Ten Days Post-Op

It's been a while since my last update.  We have been back from the hospital for over a week and Mary Anne has been getting better every day.  The weather has been nice enough that she has been out of the apartment for 3 days in a row now.


Friday was a wheelchair ride in the sun late in the day after work.  Saturday was a car ride, Mexican food and a couple of hours in a used book store.  Today was a long wheelchair ride in the sun, then two laps around the sidewalk circle with the walker outside.


We have had 5 therapy visits and a couple of visits from the nurse.  After working with home health for 20+ years, it's very enlightening to be on the receiving end of visits.  The therapist always seemed to come after  hard night and have a new technique for a transfer or stretch that made things better.  Pretty much made me glad that I have have spent much of my career supporting these folks; they certainly provide tremendous support for their patients.


Mary Anne has been doing some watercolor journaling.  

My picture doesn't do her work justice.  It's been a great release for her and provides nice decoration for the mantelpiece.


It's not clear if Mary Anne will be ready to be independent by house closing day on March 28th - I think I may do that as a quick KY round trip.  We're definitely set to be back in the bluegrass by opening weekend at Keeneland.  It will be wonderful to be back home.

Discharged!

Both of our old school Family Practice physician fathers would not approve of the large variety of doctors we have seen while we have been inpatient.  We are waiting on our third "hospitalist" to sign the last of the papers so we can get out.


The transfusion went fine last night and MA has a little more strength today.  She's sitting on the edge of the bed knitting.  I have already made 4 trips to the car (two just for flowers) and we're packed except for computers and yarn.  We've got home health orders and will have the PT, OT and nurse at the apartment periodically starting tomorrow.


Mary Anne is still having muscle spasms and some pain with movement, but it's a very different pain.  The orthopedist (surgeon's partner) says that it's par for the course and will subside as she works through the new internal arrangement of bones, etc.


All in all, we're doing well and extremely glad to be headed back to the apartment and the terriers.  Updates will be less frequent, but I'll let everyone know how the home therapy progressed.


Please know how much we have felt the prayers and the love of all of our family and friends.  As they used to say at Bartles and James, thank you for your support. 


P.S.  Update as I finish - we've gotten the last of our D/C orders and will be headed out very soon

Another night in paradise

CT scan showed no clots in the lung at all; that's good news.  The current diagnosis is post-surgical anemia.  We've just had the blood draw to cross check and get a couple of units of red packed blood cells.  Everyone says herself will feel much better after the transfusion.


Thinking towards home tomorrow, our insurance wouldn't let us pick my home care agency to come serve us, so we'll have another outfit coming to the apartment.  On the upside of the insurance, MA has new chariot.

We rented our wheelchair for the last month and bought our crutches at Walgreens, but the walker comes from the local medical supply place and is billed directly to insurance.  Mary Anne keeps talking about pimping it out.  I'll need to find some rhinestones or something once we get settled out of the hospital.


As the title says, one more night in paradise.  The dogs have someone staying with them and I'm headed out to get some supper.  Mary Anne, as usual, gets hospital room service.  We should be back at the apartment by early afternoon tomorrow.


Thanks to all for the continued prayers and support.

A minor setback

Mary Anne is getting a CT scan right now.  We've been cleared by the Physical Therapist and the Occupational Therapist.  The wound is looking fine.  However, she has an elevated heart rate and the hospitalist wants to rule out any possibility of a pulmonary embolism.  Even if there is any clotting, they will simply increase the anti-coagulant dose she is taking and probably observe for another day.


So we're slogging through.  Best case, we still get to go home later today, but if I were a betting man, I'd think we've got another night here.


Had a nice dinner out last night with our new friends the Rews, the only folks we know out here besides my work colleagues.  Time seems to stop inside hospital walls.


Probably a little rambly, and without the review I like to do, but hoping to get the word out.


Keep those prayers coming and I'll update again when I know more.

Day 2 post-surgery dawns early

Things can frequently be harder when it's dark outside.  The surgery anesthesia has fully dissipated, leaving Mary Anne pretty uncomfortable overnight.  Hospitals are lousy places for rest anyway, and the return of some leg spasms didn't make it any easier.


