It was a long week, but a good one.

Mom had surgery Monday morning, was in recovery overnight, and by the end of the day Tuesday we already saw improvements! As the week went on she was able to do a little more each day and her color and attitude improved as well. She definitely was more like her old self by the time we were ready to head home.

Of course, being who she is, she worried about things she didn’t need to worry about… how she was going to get home, for example. I don’t think she believed us when we told her we were going to strap her wheelchair on the top of the van like Granny in the Beverly Hillbillies. Instead, the nurses gave her a little anxiety medicine so she dozed most of the way. We had to keep her left leg elevated, so we put her in the backseat with bags and pillows under her leg.

We went straight to HealthSouth when we got to Fayetteville, and got her settled there. The room is about three times the size of the one she had in the hospital, and there is a maple tree outside her window. The physical therapist was there to get a feel for her abilities, and thought she did a great job. I assured her that the groggy voice mom had was not typical – just a result of her medicine. Erin and I suggested she should just relax and take a nap, and we left when she went to sleep.

We’re looking forward to seeing the great things they are going to do for her over the next couple of weeks!

Please feel free to send cards and letters to her at HealthSouth – the address is:

HealthSouth Rehab Hospital, 153 E. Monte Painter Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72703