Updated.........update......raggetyann....lol

She texted me this AM!  She says she is doin great and may come home today!  I'll let her fill everyone in on the details of surgery since I'm sure she'll have plenty to say! 

This just in.......
just got off the phone with Tracey it was a quick convo since she was illegally using her cell phone in the ICU.....LOL.  She sounds GREAT!  She overheard the staff at the hospital saying that she is the kind of patient they wish they always had......LOL  With an attitude like hers that is no surprise!  They only found the one tumor and it was TINY and the surgeon was optimistic that it is non-cancerous from looks alone!!!  She will be discharged in about 3-4 hours if all continues to go well!  She did experience hives from something but they are unsure what caused them.  She says thanks to everyone for swinging and our continued support!  I'll be checking in with her every day and update on her progress until she is ready to join us again.

Keep swinging critters for her.....she still needs us!

So glad to hear it! :) Thanks for updating us, Heather! 

Wonderful news!

Yeah, Tracey.  I'm still swinging for you.

AWEsome news!!  I'm so glad she's doing GREAT! 

good attitude huh? 

<3

You set the bar, Ruthie, but I met it.  Please officially induct me into the Ruthie Attitude Team.  (That makes me a RAT member)  The ICU staff told me I was the kind of patient they hoped for.  Probably cause I wasnt on a ventilator and close to death. But I'm hoping it was my attitude.  I tried really hard to keep a good sense of humor and for the difficult moments reminded myself friequently "This too shall pass." 

I did hear one of my chariot drivers (pushed my stretcher to xray for my swallow test) tell my nurse "She's the kind of patient that makes you want to come to work in the morning."   I had been joking that he was gunna sneak me off to Starbucks.

I hearby dub thee a number one RAT!!!  

Totally awesome Tracey!!  Here's some of the things said, and/or done, that I believe make RAT's special.  See which ones applied and let me know of any more you think of.

1. RATS always greet their hospital attendees with a smile.

2. RATS always make the effort to learn the hospital staff's first name (even if it is only for a fleeting moment before being wisked away).

3. RATS always ask questions and listen quietly to the answers.

4. RATS always share when they've had an amusing thought come to them.

5. RATS always do for themselves as much as is within their power.

6. RATS always ask for help politely and thank graciously.

7. RATS always follow the rules & suggestions of the Bariatric Team.

8. RATS always allow the nursing team to do their job without interference.

9. RATS always practice patience & understanding when waiting for discharge.

10.RATS always say thank you and give hugs on their way out the door.

CREED:

AS A RAT MEMBER, I WILL ALWAYS DO MY ABSOLUTE BEST TO MAINTAIN A
POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND WORK MY HARDEST TO WALK, SIP, AND REST AS AN
IDEAL, TEXTBOOK PERFECT BARIATRIC SURGERY PATIENT WOULD DO.


**** All the above is subject to editing & tweaking as suggestions are welcome.  LOL


Love ya Tracey!  Glad you did so stupendously well.  It just gets better from here! 

P.S.  My wheelchair attendent for my swallow test told me, "You're the first Bariatric Patient that I've taken down without oxgen and an IV in place!"  

How many other "You're the first one I've seen to...."s were there?  ;-)

Im pretty sure I was 9 for 10.  The night nurse forgot she gave me meds the hour before, and I was pretty vocal about it, although definitely still polite in my presentation.

RATS ask "Can I walk now?" instead of being prompted to get out of bed.  And... RATS work to log double digit laps around the nurses station before they go home.

RATS smile at other patients on the ward, because smiles and healing energy are contagious.

By the way, the chariot driver was Frank.  My nurses were Julia, Mercy, and Diana.  Mercy was from Ghana and Diana was from Russia. Julia was from Utah. The Xray tech was Raed (which means Revelations) and he was from Uganda (I think, I was actually a bit busy worrying about my hives at the time, and didn't get to talk much to him)