When will I be able to breathe?

It has been a crazy last few months... My mom has had to undergo a couple of surgeries in the last month. She is a pretty healthy 62 year old tough broad- seriously. She has hydrocephalus. She has WAY WAY too much spinal fluid through her brain and it was causing many many problems. She had a shunt put in her brain back in 2001 - and it worked just fine. The last 6 months she started having problems again. They went to a new neurologist - and discovered that the old shunt had quit working. Since they had come a long way with technology- they were able to put in a new shunt that could adjust the flow of the spinal fluid by waving magnets over the head- I guess they can use this same technology in pacemakers as well.

Anyway, Nov 2- my mom had this surgery- my brother and I both came to be with her in Illinois for her surgery. My bro came from LA- and I came from MN (by myself with 3 kids under the age of 6)(8 hour drive).

We got there the day before the surgery- and I shaved my moms head for her- as she wished. We had a little fun with it- making her have a mohawk! She has a great sense of humor about everything. The next morning was the surgery. Everything went well - or at least that is what we thought.

While the month went on- my mom seemed to continue being in pain and not feeling well. She developed a pouch on her stomach - that the doctor decided was a hernia. Her stomach has the task of digesting the extra spinal fluid through the drain that runs from her brain into her tummy. So we went along with 2 different doctors opinions- that she had a hernia.

Fast forward to Friday night (12-4)... I get home from working about 10 pm - I walk in the house and my daughter says, "What is this about 'Grandma with the no hair' getting cut open again? I respond- "Oh, honey Grandma has a hernia- which is just a little problem that the doctor can fix with a simple surgery." It left me wondering why that was the first thing on her mind when I came home. Seconds later, my husband says, "okay, don't freak out. Your dad just called and your mom just had to have some emergency surgery."

I immediately start to panic, I knew something was wrong- I had been trying to get in touch with my parents all evening while I was working- I left messages- no returned calls- which is not like them to not be in touch. I grab the phone and I start trying to call my dad- he is not answering. I call my brother- also not answering. I call my sis-in-law, and she has the same info that I have-

my mom was home alone and feeling like the hernia was going to burst- she went to take off her clothes to get more comfortable- and suddenly, there is a pee-stream of fluid coming from her incision (that should have been completely healed by now). Her skin had stretched so much that the fluid was coming out of her pores like a pee-stream. So she called a doctor- and was told to get to the Urgent Care or ER. She drives to the Urgent Care, doctor there asks what her concern is- mom tells him, "there is a pee-stream of fluid coming from my hernia"- he acted like she was exaggerating. She pulled up her shirt to reveal the craziness- and he starts calling people to get an ambulance!!

They all have no idea what could be happening to her- so they want her to be rushed by ambulance 1 hour away to the hospital that she had the surgery at. The doctor preforms this surgery to see what the hell happened- and the tube that is supposed to be IN her stomach- is actually between her stomach and her skin- so NOT a hernia! More like HUGE medical mistake!!!!!!!

So surgery takes like 5 hours.......she is feeling better- but they are not letting her out of the hospital yet because they are so worried about infection. ( umm, cuz spinal fluid is not supposed to be leaking into your body! Yeah thanks doc!)And, I am sure the hospital and doctor are a bit concerned that they will be getting sued!

So she is feeling better- but they are not releasing her- which makes me wonder if I should be going down there to help- are things worse than I am being told???

All this is happening, with work, the holidays, my recent flare-up that landed me in the hospital- it is all a lot to take in.

I have my disability hearing in less than 2 weeks - for which I should be extactic! But I am nervous! My doctor has put me on a plan of NOT working anymore than 8 hours a week! So that is not even worth driving 20 miles to get to work!

okay- my therapy is done! done bitching.

My daughter turned 6 a couple of weeks ago- she lost her first tooth- all things that I was not prepped for. I have spent all this time nurturing them through getting their teeth- I forgot that they lose them. So that was exciting.

and the other hot topic at our house- ZHU ZHU PETS. They have taken all the money that was extra in my wallet. They take up all my extra time- I am constantly searching for these dumb little hamsters for the kids for Xmas. So far I have been pretty lucky. Cooper wants Geotrax. Ford wants everything.

Merry merry.

be good

kim