The wait is over. . .surgery went smoothly!

Mom was all smiles when she left the prep room this morning around 7am to head for anesthesia and surgery. They had painted her orange with the betadine and gave her a pretty purple gown an cute blue hair cap. She was truly more beautiful than I have seen her in a long while. We just spoke with the doctor and he said her surgery went smoothly. They placed a "bovine" valve in after removing her "heavily calcified" aortic valve. He said Dr. Skyles (mom's cardiologist) had accurately diagnosed mom's problem - the valve needed replaced and she should feel much better and breath much easier after she recovers. She is in ICU and we are waiting to see her for the first time. They expect her to stay in the ICU for 24 to 48 hours as they monitor her recovery. They need to make sure her bleeding is under control. And they need to see her begin to move to rule out the 2% chance of stroke. So by this evening we should have a good idea if she is making good progress when she wakes up and responds. Then by Saturday she should be moving to a Cardiac Care floor as she begins therapy and recovery.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support the past 24hours. I know heaven was flooded with all of our requests this morning on behalf of mom. Thanks to everyone who is planning to stop in and see dad while mom recovers - that will help him so much get thru this time as he misses his wifey!

We'll post tonight or after we see her!