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I just spoke with Susan, and she asked me to pass along the latest (she said she's thought about doing one a few times and just runs out of gas). Although she's really tired, she's doing well 
.
She's very ready to feel better, and is a little anxious about her lowered energy levels. I reminded her it's completely normal (the reduced levels AND the anxiety!) and that she just had posterior surgery on Monday.
The hospital thinks she's doing fantastically also, BTW.
Anyone who's had this surgery knows how it zaps you ... and how hard your body works to heal. Considering her appetite is pretty low right now (she's pretty sure she's lost weight), required 4 pints of blood with the posterior surgery, and has had an elevated heart rate for 1+ week now (that surely makes *everything* work harder), you can imagine she's a little more than the "normal" drained.
As far as the elevated heart rate, the arrhythmia that started as they attempted surgery Friday the 20th is still present to some extent. The doctors seem to think it will self-correct - and, interestingly, that they somehow caused it (I'll have to get more detail on that later).
It sounded like the IV's are all out and she just has a hep-lock in (this was late in the conversation and she was fading fast ...). I *think* she said they were keeping it in place just incase she needed pain meds (i.e., Dilaudid), but they're trying to wean her down to just oral meds (some type of oxycodone based drug).
The anemia is gone, the catheter's out, and when they change her dressing every day they're pleased with what they see. (They NEVER changed my dressing in the hospital
. Sherie actually changed it for me when she brought me a surprise grocery delivery in my first days home alone ... for which I'll *always* be grateful .
There's no doubt in my mind her attitiude will carry her through this. It's easy those first few post-op days to worry too far ahead, and not factor in you won't *always* feel so weak. Her sense of humor is intact and her outlook is positive ... and that alone is HUGE. As long as she can make me crack up, I'm not too worried ;-).
The original brace was pretty poor-fitting: They now have her in a clamshell brace which she said is more difficult to get in and out of. Like everything else, my guess is it will become a lot easier as she regains strength.
Right now, it's looking like Tuesday will probably be the earliest possible discharge date.
That's all I know for now, but I anticipate the reports to get better and better ... and hopefully she'll feel like posting soon!
Regards,
Pam
. She's very ready to feel better, and is a little anxious about her lowered energy levels. I reminded her it's completely normal (the reduced levels AND the anxiety!) and that she just had posterior surgery on Monday.
The hospital thinks she's doing fantastically also, BTW
. Anyone who's had this surgery knows how it zaps you ... and how hard your body works to heal. Considering her appetite is pretty low right now (she's pretty sure she's lost weight), required 4 pints of blood with the posterior surgery, and has had an elevated heart rate for 1+ week now (that surely makes *everything* work harder), you can imagine she's a little more than the "normal" drained.
As far as the elevated heart rate, the arrhythmia that started as they attempted surgery Friday the 20th is still present to some extent. The doctors seem to think it will self-correct - and, interestingly, that they somehow caused it (I'll have to get more detail on that later).
It sounded like the IV's are all out and she just has a hep-lock in (this was late in the conversation and she was fading fast ...). I *think* she said they were keeping it in place just incase she needed pain meds (i.e., Dilaudid), but they're trying to wean her down to just oral meds (some type of oxycodone based drug).
The anemia is gone, the catheter's out, and when they change her dressing every day they're pleased with what they see. (They NEVER changed my dressing in the hospital
. Sherie actually changed it for me when she brought me a surprise grocery delivery in my first days home alone ... for which I'll *always* be grateful .There's no doubt in my mind her attitiude will carry her through this. It's easy those first few post-op days to worry too far ahead, and not factor in you won't *always* feel so weak. Her sense of humor is intact and her outlook is positive ... and that alone is HUGE. As long as she can make me crack up, I'm not too worried ;-).
The original brace was pretty poor-fitting: They now have her in a clamshell brace which she said is more difficult to get in and out of. Like everything else, my guess is it will become a lot easier as she regains strength.
Right now, it's looking like Tuesday will probably be the earliest possible discharge date.
That's all I know for now, but I anticipate the reports to get better and better ... and hopefully she'll feel like posting soon!
Regards,
Pam
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