Praise the Lord!

Well yesterday was my mothers long awaited surgery. She had "double hip replacement surgery". She had waited 10 months for the wonderful Dr. Paul Peters of Dallas to do this surgery. My husband and I arrived at Presbyterian of Dallas ( a beautiful hospital!) located near HighLand Park, and due to the hospital being under construction, we were Valet Parked at no charge.

I joked with the attendant, I'm here for some Lipo, bring the car back around in an hour.

Trying to make Light of the situation. My DH (dear husband) went with me and I brought a ton of work with me.

We arrived and went up the elevator and found my mom waiting in the Pre Op area. She looked so vulnerable lying there with no makeup, and the hospital gown and the typical hospital "shower cap" thingie they put over your hair.
Here lied the woman who raised me. Looking so vulnerable and small and pale in her little bed.

She smiled at me, and I noticed my Aunt Jackie was sitting with her chatting and keeping her mind off things.

My mom didn't really look scared at all. You have to know my mom. Even though she has lost half her body weight the past few years and looked so tiny, her personality is large. She is strong and still had her sense of humour.

I was relieved. The hospital staff were great and allowed us 4 to visit (my brother was there as well.) even though the rules are only 1 guest at a time.

We joked and kidded until they took her away. The surgery was to take 3 hours for both hips and then another 2-3 hours in recovery.

So away they wheeled her. It was odd standing in the hallway watching these strangers take your mom away. I felt a huge lump in my throat that wouldnt go down even when I swallowed HARD.

My aunt suggested we go eat some authentic Korean food at a nice place in Dallas to get out of the hospital for a little bit.

My husband and I used to live in Japan we went to Korea often, and their food is out of this world. I had Sushi and Beef Bulgogi . Yummy! I also enjoyed a Kirin beer and it was a great time. My aunt is a very cosmopolitan lady. Shes traveled extensively and is the widow of a surgeon and knows fine food, wine, and all the best life has to offer.

It was such a nice happy break from the stress of the day.

We returned back to the hospital to sit and wait and wait and wait. I will tell you the volunteers at the hospital there are fantastic ladies. I mean classy nice paitent and sweet. It made it a lot more bearable.

I had brought a ton of work with me. As you guys may or may not know, my graphic artist (21 year old Keisha) is going through Chemo fighting cancer right now and I refuse to hire a replacement for her. She will return to work this year! I pray God will work a miracle for her too.) In addition to running a business and photographing every day, I am also doing all her work too!

I brought a lot of it with me, and then our lap top died. (it was time, as it is 9 years old and the keyboard is made of wood. No I'm kidding, but it needed replacing.)

So my husband struck out in Dallas to locate a new lap top. (hes from Dallas so he knows his way around very well.) He came back in about 90 minutes with a new Gateway! So I began doing my work in the surgery waiting room of the hospital.

My Wacom tablet balanced precariously on my lap while I airbrushed and retouched pictures there in the hospital. Before I knew it, the Surgeon was ready to talk to us.

My aunt and I went into a small room and waited for Dr. Peters. In came the good Doctor and he sat down and told us all went well and informed me that my mothers right hip was "the Worst Case I ever seen in all my years!" He said my mothers hip was so ground down, the ball was completely gone and it her pelvis was hollowed out and he had to "fill it with Steel!" He told us that when he laid her on her side, that the leg stuck straight out into the air and would not lower down.

(Thank you to the Quack Dr. X in Odessa, TXwho for the past 12 years has told my mother that her pain came from Stenosis and just take more Narcotics to cope with it. He almost cost my mom her life!)

He also told me that the amount of pain meds (Oxycontin) my mother has been taking ,was not "humanly possible" to take. That if he were to give me just 1/10th of it I would be on a Respirator!

(Note: I would love to file a suit against Dr. X in Odessa for making my mother suffer for the past 12 years, but we are not "SUE HAPPY" type people. SHe suffered for all those years for Nothing, due to an incompetent Dr!)

He shook our hands and told us that it will be hard work for her to get back but if anyone can do it, she can!

We all then went up to the 7th floor just in time to see them wheel my mom into her semi-private room.

She was in pain and very thirsty but otherwise doing good.

She was hooked to a morphine pump where she can press the button anytime she needs it. She pushed the button A LOT.

My aunt, husband, brother and sister chatted with her and were so relieved all had gone well.

By Friday they will move her to the rehab area of the hospital to begin walking again.

I cannot tell you how happy it will make me to see my mother walk again. To dance, to swim.

I cannot wait. I promised her a Cruise when she is ready. I better get to working a lot to start saving up for this trip.

My Aunt and I bought her a beautiful bouquet of flowers in the gift shop (yellow Shasta Daisy's are her favorite!) with Roses and carnations.

As I was kissing her goodbye she said "I smell Garlic! You had a nice lunch didn't you?! I'm so hungry!" She cant have solid foods for about 24 hours. I felt bad for our secret little luncheon while she was under the knife. Like a child sneaking cookies out of the cookie jar. It was great to have us all together and laughing and smiling and my sister and brother.

I guess if anything this experience has brought us together. My brother has living in Phoenix for 15 years and we only saw him once every 4 or 5 years. My sister in Dallas and mom and dad in West Texas. So that was great. My Aunt was in New Orleans until the Hurricane. So this event brought us all together.

God help us when mom can walk again. Shes pretty feisty and one of her dreams she hasn't accomplished yet is sky diving.

In a few months Ill be back to worrying about her. Is she in the Philippines again? Sky Diving? Shopping in Mexico again?

I also wanted to show you these photos.

I was very worried on Monday the day before her surgery. I had a "very bad day" to put it least. When the Tornado sirens went off I almost jumped out of my skin!!!! I chewed all 10 of my fingernails down to the quick!

I was physically sick with worry.

And when I walked outside I saw this cloud in the sky! I told my son "Every dark cloud has a silver lining" and ran and got my camera.

After I saw this I was able to calm down, take a hot bath and get a good nights sleep.

Thank you Lord! You keep your promises and that little sign really gave me peace. We serve an awesome God and he is sovereign. I'm so glad my mama is going to walk again.

Praise the Lord! (now please help Keisha, Please, our graphic artist. She needs a miracle too.!)