Great visit

I just visited with Monica at home and WOW is she ever popular! Lisa Brown has recruited a month's worth of cooks to provide her with meals and she's set up round the clock helpers to stay with Monica when Franklin can't. We chatted quite a bit and took a stroll down the driveway to get a little exercise. She's doing physical therapy twice per week. Monica wanted me to tell everyone "Thank you for all the prayers. I could feel them working."

Home Sweet Home

Monica is home now and is staying in a hospital bed in the living room. Please keep praying for her recovery and thanks to all who have been reading the blog.

Biopsy Results

The results of the biopsy came in early Tuesday afternoon and it is a grade 2 benign tumor. The tumor may be treated like cancer and the doctors will meet with Franklin tonight to determine the course of action. Additionally Monica is coming home to Lothian tomorrow. This is great news!

In other news the blog has surpassed the 5,000 hit mark. Also if you want to visit please contact Franklin first and do not text or call Monica on her cellphone.

No More ICU

Again more progress for Monica. She has left the ICU and is now in Stepdown, which is on the same floor but a different section. Walking and feeding herself have become routine for her. The biopsy report will probably be released on Tuesday and the family is ready for any outcome.

Please do not call or text Monica on her phone as she is now using it for emergencies. Keep praying it is working!

Progress Continues

Monica is making great strides in her recovery process. They have taken her off the monitors, and are only giving her oral medicine. Her marathon training has resumed today as she has made 4 laps around the ICU and a lap around the 6th floor. She is also enjoying the food the hospital is providing her.

Again if you would like to come and visit contact Franklin and please keep up the prayers as they are working.

Recovery Going Well

First off the family would like to thank RG Lare for updating the blog this past week. She will be on vacation for a week so I will be updating the blog for now.

Monica has eaten two meals today, taken a mid-morning walk, and is off the catheter. The doctors are pleased with these results, so they are giving her less medicine. There is still some concern about the swelling in the brain, although the swelling outside has substantially decreased. The biopsy report will be released early in the week and if all goes well she probably will be released mid-week.

Monica had a smile on her face when she found out that Jessica scored the winning basket for her basketball team, the last game of the season. If you would like to visit please call Franklin and thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. Please keep praying and stay tuned for further updates.

3 Full meals Yesterday

Monica had a good day yesterday and ate 3 full meals. the Physical Therapists came around again and worked with her. She made another lap around the area and did very well. They are now talking about moving her to NRH (National Rehab Hospital) on Wendnesday possibly. Let's pray for another good day today. Thanks

Better Today

Monica slept well last night and is a little more awake and talking more today. The doctors are lowering her medications to see how she adjusts. The next step is waiting on the biopsy results, which could be in as early as today, or as late as Monday. Unless the swelling in her brain gets worse, the next move may be to a rehab facility where she can begin the next leg of her recovery (however, she may not end up needing inpatient rehab, we'll have to wait and see). The therapist did come visit and work with her today and it went very well. She took a lap around the area and they were happy with her condition. Her doctors and nurses are positive today! Keep the good vibes flowing this way. Thanks

Rough day yesterday, better today

Monica had a rough day yesterday. The doctors sent her to have 2 different CAT scans and one MRI to keep an eye on the swelling in her brain. She has improved today, more awake, but swelling is still a concern. The doctors will keep an eye on it, but she may have to have a second operation to help reduce this swelling. They are hoping to avoid it, but it is a concern of theirs. Franklin has had positive feedback from the doctors today though. They are still limiting visitors so if anyone would like to go, please call Franklin to check first. Thanks.

Grogginess

The doctors are a little concerned about Monica's grogginess and think it may be due to some swelling in the brain. She is still scheduled for her MRI so hopefully that will tell them more. She's on complete bed rest now and no visitors are allowed for the next 36 hours. Stay tuned.

Still recuperating

Monica is still very sleepy and groggy from the surgery yesterday. She doses in and out throughout the day. The doctors plan to give her an MRI either tonight or tomorrow morning to make sure they got out what they wanted to get out from around her brain. It's still not a great time for visitors, hopefully by Friday or soon after. Just be sure to check with Franklin to make sure she's up for it. Monicas doctors are still happy with her recovery so far. Stay tuned.

Visitors should probably hold off until at least Thursday for now.

98%

Monica is getting better every hour. She is eating ice chips and her body is at about 98% of what they expected at this point. The left side of her body is slow and lethargic as expected. She will have a CAT scan tomorrow to make sure everything is okay and they expect to have the biopsy results on Saturday. Check back tomorrow afternoon for some more updates. Everyone have a great evening and let's hope that Monica's family gets some much needed rest tonight.

Conscious but groggy

The doctors let Franklin, Alan, and Mrs. Miller in to see Monica. She was alert but groggy and still in pain. She said her throat hurt a bit. Stay tuned.

I almost forgot to mention that real flowers are not allowed on her hospital unit. So silk flowers or other gifts and cards would be appropriate. Thanks.

Surgery is almost over

The doctors are on the home stretch of Monica's surgery as I post this, and they feel very good about what they accomplished and removed. It was described as a very aggressive surgery, meaning they tried very hard to get as much of the mass out as possible. They described it as a "low-grade slow-growing mass," of which 20% had grown into her brain. The doctor believes it is benign but he won't know for sure for another 3-5 days. They are closing her up now and Monica will have a tough recovery over the next 24 hours. However, they are very positive about the outcome. Franklin and the rest of the family want to thank everyone for your love and support!

Tuesday

Just in case some of you might not know what happened this week: Monica has been having headaches and other various symptoms that lead her to get an MRI. A mass descirbed as "the size of a lemon" was found on her brain and she was sent straight to the hospital for observation. The doctors feared she may have a seizure because of the location of the mass. She was put on steroids to reduce the size of the mass.
Today, she went into surgery at 7:30am at Georgetown Hospital and the doctors said that it will take about 5 hours. They expect to give Franklin an update at around 10am. So hopefully I can post something shortly after. 
They will not know whether the mass is cancerous or not until this afternoon, after they have had a chance to biopsy it. Stay tuned.

Monday February 7, 2011

Monica has been a great friend, sister, mother, wife and cousin to so many people. So naturally, everyone is concerned and wants to be kept in the loop as to her status this week. Franklin asked me to set this up so everyone could feel fully informed. I'll try to update it every day this week. Please check back often, beginning tomorrow morning, following her 5 am surgery.