MOOVE MOOMA MOOVE

Today it has been two weeks since our hero was cut open and she is doing great. In fact you would never know that she had open heart surgery, except that big old fresh scar down the center of her chest. Jane Jane has been doing really well, and her appetite is back. I will let you know that she was quite upset when I told her she could not have a Berger cookie last night. (It was 11:30 to late for chocolate, but she was flying high on her painkillers) We have set up a simple a schedule. She sits upstairs and watches TV all morning, walking 5 minutes an hour. Then she moo-ves downstairs to accept visitors in the afternoon, She did admit to me yesterday that three people is too much and we would like to keep it to two visitors a day. Then she looks at all the lovely flowers that everyone has sent and ponders the existence of the tooth fairy or how to solve a problem like Maria.

Our next project will be getting Mooma to Moo-ve Moo-re.

Now that the rains have parted, I am bound and determined, to get her outside.

I have not had to call the biological children yet, but I will. (I did have to call them earlier this week with an issue. Go figure no one answered the phone)

She loves to chat on the phone so give her a call, and set an appointment to stop by. If you want to bring food, she is on low sodium, high fiber diet, and I remind you that she needs to do her walking. She will say I will do it when they leave, and I ask you her public to say I would love to take a walk in the garden with you, or why don’t you show me Henry’s favorite spot to pee in the living room.

Thanks again for the entire blogosphere of warm wishes, but we really need to get her to move.

Until the next post.

P.

UPDATE: Jane has a bad cough due to the tube down her throat she has been told not to talk so much. So she request, no phone chats, but e-mails. thanks

A letter from Jane

Greetings from Mooma Jane (formerly known as Mama Jane)!

It’s hard to believe that it’s only been ten days since my surgery and I feel this good. Of course, the brilliance of a spring day is always hard to beat especially when the daffodils are lifting their heads to the morning sun. However, it has been the love and support of family and friends that have seen me through this experience. I can’t thank you all enough for your cards, phone calls, prayers, e-mails and flowers but, most of all, I want to thank you for following Paige’s blog and for writing messages on it. She would read them to me each evening and the joy it brought me cannot be described. Love and laughter are the two things you need most for your heart to heal and I certainly have had those in spades thanks to all of you.

As I sat looking out my window at the landmark dome of Johns Hopkins Hospital I was frequently overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude for just being alive thanks to the superb skills of my surgeon and their medical staff. Since this is where Caroline had her own open heart surgery twenty-one years ago we are both incredibly indebted to this venerable institution. I received excellent care and cannot say enough good things about Hopkins.

My children have all been so supportive each in their own way, and from reading the blog you know that wasn’t always easy. Let’s just say that you go from feeling like you cannot possibly move to feeling like you are once again fully alive yet still unable to do some of the things we all take for granted. As soon as the nurse comes today to remove some sutures and I finally get to take a shower I think even Paige, “The Enforcer,” will find it hard to hold me down. Isn’t it amazing to think much of my success is made possible by some wonderful cow out there in Moo Moo Land, in addition to the miracle of the human body?

Please do call or come by whenever you can. The Incredible/Irreplaceable Paige is keeping track of our calendar so I won’t get too tired, but I will certainly welcome your company. As much as I love reading and watching movies, it can’t compare with human contact. Besides, I don’t want Paige to get tired of me! Recuperation from open heart takes a long time, so don’t worry about missing out on a visit to the Cow Lady. I’ll be hanging out at Rabbit Hill until beach time.

Love to you all,

Jane

Day 1 at home

Today was kind of a rough day. Henry being the ever-dutiful boy decided that everyone should get up very early. Mooma was doing OK, but she did not what to leave the upstairs. She has been putzing, but not as much as I would like her to putz.

Now that I have the netflix streaming disc for the wii, she might never leave the room. She is watching “the way we live now” right now, and I think it would be in my best interest to not show her how to work it.

I do have a plan of action to get her downstairs, I am going to place a Berger cookie and a glass of milk on the pate and tell her to get it. I will let you know how that works out.

Well Thanks for all the visit request. I have been updating them in the March page, if you want to know whom what and when. Have a good weekend everybody.

P.

Born Free

Well the new and improved Mooma has made it back home. She busted out of Hopkins with a clean bill of health. She has given me her death ray stare many times, on my request for her to do more laps. The nurse said (and I made her say it twice) it was endurance and not speed that she needs to work on. I let her take it easy today, but no more of that. I even let her have another cookie (a gem of a ginger cookie delivered by Janet and Jean the most excellent neighbors) if she promised to work hard tomorrow. Henry told me that I have been had. Caroline leaves tomorrow for NYC so she is in my clutches until the return of the biological child.

