Post Surgery Day One by Francy DeVries - Wednesday January 21st 2009

Today I spoke to Mary Jo by phone around 7:30am. She was anxious waking up in the ICU alone. Through the night they have monitored her skin "flaps" (that is what they call the skin they used for her reconstruction). They also monitored her blood count and did drop some so she had to get a blood transfusion this morning. The blood transfusion will ensure the best best blood flow to her new skin. She is quite a bit of pain, but has a morphine pump. Today the plan is to get her up for a little bit and allow her to eat something. She has not been sick to her stomach and is in good spirits, but as would be expected is overwhelmed by it all. Just remember she loves visitors. Her surgeon was in and reconfirmed everything went well with the mastecomy and that the results of the breast pathology will be back by Friday (they send them off for more testing to check everything even the left breast which did not appear to be cancerous). At 9pm Mom called and said that the plastic surgeon was in the afternoon/evening and he said everything looks great. He wants her monitored closely (the reconstructed skin) so she might be the ICU until Friday or Saturday. She did get up in the chair today for almost 2 hours. I here she had quite a few friends in today, sorry since I am not there I don't want to misquote on who, but thanks, I know she really appreciates it. More updates tommorrow.