Monday, November 22, 2010

Recovery Day 12 Post She's Home!!!!!!

11/22/2010  1730  (05:30 PM)

Susan was discharged today about 1 PM. We got a great ride home on a partly sunny day with cool but pleasant temperature.  Of course the residents of VNNC were glad to see her.  She quickly took a nap for nearly 3 hours.  We won't be doing much different here than in the hospital.  Just being home makes all the difference needed.

I think I'll close down this blog now.  Thanks for caring and sharing.

Love,  John.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Recovery Day Seven Post

11/20/2010  2110  (09:10 PM)

Okay, I just felt like letting you know what's happening.  Susan has on her diamond ear rings and her own personal nightgown creatively adapted by Sistah Jo to work like hospital gowns.  She's wearing makeup and even cruised down to the cafeteria to have lunch with Mary today.  She's sleeping very soundly especially since she instituted the Do Not Enter after 10 PM or before 6 AM rule and posted it on her door.  The health care team at Sibley honors her requests.

Progress continues; nutrition is consumed.  Things look good enough to go home -- maybe tomorrow.  I'll be posting as soon as we know.

Love,  John.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Recovery Day Seven Post

11/18/2010  1110  (11:10 AM)

Wednesday was a busy day for Susan.  She is determined to follow the recovery regimen as designed by Dr. C.  She was up and in her wheelchair and doing a good job of eating.  She is managing her own medicine usage.  She did say she didn't want the dillaudid too often because she wants to stay awake.  Good sign.

Keeping her comfortable when she is in bed calls for creative lifting, stretching, twisting and propping up.  Susan manages us very well. 

From now on, posts will be made when there is news.

Love,  John.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Recovery Day Six Only Post

11/16/2010  1720  (5:20 PM)

Well, another day comes to a close.  Susan got up today, into her chair and stayed there for a couple of hours.  Dr. C. said "If you want to go home, you need to be up and out of bed."  We're really trying hard.  Susan is on a regular diet now and is beginning to like food.  She sent Pam down to the cafeteria at 6:30 because she couldn't wait for delivery.  That's a good sign.

After her time in her chair, she went back to bed and conked out for a couple of hours.  Then Boing!!!  She really woke up. She is really here.  She's sharp with conversation, humor, etc.  She ordered her own dinner tonight.  We'll see if she eats much.  Tomorrow is another day.

G'night.


Love,  John.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Recovery Day Five Only Post

11/15/2010  2320  (11:15 PM)

It's the last few minutes of my 1800-2400 time of caring today.  It's a slow slog through this foggy, fuzzy minded trip into wellness.  Progress continues.  Dr. C. is satisfied with it.  Susan is mostly resting.  She eats a bit here and there.  She drank 3 bottles of Ensure today.  Good stuff, I guess. . .

Hopefully, we will see increase in the rate of progress.  If we don't, we will continue to be patient and ever vigilant.

Thanks for caring and supporting this campaign.

G'night.


Love,  John.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Recovery Day Four Only Post

11/14/2010  1730  (5:30 PM)

Earlier this afternoon we moved from the ICU to room 524; it's a nice single room at the far end of the hall.  All of the monitors and tubes have been removed.  Susan is still receiving oxygen via a nose bud.  All medications will come via mouth or needle through the mainline still attached to her right side neck.

She had gone too long without a jolt of pain medicine; we had some serious crankiness complicated by a leaking urostemy. (ICU nurses really don't have a clue of how to do the install on Susan.  There are some curves and folds involved and another stoma too close by.  I've not forgotten that her main incision is also too close.  To make matters worse, the JP drain opening is in the same 10 inch circle.

The nurse on 5 tried to install it; it started leaking right away.  She attempted to stop the flow with some gauze and tape. NOT.  I sorted through the ostomy supplies and found a better solution.  The only problem is the nurse will have to empty it manually.  Before it was flowing down into a nice bedside container.  Tomorrow the ostomy pros will be back at work and they can work out the problem.  I told the nurse about the work around; she said ok in five minutes.  I waited five minutes and then did it myself.  careful application of the adhesive ring under the disc attached to the bag worked. fine.  So far so good.

Her dose of dilaudid has her resting now for more than three hours.  Her sister Mary will be coming to start her shift soon.  She'll be able to get Susan some real food from the anytime room service style food service. I'll be going home to a farafalle and hot sausage creation thanks to brother Harry.

Susan still has healing to do.  We are not thinking anything about going home, yet.  Soon Susan will start thinking about going home; we'll have to persuade her to be cool (like a Westside Story Jet after Tony was killed. Think of the song.)

Thanks for caring and supporting this campaign.


Love,  John.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Recovery Day Three Only Posting

11/1 1722 (5:22PM)

Susan's Care Team has started doing 6-hour shifts around the clock.  We'll do this until Susan feels less anxious about overnight mishaps that have unpleasant consequences. Things done under anesthesia should not have to be redone without anesthesia.  We also helping her stress her muscles, which will help get systems firing on all systems.  She has perfectly functioning kidneys. That's really good.  If all is correct, the nasal tube will come out at 1800.  There are even tentative plans for her to move back upstairs tomorrow.  We'll see. . .

