Climbing Mountains .…Brieanna Day 5

   Late posting today, but SO much going on!

     Brie started out today very early and very ill!  About 6:00am, she was feeling nauseated and had been coughing.  The morphine in her system was starting to make her sick.  Despite the anti-nausia medication, Brie was sick twice.  Then she began coughing more violently.  Both of her lungs are partially collapsed due to hours of intubation and anesthesia.  The coughing and deep breathing will help those to inflate fully - both actions are extremely painful to someone who has just had abdominal surgery.
     Finally, Brie was able to get an hour or so of rest.  By 9:00am, the nausea was back as was the physiotherapists, the surgical team, the stoma nurse, pain management nurse and her regular duty nurse for vitals every hour.  The room was a hub of activity for a while.

     The stoma (temporary small bowel opening pulled through the abdomen) has now begun to work and is putting out fluid which is great.  Problem for Brie is that it is just one more thing to have to take care of now.    The nurse showed me how to change the external bags and such and I think we are set there.  Only six weeks to endure this while the internal "new pouch" heals and can be used.  Then, they will do surgery once more to reconnect the insides and be able to use them "normally" once more.
     The physio girls got Brie up once more and she was able to sit in a chair.  That is where she was when Andy and the kids came for a visit.  Brie was sat up in a chair and coughing so hard she was choking - that is how the kids found her.

     If I live to be 200 years old, I will never forget the looks on the faces of my younger children as they saw their sister for the first time since the surgery.  They were all terrified!  Not one of them came close to Brie's chair.  They shyly came in the room, took one look and stood on the opposite side of the room and stared at her.  Brie could not do anything but stare back.  It was like a room full of strangers instead of the close, loving family that we are.
     Blessing's eyes teared up immediately and she could not even speak.  Andrew said "Brie you are like my hero.  I look up to you so much.  I do not know what you are going through but I know God will help you."  This he finished through a wall of tears!  My poor boy stood there on this day, his 14th birthday, and told his big sister that she is his hero!  Yes! That is my family!  That is the family that I know and have raised!  My selfless son who thought it was a treat to get to see Brie on his birthday!  (We did celebrate his birthday over the weekend before we came to the hospital)  I could have sat down and cried my eyes out!  What a delight to this mother's heart!

(I know, I know proud mommy moment of bragging:)

     Slowly the kids began to relax a bit, but Brie was so exhausted and aching that she did not speak to them much.  That did to stop AJ from telling loads of jokes and even showing us a bit of Amish "milk the cow" "poo on your shoe" and "churn the butter" dance moves! ha!  This guy cracks me up!  We also had to cut the sleeves off of a new gown that Andy had bought Brie.  The kids began to use the sleeves as hats!  It was like I had found "Crazy, Looney and Doofus" the long lost 8th and 9th and 10th dwarves! lol By the end of the visit, although Brie was exhausted, we were all smiling.
 



















      After the family left, Brie allowed me to help her with a shower and get into some fresh clothing.  She actually began to feel better.  They allowed her to have some dinner of mashed potatoes and gravy and peach yogurt.  She ate less than half of both items but she was able to eat some and has kept it all down.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what victory looks like to me!

     Again, I know this is all baby steps.  But as I have said before, it takes a lot of little steps to climb a mountain.  This is a huge mountain that Brie is climbing and she is doings like a champ!  I could not be more proud of the way my daughter is handling a difficult and painful situation.
     Do I worry about the other kids and what they will have to endure as well?  Of course I do.  Their faces flash before me with each step Brie takes on this journey.  To be honest, I cannot dwell on that just now.  I am working to handle what is in front of me in this moment and that is Brieanna.  She needs me now and the others will need me in the future and then it will be all about them.  For now, my baby is struggling to get better and get back to a sense of normalcy.  With our small strength and God's great grace, our family will fight to give her that again.