What's going on with my mom

So I had not shared with you guys what has been going on with my mom. A ?month? ago she went to the ER with chest pains and inability to swallow well. It was discovered after hours of tests that her stomach has gone partially above her diaphragm and was laying along her esophagus. This is what's known as an Esophageal Hiatal Hernia. 

Later it was discovered it was very severe as 80% of her stomach is above the diaphragm in her upper chest cavity. After several tests (EGD, MRI etc) that she's had over this time they've finally set the surgery for July 31st. 

It is considered a massive surgery requiring two surgeons and best case scenario it takes four hours and can be done laparoscopically. She'd be in the hospital for five days and on a special diet for three months, with the first week being all liquid and gradually working up from there but no red meat for all three months. 

Worst case, they have to open her chest cavity up because they can't get it all done laparoscopically, and she has to have a feeding tube installed and stay in the hospital for a full month. She was told part of her sack that holds the stomach is now attaching to the sack that holds her heart. This is what freaked me out. The idea that they need to cut at anything around her heart.

My mom is 64 and a hospice nurse. She can't return to work until mid Sept and is worried about how to perform her job with how she'll have to be eating every three hours and special meals. It was just so freaking hard to hear my mom crying on the phone today saying "I don't feel like an old lady. I'm not ready to be an old lady." 

Those that know me personally - know I talk to my parents four times a week minimum.  I can't imagine anything happening to her yet.  She's too young, it's too early, she's always been the healthy one of my parents.  Anyway - I've been crying a bit since talking to her because I can hear how scared she is.  She says nurses make horrible patients because they have to give up control, and I can hear just how much she feels she's having to give over.  My poor mommy. :(  But she was happy I was still able to get her to laugh today.  AND she loved hearing about my saline sonogram adventure yesterday.  So at least I could bring a little sunshine to her cloudy day.  

Anyway - Any thoughts you can send are greatly appreciated. Jeff keeps talking of seeing if I can take some time off work to go down and visit since we live in Chicago and my parents live in Oklahoma. It will be hard financially but I'm thinking I'm going to try to make it work in Mid August for three or four days. Which if she's in the hospital for 5 days, she'll have been home for several days. Also - if you have any great smoothie recipes I've told my dad I've started pinning them for when she's home, I'd appreciate it.

My Mom and Me at my wedding June 2009