Another country heard from...

I wanted to share some thoughts and feelings about my most recent visit with my mother. This is her son, Eric, and I thank you, to all of you, that I know and don't know. This has been extremely challenging to say the least and your support and care through calls, e-mails, and comments posted on this blog have been so special for all of us. I hate that it is this event that has allowed us to hear from some we have not spoken to in a while. It's good to know that lack of communication has not dulled the care from so many of you.

Mom is doing well and continues to eat well and is doing better about breathing on her own. The shoulder surgery has been delayed as was mentioned earlier and we look forward to antibiotics knocking out the infection to allow her recovery and the hopefully last surgery for a while to take place. This is not a critical surgery so there has been no rush, but it will obviously be another important step.

The respirator is what keeps Mom in the ICU. Once she can breathe on her own a little better and they can remove that, she wll be ready for a room (shoulder surgery or not). We hope that both can take place though before she is moved. We have enjoyed the outstanding nurses of ICU, but we will gladly bid them farewell upon her improvement.
She had a bit of a fever that cropped up this morning. They gave her some Tylenol and some cold blankets and the temp seemed to be coming down a little today already so we hope that continues.

We all appreciate it as you keep Mom in your prayers and providing her words of support. She will have much time on her hands once she is rehabbing and she will have a lot to read during that time. I suspect that once they take the respirator out she will spend her first week talking non-stop. It is a time that we all have never looked more forward to.

While you keep her in your prayers I ask that you also think of others that we enountered this weekend. The ICU waiting room is a grim fraternity of mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, friends and loved ones all waiting on information for their own family. They were there day and night as we were and unfortunately all of the stories probably will not have happy endings. Please keep those whom you know and those whom you have not met in your thoughts as they go through this terrible ordeal.

Constant prayers and concerns for Mom have consumed us to the point where not much consideration has been given to the man that made the terrible choice that has affected Mom. He is a 23 year old that has changed our lives forever. He has also made a choice that will affect his life forever as well. He will have punishment from our justice system now and punishment from his conscience forever. The Lord asks us to pray for his soul as well. It is a great challenge for me as he has done something unthinkable to someone so special to me and my family as well as all of her friends. Please help me and him as we deal with this continuing saga.

Thank you again for your support.