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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Day 16: Homeward Bound

Tomorrow she comes home! Last night I truthfully thought she was not ready to come home yet. Monday she had spent most of the day in pain or out cold because of the narcotics they gave her to fight the pain. Louise is so sensitive to drugs that I usually tell anesthesiologists to make aspirin the general anesthetic when they need to knock her out. Yesterday she had no energy. Even getting out of bed was a real strain. So as I left her last night I went to the nurse and almost demanded that she not be given the narcotic they had been giving her if she had pain. Give her Tylenol. When I arrived this morning she was a changed person. She felt so much better. She had little pain and had not been given any pain medicine overnight. She could roll out of bed on her own and use the bathroom without help. She was ready to walk. Five times we took walks around every pod on the 7th floor. She had energy and she was a happier person. She even doubled the height on her spirometer. That gave her so much confidence.

So then at about 1 pm, Dr. Perry comes in and tells her she is cleared to go home tomorrow (Wednesday). He was very pleased with her progress. Louise was very excited. Last night she really didn't feel like she was ever going to be well enough to get out. We both feel she is now. Not that it will be easy being home without a call button and a shot of pain killer with just push of a button. But the comforts of your own soft bed and your own pajamas that don't have tubes coming out of every opening is so exciting. I'm home now trying to arrange for alarms to go off every 10 minutes and I'm training the kids how to wake her up every half hour to take her temperature and draw blood. We don't want her to get too comfortable all at once and feel too strange in a dark room all night with no noise.

We met with the dietitian today and set up the feeding regime. She will remain on the same feeding pump that she was on before the surgery. She can pretty much get most of her daily nourishment needs from the pump overnight. Then as she is allowed to eat more as time goes on, we will cut the amount of feeding nourishment she gets. Right now she will stay on soft foods until the doctor is sure that solid foods won't hurt the connecting tissues in her neck. We don't know how long that will be. She also might have to take home an oxygen tank for a little while.

So this was the best day she has had in the hospital, not only for getting the ticket to go home, but also to finally feel better and be more mobile. We will let you know how home feels to her tomorrow. Thanks for caring!

Spence

11 comments:

  1. Hallelujahs and more hallelujahs!!! Welcome home, dear friend! This is the best news yet!!! Rejoicing and gratitude fill my heart knowing you are on your way to total recovery! God bless you and your whole family! Prayers continue that you may be blessed with strength and that your pain be removed. Love, Deb

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  2. So glad to read the good news. I don't live far from you guys, so if you
    need me (pick up something, deliver, drug store, etc) please do not
    hesitate to call me.

    Peggy " The night owl"....the one to call for late needs, you know like
    24 hour Walgreens!

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  3. Adding more California Hallelujahs here ... Such happy, happy news!

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  4. Yay! Such good news to wake up to. It's about time.

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  5. Amazing and wonderful news!!! Hope today goes well. I bet it feels so good. =)

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  6. WA-HOO! we are so excited for you to go home louise. and thanks for all the wonderful updates. enjoy your fabulous day!

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  7. This is so great. I'm happy for her and for you. What a blessing you have been to her helping her when the nurses wouldn't or didn't seem to care. Tell Weezy we are all excited and happy for her.

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  8. Such exciting news! I hope she is on her way home as I write this message....So so grateful!

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  9. Your post made me smile! Thank you for keeping everyone so well informed. I'm sure it wasn't easy to add one more thing to your busy "nursing" schedule. So glad that Louise is going home at last!!! I am sure she will be getting the best of care there. I hope she will get to eat more and more and soon say goodbye to the feeding tube as well.

    All my love,
    Annie

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  10. Yea, yea yea!!!!!!!! Such progress overnight! She will heal more quickly at home with fewer interuptions from the medical staff(although they have been wonderful).
    We continue with prayers for you both.
    Love, Becky and David

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  11. Yea, whoo hoo! It is Wednesday afternoon and I know that you did not get to go home. But It is for the best, like you said she does not want to go home only to have to come back because of an infection. At least she can sleep better tonight because they moved her to a much more quiet setting. Maybe Friday will be the big day.

    Love, Sharon aka(momab)

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