RockCrag of Leave

[ismo]

The anxiety level is at a low thrum, with occasional spikes. I've done two things today: pack and intermittently text and call about things related to my mother. I actually talked to her tonight, thanks to the Duchess, who has been in her room most of the day and answered the phone for her. Mother is sounding pretty good, because she's in the hospital where they make sure she eats, drinks, and walks around occasionally. To summarize what I know so far: the question of whether she will get a TAVR remains undefined, because the doctor they have talked to is a cardiologist. Thus, he can tell her the state of her aortic valve, which is very bad, and he can tell her they have a TAVR procedure and are very good at it, and he can offer it as an option and ask if they're interested in consulting with the surgeon about it. But he can't actually recommend that Mother should get the procedure or not get the procedure, because that is up to the surgeon. This is why Mother has to stay in the hospital until Monday when the surgeon comes back. He or she will then give an opinion, and at that point Mother will have to decide if she wants to do it. If she says yes, she will probably have her valve replaced on Tuesday. The Duchess said that she saw the picture of Mother's valve on the scan, and it is very bad and hardly functioning. She had rheumatic fever when young, so that's probably why it's messed up now. It was kind of funny reading that rheumatic fever is seldom found now except in third world countries. The past was a third world country. When she got her strep infection, it was before penicillin. All they could do was put her in the hospital, give her supportive care, and hope her body would fight it off. Now they can replace her heart valve. But should they? Does she want them to? I don't know the answers to those questions. Then Mr. and Ms. Science arrived in her room, so I said goodnight.

We'll be getting up at 4 to get our ride to the airport at 5:30 tomorrow. Ugh. I don't know why trips always seem to start at this ungodly hour. On the good side, we'll be in sunny Wilmington around noon. I've packed everything on my list. I'm sure I'm taking things I won't need and forgetting things I will. I made sandwiches. I know I'll be glad when I get there. I just have to get through the night and morning.