Triple Update Sunday night - Joanne Nordeen, Toby, and Spencer

Update Sunday, July 17^th – Joanne Nordeen

And an update on her dog, Toby and update on her grandson, Spencer.

The doctor came in today; looks like Mom can go home tomorrow!  She is walking almost unassisted.  Today was kind of a hard day for Mom, as we had to share the news about Toby, her dog.  Here’s what happened:

On Wednesday, Mark stayed overnight at Mom’s house with her dog Toby and my dog Gabby.  Mom and I stayed in the hospital for the Pic Line and more pre op stuff the night before the surgery.  

Our friend, Bette, came to Mom’s house to feed the dogs and take them out at 6:30am, as Mark was already with us at the hospital.  She had both dogs on leashes in Mom’s yard.  Two big racing-type dogs from the neighbor behind Mom’s house came over into the yard and attacked Toby.  It was horrible. Bette was screaming, hollering, and kicking at the two dogs to try to stop them from biting Toby.  The neighbors came out in their pajamas to help.  The Police were called for assistance.  Finally, they got the dogs off of Toby.

Bette wrapped Toby with a bathmat and got Gabby back into the house and rushed Toby to the local Vet.  They instructed her to go directly to Madison to an Emergency Vet Hospital.  They did surgery on Toby Thursday morning.  At about noon, Bette came to the hospital waiting room where we were waiting for Mom’s surgery.  Still traumatized by the morning, Bette explained what had happened to Toby.   Toby will be hospitalized for at least a week if not more.  Toby is having more surgery tonight for more repairs as they think he has some dead tissue on his back and to insert a feeding tube.

The Doctor finally let us tell Mom about Toby today.  Mark and Julie took a video of Toby at the Vet Hospital and showed it to Mom as they explained what had happened to Toby.

Let me back track to last week when we found out Mom had a brain tumor --- The very next day Mark and Julie’s son, Spencer had a bad bike accident where he lost the front wheel of the bike and went over the handlebars onto the pavement on his way to work.  He ended up in ER for a long evening of X-rays, stitches and bandaging. He had to miss over a week of work, but is starting to heal from his injuries.

So that gives you a recap of last week into this week as we could not tell Mom about her dog until today, so we could not share it with you.

Thanks again for all of your messages and prayers for Mom as she soon will be recovering at home.  I will be staying with Mom for a week or so.

Friday/Saturday Update - July 15-16th on Mom - Joanne Nordeen

Friday:  Mom (Joanne) got up today and walked a little with assistance and sat in a chair. Her color is better and she is talking more. 

She had a MRI today to determine her next steps. (checked for swelling and stuff in the brain).  She might be in the Neuro ICU for another day or two, but to our surprise at 4:30pm on Friday night the hospital moved Mom to another section of the hospital.  It was still a Neuro Surgery part of the hospital, but not IUC.  


Saturday:  Mom slept well last night and is looking great today, talking and walking with assistance.  They even had her take a shower with her pic line wrapped in plastic and of course a shower cap to protect the bandages on her head. 
Mom's Dr. came in today and said she is doing great and is hopeful that she will be closer to going home in a couple days - possibly Sunday or Monday. What a wonderful surprise!

Along with the Doctor, we are all so amazed that she is doing so well, considering that the tumor was the size of a man's fist.

Thanks to everyone for the support and prayers.  I read the email messages and Facebook messages from you to my Mom.  They are comforting to Mom and all of us. 

Update After Surgery - My Mom, Joanne Nordeen

Update on my Mom - Joanne Nordeen after surgery on Thursday night July 14, 2011

Mom's surgery was performed by a Neurosurgeon, who is world renowned and has been described to us as the best in the world. She was in great hands. 

Her surgery went well and they removed tumor. Results in about 5 days.

She is in ICU - Neuro Unit of the University Hospital.

Resting a lot, but talking some, remembering a lot of things short term and longer term!

Doc says we still need to get thru the next 24-48 hours, but everything looks good. 

Marty, my brother, is staying the night in the ICU room with our Mom to give me a break. Marty's wife, Ann and I are staying in a motel a half block away, to be close.

Thanks again for all the prayers. We are  blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.


My email is marcia@craftysewing.com --- I will read messages to Mom. Thanks!

And facebook messages.

