The story behind this incident...

Many people have asked why mama was in Charleston and how she got there, etc....  As many of you know, she is very private.  Not many people knew that she had been diagnosed with non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver.  She has been sick since before Christmas and didn't even go to Christmas Eve service at church.  She just didn't feel well.  She was weak and had nausea and vomiting often.  (Bare with me because this is as much for me and my memory as it is for explanation.)   In December I told her that I was going to the doctor with her because her quality of life sucked and they needed to do something to help her or we would find a different doctor.  Of course, she said, "No you are not!"  So, she went to her appointment and this is when they told her that she was very, very sick and they were referring her to MUSC.  So, she had an appointment in February for an initial consultation with the liver team.  On Saturday before she went to MUSC on Monday, she and I went to Sam's and she was very confused.  She couldn't open her purse and did some other odd things.  On the way home, I asked her if she was confused and she looked at me very scared and confirmed that she was a little confused.  She went to the appointment and somewhere between there and her doctor's here, she was given medication to help this.

She was doing okay and getting ready to go back to MUSC on March 21st.  The week of March 6th, she had what she thought was the stomach bug.  It lasted all week.  She asked that we not come over because she didn't want to spread it.  Then, we had D-now all weekend and Monday morning on the way to work, I came down with it.  So, I didn't get to see her Monday through Wednesday because she said, "I don't want that again!"  On Monday, March 14th, she sent daddy over to pick up somethings that she asked me to buy for her at Costco and sent me a check.  The check was for more than the items and when I called to ask, she told me it included something that I bought weeks ago for her and had forgotten about.  So, she was doing better than me at this point!  On Thursday the 17th, daddy called and said she wanted some chicken salad.  I was going to take them some and he called back and told me that if I would come over, he would go get it.  (This was strange because he had continued to golf in the afternoons so, I was puzzled over why he couldn't leave until I got there.)  When I walked in she looked very frail and had lost even more weight.  She just didn't want anything to eat.  She asked me to print an email that came from MUSC.  I helped her walk back to her computer room (this was new too! she has never needed help walking except when she tore the tendon in her foot).  When we got back there, she couldn't remember how to turn her laptop on and I knew then that she was confused again. On Friday, I sent food and Gordon and I went to check on her Saturday morning.  She was very confused and drowsy.  She had just gotten up and was falling asleep sitting there while we were talking.  I even told her to go back to bed.  On Sunday, she was still not eating.  I created her a blog to keep family and close friends (the blog was only shared with 6-7 people initially) informed on what was happening and to keep a record of it for her to see later.  Of course, daddy was concerned that it would get out and she wouldn't like that!  Remember, she is private!!!  So, my Aunt Faye and cousin, Buffy went to see her Sunday and took her dinner.  She ate three green beans.  Now, my mama and Aunt Faye can cook!  They are GOOD cooks so, I knew she would eat her food.  She did not.  I called Jason and told him that he had to get her to eat.

They went to Jason's Monday because she had appointments at MUSC through the days of Tuesday through Friday.  I was heading down Thursday and Friday to meet with the transplant team Thursday morning and be there for a liver biopsy Friday afternoon.  After her meetings Tuesday, daddy said she was confused and when they got back to Jason's she didn't eat.  It was Jason's birthday and she finally said she wanted fried oysters!!!!  Yes, you read it correctly.  So, Jason went to get them and she ate good.  She also drank a boost.  During their dinner, I decided to google "confusion and liver disease" and we still had no idea that our nightmare was about to begin!

The next morning I was eating breakfast and got the sickest feeling in my stomach.  I told Gordon that I was sick and had a feeling that something bad was going to happen.  I thought it was something at work or a wreck on the way or something.  On the way to work, I called Kerise about something completely different.  While we were talking, she said, "Hold on Jason's calling."  While I was holding Abbey asked why I wasn't talking and I said, "Uncle Jason called in and I don't think its good."  Kerise came back and said, "Jennifer, Jason said for you not to panic but your mom is unresponsive and they are calling EMS."  This is when our nightmare truly began.  Well, my Annus Horribilis began back in September but that is a story for another time and will be told soon.


Mama is still very unresponsive and comatose.  She can be awakened for a moment or two and will try to communicate.  I had a meeting for work in Columbia yesterday and when it was over decided to drive to Charleston.  Since I was half-way there.  WHATEVER!  I almost died trying to get home last night.  I didn't know that they closed one lane of 26 from Charleston to Orangeburg for road construction.  I am so glad that I did go because we met with the transplant coordinator.  Pray that mama gets on the liver transplant list!  PRAY HARD!

