Update

Surgery lasted over seven hours. The surgeon thought that he got most (he estimated 95%) of the tumor out of the abdomen. He said that it was very challenging because the tumor was in the muscle in the back of the abdomen. During surgery two nerves that go to the legs were accidentally cut, but they were quickly identified and repaired. As a result she will show weakness in her right leg, and the surgeon said that it would take 5 months to completely be back up to normal again as far as having full strength.

Once out of surgery, she was still intubated and under sedation but she kept breathing over the vent and fighting the sedation. They increased the sedation for awhile, but finally gave up and pulled the breathing tube. Because of the increase in sedation Mad was having a hard time remembering to breath when she was falling asleep. For awhile tonight we sat and stared at her chest and counted to five every time she took a breath. If she didn't take a breath within five seconds we blew on her face to get her to take a breath. This lasted for quite awhile until she finally fell asleep and had normal breathing. Hopefully she will stay asleep and be able to normalize everything so that she can breath normally. She's in a lot of pain, but they are managing that with various meds.

She can't eat tonight so I am home for the night to get some much needed sleep. Hopefully she will be able to begin breastfeeding again tomorrow and after tonight I will stay with her at night in the hospital.

Thank you for all of your good thoughts and wishes. She has some recovering to do still but the worst is over. I'll update over the next few days when I can.