Back with my sweet baby

Dear Friends,
Nan was still up when I got here last night. My day yesterday was interesting to say the least. I started at 6:30 am, worked as fast as human brain and hands could work until 9:45, hit the road with things to do, stopped at the Pleasanton Mall for Sees Candy for the wonderful nurses and staff of the ICU, found that the Sees Candy store had closed in the mall but they had a keosk at the other end of the mall, found it, bought the candy which came with a few tiny samplers, yummy! Back to the car, drove to East Palo Alto to check out a house we are doing an appraisal on, found drug activity all around the area, kept moving, next had to find a gas station to avoid paying over $6.00 a gallon at the rental car place, found it, returned the car, rode the AirTran to American all the while pushing Nan's new plaid green walker in front of me with sees candy on the seat and a very large suitcase trailing behind. Found American, found my gate, even found time for a sandwich and Snapple, boarded the plane to 14D, settled in for a 5 hour trip to Boston. The entire time I was home I just kept thinking about getting back to Nan and wondering how she was really doing. Dana took great care of her while I was gone and Marilyn came up for 2 days to help out.
Landed in Boston on time, found luggage, then searched for connecting bus to the "T", finally found it, rode to the T, got stuck in the entrance ticket gate with walker and suitcase but finally made it to the train, rode blue line to Government Center, rode escalator up to next level, interesting with walker, Sees Candy, suitcase but made it to Green E train which delivered me two blocks from the hospital at about 11:15. Walked to the hospital and got security to let me come up and found Nan awake and sitting up. She had had a rough day but to me she just looked very good, hair all done up, nails perfect. We caught up for a few minutes and then said good night.
Nan called at 6 this morning to ask me to come over. I showered and came right over and we have dealt with leg pains, back pains, stomach pains and some restlessness. But Nan has had breakfast and kept it down, sat up in the chair for awhile, used her new walker with amazing speed as I trail behind with the tower trying not to run over her feet and avoid pulling any of the lines too tight. Now she is back in bed and has slept for awhile but wakes from time to time with pains here and there. I just got through rubbing her back with lotion and now a nurse is here to take out an IV in her right hand that was blown a little while ago due to the antibiotics she is getting. They finally are going to use her port a cath which has not been used during her entire stay at the hospital. That might save having to get another IV line or PCK line put back in. At this moment they are dressing her incision which is doing better all the time. Yet we are told it might be 2 months to completely heal. However we are also told that would not keep us in Boston, that it can heal at home just as well. While I was gone they took out the last drain, took her off of TPN, the white bag of food which was twice a day, and reduced or removed other things as well.
She walked very well today but you would not get that word from her yet. She just feels the pain. Yet she is doing so well, she stood up on her own today, rolled in the bed from side to side on her own, is eating well when she can tolerate the food, had cheese and crackers, grapes, peaches, peanut butter crackers and hot tea.
We are doing pretty well but sure wish we could be home. Or even heading home. Nan is so ready to be done with the hospital and its constant interuptions for vitals, IVs, monitors howling because a line is crossed, room cleaners, etc.
A little while ago Nan helped me figure out what to say on some cards for the ICU and I took the two boxes of Sees over, one box for each shift. They are going to be pleased and we certainly remember them fondly for the care and compassion they demonstrated to Nan and to the family during our stay there. They literally took Nan from the brink caused by the extensive surgery and brought her back to health.
Thank you for your help in so many ways over the past 5 weeks. Our outlook now still has many unknowns, how long in Rehab, what kind of facility will it be, after that how long before we can either travel to Conn. for a rehab time or fly home. My last day in the hotel with the Dana Farber rate is the 17th so that will involve some creative new solutions for a place to stay. After what we have seen and experienced I have no question that God knows where to have me stay.
During the time I was at home I once again realized how much we have to be thankful for with the staff we have at the company. They are working hard and making good decisions all the time. Nan and I appreciate them very much.
I think our prayers should be focused on thankfulness and for Nan to find internal peace with the slow pace of her recovery, for that healing to keep happening, that the right rehab place can be found, that the staph infection can be controlled quickly and easily and that she can feel better overall.
We send our love from room 16.

tim and nan and dana