Slowly, Slowly

At this point, almost every nurse on the 4th floor recognizes Faina. A lot of them cheer her on when they see her up and walking around. The encouragement serves to motivate her to do more. There are some exceptional nurses here. May, Maria, Jennifer, Heather, and Kerry in particular are skillful, attentive, and knowledgeable. They are all patient, positive, and encouraging.

Faina is making a project of weaning herself from the morphine. She only gets a dose at the push of the button, but tries not to take that step. She is in constant pain.

Progress is slow. There is some gurgling from the intestines, but not much other activity. Walking and chewing gum are supposed to help, but it is mostly going to take some time. She had her first post-surgery drink of water, about two ounces. Dr. Schulick is in no hurry to discharge her from the hospital and thinks that will happen Friday, at the earliest.