A fast

Hello again. This Sunday is fast Sunday and we would be so grateful if you could please include Eja in your fast and prayers. Thank you soooo much for all of your concern, love, and support.

Inflammation, inflammation!

So sorry guys... life got a little crazy for a second there. Ok it still is crazy but I am making myself sit down and update all you poor souls out there who aren't getting the word about my sweet mom. Well, right now mom is having quite a problem with inflammation in her stomach, where her last surgery was done. Her doctors think that she started to do to much to soon, and now the muscle that was cut basically in half is inflamed. Bless her heart, she just started to feel so much better and was so tired of sitting. She thought doing a couple things around the house would be great! But her body didn't agree. With this inflammation comes a great deal of pain. Some days are better than others, but for the most part, she has been in a lot of pain. They took her in for a C.A.T. scan just to be sure that is what it was. They said the muscle is very inflamed and that everything else looked great. They started her on a new medicine yesterday that they are hoping will reduce that inflammation. She couldn't tell much difference yesterday, but today she felt much better. You could see that in her face. Poor little hunny! So- she currently has one drain tube, one tube that comes out of her chest (it is a stint placed in the liver, and can't come out until the drain tube comes out), and this inflammation. However, I have saved the best for last... her drain tube has been slowing way way down. It was producing anywhere from 75-100 ml every night. Then it was 50 for a while, then 35, 25, 20... and tonight was 5!!!! Yahoo!! We can't say for positive, but she will probably be able to get that out on Tuesday at her doctors apptmnt! She is sooooo excited about that. She says she won't know what to do with herself if she doesn't have any tubes coming out of her body. Right now, she packs it around in a cute little white bag that grandma Eva made her. It is a sight to behold. I'll put a pic on if she'll let me :) She can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. Now- we just need to get this inflammation under control and she just might get to be a normal woman again. She can't wait.
Ashley Alldridge

Down to just one ball!!

Mom went into see her doctor today and overall, the visit went well. He looked at the one drain ball that has not been draining for several days now and decided to remove it. So, she has only one drain now. We will just have to play the waiting game now and see when it stops so it can come out too.
She says she is a big girl now and has fired all her sitters as of last week. WOW! She is doing really great! She continues to do as much as she can and her strong will and faith are definitely what carry her. She really enjoys visiting so if you are around, maybe give a call or stop by.
Than you for all your support and love.

Mom keeps amazing us all! She got her turtle shell on and went upstairs to cook some gravy for her potatoes! That picture was taken on April 6th. Yesterday, she went on a walk to the corner and back. What an amazing woman!! She is currently fighting yet another bacterial infection with I.V. antibiotics but is doing quite well. It sure seems like infection is the name of the game. We have no idea as to why she keeps getting infections... nor does her medical team. They stay right on top of it though, thank goodness. Her back really hurts were she has so many broken bones and the problem is that she can't wear her turtle shell because it rubs on her incision from surgery, but if she doesn't wear it- then her back kills? she can't win for losing on that one! She is just as cheerful as ever though. What an inspiration she is to us.
She loves to see everyone so if you are in the area, drop by and say, Hello.

insurance won... Mom is home

Well... Mom did not have to stay in the hospital for the full course of her treatment after all. Her insurance company wouldn't pay for her to stay just to receive an antibiotic. The tricky part? The antibiotic has to be administered exactly every eight hours. So- mom was a little nervous to come home because then she had to depend on her kids and hubby to hook the medicine into her picc line three times a day! AAaaagghh! Home health still comes about three times a week, but they said they would not be coming three times a day to give her the meds, so they trained a couple of us kids how to do it. scary huh? She is looking so much better, and feeling so much better. She is very happy to be home. She will be on this antibiotic for about five more days and then they will re-evaluate and see if they need to continue or if they killed it. We hope for the second one!

Eja would like a "get out of jail free" card!!

This probably won't come as much of a suprise to most of you but...Eja is doing very well. She has been on a SUPER anti-biotic now for 3 days and seems to be fighting the infection great. She says she feels better now than before the operation so that is great to hear. Every day they put her through physical therapy a few times a day and that is going really well. Basically, she feels like she is in a high security prison where she can't leave, can't do things by herself, limited menu etc. She has been cracking jokes about being a jail-bird and we all laugh. They anticipate she will be there for about another week until the infection is gone. They will re-evaluate then and make a game plan accordingly.
Thanks to all of you for your continued love, prayers and support.

Day 3 after surgery

It has been a few days since Eja's last surgery and she is just fighting away! They have her out of the I.C.U. now and in a normal hospital room. Her organs and vital signs are looking great so far.
One slight set-back however...her doctors have found an infection. They are being very aggressive with it and have her on a VERY high-powered antibiotic. The largest inconvenience that she has with this is the fact that she must stay in the hospital for the full course of this treatment. We don't know right now just how long but her doctor said, "Don't be in a hurry to leave."
I spoke with one of her nurses today and she commented on what a trooper she is. We must agree!
As before, if you could keep Eja in your prayers, that will provide her with the strength that she needs and that can't come from anywhere else. Thank you so very much!