Bill here! Monday 5:00PM. First time I have had to sit at a computer and enjoy it. I had to do two hours work on it at noon to finish the last of the grades for the quarter but that really wiped me out. I finished up at 1:30, off to bed, and just now got up.
Will not be able to write clever, interesting post here, pain is the main focus.
Last Tuesday I went to hospital for pre-op. They poked, prodded, drew blood, filled out forms, gave directions, informed, consented, and scheduled for several hours. The result was that I should be at St. Margaret Hospital North (in Hammond) at 7:00AM for a 9:00AM surgery. Later in the day Valerie got a phone call saying the same thing. Just as we were about to leave at 6:15AM the hospital calls wanting to know where we were. ANS: About to leave. What about the 5:45AM arrival for a 7:45AM surgery? ANS: Not what you told us. Off we go to Hammond. Arrived 6:58AM at the surg-center. More prodding, signing, questions, assuring, letting of blood, but there will be no surgery till 1:00PM. Waiting, NPO since 11:00 PM last night. 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, about 3:30 activity starts, can't seem to get a good place to put IV, too dehydrated (duh!) Anastetespellingerrorist has to do do the work. Off to get bones sawed on. Minor awakeness and confusion about 7:00PM as get to room. Daughter Amanda joking, then daughter Marlana looking concerned. Sleep, pain shot, "Hi, I am ____ your nurse for the next four hours, poke, prod, assign, etc. till, dunno, nine? when Valerie takes off, done all she can, let the pros do their job.
Morning, wake early more meds, medical people, medical forms, phone calls, pass out often. Not much happening, Valerie midday, try to watch TV, read paper, anything. By late afternoon Dr. Murphy arrives: "everything looks good, how was thereby?" No therapy, nurses asked but no one came for him. "Maybe I forgot to order it. I usually like a visit the first day and active the second, but you were late in the day anyway the first. We will do three (3!) tomorrow."
Friday awake at 3:30. Docs. Nurses, soon PT. Move, stretch, raise, lower, double session. "Wasn't that fun?" Lunch, sleep, more PT: Walker, stretch, move, lift, push down, push against, pain pills, more bad food, sleep.
Saturday, More PT: stairs, get in car, get out of car, walk 50 feet; gotta get ready to leave, instructions, sign papers. Valerie can't get car started. Battery, starter, karma, who knows!. Why not get a jump from security? Okay, that worked long enough to get out of the parking spot and lower the power windows. Then dead again. Call Lynette wait. Short time later she is at door. Final sign papers, escort to door, no Lynette. Bet she went to St. Margaret SOUTH, near our house. Yup, that's it, nice day anyway, we will wait here. She arrives, we use her car to jump ours, no good, but we can get windows up, lock it, tell security. Head home, stop at Walgreen, they will get it done by 6:00 when they close. Head on home. WOW need pain pills, everything hurts, what a job to get in the front door. Collapse, soon Lynette comes by with pills, take, Joanne calls. I try to describe story, but too tired. Gotta go to bed, all I can do to make it. Asleep by 7:00PM wake when Valerie comes in at 12:00, another pill back to sleep till bladder ready to explode at 4:00, deal with that back to sleep.
Sunday, try to enjoy nice day outside. Nurse comes by, guy with CPM (Constant Passive Motion) machine comes by. CPM moves knee up and down slowly, sounds easy, but after an hour or so joint hurts, skin gets irritated, thing sucks. Awake, asleep, teeter between. No BM since Wed morn, nurse has home remedy, Cup of warm prune juice followed by cup of STRONG black coffee. I'll try anything. Lynette gets prune juice grunt, push, poop an ebony log. Back to bed. Lie there reading book for two hours, NOW the stuff really starts to work. I make it to bathroom with much work just as Lynette comes in the house to check up on Valerie, B L A M!. Three inches above toilet is close enough. Sit there doing crossword puzzle but ladies are busy, gotta get it together, go to bed. "Hi, bye Lynette, thanks for prune juice, see you tomorrow. Say 'Hey" to Aaron on his graduation tomorrow." Sleep, stomach rested. Hard work, this going to bathroom thing.
Got a full day on Monday, too tired now to describe. Maybe in the morning. Prayer works, God loves us and like to hear from us. Just like us he want to give stuff to his children but wait for the children to ask. Pray for me, pray for Valerie, pray for you, pray for peace.
b