Other prayer requests:  Sweet Mitzi Thorne and Kristen Taylor's mama went to be with Jesus yesterday.  Also, I found out this morning that a friend found out yesterday that her three year old -- YES 3 YEARS OLD -- cousin has a tumor on his brain.  And, continue to pray for the unspoken request.  People are hurting.  In the words of Bob Marley, "You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice."  And my personal quote from my favorite bear:  "You are BRAVER than you believe, STRONGER than you seem, SMARTER than you think, and LOVED more than you know."  ~Winnie the Pooh

        Mama took this picture of Papa and Abbey.  It has always been one of her favorite pictures.

Love,
Jenn

CU ICU

So, mama was moved to a regular room last night. I came home. I had a panic attack this morning since I wasn't there. I want to be there. Spring break is next week so I will be there then. 

Mama has a feeding tube now. She doesn't like it and told me that she wants it out. She is still confused but is clear that she wants to go home. 

She is under the care of the liver team now. They told us today that she is going to need rehab to get her strength back so that she can handle the surgery. 

I have a newfound love for FaceTime. I have been able to facetime mama and daddy....and Jason. 😜 I am probably on his last nerve. It's okay. I've been on his last nerve for 43 years now!  By the way, if you are going to Charleston and want to go on a chartered fishing trip, give him a call. He is the Captain of Skinny Water Charters and I guarantee you will have a great time. Kerise is on spring break and made daddy and I the best lunch ever. Then, when I got home I got a piece of my sister-in-law, Michele's, chocolate cheesecake and was in heaven. I told Oma she needs to sell them!  Cheesecake Factory has NOTHING on her. I am not kidding either. I am serious about cheesecake and this was the real deal!  

 

I went back to work today and my students and coworkers were precious. I love Chesnee High School. It's a little bit of heaven off of highway 11!  

So, pray specifically for mamas strength and mental clarity to strengthen. Pray for her to continue to get better. We need her here!  

I also have an unspoken prayer request. Pray for strength and peace. 

Jacob holding his Mamie's hands while she slept. 

Love,

Jenn

It's time for me to go home!

When we woke up this morning it seemed that mama was still groggy and confused. She kept saying, "I want out of here."  Daddy and I assured her if she would take her medicine and eat then she could go home. Physical and Occupational Therapy came and started talking to her. They had her up sitting on the side of the bed and the girl asked her the year. No answer. She asked her if it was 1999 or 2016. Mama thought for a long time and finally replied, "It's time for me to go home!"  

After this she woke up and was clearer than we've seen her in a while. (Liver disease causes this and I hate it!) They put a tube down her nose in order to help with nutrition and medicines because she just isn't taking in anything. We couldn't get her to eat anything and she finally agreed to cheesecake. Then, the nurse offered Sherbert. She agreed yet continued to say she wanted to go home. When the Sherbert arrived she said I asked for something else. I asked if she meant the cheesecake and she said, "no, I asked to go home."  Then, my daddy started eating a little Easter candy and she looked over at him and wagged her finger at him. The boss is back!  

I combed her hair this morning and showed her in my phone. A minute later I asked her if she needed anything and she said, "I thought you were going to make me up."  So, she got make-up and lipstick in the ICU. 

She is still asking to go home. Pray she gets out of ICU and over to the liver transplant team. 

Thank you for the prayers, texts, calls, emails and anything else you have done. We feel it and appreciate it more than you will ever know. 

She's sleeping again. I turned on Young and the Restless so, hopefully Victor Newman will wake her up. Ha!  

Love,

Jenn

Get that out of my mouth!

So, mama has had an okay day. We are still in ICU!  It rained all day in Charleston on this Easter Sunday. Mama is still a good bit confused and groggy!  At times I didn't know if she was going to wake up. It is just frustrating!  I want her to get up and feel better. She moans and cries often which makes us all sad. I tried to test her today when my Uncle Mike said, "Bye sis" and left the room. I said, "mama who is that?" And she said, "Mike."  I said, "Mike who?" And she replied, "Faye's Mike!"  I bet in her mind she was thinking girl maybe you need to be in here and not me. 

We are struggling with getting her to eat. She ate a little cutie and 2 small bites of banana for breakfast. At lunch they brought her roast beef and chicken salad. I tried forever to get her to eat and she wasn't having any of it. She wasn't responding or waking up. When I finally got her to wake up, I put a bite of the roast to her mouth and she quickly and emphatically said, "Get that out of my mouth!"  Now, she has only spoken in a soft whisper and this came out clear and louder. The nurse turned around and died laughing. Then, I put some chicken for her and she said, "I am not eating that!"  I said, "well, someone is little Miss Sassy Britches tonight!"  Praise God for Sassy Britches. 

