Dec. 28 Update

I couldn't be happier to report that Mom showed alot of progress today (mostly this evening). When we arrived this morning, there was concern b/c she had not been responding well overnight to stimuli and questions. A CAT scan was done but didn't really reveal anything. So the day continued, and we talked to Mom even though we weren't sure if she could really hear us. Lisa was singing praise songs to Mom, and I joined in on the ones I knew. At one point, we were told not to stimulate her too much b/c her heart rate was going up. Later, my dad decided to get someone to do the tasks he had to do at his farm so he ended up being away from us for less than 24 hrs, and it was during the next few hours after Dad arrived back that Mom started responding REALLY well, and we talked her ear off!!! Mom continued to wiggle her toes at our request and was nodding some, opening her eyes, raising her eyebrows...all fantastic signs that she is waking up which means that breathing tube can come out and she can leave the ICU to go back to the floor where she was before the surgery. They had given her a medicine that reversed the anesthesia that seems to be what has really helped her improve along with all your prayers!Dad is staying overnight in Mom's room at the ICU. At this point he is free the rest of the week to stay there overnight so he most likely will. That's it for now...we are soooo thankful for Mom's improvement with her responses....we're so glad she can hear the words of love and encouragement we're speaking to her....she was even able to smile a few times. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of our prayer warriors out there!!!