We have big plans to watch many BBC shows on TV and we might start solving mysteries throughout mason hill. You know I think there is an incredible amount of hoodlums in the hood, why just today a strange man came and swept a pile of debris from the front yard.

The one thing Mooma does need is visitors, it will help her do better in her walking so let us know when you can come buy and take her for a walk or putz.

The rules

With a cheering team in the blogosphere who needs Caroline and I anymore.

All your wishes and warm thoughs help her yesterday. She would not do the stairs but did a total of 11 laps. I think the floor nurses wonder about us, because Jane and I bicker the whole walk, I will give you an example of conversations.

Jane- I have never breathed right.

Me- you have to breath right, or you would be dead.

Jane- I take small steps, I have never taken large steps.

Me.- PT told you to take big slow steps, and look up.

Jane- I never look up

Me- then how do you know where you are going.

Jane- I only want to do 1 lap.

Me- do two

Jane – no, I am tired.

Me- well if you can fight with me you can do one more lap.

On the news front it looks like Mooma will be heading home on Thursday! So we will now establish the visitor’s rules.

1- Email or call (do not call house call cell) to schedule an appointment. For a visit or drop off food ect.

2- I will then add your visit to the pages category of the blog, so you can know what time slot is free.

3- When you come over, you may not just sit and chat, you have to make Mooma move to 3 chairs or a lap in the house or garden during the span of your visit.

a. Failure to do lap or move to a new chair could impede further visits.

4- No cookies or treats may be given to Mooma until she has completed her task of the day.

Failure to do this will result in being locked in a room with Puck, the bipolar kitty.

So lets bring our new and improved mooma home! Thanks again for the warm wishes.

P

A call to arms

Well Mooma Jane is doing really well. She might not think she is, but all of the nurses tell her she is doing really great. In fact she looks just like she normally does sans pink or blue sweater and black pants.

PT came down to give us exercise instructions yesterday. She did go up and down four stairs twice! The only problem is she had the Vulcan death grip on the rail. She was scolded by the therapist for her death grip, she is suppose to use her abs and her legs, but she doesn’t think she has strength in there. She does, we just need to remind her how to use those muscles. As for her lap record when I left she had done 6 (a personal record for her) and was walking on her own, with aid of only an arm! She does look down at the floor a lot so we need to reminder to hold her head up high.

She said she has no appetite yet, but after she finished her laps I gave her a cookie as promised and she gobbled that thing right up, so it looks like bribery will be the key to her exercising. When we spoke with the Dr’s nurse practitioner she said she was on schedule and will hopefully get out Wednesday or Thursday. So we can begin scheduling visitors when she gets out.

In other news, there are some things I need to help Mama Jane recover. If anyone has a baby monitor, could we borrow it? We have a cowbell for Mooma to call but at night she might need more than a bell to raise the farmer.

I am also in need a bike air pump to pump my tires so I can run away. No rush on these things but I will forget if I don’t say something now.

Also we need to remind Jane that she got the valve to live a better life, and that she has to work to recover, that there will be painful days, but some pain is good pain. The road to recovery is long and hilly, and she cannot fear what might happen, just face it will the love and support of her family and fiends. (I think I read that in a book) The fear of what might happen is our biggest obstacle right now, and it is one that I am having a hard time pushing her over.

THANKS

P

Wonder of Wonders

Well I walked in to a wide-awake Jane today. She was bright eyed and bushy tailed sitting in her bed. I showed her the photos from yesterday and the first thing she said was “oh my hair doesn’t look to bad.” It is always good to know where your priorities are.

The Doctor came in and removed all tubes, so that is great, so she is tube free and walking around Nelson six. She did two laps today, one with a walker and one without. And she was a speed demon; I think she was walking faster than pre-Bessie. However on our stroll on the floor they put up a certificate of accomplishment if you break 90 laps, also there are now women on it. I now have a dream. A dream that 1-day Jane Prugh will hold the record for most laps completed. (107 is the record) I tried to fuel her by saying the 70 year old transplant patient just lapped you, but she told me to hush. We then found out he did not have surgery yet so that kind of blew that motivation out of the water. I have also decided to create the Bovine Games. We will hold an event during the summer to measure the progress of our new mootestant.

