Where to Start?

So much has happened since I last updated, it's hard to know where to start. If you'll remember in my last update, I mentioned that mom was having a terrible time walking. She couldn't put any weight on her right leg to get around, and was using a walker all of the time, and a wheelchair when we were going through airports and in ATL. Her primary care physician (PCP) in Wilmington had diagnosed her with bursitis several weeks ago, and given her a shot in her hip, and some anti-inflammatory medication to help with the pain, but NOTHING was giving her relief. They also tried to give her a steroid but that would negate the immunotherapy treatment that she's undergoing, so we refused that medication.

When we last saw the oncologist a couple weeks ago, I begged him to look further, because the PCP's diagnosis of bursitis just didn't make sense anymore. He agreed, but they couldn't fit her in for an MRI until we returned for her next treatment. I tried to get her into a local clinic in Wilmington, but couldn't get it worked out since you can't just walk in somewhere and ask for an MRI and the hoops to jump through were never-ending and by the time, I could've got it worked out - it was time to go to ATL. Long story, but she decided to wait until we went back to ATL last week and an MRI revealed that her hip was actually FRACTURED -- completely in half from what they said the x-ray revealed. It was at the neck of the femur where it meets the socket. It was no wonder, at that point, why she was experiencing so much pain without any relief whatsoever.

So, chemo/immunotherapy was postponed and she was admitted to the hospital that night (Tuesday night), and we waited for 3 days for them to finally get surgery lined up on Friday afternoon. They completely replaced her right hip. She was extremely foggy coming out of that surgery/the anesthesia and we had to recap for her what was going on -- it scared the daylights out of me when she saw us and just started crying! She was so confused, but we got her straightened out. Jeremy was able to come down for a couple days and be with us while we waited for surgery, and it was nice to have someone to eat with and talk to, since mom was resting pretty well with the pain meds they were giving her during those days (hence the humorous Facebook post that prompted a lot of discussion about an unbelievable pimple popping trend that apparently warrants a TV show -- GROSS🙅🙅). Nonetheless, I know she was exhausted after not having any pain relief over the last month. 

I finally came home on Sunday, and her cousin Chris decided to drop in and take my place, to help keep her company while she waited for discharge. I would've stayed longer but Millie started Kindergarten on Monday, and I was quite teary at the thoughts of missing it. I would like to think that all of this going on was a big contributing factor to my being a ball of tears as I walked out of Millie's classroom on Monday... and at drop off the next day, and the next day, but I know for a fact that I was going to be a mess regardless. No sense in blaming it on mom. 😉

Mom was finally discharged yesterday, and sent to a rehab facility close to the Cancer Treatment Center. She will have 3 hrs of rehab a day, and just stay there at the facility to make sure that she is getting all of the help she needs. Especially since I can't be there this week, with Craig traveling for work. I think they have her scheduled to be in the rehab facility for almost 2 weeks, but we're hoping she'll heal quickly and be released sooner so she can continue to get her chemo/immunotherapy treatment. We don't know how this break in treatment will affect things, but we can't control it so there's no need in worrying, I suppose. (But honestly, who are we kidding... I worry over everything. #ownit) 

Mom is also trying to get her strength and energy back, since she hasn't been able to do anything since the pain started on her birthday June 14, of all days. So she's building up her breathing/lung strength again (she gets very winded when she does any sort of activity). We are hoping for a full recovery on all fronts, so that we can get treatment, and life in general, back on track.  Thank you to everyone who caught wind of what's going on and checked in on us and my sanity as we navigated a VERY long week. She's doing well so far in this recovery stage and I hope to get back down there soon to get her to chemo, and back home again. 

We need to get the show on the road because she has a busy agenda that includes grandbabies to play with, who are very eager to see their AnnaAnna (or NanaAnna, to the older grandbabies). My kids are very jealous when they hear I'm with Anna, and constantly ask when they get to come with me. Every.Time. When I FaceTimed with them while I was gone last week, they'd say "MOMMY!! HEY! .... WHERE'S ANNA?!" Well, dang. 😭 But all kidding aside, although that really is exactly what happens and I'm not exaggerating at all, we will be making arrangements very soon to make that reunion happen! Every time I go to her house without the kids, it's so sad to just see their toys put away, and their beds empty. I feel like I'm betraying them by being with the great ANNA without them. Oh well - she was MY Anna first! 😂 #stilllearningtoshare 

**Also, if you plan to leave a comment on THIS blog, please make sure you sign your name with the comments because we can't tell who it's from if you don't! I'd love to relay your well wishes to her and it definitely lifts her spirits! 💞