She's sleeping comfortably now.   She's off of all IVs and other hospital-only assists, so we remain hopeful for discharge orders soon.  If not today, tomorrow.

Every new person that comes into the room comments that the flowers are beautiful and it smells great in here.  We've also been informed that there will be chocolates back at the apartment.  There is comfort in the small things.


I have to throw in a plug for Your Best Friend's Friend.  The folks watching Scout and Sparky have been great with our last minute dog sitting needs.  If you're in Denver and need dog help, call them.


I'll post again when I know when we get to go "home"

Post Surgery Day 1

Well, it's loud in a hospital.  MA's monitors, plus those for other patients on the hall, keep it from ever getting too quiet.  Despite that, we had a good night's sleep last night.


So far today, we have seen the PT, OT and Case Manager (discharge planner).  We're getting set up for some home care therapy visits at the hospital, hopefully as early as tomorrow (Friday).  I've requested to have Centura Health at Home (my current client - they are why we are in Denver) deliver the care.  If our overly complicated American insurance system will support it, we will be my client's patient.


Mary Anne is rating her pain a 2 on the 10 point scale, which is an order of magnitude better than the 9/10 she got to before surgery yesterday.  We've heard from LOTs of friends that have been through this (or known others that have) and know to expect today/tomorrow/Saturday to be a little painful, but getting better with time.


Two weeks with only toe-touch weight bearing on the left leg, and after that more ambitious therapy.  Hopefully, she'll be walking and we'll be able to come home to KY before too long.


I think we're both headed for a short pre-lunch nap.  More tomorrow.

She has a new hip!

The surgeon just came out to say that he's finished and everything went well.  The new ball and socket went in as he had hoped and he expects a very good recovery.  Given the weakness of the bone, Mary Anne will not be weight bearing immediately, but we will give it a couple of weeks to acclimate to the new setup.  Still, her being able to toe-touch and have little or no pain will be an immense improvement.


MA is in recovery and I should get to see her in an hour and a half or so.


It's been a long day, but the 90 minute surgery is a vast improvement over the 11 hours in the surgical waiting room for TGP's heart surgery a few years ago.  I did get out and get some lunch an hour ago.


We should get a good night's sleep tonight - the first in quite a while.


Thanks to all for the prayers and concern.

Surgery begins

We finally saw the anesthesiologist and got MA some pain meds.  I guess they didn't want to do it too soon before surgery.  She was feeling much better and able to lay back on the table as they took her back to the surgery suite.  Dr. Greenhow signed her left leg (that's standard protocol to be sure they do the correct hip in the OR).  He says she should be back out in two hours, so I expect to know more by 5pm Mountain time.

Thanks to all for the prayers.

At the Hospital

We arrived at the hospital about 11:40.   The car ride was very uncomfortable.|

Found surgical waiting room.   Went back to park car.  Got registered and paid copay- very thankful for insurance.
12:25 they took MA back to get her settled and on an IV.
More later

Pre-Surgery

The first in a a series of posts today and tomorrow.  We are blessed by so many friends and family that I am sure I will leave someone out if I try to send emails or texts.  Please set up an RSS reader, or if that sounds like Greek, just check back at this blog and I'll do what I can to keep everyone in the loop.


We had every bit as rough a night as we expected.  Somehow knowing the nature of the break intensified the pain some.  Plus, after 2am, MA wasn't allowed food or liquid, so no more pain pills.  We watched a couple of movies and finally the sun came up.


Sparky is up on the couch (against the rules) but he can't stand it when MA hurts and has to have his head in her lap to comfort her.


I've packed a small bag and we're headed to the hospital about 11am Mountain Time.  Medical Center of Aurora - South Campus.  We have faith in God and in our surgeon and look forward to a great outcome.  Surgery is scheduled at 4:30 by the hospital, but the doctor's scheduler said it would be closer to 1:30.  It would be wonderful for herself to feel better before the day is out.


Thank you all for the prayers and support.