In other news Jane is still bored but can stay awake through a whole movie. I fell asleep and she was right there with it, and then she even played cards with Caroline so I think her mind is intact. That was about all for today.

We do have do give a shout out to Carole Walsh who was Henry’s savior today. Jane thought she would be home so she did not book a dog walker, Carole came in and saved the day, and I came home to no wet spots!

P.

ICU be gone with you.

Later that night.
Sing the song of joy Jane Prugh has left the ICU! At 5:00 our fearless patient left the ICU and moved to the cardiac care wing. She looked 100 percent better than she did this morning, and felt better too. Russ snapped some photos for you all.
In other news with Jane Jane out of the ICU Russ and Kate head back to Seattle Sunday at 8am, I will head back to the hospital at that time.
Jane can now get flowers or singing telegrams if you so choose.
She does not want visitors yet, but I am bringing movies and audio books to fill her time. The nurse said she could get out in 4-5 days, but who knows anymore.
Thank you so much for the poems and things she loves it.
P

PS the view of Hopkins is what she looks at, can you belive it.

Sat.

Turning the corner.
Thanks to everyone who dropped off cards, and tokens of love last night. I read them all to her, and she was just tickled. The cow jokes have not grown thin yet, so keep on mooing. When I asked Jane if she had anything to tell her adoring public, she said she felt that she had turned the corner. I asked her from where and she did not know.
Today she looks great. That pink is back in her cheeks and today’s nurse tells me she is doing great. Jennifer is our nurse and she is awesome. She has made Jane a hug me pillow, (no stuffed animals in the ICU) and given her what I have now deemed a luggie vacuum. (Like what the dentist uses I’m sure it has a proper name) Jennifer is also making her work on her breathing and walking her more. Jane has also gotten the 411 on all the other people, in the area; the nurse in the next room is trying to buy a house and we are waiting patiently with baited breath to see if he has it yet. I expect by the time the bed opens up on the cardiac care floor we will have a slew of new face book friends for Jane to play with.
Now there is something I need your help with, and that is words of encouragement for our dear friend. She will have to work very hard during this recovery and we need her to stay strong, and as off right now she gets very upset when she can’t manage to hit the breathing goal for the day. (We also all know what it is like when she does not win at bridge or canasta) So please send those words of encouragement, it takes a lot of metal determination to push your body after the trauma she has just faced and she needs all the support we can muster. I have already tried bribing her with Berger cookies but she is not ready for that yet.

As for the rest of them family we are great, Last night I was home with the animals, Henry and GG play many games together, and are looking forward to the on slot of people to come. Puck cannot be bothered to comment at this time. Caroline is staying until Wednesday night, and Russ has not left his mothers bedside today.
Well a group of us head home tonight (no more row houses for us) before we head back here Sun AM. If she gets her own room tonight (fingers crossed) one of the biological children will stay here. So that is what is up as of right now. Thanks again all.
P.
Update:
Jane Prugh’s new reason for living is that Doc Martin will be filming season 5.
Caroline and Russ are not her Biological Children, Kate and I am. (Due to our love of mysteries as opposed to her children)

Hello adoring friends of Jane and fans of Paige, Caroline here. Full disclosure, right off the bat, this is not going to be as funny a post as Paige. I am not the funny one and if I were to be funny, it would only be because I learn/stole my funniness from Paige.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way….Well, we just came back from visiting with Mom. She basically kicked us out, kept claiming she was “sleepy” – I’m trying not to read too much into the fact that Paige wasn’t with us, she’s home checking on the animals and collecting the cards (and balloon!) that all you kind people left for her to bring back to the hospital. Maybe she really was sleepy. She had a real meal for dinner – chicken and mash potatoes (not as good as Paige’s, naturally).

Also, Mom went on not one, but two walks today. The first one was in the morning, without an audience and the second was this afternoon, she led a little parade as we followed her down the hall to a semi-private room in the ICU – yes, she has almost made it out of the ICU! Hopefully a bed will open up downstairs for her tomorrow and we’ll actually get to really spend some time with her. Paige will be back, so we know that she’ll be awake and laughing.

Thanks again for all your posts. She loves to hear them (Paige usually reads them, so you know all your jokes are in good hands). We are definitely firm believers that laughter is the best medicine and the road to recovery is paved with the love and prayers of good friends.

