Happy Sabbath!

Every day is getting a little better.  We kids went to Church this morning, then went straight to the hospital.  Mom spent all night last night in the recliner, but when we got there she was in the bed again and she was more awake than she has been so far.  She even told me I looked pretty today, so for her to use her energy to say something like that means she's getting there.  We had some visitors when we got there, too.  Our great friends, Lynn and Robyn Dixon drove up from Wilmington for the day.  Shortly after that, Randy and Ann Adams from Wilmington came up, Elder Keith Giddens, Brother McKoy from the Durham III ward, Darren and Logan Shipman from Leland, President and Marilynn Taggert from Raleigh.  Sadly, Mom got a little agitated and the charge nurse, who was someone different and much more strict about visitors, restricted visitors for a little while, so I don't think anyone else was allowed to see her.  I hope I didn't leave anyone out.

She went for a walk around the hallway twice again today.  She had a couple more drains removed, so she now only has one drain left in addition to the spit fistula (the bag her esophagus drains into) and the feeding tube.  As I said before, she's becoming more alert with each passing day and I think she's both annoyed with us staring at her all the time (who wouldn't be?) and concerned that we're uncomfortable in the hospital room (how very Mom-like).  Dad told me that a little while ago he had gotten somewhat settled in for the night and then Mom started sitting up and swinging her legs over the bed (this is becoming a frequent thing she's doing).  He got up to make sure she wasn't going to try to stand up or anything, and when he got over to her, he asked her if she was okay.  Her reply was, "I will be when you lay down on that cot over there."  Dad laughed and let her have her way.  He also said that earlier tonight he was trying to get a little snack in and he took one of those tuna packs with the crackers, pickles, and mayo in the room's bathroom so he wouldn't bother her.  She started calling out for him, so he set it aside, put a mask on, both because he's had a little congestion and he's trying to be careful not to get Mom sick, but also because he was tying to hide that he was eating.  So he walked out, with the mask on, to see what Mom needed, and she looked straight at him and asked him what he was eating.  He kind of chuckled and told her it was tuna fish and asked what woke her up.  She said, "The tuna fish, it smells awful!"  So there's no tricking Mom when it comes to eating tuna.  :)

You might have picked up that there's a bathroom in the room now (thank goodness!).  That's because Mom has been moved to a regular room now.  Whoo hoo!  She's now in room 4730 and the phone number is 919-966-1845.  Let's hope it's going to be a good week!