A Leisurely Lunch with My Favorite Patient . . .

Well today I got to go see Paula at the hospital, and her dad had picked up a nice picnic lunch for me to take in with me when he dropped me off. It was so good to see Paula, I hadn't seen her since my leg flare up a couple weeks ago. I was worried how I would do with all the walking, but as of this moment I feel pretty decent, so I am hopeful that means some of my life changes from the past few weeks are starting to help me. That would sure be nice. The big step for me is going to be I got released to go back to work Monday, so I am anxious (and worried) about how my body will react to my daily grind again. I am sure part of my current energy level is attributed to my ability to rest as much as I want, and going back to work will stop that . . . Anyway, about Paula...

It was so good to see her. She looks so tired and is so blue and misses home and her friends so much . . . I am trying to get her to open up and talk to some friends and family soon, and I hope if this graft stays on the right path and the pain management starts becoming more tolerable, she will be more receptive to calls and/or occaisional visits. She has been so bad off for so long she just hasn't felt like "people" for a while. Hopefully that will change soon. We had sandwiches from a southside restaurant called Unbeatable Eatables, and some potato salad and I had a giant deli pickle (one of my favorite things!). It was just nice to be able to sit next to her and eat a bite and talk and actually get to laugh a couple times.

She is such a good girl. She worries so much about me. Even with all she has going on around her, and as closed off from the world as she is, she still wants to take care of me and worries about my ailments and well being. I just want to badly for this to work out and her to be able to come home before too much longer. I am certian even if things go great we are still not close to that happening. The next step may be back to Crestwood Care before it would be coming home. But until she is out of infection danger, she will most likely be held at Christ.

I just love her and miss her and want her safe and happy and HOME.

Good News, and Really Good News

Well I have made it back home from my hospitalization this past week. It was NOT fun and I am incredibly tired. I believe my quote was "I feel like I've been dragged home behind the car." I am getting better and it looks like maybe in week I will get released to go back to work. My flare up was pretty extensive, but I had been fighting it for over a week before I finally gave up and sought help, and my doctor admitted me in the hospital the day she saw me. (which didn't surprise me, and was why I tried to battle it on my own before going to see her) Anyway, having already been taking a lot of antibiotics, I was on the right track with getting the infection under control, so they were able to get me fixed up really quick in the hospital.

I had multiple tests done each day I was in. A low blood cell count (anemia) made them worry I may have either ulcers in my esaphagus or stomach or problems in my colon/bowels/intestines, so the did the complete camera scope thingie down my throat to the stomach and a complete colonoscopy (where they go in from the other end) as well. The tests showed I have a hiatal hernia, and they are going to prescribe a medication for it although I do not experience any heartburn or chest pain from it. (I am going to double check wih my doc to see if the meds are really needed). I also had two heart EKGs and ultrasound, and venous doppler ultrasound done on my legs and abdomen. I had a complete sleep study done to check the titration rate on my bipap machine I use to control sleep apnea. I had an IV pick line painfully installed which included blood shooting everywhere and startling me and the two techs who were doing the installing, only to have it removed the same day. I had bag after bag of IV antibiotics and countless (at least two a day) bloodwork done. Because of the colonoscopy, one day I was on a clear liquid diet and another day I had no food or drinks of any kind. (Which oddly enough is referred to as NPO) That day they filled me with three bottles of laxatives (the bottle said normal dosage was one, which made me feel a bit uneasy and later I found out why) So I spent one afternoon and evening having the 2006 Shit Olympics so I would be good and clear for my colonoscopy. Just when I thought I was "in the clear" they came in and said it was time for my enema. I was like, "excuse me?" and they were like, "oh yes, this is standard procedure before your colonoscopy, we may have to do as many as three until you are clear." . . . Okay . . . So picture me . . . I am hurting. Exhausted. Starving to death. Already dreading the procedure the next day. Now I find out I am gonna have a hose shoved in my ass and get flushed like a transmission as many as three times? Is there any kind of "happy ending" after this??? The only thing that made the embarrasment even greater was the two girls that did this to me were young enough to be my daughters and as nice as they could be. Why couldn't I have gotten a cranky old broad and her androgynous helper, so I could feel free to be the raging prick I was currently hiding under my now very thin vail of kindness? WHY? Mercifully, I was clear on their first powershot, so I didn't need more than one.

Anyway, the doctor that did my colonoscopy was very nice, and I got to watch the procedure along with him on a big screen TV while he was doing it. The camera goes in over 6 feet (Yes, SIX FEET) through your colon and bowels and if I do say so myself, I have one clean, nice looking ass! LOL . . . He was impressed with the clearness of my entire system. Woohooo! I had asked the doctor that if he used the same camera could we do the throat part before the butt part, and he thought that was hysterical. He got me back though because he said they put me to sleep (twilight, they call it) for the throat part, so I woundn't taste anything anyway, LOL . . . We had a good laugh, then I looked at him really stern and said, "you are kidding, right?" and he laughed his ass off at me. He was a young (maybe 30) Philippino man and was VERY nice and professional, but still with a quick sense of humor and great, friendly manor that made me feel very at ease.

So anyway, I am home, but worn out. I have to stay horizontal another week, then hope to get cleared to work next week. At least I am on the right track.

Now the even better news:

PAULA GOT HER NEW SKIN GRAFT LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!

She had dreaded yesterday all week because her regular doc was going to be on vacation so the plastic surgeon was going to handle her wound vac change and cleaning. The last time he did it he did another surgical debridment (sp?) which is very painful, and she was worried he may do the same this time. Instead he was impressed enough with her new tissue granulation that he went ahead and applied the Integra silicone graft on her leg. So the waiting and hoping to find out a date when the next graft would be done is over! It was done last night! This is such a huge step, although still only one more step, but man, it is progress!! Now we need to pray that the Integra patch does work (I believe it has over 90% success rate) and maybe she will finally start seeing some results and in turn relief . . .

Either way, I am thankful for any progress lately. The other wonderful thing from this week was my parents and two of my sisters came into town to visit us in the hospital, and it was awesome to see them and get to catch up a bit. Although I would have rather been in different circumstances, it did me a lot of good to have the love of family around for my stay in the hospital. They got to spend some time with Paula too, and see my mother-in-law Sally, who has been such a huge help through all of this ordeal I can't even describe it.

Well, I am tired of typing, and I imagine you are tired of reading if you made it this far, LOL . . . I will update again as things progress. Now it's time for a nap . . .

And Again . . .

Still no news to report on Paula. They are treating the wound and re-seating the wound-vac (now with six ports instead of four) every Mon-Wed-Fri. They have not given us a timeline on the next skin graft. I am hoping to hear that this coming week. Paula is still in a lot of pain, and is very discouraged. I had a cellulitis flareup this past week but fortunately seem to have avoided the hospital again. Sunday & Monday were incredibly painful and scary, but by Tuesday the fever subsided and the antibiotics started getting control of things again. I missed a few days work, but thankfully I have had a pretty good year attendance-wise, considering everything we have been through.

I will update via email as soon as I know anything worth sharing. For right now, I just ask you keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I am doing my best to stay positive, although it is not my nature. I am living proof that yes, things CAN always get worse...