Love to all,

Caroline

Friday

Happy Friday
Well Jane is doing much better. We were all there for rounds this AM, and heard everything her team of doctors said. I shook my head and tried to look knowledgeable as they rambled on. Today’s nurse is Lindsey, who is real sweet, and from Maryland. I am sure that they will get on fine. Kyle is off until Monday, but she bonded with Kyle really well. Kyle even told her a death story of his father, so she has a new one for her repertoire.

Good News:
Jane is off the pacemaker. This is great because her heart is beating regularly and on it’s own. This also means she will get to leave the ICU, and move into her own room. We are just waiting for a bed to open up.
She is eating, jello and broth, which is also great, she prefers orange jello to green, but I said green is the color of grass, so they just want to make it easier for her.
She will be ambulatory sometime today. They are going to make her walk. The only thing that will stop her is that her blood pressure will drop.
Bad News:
She is bored. When she is awake she is bored and sleepy. We all know Jane cannot sit still for long, so she is dealing with just laying there as best she can. She really does love hearing what everyone is saying, and it makes her smile so thanks and keep them coming. Also today is supposed to be a bad day according to experts, pain comes today.

On a side note, I will be heading to 7620 tonight to check on the animals. If anyone has a card or note I will be happy take it back with me on Saturday. Also if you want to stop by I should be there after 8PM. I will be leaving early so I am back at the hospital by 9am on Saturday. If Jane gets her own room Russ will be staying with her tonight. Also they will not let her leave until she can climb a flight of stairs, so we will be at Hopkins until then. Well that is all for now. I might post later in the day of she gets up, but I do not know yet.
P.

Thursday part II

Later that same day.

Well, they tried to get Mama Jane up, but her blood pressure dropped, so she is in bed still. As of 3:30 she has still not gotten up, but she has been in and out most of the day. She has told Kyle one death story, so we know that she is getting there. She has told us that she almost died, several times. We reminded her we were there. She LOVES hearing from everyone who has posted. If you have trouble posting on the blog please send an e-mail to janesurgery@gmail. The only reason I ask is that it makes it easier on us to have one centralized message center.
Jane also wants you all to know not send flowers; she cannot have them in her room. Also people who want to visit, our star is not taking visitors at this time. I will let you know when she is ready to welcome her adoring public.

On a side note, in the hour I have spent out of the hospital walking around I stumbled onto the North Street Market. I am now happy to stay in Baltimore. I have found good food vending stalls. We got a lovely turkey dinner for tonight and Caroline and I had great Mexican food for lunch. If you ever find yourself in need of a market for food and you are stranded at Johns Hopkins this is the place to go.
Well that is about it for now. I will post more after we see her later in the day.

Please keep the messages coming--she loves it.
P.

Thursday

The first Day with Bessie

Well we walked over today and saw Mama Jane right away. She looks great considering; she was on an operating table for six hours. Caroline is having fun saying, it’s not fun is it craving water. In one sense it is comforting to know that Caroline has been through this pain before so we know what to expect. Jane was chatting away with the most excellent nurse Kyle, who is cute and funny. She will be staying in the ICU today, and might be moved to a room tomorrow. She is in good sprits and chatting away. I asked her what if she had anything to say to her adoring fans, and she said something about Obama. I will reinterpret her.

What Jane Said- “No drama obama, caused some drama”
What I say- Thank you to my adoring public, all your thoughts and well wishes were received with hugs and kisses, and I can’t wait to see you all. Oh the stories I have to tell you. I cannot wait to regale you with my dance with death.

Once we speak with the doctor I will post again, and please send her messages, as I will read them to her.
P

The Final Post- For Today

The Final Chapter of the day

Well 14 hours later we have finally left the hospital. We had a hard time seeing Jane after surgery due to the shift change. However we did see her. She was still incubated at 8:30, but the nurse said the tube would be out hopefully by midnight. She was in good sprits for having a tube down her throat, and had a good grip. Much stronger than she has normally. She had a good pulse, and good oxygen levels, and she had fluid output, which is great. The nurse said she was doing really well, and she hopefully will be moved tomorrow at 10. Just a reminder not to send flowers she cannot have any in her room. She loved hearing all of the messages that you all have left, and would like to be called Bessie now in honor of her new valve.
(Kidding on the Bessie part)

We cannot see her tomorrow until 9am, but her nurse was super sweet, and will call us if there are any changes.
Well this was our St. Patty’s day, thank you to everyone again for all your warm wishes and support.
P.

