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Friday, January 4, 2008

Just Not Right

I feel a need to rant. I have not mentioned on the blog that my SIL has colon cancer. She has known for a couple of months now and she went in for surgery on the day after Christmas. It seemed like things were going r e a l l y slow in terms of her recovery. Yes, she is 58 years old and yes she is diabetic. But, it seems that she should have been healing faster. The surgery that she had on the 16th was supposed to just remove the rest of the tumor and the doc felt he had gotten it all. There would be no need to have further surgery. Each day I called her and she sounded ... weak. Just weak and tired. OK. She just had surgery and that type of surgery is pretty invasive, but she just seemed so very tired to me. By the way, she lives in a different state than I do, so all of my news is coming via the telephone. Last night at about eight, my phone rang and it was her! I was so excited to hear her voice...she was actually calling me HERSELF!! I thought, WOW!! She sounded SOOOOOO much better and she told me she was coming home today!! WOO HOO! Happy Dance Baby!! I said GREAT NEWS....I'll talk to you tomorrow after you are settled back at home. Then today. My husband gets a call at work. They are taking her back in for surgery today. Apparently she has an infection and something is leaking. Not good. At all. She was beside herself. She didn't want any phone calls. She was miserable. Depressed. I feel so very bad for her. My heart is breaking for her. So, this afternoon, I spoke with her son and he told me they were prepping her for surgery. It shouldn't be a big deal. They'll just go in there and fix it. She should be in and out in about an hour and a half.

So. We go out and grab a sandwich when my husband gets home from work. We come home and are puttering around waiting for the phone to ring. OK. We're pretending that we're NOT waiting for the phone to ring. But we are. We watch some engaging Forensic Files show for awhile. Then we wait some more. We're not talking about it. My husband gives up and calls his younger sister. No answer. ARGH. FINALLY his brother calls about a half hour later...she's still in surgery. She's been in surgery for three hours already. No one knows anything. We go back to puttering. My husband has an early meeting tomorrow so he tries to go to sleep. That's not happening.

Finally. Eleven thirty. The phone rings. She is being kept in Intensive Care for the night. The surgery was "a little more extensive" than they had originally thought. But, the colostomy bag is in place. We were originally told she'd have it for about three months, then they'd remove it. Now, I don't know. So we wait til tomorrow and see if we can find out anything else.

My heart goes out to this woman. She has a heart as big as ALL outdoors. She holds the family together! No one feels right tonight. Nothing feels right tonight. I pray tomorrow will be better.

16 comments:

Joy T. said...

Aw I am so sorry to hear this news :o( I'll be thinking of your SIL and your entire family. Something like this just shouldn't happen.

Joy T. said...

Oh! I totally got side-tracked from what I originally came over for. There is an award waiting for you on my blog.

theotherbear said...

So sorry to hear this - I will be thinking positive thoughts for your SIL.

aims said...

I've come over from Joy T's blog where I lurk - she doesn't know it...and I saw that she gave you an award. Anyone who gets an award deserves a look-see -

I'm so sorry your SIL is going through this. And I'm sorry you are too. I can hear your heart breaking for her all the way over here - and I will include her in my thoughts. One of my dearest friends just got diagnosed with breast cancer and it has been terribly traumatic.

Sometimes life is just plain ugly.

Thinking of you all.

Kellan said...

Oh, your poor SIL - I'm so sorry she's having to go through all of this! I hope she is better today too! I will keep her in my prayers. Kellan

fiwa said...

I'm so sorry to hear that - I'll be thinking of all of you.

ChrisB said...

I am so sorry for all your family and in particular your poor SIL. I will be saying a little prayer for you all.

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry for your SIL and also for your family who wait with no answers. I will keep you all in my prayers.

Brenda said...

My goodness but you must be worried. I hope all goes well for her. She's very lucky to have her loving family right now.

Nina said...

Oh man, sorry to hear your SIL is not doing well. I have been on the cancer sidelines so many times, so all this really resonates with me. Try to keep to your routine as much as you can. I know that's tough advice to follow, but it does help me feel ok if I act as if everything really is ok. Hang in there.

Jill said...

sorry. a roommate of a friend of mine has cc as well and had her surgery in december too. i havent gotten an update lately just that she's going through chemo and not taking well to it -- like 6 months seems like forever... hopefully your sil has a better outlook..

Cynthia said...

Oh man, I am so sorry...Good luck to your SIL and your family, sending positive thoughts.

Sandy said...

Please tell your sil and your hubby and anyone else that y'all are in my prayers!

Unknown said...

I'll be thinking of your SIL, as you most likely know, I've been there. I hope she starts to really get better now that they hopefully got things fixed up. XOXOXO

Anonymous said...

Oh Jeanne, my thoughts are with your SIL and your family.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your SIL. I hope she will be well again. Infection can be a bad thing for sure. When I had my appendectomy, the incision got infected the same night I came home from the hospital. They had kept me in and extra night because I had a fever. Anyway, when I went in and they told me it could be a 4 hour wait, I said that I would go to another hospital and they asked why I was in. I showed them my incision. I was in a room within a 1/2 hour and on 'good' antibiotics. At least that is what the person giving me the introveinous said.

Again, hope she is doing well and not in too much pain.