Thanks for all your kind wishes, everybody. Some of you have asked for her mailing address. It is:
Diana Price
Mercy Medical Center
301 St. Paul Place
Rm. 723
Baltimore, MD 21202
She's doing better today. She has an awesome nurse who is really taking care of her and making sure she is comfortable!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Two Days Post Op (From Mike)
Diana had a restless night. Nurse Maravic moved her to a firm chair about 10:00 PM last evening because the hospital bed was just too uncomfortable. That was marginally more accomodating to Diana and she was able to get some rest, but not much. She has many tubes that contribute to her overall discomfort.
Dr. Sardi (the chief surgeon) and Dr. Thieme visited Diana this morning and said she is doing well. The surgery wound looks good. Vital signs look good. There is some swelling in Diana's legs but that should go down as the fluid leaves her system. Dr. Sardi said that they will be weaning her off some of these tubes shortly which will add greatly to her mobility. He also stated that they didn't have to do much once they got in there (these surgeries can last up to 14 hours I am told).
Once Diana can get up and walk a little I think her situation will improve a lot. It's the lying in one place that is making her miserable. As I write this, Diana is sleeping and appears to be comfortable.
All in all, I don't think we could have asked for more. Diana is exceeding my expectations for being only a day or so out of this 9 1/2 hour surgery.
I signed us up for Hope Lodge at 636 W. Lexington Street. This great facility is for cancer patients and their caregivers. Carrie, Keith, and I received a tour yesterday and it appears that this will be an excellent transitional place for Diana once she is released from Mercy. There are 36 guest rooms, a large kitchen area, a great room with satellite tv, laundry facilities, library, and even an exercise room. They even have a shuttle back and forth between there and Mercy and U. of MD Medical Center. It is right across the street from Ronald McDonald House and is right downtown (a block away from Lexington Market and their killer crabcakes!). So, it's a relief to not have to worry about lodging as her surgeon wants her to stay in the area for awhile after her release from Mercy.
No news on my brother yet. I am going to try to see him today too.
Thanks for all your love and support and please continue to keep Diana and my brother in your thoughts and prayers. Our love goes out to our heroes Doug and Lindsey who are a major source of inspiration to us. Doug has recently undergone the same thing from the same wonderful Surgical Team Sardi!!
Dr. Sardi (the chief surgeon) and Dr. Thieme visited Diana this morning and said she is doing well. The surgery wound looks good. Vital signs look good. There is some swelling in Diana's legs but that should go down as the fluid leaves her system. Dr. Sardi said that they will be weaning her off some of these tubes shortly which will add greatly to her mobility. He also stated that they didn't have to do much once they got in there (these surgeries can last up to 14 hours I am told).
Once Diana can get up and walk a little I think her situation will improve a lot. It's the lying in one place that is making her miserable. As I write this, Diana is sleeping and appears to be comfortable.
All in all, I don't think we could have asked for more. Diana is exceeding my expectations for being only a day or so out of this 9 1/2 hour surgery.
I signed us up for Hope Lodge at 636 W. Lexington Street. This great facility is for cancer patients and their caregivers. Carrie, Keith, and I received a tour yesterday and it appears that this will be an excellent transitional place for Diana once she is released from Mercy. There are 36 guest rooms, a large kitchen area, a great room with satellite tv, laundry facilities, library, and even an exercise room. They even have a shuttle back and forth between there and Mercy and U. of MD Medical Center. It is right across the street from Ronald McDonald House and is right downtown (a block away from Lexington Market and their killer crabcakes!). So, it's a relief to not have to worry about lodging as her surgeon wants her to stay in the area for awhile after her release from Mercy.
No news on my brother yet. I am going to try to see him today too.
Thanks for all your love and support and please continue to keep Diana and my brother in your thoughts and prayers. Our love goes out to our heroes Doug and Lindsey who are a major source of inspiration to us. Doug has recently undergone the same thing from the same wonderful Surgical Team Sardi!!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
EVENING UPDATE
Diana was moved to a regular room out of the ICU. I don't think she's quite ready for visitors yet. She's looking good and talking. Resting a lot. She took a few steps today with the help of a walker. I think the hardest days lie ahead--walking, getting function back, etc. Overall, today was a good day. She's had a few stellar nurses and a few not so stellar, but I think we had set our expectations up really high.