Tonight, daddy got her to eat some soup and when she was finished (she had refused mashed potatoes and other things) he asked her what else she wanted. She said she wanted ice cream. Our nurse tonight,Catherine, made it happen!  She ate almost every single bite. Yeah!  

I do not have any Easter pictures of my children and they didn't get Easter baskets this year....yet. What I do have is a mama that is very sick, yet still fighting strong. My daddy is being a rock and is standing in my mamas room right now watching tv. It's the first time the tv has been on in here since we arrived. (We are also trying to keep her awake.)  My sweet babies and Gordon have been such troopers. They have gone home now and that is such a sad feeling. As they drove off, I had such a sad heart. I hate it when people leave. When my mama would come see us at the beach when we stayed all summer a few times, I would cry and cry and she would cry going home. That's how I felt today. 

We are getting stronger and hope to be out of ICU tomorrow so that the transplant team can get back to work!  

Daddy feeding mama vanilla ice cream. 

Hope you and your family had a great Easter. Please keep the prayers coming. 

Love,

Jenn

Baby steps = Blessings

So, I heard mama's voice today. I even got her to say I love you!  When they kicked us out from 7-8, she squeezed my hand and cried, "please don't go, don't go."  My Aunt Faye was in there and helped explain that we would be outside the door and would come right back. It broke my heart and made me happy all at the same time. She is still so confused and cries often so, that let me know she knew a little bit about what's going on. 

I haven't left her side too much today. Even though she isn't saying too much, I still have to be with her. She is just so sick. This liver disease is horrible!  In order for her to continue on to getting a liver, she has to get out of ICU to even get back in the evaluation. Then, she has to pass the heart cath and other things. So, pray specifically for that to happen. 

Praise!  Because of Friday, Sunday's coming!  

Thank you for the prayers. Please keep them coming!  We can never repay but we can pray!  

Please add my Uncle Ray to your prayers. He has the same thing mama has and was admitted to ICU about 30 minutes ago. 😢

Hey! What a glorious word and the sweetest sound!

The vent is out!  She is still disoriented and crying some but it is out. She said "hey" and continues to just say that to us. I asked if she knew my name and she said Jennifer. So, we are Praising God for small victories. 

Just to see her sweet eyes this morning was wonderful. 

Her sister is on the way down so that should perk her up as well. 

My love has spent the night up here every night so that my daddy will not be alone. He and Jacob stayed last night. When the doctors came by this morning they found my mama's keeper pooped out!

I'll give you some sugar!

Daddy and I busted in here this morning at 8:01am. (They kick you out from 7-8 twice a day.) Gordon had texted us all night with updates that she was moving. Daddy and I assumed it was the same thrashing around that she did during the day yesterday. It was upsetting and we closed the blinds and kept all lights off to keep her settled. When daddy bent down to kiss her she opened her eyes wide. I grabbed her hand to hold it and she squeezed it. Then, Ethan walks in and says "Hey girl!" (Loudly!) and she opens her eyes and lifts her hand to grab his. Her hands are tied down somewhat because she kept grabbing the vent and trying to remove it.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

All week daddy has bent over mama and said, "open your eyes and I'll give you some sugar!"  I pray he gets to give her lots of sugar today. 

I thought her feet were cold and asked her if she wanted socks (I bought her new ones yesterday at wal-Mart) and she blinked her eyes. So, she is slowly coming around. I changed clothes this morning and put on a obnoxious pinkish orange top so that she would see happy colors if she woke up. Then, on the way here I knew it was going to be a great day!  As I was getting off of 26 onto 17, this truck came flying by:

  

Mama worked for Wise Foods as HR manager for years. My beloved Nannie Broome was named Elsie. Mama loves Nannie like her own mama and they were very close. So, there are blessings all around. I just forgot to look yesterday. 

Funny!  Mama is in MUSC Ashley River Tower, otherwise known as ART. Daddy was talking to someone and they asked if he had someone in ART. He said, "oh no, my wife is in ICU, she isn't doing Art!"  The man explained what ART meant. 😂 You just cannot make this stuff up!  When my mama hears this story, she is going to roll her eyes and say, "Tommy!"  

Pray that mama shows out with her heart. Not good, okay, well....GREAT!  I want that liver Doctor to come

running. I believe in miracles and know that God will do it. Mama is the daughter of the King and he will heal her. 

Thank you so much for the prayers, phone calls (even if I can't talk I still listen) and the texts. When I'm in with mama I do keep my phone off. 

Add Rodney, Rex and Rocky Mcgill to your prayers. Their mama isn't doing well and they just lost their daddy. Also, my dear friend and Sunday School teacher,Buzz Jones' second mama isn't doing well. 

Love, Jenn