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Thank you all for your continuing prayers. It's been a long, hard day and things didn't go as planned:

Here's the latest:

She refused the 'surgery' --- which was to bore into an area close to the liver and drain some of the fluid. Although they had her restrained, she was still moving around too much --- she wasn't cooperating --- the surgeon didn't feel comfortable about performing the procedure and it's been put on hold. From what I gather, fluid will continue to accumulate pushing into her lungs and heart. Her resp. numbers are in the mid-twenties, they told me the normal numbers are around twelve --- that she's laboring to breathe. Her BP is a bit low 113/64ish and she's running a fever of 101.something.

She was still restrained when I got to the hospital. They didn't want to undo them --- but did --- when I said I wanted to soak her fingers and cut her nails. They had her restrained because she is removing her oxygen thingie and her picc line. She also tried to take out her catherter while I was there. Said she was finished with it --- that she wanted to get out of there. She doesn't trust the hospital staff. She's been after me to get her out of there for a few days now, wants me to call 911 or even a taxi cab --- said the driver would carry her out if he was paid enough.

She's been in the surgical ICU for the past couple of days, but got moved to the 2nd floor tonight. They are going to restrain her again tonight, as they cannot get a 'sitter'. I can't stay there and leave Nanny (our 90 year old mom) home alone. And even if I could, I wouldn't be able to stay awake and watch her all night. I hate to see her like that, she can't reach for a tissue or a sip of water or scratch an itch. Wish I could afford a private nurse.

The doctor and ICU nurse came in and asked me if she had a 'living will' --- I said no. Then they asked her if she knew who I was, who the doctor was, who the nurse was and a few other questions. She knew the answers. They then asked her, if it came to a point her had to be put on a ventilator, did she want that. She said 'no' ... what's the use if she could never get out of the bed again. I think she's getting fed up with hospital life. They said something about a hospice.

Right after that a psycho-physician came in and talked to her. Later he told me that I have to get a lawyer and go to court and get guardianship papers, that she is not capable of handling her affairs. He noted her mistrust of the staff and said she'd eventually mistrust me too. He thinks coming home to family is better than an institution. I only have two bedrooms, somehow I'd have to get a hospital bed and set it up in the living room.

The six-week antibiotic course is due to end on December 27th. This is what she's on, some orally ('tho she's spitting them out now), some thru the picc line: ~hope I got the spelling right~

levaquin --- flagyl --- lactulose --- librium --- thyamine --- Vit K --- mycolog --- decadion --- ancef --- albrumin --- vancoil --- altacton --- vacotec --- vioxx --- K+ tabs.

That's all --- I'm tired and am going to bed.

Please keep praying!!!!