♫ ♫ ♪ Oh Happy Day ♪ ♫ ♫

First of all, Mom told me this weekend that it is "time to shut the blog down... I'm not sick anymore"! Well, that's great news. Hmmm, wonder if she has informed her corps of doctors about this new revelation. To be honest, Mom is doing just great. We haven't posted in a while because, well, to be honest she has been kind of boring. Now, don't take that wrong. I mean this in the most positive way. I will take this boring over medical excitement any day. If you recall, there was a problem with an infection at her surgery site. As she began treatment for this infection the docs realized that the problem was deeper than muscle and tissue and also involved her sternum. You know that large bone in the middle of your chest that your ribs connect to. It is kind of an important bone. Since the open heart surgery Mom wasn't sure if the discomfort was from the procedure or something else. I mean, after all they cut your sternum down the middle, use this sort of crane to move r-i-b-.... I suppose you don't really want to hear all of those details. Let us suffice to say, it was hard for Mom to know which 'Ouch' was new to be honest. After her unexpected week at Baptist week last month to start these IV antibiotics, she went home with a PIC line (a catheter placed in your upper arm that leads directly to your heart) so that daily heavy duty medications could knock this infection out! But now.. enter Medicare in all of their wisdom~ I know that I mentioned this before but it bears repeating; if you need medications through Medicare now and they cannot be dispensed in pill form you have to either stay in the hospital for the infusion, or have the dosages given at a clinic. Of course, with any heavy duty medicine there are side effects like nausea, lethergy, flushing, chills... oh wait, that was dad! Silly me, we were talking about Mom. Actually Mom did have some icky side effects and they changed her meds and the last three weeks she went to the clinic every day for her infusion. Last week Mom had a CT scan done to check progress of the treatment. Dr Threlkeld announced, "your CT looks good- you are done". "When?" Mom anxiously asked. "Right now!" Hooray! I think she probably would have given him a big ole' hug and kiss if; A) he wasn't a good bit younger and married and; B) Dad would be sooo jealous. ☺ So, the PIC line was removed, they turned in all of the paraphernalia that went with it and said their goodbyes. Naturally, Dad didn't leave his special carrier that he rigged for transporting the infusion bag... you just never know when a good carrier might be needed! So now, we wait. Mom has an appointment with our Primary Care doc and her Cardiologist at the end of the month. Hopefully she will finally be able to start her Cardio rehab at that point. Although, she is doing anything she wants with the provision she still not lift anything over 8 lbs. She looks so much better. In fact I have told her, as have others, that she looks the best they have seen in a while. Of course, it could be her new hair cut ... she is keeping it shorter and looks so sassy. 
Thank you all for sharing this time with us, praying with us and encouraging Mom with your posts, emails and especially the donations.  It has been an encouragement to our entire family. Keep calling her and emailing. Who knows, in a couple of months you may just see them at a class luncheon.
Take care and God Bless
Cheryl Millican Haas
~on behalf of Shirley & Bill  Millican, Rick & Diane Millican, my husband Jim, six grand children and two great great grands!