Update on Don (and Sue) - Back Home Again

It has been good go be home.  Don is resting peacefully in his own bed.  We have to have the home health nurse come in twice a day and give Don his IV antibiotic.  He will have to do this for two weeks.  Then we go back to Denver to see the Doctors again.  They want to check him out, do another CT scan and make sure that he is healing like he should be.  So we will see.  They may decide to forego the CT scan if he is doing okay since he has had so many already. 

I am cleaning closets and cupboards. The girls are having a garage sale today and then doing it again in three weeks.  That will be the last one.  So I think I have time to find a bunch of junk and get rid of it all.  I am also going to play golf every day.  Really early in the morning so I can spend the rest of the day taking care of Don.  It is also good to see the grandkids again.  Plan on doing a lot with them too.

I went over to Casey's and picked up Sebby to come and see Grandpa.  Abby had already seen him.  Sebby was very interested in Don's 8 inch incision.  He is very careful with grandpa.  "I'll wait till grampa is all well before I jump on him!!"  Good idea.

Dealing With Diverticulitis - Part 18 - Day 7 of Recovery

Just saw Dr. Kortz, the surgeon that did Don's surgery.  He is very pleased at Don's progress. He said that Don could possible go home Saturday.  He ordered to have the epidural taken out which was just completed.  After his abdomen wakes up fully he will be able to have his catheter removed.  That will be huge as it is difficult to walk with all the tubes and lines. 

Don's pain is minimal and his incision looks great.  He is dressed and sitting in a chair.  The Dr. also wants him to be weaned off the TPN.  Don is eating jello, broth, and popsicles.  YUM!!!!

We went for a "walk" down the hall and back three times.  Don does a "sprint" on his last lap.  He is trying to stay positive.  We are paying bills and that can be depressing....LOL.

Dealing With Diverticulitis - Part 17, Day 6 of Recovery

This is Don's 6th day of recovery after major abdominal surgery on July 22. I left on Monday to go back to Alamosa and get some things done and make sure everything was going well.  Callie and Casey have everything well in hand.  I spend Tuesday at home with the grandkids.  They are really filling and fun to be with.  I returned today and arrived around 4 pm. 

I brought up a CD Walkman and some praise music CDs for Don to listen too as well as some Audio Books.  He is really enjoying the Walkman.  It's light and easy to use and the ear phones fit around the ears so they don't fall off like the small ear-phones so easily do.  I also brought the papers for the last week and the mail.  Don's sister, Denice, gave him 3 packs of nice notes that a "guy" would send out.  They are really cool.

I was really surprised when I got back.  Don is eating jello and clear liquids.  His bowels are starting to wake up.  They also took the staples out of his eight inch incision.  It looks pretty good.  I call it the "railroad track" on grandpa's tummy for Sebby.  He loves trains and thinks it is cool that grandpa has his own "tracks".

Shortly after I arrived Don decided to get his walk in so we did two laps around the seventh floor.  He is looking pretty good and the physical therapy orders have been cancelled because he is doing well.  We also saw the "infectious Diseases" Doc on our walk.  I brough a new button up shirt for Don. (Stevo, it is Hawaiian style.) I also bought him some light weight "sports" shorts.  He put them on before the walk because he absolutely hates the hospital gown....who doesn't?!  So the Doc commented on how spiffy Don looked.

He still has his epidural in and his cathater.  The Doctors said he wouldn't be going home by Friday like he had hoped and I think this news made him "blue".  He is glad I am back.  When I came in, mind you it was 4pm, there were two days worth of dirty towels in the bathroom and dirty sheets.  I cleaned everything up, went to the linen cupboard in the hall, got sheets and made his bed.  I also got clean blankets and pillowcases.  He feels 100 per cent better.  He told me he had to shower by himself.  That is a daunting task.  So I am glad I am back to help him get all that stuff done in the morning.  I guess the staff get really busy, but really? Two days? Sheeze!!!

Dealing with Diverticulitis Part 3

Don is doing so much better today (July 6).  His color is good and he has energy to get in and out of bed on his own and even go to the bathroom by himself now.  He is still hooked up to four bags and three delivery systems on his IV pole. It looks like a freakin' cell phone tower.  His humor is good too.

One of the doctors on duty came by and said that Don could start more solid food.  He can have oatmeal.  He is so excited to be able to eat real food.  He lays in bed ticking off all the foods that sound good to him like salmon on a bed of rice with grilled asparagus, strawberries, and apples.  The doctor also said that he would try to get him on oral antibiotics soon.  What all of this means is that if Don keeps improving he will be off the cell tower and the PICC line and drains can some out.  He said that possibly Don could go home tomorrow but he wants to make sure that Don can tolerate food and that everything is functioning normally. 

After two or three weeks we will be back for the re-section surgery.  Hopefully Don will recover well from that and won't have any other problems after that and life will get back to normal, whatever that is.

One Sick Puppy Updates

My husband has been seriously ill with diverticulitis.  This really took me by surprise.  My daughter, Callie, is blogging his updates and, if you are interested, please visit her site.  Callieandyadams.blogspot.com.  I will try to get back into blogging shortly.  Thank you for your prayers, cards, meals, support, and friendship.

Hugs!  Sue