Dear Friends

I haven't been able to post for a while as I have been quite busy, however I thought I would keep in touch to let you know that Mum had her Peg put in place last week.

The operation was a quick procedure in the Endoscopy unit of the hospital. It took only 15 minutes from the time they sedated her. She has to flush the Peg through with water twice a day until her operation next week. Today however we had to get the doctor out because she had a lot of swelling in her tummy, she also felt sick and was in a lot of pain. It turned out to be a slight infection. The doctor has prescribed some antibiotics.

Next Friday, 24th January 2003, mum will undergo a major operation to remove one quarter of her tongue, which will need skin graft from her left arm and vein from same arm for her neck. They are also going to remove lymp nodes in her neck as a precautionary measure. The operation means a radical neck dissection and an incision down the bottom of her lip and down through her chin, which they will then hold together with a metal plate or something.

It sure sounds awful but I know a lot of you have been through similar operations already and have come through them quite well. I am hoping that mum will be able to cope too.

She is under a lot of stress and can't sleep so the doctor has prescribed sleeping tablets. Emotions are running quite high in our family. One minute we are all hopeful of a positive outcome and another minute we are down in the depths of despair.

Please everybody, can I ask you to think of my mum and pray for her on Friday? Thanks.

I shall keep you posted as soon as I can after her op.

Take Care and God Bless.

Kathleen.