Part III

Well she has the bovine valve. She is out of surgery and all OK. According to the doctor she did have a sizeable opening, (bigger that caroline) and the valve did need to be replaced. (beef it is what's for dinner) She also did have a blockage and that was bypassed. There was a scare with the blood pressure after they closed her. It went too high, so they had to open her up and then they shocked it back into rhythm. The next 24 hours she will be closely watched and the doctor will not relax until tomorrow.
On the good news front the dissection (remember the dissection?) is in good shape, has healed nicely and had no change in the past few years.
We will get to see her in the next hour.

So far so good. Please keep your good vibes coming!
P (with C too)

part II

Well they called us at 10:30 and said that she was on the heart and lung machine, and that she was doing fine. Then they called at 12:38 and told us everything was going well.
She is off the heart and lung machine, and the aorta is repaired, We do not know if she is part cow or 100 percent human, but she will be done in 2 more hours. They did the bypass and did not have to mess with the mitral valve.

On the side note, Marilyn C is the tech expert to contact regarding post. She does not know that I have given this title, nor is she aware that she is the point person, but I have deemed it so.
P

The Day Part I

The Day part 1

When we arrived at our row house, Russ began to look up “The Wire” locations. They shot some stuff only four blocks away. I myself was comforted that if the pain meds do not work I can run around the street, for something illegal.

Well here we all are. We are now waiting in the waiting room.
We awoke this am and everything was good. Jane handed out our shamrock stickers from Emily, and along with Kate, the official Irish representative we feel good.

We spoke with Dr. Cameron, who said they would only replace the valve if they need to, and she has agreed to the bovine valve. This makes me happy because what would a party at Jane’s be without ham biscuits.
The only other new development was 1 artery was blocked so they will do 1 bypass, which is better that more than one.

Dr. Cameron said the surgery would last 4-5 hours and they would give us updates every two hours. Jane looked relaxed in the Pre-op room and I am happy to report that she did still have on her signature pink lipstick.

Here is a photo we took before they wheeled her off.


The called us at 8:22 and they have begun.

the day before

We had a good time last night at the old Ebbit Grill, but we were sadly lacking Uncle John who had a cold. Jane the queen of the crab cake decided to have liver. Good in the iron I hear.
While we were at dinner, I posed a very serious question. With the pig valve, would she be able to eat pork. Jane then informed me that she was having a bovine valve, which almost made me cry as I thought; I still have not found the perfect cheeseburger. Would Jane be able to eat beef? Think about it.

Well Caroline Russ and Jane went to the cemetery today. Russ had a big article due yesterday so he had to pencil push for a bit, which was just fine with me, cause Jane and I watch all of Doc Martin Series 3. If you have not heard Jane discuss this quirky show, it is a new fav, and you can watch it on HULU. If you do not know what hulu is, I can’t help you.

I have also heard that people have been having trouble posting on the blog. Well I have changed the settings so anyone can post, and please do. If you feel your message is personal please send it to the Gmail address. I will not be checking her AOL, for a few days and we will read her messaged while she is recuperating.

Well we are off to Baltimore tonight. Jane would like to go to Phillips (the crab cake queen is back) and the she is NPO after 10. She checks in at 5:30 am tomorrow. Russ is very excited about her call time. And we will post all day tomorrow, and send e-mail when all is well. I will post photos of the new hair do sometime tomorrow as well.

Thanks to everyone for there warm wishes, and prayers.
P.

Well we arrived last night to a Jane in a new do. Her pre-op hairstyle is really great. Puck and GG made the journey as well; they are a bit out of sorts, and really not thinking of their Grammie, as they hiss and growl in the room. Jane has a real exciting day planned. She and Russ are visiting a cemetery, because that is what one should do before having valve replacement. Then we will head off to dinner at the Old Ebbit grill.

Now I have heard through the grapevine that some people will not be using the scheduling system I have in place. Well with the new retinal scan I have had installed in the door, only approved scheduled visitors shall be allowed to pass. The system cannot be bribed, so do not even think of it. All kidding aside, just make sure we know about a visit before you come over.

Tomorrow we head to Johns Hopkins, and St. Paddy’s day is the big day. I have been reading a lot about the heart lately and there have been many studies that prayer works. So if you have time shout out to whomever your God is and tell them to look out for the lady in pink. Thanks for all your kind words.
P.

Getting ready

Well March 17 is right around the corner. Look for daily posts beginning March 13th.