Update

Following is an excerpt from my cousin's nightly update on my aunt. She's currently being sent to an outpatient center for hyperbaric treatments to help starve out the infection - hour and a half long sessions every day for the next two weeks.

Hello Everyone.

My mom said yesterday she didn't know if she could get through another session in the hyperbaric chamber. It was very un-nerving for her. She said it was like someone put her in a test tube and corked the end. She said take some Jell-O and rub it on the wall. That is how her insides felt. She said she just couldn't focus or get to a point were she could talk her way through the hour and a half. Needless to say she wasn't looking forward to going again today.

Good thing she shared this information with the nurses. Before today's trip to St. Joseph's they gave her a Valium to ease the anxiety and help her relax. She said about 15 minutes into the hour and a half in the chamber she fell asleep and woke up when it was over. Yeah Valium.

Our family doctor, Dr. Cesarec, sat down and spent some time with my mom this morning. He told her that she is very sick. She told him that she knows that. He told her no, she doesn't fully understand how sick she is. He explained that the infection has effected her entire body. They can not rule out any permanent organ damage at this time. There is still a danger and although she appears to be growing stronger there are still significant risks. He also explained that the road to recovery is going to be months not weeks.

Hard to believe but the talk my mom had with Dr. Cesarec actually lifted her spirits. Either that or the Valium was really big. We snuck the boys up for a very brief visit. She misses them and they miss her. They were not freaked out by all the IV bags, catheters and such, they were just glad to see her.

The VAC (ed. note: vacuum-assisted closure)treatment seems to be working well. It is sucking out some very nasty looking stuff from her wounds. They are going to change these every other day rather than every day like they had previously. This is a good thing because of the extreme pain involved in the bandage and dressing changes.

That's all for today. Please know that your prayers and support mean the world to my mom. She is finding strength from your prayers and she knows God's love will pull her through.

Thanks so much for your continued prayer.