Update - Mom - Tuesday night - July 12th

Marty - my brother wrote this tonight .... A slight change in plans. Since they had some difficulties getting an IV in yesterday for the MRI, we now will be heading to the hospital on Wednesday morning (tomorrow) to allow sufficient time for the specialist to do this. Surgery is still scheduled for Thursday morning... 

I'm writing - Please keep my Mom in your prayers as we head off to the hospital on Wednesday to have a special pic line IV put in.  Then Mom and I will stay overnight at the Hospital and surgery will be early Thursday morning.


We will try to update this on Thursday night.  After surgery and recovery then Mom will be in ICU, so it may take a bit to get an update posted. 

Thanks again for all the kind messages and prayers.  We appreciate it so much. I read all the messages to Mom.
You may email me at Marcia@craftysewing.com

Update on Mom Monday, July 11. 2011

We left at 7:30 AM for the UW Madison Hospital and before we got out of town it was raining cats and dogs.  We had to stop in Cambridge to let the storm pass.  Fortunately, we had left early enough so we did arrive on time.  We met with the surgeon first, Dr. Baskaya.  He told us that the tumor grew from the brain membrane and was pushing into the area of the brain that controls speech.  That's why Mom has had some trouble getting the right words.

She is to arrive at the hospital Thursday morning at 5:30 and the surgery is planned for 7:30.  He said it should take about 3 hours, then to recovery, and then directly to ICU.  The doctor said we will not know if the tumor is cancerous until the test results come back and that could take 4 or 5 days.  She will probably be in ICU for a couple of days and in the hospital for at least 5 days.  Of course this doesn't account for the possibility of complications.  Dr. Baskaya did tell us that she absolutely needs to have the tumor removed or there's a good chance she wouldn't make it to the end of the year.

After meeting with the doctor we were able to get her scheduled for the MRI, which was good because we thought we would have to come back on Tuesday for that.  They did have some trouble getting an IV in her before the MRI and that did slow things down considerably.  But after a couple hours or so we were able to finish the rest of the pre-op tests and whatnot that included an EKG, chest X-rays, lab work, and the usual paperwork.  

So we were finally leaving the hospital around 5, but she is all set to arrive Thursday morning for the surgery.  The doctor is very optimistic and we were all impressed with how well he explained the process to us.  Everyone that we talked to spoke very highly of Dr. Baskaya.

Thank you for all your kind words, prayers, and messages.  

Marcia and family

First Update on Mom

Update on my Mom - Saturday, July 9, 2011

Moved this post over from my other blog - so all updates would be here.

Last week Friday, I came to Fort Atkinson where my Mom lives and went with her to a follow up doctor appointment.  In May, Mom had Pancreatitus, Gall Bladder removal surgery, and a scope surgical procedure to check the Pancreas.  She had been hospitalized for three weeks and now home for about three weeks.  Mom is doing pretty good, but still very weak.

At last week Friday's appointment the doctor ordered some more tests.  She had an MRI of her brain on Thursday. Within an hour of the test the doctor called me and said he had bad news.  He said Mom has a brain tumor 2 1/2" in diameter. He described it to my Mom as the size of a fist.  It is between the bone of her skull and the soft lining of the brain and it needs to be surgically removed, as it is causing pressure on the brain.  The Doctor said it is affecting the short term memory part of her brain and causing some confusion. He put Mom on a seizure medicine and a medicine for the swelling.  He scheduled an appointment at University Hospital in Madison with a Neurology Surgeon.

Monday, we will meet with the Neurology surgeon.  Mom will have another MRI on Monday or Tuesday to do mapping for the surgery. The surgery is now scheduled for Thursday.  The Doctor's nurse said there is a slight chance the Dr. would move the surgery up to Monday, if Mom is worse by the appointment.

I believe she is feeling better and thinking a little clearer at times, as the medicines seem to be helping.  Maybe they are relieving some of the pressure on the brain.

My youngest brother, Marty who lives in Texas and his wife, Ann are driving up here, to Wisconsin.  Mark and his wife Julie live a house away from my Mom.  We will gather for a dinner at Mark and Julie's tonight and spend some time with Mom, all together this weekend.

Please keep my Mom and our family in your thoughts and prayers...

Thanks,
Marcia

Me and Mom, when we made the Hospice Passage Quilt, earlier this year.  Alex, my nephew took the pictures.  He really had us laughing, so he got some good smiles!