Bobbie Is Doing Great!!!!!

Chuck and I are back home for a few. We left Robert in Topeka with Bobbie and a dear friend there, Tracy, will bring him home tomorrow night. Life still goes on even when we want or need to be with loved ones. Work calls for all of us and he is needing to see their daughter. As for Bobbie.........

She is doing great. I/we want to thank you all for your many prayers and positive thoughts for Bobbie. We also need to Thank Tracy and Brian for the use of their home so we would not have the expense of a motel. The pre-surgery time took about 90 minutes and then they called to say the surgery had started. About an hour and a half later a surgical nurse called the waiting room attendant to tell us that Bobbie's vital stats were steady and that the tumor is out. The surgeon was able to get it all without any trouble. About an hour later we were called to the conference room to speak to the surgeon. He said the surgery went extremely well and that the tumor was smooth. This is a real good thing as it means it will probably be benign. Of course they will have the tumor tested. He said she would spend 2 or 3 days in ICU before moving to a regular room.

Bobbie checked in yesterday at registration at 7AM and we gave our hugs and kisses before she was taken away at about 10:30 AM. We finally got to see her at about 3:30 that afternoon briefly in the hallway and an hour later we were allowed to file in 2 or 3 at a time to see her. She was very groggy of course and went in and out on us but all got to hear her voice and most got her to open her eyes. There were 8 of us their and many close by their phones waiting to hear. I apologize for not getting online sooner.

I can honestly say hearing Bobbie say "Hi Mom" after the surgery was more joyful to me than even that first cry the day she was born. She knew my fear that she would wake and not know me. She knew all of us and seems to be the "old Bobbie" again. Her feisty, humorous, lovable, obnoxious self is back; praise God. I love her so and can only say that if you have a loved one that you are at odds with, get over it and get back to loving again.

Bobbie had no movement and showed no signs of feeling on her left side the day of the surgery (remember the tumor was on the right frontal lobe). Today she is wiggling her left toes and moving the left leg. She is also talking without slurred speech and without repeating herself over and over. Her left eye was weak and did not open as much as the right at first but by early afternoon both eyes were opening the same. She still has not moved her left arm but has had some pain in the left wrist (the iv's are there) so this is a good sign that maybe it is just taking longer for the arm to wake up. A cat scan of her head was done this morning and the nurse said the Dr. was pleased with it. Her first meal was baked chicken with over fried potatoes, carrots and a salad. She didn't eat much but she did eat some and drank all of her tea, AND, she kept it down. Robert is keeping almost hourly notes in her journal and the first meal note includes a "What?" type of comment. While we were feeding Bobbie (She isn't allowed to sit up more than a 30 degree angle right now so I offered to feed her and she accepted.) she made a funny face and then said she has a loose tooth. She even reached in and tried to pull it. We stopped her and told her to finish eating on the other side. The loose tooth is on the right side. A few bites later she handed Robert a piece of her tooth. Casualty of the first meal, :-) I know it doesn't sound funny but she thought it was and after some chuckles we told her to slow down and of course she blamed it on me with a wink to Robert. Like I said, my "old Bobbie" is back.

She will stay in ICU until tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon and then may get moved to a regular room. We've had contact with the sitter daily and she spoke with her little girl last night and again today. I took my camera and took photo's for Bobbie's journal and to bring back to show my granddaughter. She was so pleased and even laughed at seeing that mommy really is bald. She wants her funny head wrap to keep but only after we wash it. Silly child!! :-)I've already started thinking on scarves and hats and such she will need for coming home.

As joyful as I feel I know it's not all over and she will have lots of healing time to go through, plus the issue of the left arm and how weak will the left side be once she is gotten to her feet. I want to thank you all for the wonderful blessing we have received from your many prayers and ask that you keep Bobbie in your prayers a while longer. I apologize if this seems a bit long or jumbled up, I am tired and still trying to make sense of it all myself.

Many Blessings to you all,

Hugs,
Tess
Both photos were taken today, Feb. 18th.