Hi bwb

I am a caregiver to my mom also. My mom went through the same surgery. It lasted 12 hours and I was a rack of nerves. I sat in the surgery waiting area the whole time because I didn't want to miss any updates. The nurses would come out every couple hours to let us know everything was going great. Try not to worry your mom will do fine. Maybe bring a book to read. After each update I would take a walk to the cafeteria to pass some time. It seemed like the time went by quickly with other family members with me. We were all talking about family times and before we knew it time passed quickly.

My mom stayed in ICU for 4 days with sedation due to the Treac. Keep in mind your mom won't be able to talk due to swelling and healing. She will have questions. Make sure you get a note pad with a pencil so she can let you know what she needs. That's very important.

Good luck to you and your mom.
Heidi