Wow, where has 2011 gone....

I can't believe that it's already January 24th. This month has flown by. I still don't seem to be able to get into the swing of everyday "normal" life.

My mom had her surgery on January 12th. It was a long day of waiting, the surgery and then waiting more. She had her thyroid taken out because of a small tumor on it. The tumor was cancerous but it was all removed and so she won't have to have anymore treatment. They also took out a para thyroid glad that was 8 times the normal size and one that was 15 times the normal size. Immediately, her level dropped. She is still recovering but she is getting stronger and stronger every day.

We have spent much of the beginning of the year on the road or in the hospital. I wouldn't have traded it for the world if it meant that it would help my mom. The Monday before her surgery, she went back to see her doctor and he said, "The last time I saw you was the last time that I thought I would ever see you". He also told her that if it weren't for her kids, she probably wouldn't be alive. Persistance and rentlessly saying that saying Mom wasn't right got the right kind of attention.

I finally got my Christmas decorations down yesterday. Although we haven't celebrated Christmas as family, I figured I didn't have an excuse to keep them up any longer.

Cowboy has been a real trooper through all of this. He has sat in the hospital for hours with my mom, bought her shakes, driven me up and down the highway.

I love my husband. I love my mom. I'm lucky to have them both in my life.

Mom Update

So here's the scoop on mom and other such stuff.

I went to see Mom in the hospital on the 27th. Happy Birthday to her. The doctor walked in to see her and asked what big holiday did we just have and mom's immediate answer was "My Birthday". I knew she was on the mend. She had improved so much over the course of a couple of days with her calcium within normal limits. I really knew she was on the mend when that evening when she was able to carry on a conversation with three people in the room.

On the 28th, my mom was asking to see my dad. She couldn't remember anything. We have told her the story of her being hospitalized and what happened when but she doesn't remember any of it. Maybe a blessing in disguise. Dad came up to see mom. This whole ordeal has made me realize how much my parents really love each other.

On the 29th, mom was released. She went home and was thrilled. They have found a 1 1/2 inch tumor on her thyroid and an abnormal para thyroid gland. She will have to have surgery to have them removed but she got to go home. My brother stayed with my parents the first night and then they were going to take my mom to the nursing home. However, we all stepped up and spent one night with the folks until mom had enough strength to be home alone.

Cowboy and I got Saturday until Sunday duty. I played beauty shop with Mom--pedi, mani and hair dyed with a little trim. She said she felt better. I was so impressed with her progress. She is getting better every day.

She went back to see her doctor on Monday and he told her that the last time he saw her, he thought it would be the last time he ever saw her. He said that if it wasn't for us kids, she might not be alive. He called us persistent. I think that we are very lucky that we got mom where she needed to be.

Mom is not out of the woods yet. She has to have surgery on Wednesday. They will take out her thyroid and para thyroid. She will be on a synthetic thyroid for the rest of her life. I'm excited to see her progress after she has the surgery.

New Year's was un-eventful for Cowboy and I. We were able to sneak off and see a couple of good friends overnight. We are still waiting to have our family Christmas but we have so much to be thankful for, that I don't need much more.