Thank you for your caring support.

Love,  John.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Recovery Day Two PM Posting

11/12 2000 (8PM)

This experience continues to improve.  The "gurl" is coming along fine.  Tonight as I left her comfy and cozy with all special positioning done to relieve back, neck, knee, etc. discomfort, she was softly singing "Claire de Luna" (sp?).  Sh had just said to me, "Honey, I think I've licked this thing."  Her care team agrees.  We all are realistic however; there could be many other bumps on the road to enchantment.  The massive nature of the surgery leaves a myriad of possible problems.  The folks at Sibley Hospital are phenomenal.  Of course it helps when the patient frequently knows as much if not more about her care needs.  The M.D.s do the orders and the science.  The nursing and support staff execute the orders, AND they listen to Susan.  There will be some more ICU days thanks to the conserving nature of her doctor; she wants "nothing to get in the way of Susan's existence."

For the good of the good-hearted patient, Susan's care team has made an executive decision, with which the patient agrees.  We will not be receiving visitors at the hospital this time.  Susan is a GRITS and feels obliged to extend her most cordial self to all her callers whenever and wherever they appear.  Sister Mary, P.A. Pam and husband John are sparing her the work of the exhausting efforts such cordiality requires of her.  So, visitors can come see her when she comes home.

Tomorrow is Sat. The hospital almost shuts down.  There may not be much to say tomorrow or Sunday.  Check for sure on Monday.

Thank you for your caring support.

Love,  John.

Recovery Day Two

11/12 1030.

Good morning friends.  This beautiful autumn day greets us with positive news.  The X-ray, Ultra Sound, and nephrologist consult resulted in "Your kidneys are AOK."  The only deduction to be made is that Susan is severely dehydrated.  Saline is being pumped in at nearly a liter an hour.  Also, the professional ostomy nurse replaced the seal around the stoma so it won't leak.  Immediately, the bag started seeing product from the kidneys.

The Care Team is doing mostly skin stimulation; she itches mildly - NOT like the welts from June. We hope soon to get back to a regular room.  I'll let everyone know when I know something new. 

Thank you for your caring support.

Love,  John.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Recovery Day One

After a rocky start and getting the pain medicine at the right level, (SMD: "There is no excuse for post surgical pain!!!!") Susan has spent the day awake; she didn't sleep last night either.  Soon, she is going to konk out for a day. Breathing on her own shows good strength. Being unwilling to suffer foolish misapplication of 21st century medicine shows that she is driving her recovery bus.

Dr. C is very happy with the results of the surgery; medically, Susan is doing fine.  All the surgery related markers are good.

There is a bit of a problem with her kidneys; they seem to be a bit out of sorts.  Urine output is too low. There are several possible reasons for this.  An Xray of the stomach has been taken. A sonogram of the kidneys will be next.  A nephrologist has been consulted and will see her tomorrow.

More late. It is now 9:30 PM.  Time for Susan to sleep, finally.
John



John W. Watson
3001 Veazey Trce., NW #633
Washington, DC 20009
Home:  202/363-8970
Fax:  363-0145
Cell:  489-9065
D.C. Events Calendar: <http://whatsoncity.net>

Recovery Day One

Just got the notice from sister Mary that Susan is off the ventilator.  She is wide awake and alert (and probably giving instructions.  Now we start the "get outa here" campaign. More later
 Love you.
John

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Blog Update. Real Good News

Susan's surgery took 6 hours; it just finished about 4.  Dr. C. said she went through it very well (good vitals, respiration, etc.).  She'll be in ICU and intubated at least overnight.  Then it's up to her constitution to direct her recovery.  (2-4 weeks here.) We will be able to see her in a few minutes.  She is very, very asleep.  She needs the rest.

The process concluded as a success!  The parts removed were those planned.  The tumor gave the doctors a lot of "negative margins."  That means she thinks she got it all.  The tumor didn't act up like a sarcoma can.  There was no massive bleeding.  The ileostomy  was installed perfectly.  Dr. C. was very pleased with her stability and strength during the surgery.

Thank you for caring.  Make sure others know of this post.
 Love you.
John

Blog Update

It's now past 1500 (3PM).  We have had no messages; our group all agrees that no news is good news.  More later.
 
John W. Watson

Blog Update

The marathon has begun.  Susan rolled into the OR at 0845.  The surgery started at 0935.  Dr. C. briefed me about the details; they are numerous.  Let's just say this surgery will last 10 - 12 hours.

Susan was alert, well rested and as ready for the battle as she could be. Her doctor & her partner will be doing the whole procedure.  First of all, they will see with their eyes what is going on inside.  Then, they will start on their course.  We are now in the waiting mode.  Susan will awaken as if she had only dozed of for a minute.  Because of the length of the surgery she will be aided in breathing overnight.  In the ICU she will get excellent care.

That's about all we know right now.  I promise I will post soon after I learn something from the OR as the procedures happen.  The doctors will send out messages, probably via a PA or Nurse.  Until then, thank you for caring.
 
John W. Watson