calm while waiting for those irritatingly slow, unbelievably rude and monsterously inconsiderate pathology docs to hurry up and get their jobs done!

Dr. Mary Jo suggests there are several diagnosis for what is transpiring. However, until the path reports come back, the best thing to do is simply make sure Mary is comfortable. Dr Mary Jo also provided an assessment that the steps being taken now are the right steps.

Our Easter plans have been adjusted. Instead of meeting Mary's kids and grandkids in San Diego, Tim, Daniel and Charli are flying here on Thursday next week. Lara and the girls are going to arrive also on Thursday but possibly Friday. Scott, being squeezed by his current assignment, is going to do a fly in Saturday, fly back 1st think on Monday. Mary's sister, Reenie, is also chomping at the bit to get out here from Duluth. (That maybe more due to her secret desire to experience spring in the month of April instead of her normal June.)


The nurse just gave Mary her 1:20PM fentanyl injection. Our girl is feeling a bit better. Unfortunately, she is limited to every 2 hours and the effect doesn't last quite that long.


That is all for now--oh, you want to know when the doc will come in and fill us in, don't you? Well, so do we.

Pat