Hospital recovery, day 2 - evening update

Update from Dad, 8:10 am EST - Cheryl had a very rough night of it. She began to have nausea about 8:00 pm, apparently caused by the pain medicine. She reduced the pain medicine and of course the pain level increased. The cycle continued through the night with brief interruptions. Thankfully, Sandra Clements was here and knew what was going on and helped tremendously. The night was complicated by a patient having a psychotic episode roaming the hallway and shouting. That was finally subdued before I arrived at 6:00 AM. Sandra briefed the resident and got the pain medicine changed. Cheryl got some solid food (crackers and jello) down, received some anti-nausea medicine, and thanks to your prayers is doing some better.

The physical therapist was here about 8:30 and got her on her feet for the first time. She took a few shaky steps near the bed and the therapist was very happy at how well she did. She'll be up again later today and will take a slightly longer journey. She hasn't had any pain medication for several hours but is doing well nonetheless. He nausea has also subsided. Thanks so much for your prayers!

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12:57 pm EST - Overheard in Mom's hospital room as Tim dialed Mom's physical therapist here at the hospital:

"Hello, yes, I'd like to make an appointment to... um... help my mom walk."

We're scheduling another appointment to get Mom on her feet.

I see Mom's strength shining through. I see her taking initiative to try to turn in bed. This sounds like no big deal, but even small movements that involve using her new back are really challenging. Mom is very aware that she needs to go through those paces in order to re-build her strength.

Her pain is still a presence, but it seems much improved since last night.

We are being given a special treat this afternoon. One of Mom's friends, Angi, plays the harp in her free time for patients in intensive care. Mom loves Angi's music and plays her CDs at home. Today Angi is coming to play her harp for Mom right here in her hospital room. I'll take try to some photos of "the concert" to share here.

Stay tuned this evening for more updates.

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7:52 pm EST - It has been a long and intense day for us here.

We're all learning a lot about how to be good nurses to Mom. Today's main challenge was finding a happy balance between pain relief and nausea. Mom's pain pump gave her brief intervals of relief today, but also introduced some very intense nauseous sensations. We learned quickly that having "real food" in her digestive system gave Mom some relief from the nausea. So we have been making concerted efforts to make sure she eats every couple of hours.

Dad, Tim and I have also been learning how to "wedge" Mom's body in bed. We strategically place a large triangle of orthopedic foam against her back to help relieve pressure on her new spine.

Small improvements are evident everywhere. Mom's pain pump was removed today, so she is just taking painkiller capsules every few hours. This is a wonderful development. Today she also sat up in bed, took a few first steps, and practiced moving around in bed several times.

Our friend Angi arrived to serenade Mom around 4 pm. She brought a beautiful harp and played some gorgeous Christmas carols and hymns. (I took lots of photos of the concert, but forgot to pack my camera's digital card reader in my hospital bag today. So you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see them!)

Before she began playing, Angi encouraged Mom to close her eyes and just float on the music. The moment that Angi's fingers first touched the strings of the harp, I started sobbing. I sure wasn't expecting that, but I felt really thankful for that moment. I know I will never forget it. I think Dad also shed a few tears. Although I am really thankful to be present for Mom in this new way, the past few days have certainly brought plenty of anxiety and stress with them. It has been very hard to see Mom in so much pain. Angi's music created a safe space where tears felt perfectly appropriate. Her music wordlessly expressed everything that all of us have been wanting to say to Mom over the past few days: We love you, we're praying for you, all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well....

One of the songs that Angi played was "All Through the Night."

Sleep, my child,
and peace attend thee
All through the night

Guardian angels
God will send thee
All through the night

I still get choked up thinking about that moment.

So, at this moment, I'm here at the hospital with Mom. Dad and Tim have gone for the night. I'll be sleeping over with her. I've already turned out the lights in Mom's room, and I can hear her breathing deeply a few feet away. This is music to my ears!

Here are some prayer requests and praises for all those out there who are praying for Mom:
(1) Please pray that Mom will get several hours of deep sleep tonight. Really — I can't really figure these hospitals out. They come in every couple of hours to wake you up and make sure you were sleeping. It's kind of nuts.
(2) Pray for courage and strength for Mom as she continues to explore territory that feels brand-new: standing up and walking.
(3) Pray for ongoing relief from nausea.

Praise for this evening:
(1) Mom's new pain medication seems to be working out very well. It is bringing real relief to her right now, with a minimum of side effects. As a matter of fact, I think she is more comfortable at this moment than she has been all day. That is huge.
(2) Angi's gift of music.
(3) Mom's sweet spirit in the face of great difficulty and pain.

We love you all. More updates tomorrow.