shocked in a good way (Mom's new lungs)

When i walked into my Mom's room at Duke hospital on Sunday night i was shocked. but for the opposite reason than i was usually shocked.


Every time i had walked into her room before Sunday i was shocked in a bad way. the person in the bed either didn't look like my Mom... or it looked like my Mom on her death bed. both were major bummers & a SHOCK.

Sunday night when i walked into my Mom's room i was shocked in a GREAT way. she looked like my Mom. she was talking like my Mom! she was happy and joking and smiling like my Mom.

it was awesome.

Yesterday one of the Doctors from ICU just came walking by my Mom's room. i remembered her from like the 1st or 2nd day after the transplant... back when things were not good. back when the Doctors were trying to be positive, but...
This lady was the Doctor who told us my Mom was going to have to go on ECMO, etc...

anyway, she came walking briskly by my Mom's room, stopped, and did a double take.
she came walking in with a big smile saying loudly "I didn't even recognize you! you look amazing!"
before she let she said "You made my night. I'm so excited to see you doing so much better."

i think my Mom's pretty excited too. excited to eat. excited to be able to walk a little. excited to TALK!
she's talking like her old self. and she hasn't been able to talk for 2 months so she has A LOT to say!
today she was telling me all about all her hallucinations for the 1st 6 weeks after the transplant. she doesn't really remember much about my Dad and i being there, but she remembers all these crazy hallucinations.

i think they're thinking tomorrow they may try to take her trach totally out! that would be a big deal. pretty soon the only thing left to get better will be the strength back in her legs and she can come home after she walks 20 laps around the unit. she walked 2 laps today :)