Mike's brother also showed signs of improvement today, moving his left side and his right side just a little bit.
Mike's brother also showed signs of improvement today, moving his left side and his right side just a little bit.
RECOVERY BEGINS
Diana looks really good this morning and is supposed to be moved to a room on the 7th floor later this afternoon. She's talking and ordering us around already. Once the tubes were removed from her mouth, she started feeling better. I think they were mighty uncomfortable.
Mike got a room at the Hope Lodge so he can be closer to her and have a place to shower and shave when he's not with mom. Of course, he can stay with me too, but I've still got the traffic to deal with. This way, he's right there.
C.
Mike got a room at the Hope Lodge so he can be closer to her and have a place to shower and shave when he's not with mom. Of course, he can stay with me too, but I've still got the traffic to deal with. This way, he's right there.
C.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
MOM'S DONE!
Mom made it through the surgery and is in ICU tonight. She was moderately responsive when we saw her. It was obvious that she was under a lot of medication. She squeezed our hands and looked at us. I don't think she wanted us to leave! But we could not stay with her in the ICU tonight. We'll be back first thing in the morning. I don't think she's ready for company yet but we'll be sure to post when she's more stable and back in a regular private room.
We saw Dr. Sardi briefly at the end of surgery. Sounds like they found exactly what they expected to find. Tumor/mucin was concentrated up under diaphragm. They removed her spleen and removed tumor from the liver, as well as removed a small part of the small intestine in the lower part of her abdomen. The good news is that she didn't have to have a colostomy. At least I don't think so, that's what I heard today, but it's been a heck of a day.
We also saw my Uncle Jeff who was wiggling his toes and furrowing his brow, but is otherwise unresponsive. He did not open his eyes but Dad's sisters told us that he sometimes does. We'll see what the next few days hold for him; no one knows yet.
So anyway, I don't think this is a day that any of us will forget anytime soon, except maybe Diana--she'd probably like to forget it! Things are good for now and we'll post when we see her tomorrow.
Best wishes to all!
Carrie
We saw Dr. Sardi briefly at the end of surgery. Sounds like they found exactly what they expected to find. Tumor/mucin was concentrated up under diaphragm. They removed her spleen and removed tumor from the liver, as well as removed a small part of the small intestine in the lower part of her abdomen. The good news is that she didn't have to have a colostomy. At least I don't think so, that's what I heard today, but it's been a heck of a day.
We also saw my Uncle Jeff who was wiggling his toes and furrowing his brow, but is otherwise unresponsive. He did not open his eyes but Dad's sisters told us that he sometimes does. We'll see what the next few days hold for him; no one knows yet.
So anyway, I don't think this is a day that any of us will forget anytime soon, except maybe Diana--she'd probably like to forget it! Things are good for now and we'll post when we see her tomorrow.
Best wishes to all!
Carrie
From Mike
We are now 6 hours into the surgery and so far so good. The head nurse called me about 2:00 pm to let me know that Dr. Sardi was into the heated chemo wash (to make sure all the cancer cells are destroyed). We remain hopeful! Dr. Sardi should be able to talk to me in person about 5:00 pm. Carrie and I will leave after that to visit my brother Jeff, who is a mile away at the University of MD Med. Center.
My 48 year-old brother, with no history of heart disease, suffered a major stroke in a grocery store in Easton, MD (Eastern Shore). He was transported from Easton Memorial to Baltimore over the weekend. I spoke with my sisters earlier. They have been with him the whole time. Christine says that the outlook looks bleak at this time. He spent his entire life in law enforcement and is our only brother.
Please keep both of our loved ones in your thoughts.
(Mike)
My 48 year-old brother, with no history of heart disease, suffered a major stroke in a grocery store in Easton, MD (Eastern Shore). He was transported from Easton Memorial to Baltimore over the weekend. I spoke with my sisters earlier. They have been with him the whole time. Christine says that the outlook looks bleak at this time. He spent his entire life in law enforcement and is our only brother.
Please keep both of our loved ones in your thoughts.
(Mike)
WAITING
Well, Dad got word that Diana is in the last part of surgery, the chemotherapy. This was around 2:30. We are expecting to hear from Dr. Sardi within the next hour about what he found. After we find out how everything is going, we are probably going to visit my Uncle Jeff, who is less than a mile away at University of Maryland Medical Center.
We'll post again soon!
We'll post again soon!
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