The waiting game is very hard. Your Mom will be "out" for the day. Take yourself to lunch, go for a walk, read a good book. You probably will not see her until the evening and she likely will not be awake. It will do you good to see her though. I had to see my husband before I went home. Milestones after this type of surgery are small but significant. It will be some time before she feels better but that time will come.

It is a good idea to speak with a nurse before you see your Mom so that he/she can prepare you for what your Mom will look like after surgery. Remember she is in good hands and in a safe place. Her team will do everything they can for your Mom. They are pros who do this all the time.

Do you have any friends you can call for support? Meet up with someone for coffee? You don't have to talk about your Mom and her surgery but you do need to make time for yourself. Your Mom is going to be well cared for in the hospital. You don't have to spend your whole day there. She will be sleeping a lot the first few days. You will be better able to handle the post surgery thing if you are well rested and well nourished.

You have a lot of support here on the Forum. So please come back often. We are awesome cheerleaders!

Anita