What a day!

Erica is recovering wonderfully from her surgery today.  We spent about 45 minutes in the recovery room.  Mom, dad, and Mimi were all by her side as she came to to awareness.   She had all the typical side effects that come with being anesthetized.  She was extremely tired, dry throat and mouth, and low oxygen levels at times.  Otherwise, she was in good condition; enough so that she didn't have to spend any time in the ICU.  The wheeled her off to her room on the 6th floor which was the room exactly next to the one we spent a week in!

Sam was very anxious to see Erica and was relieved to see her in her new room.  It was touching to see how tender and concerned he was with Erica.  After getting settled into her new room and bed, she napped for a few hours. Occasionally, her oxygen levels would get low and her monitors would beep at us.  Sam was the first to run to her side and coach her on taking deep long breaths.  She continued to nap in between nurse check-ups and brief conversations with Mom, Dad, Mimi, and Sam.  We all quietly played Pay Day while she napped.  Sam soon discovered there was an X-Box and played ice hockey for some time.

Around 4pm, she woke and needed to use the restroom.  She had been complaining of a bit of nausea.  She was slow to get to the restroom, but even slower to get back.  She didn't want to leave the bathroom because she wanted badly to vomit.  We finally convinced her that she would feel better  laying in her bed and would have a little bucket close by.  Nurses gave her some anti-nausea medicine which seemed to do the trick.  She never did get sick. When she was at her grumpiest, there was a knock on the door with a flower delivery.  The beautiful surprise couldn't have come at a better time.  It certainly lifted her spirits.  Thank you Preston Staff for such beautiful flowers and well wishes.  Erica and I couldn't work/educate with a better group of people.  So fortunate to have them in our lives!

Dad left for home at dinner time.  Mimi and Sam stayed to eat dinner with us.  Erica continued to fall in and out of sleep throughout the evening, but continued to also improve in alertness and demeanor.  She was able to muster up a bit of energy to Face Time with Sanne and MJ.  It was therapeutic I think.  She fell back to sleep looking a little bit more at peace.

Dr. O'Neill came to check on Erica after dinner.  He assured us that everything went as planned in the surgery and that she is recovering wonderfully.  He thinks that if she can stay hydrated without IV and is eating okay on her own by tomorrow morning, then she should be good to go home tomorrow afternoon!  She has a one-stitch incision above her left ear.  They described it as a LONG stitch that is like a shoelace starting at her skull and going up to the surface.  She also has three pin marks from the head frame.  Two on her forehead and one on the back of her head.  Everything is healing great.

Dr. ONeill's very fab O.R. hair styling!

It is still hard to believe that Erica had a brain tumor removed today and will likely go home tomorrow with a single stitch!  We can't be more thankful to innovative thinkers, technology, and scientific advances.  We are keeping fingers crossed that Erica's epilepsy has been cured.  No seizures to speak of after surgery. :0)

Today can't come to a close without thanking so many family members and friends that sent positive messages, prayers, emails, texts, calls, cards, delivered updates to others, gave hugs and held hands. Today will be a day remembered as one filled with love and support, not traveled alone.  From the bottom of our hearts...thank you!

Erica posted this yesterday on Instagram!