At Home with Mom
Well, today I was sprung. After a night of relative ease, the doctors and I decided I was okay to leave the hospital and stay with my Mom up in NJ. My discharge from Marburg was interesting, as two family members of one of the other patients stopped by to congratulate my discharge. I had seen these women in the halls, but we had never really talked. The sense I got was that others on the floor were told of my rapid recovery and I had something of a ‘rock star’ as far as Whipple recovery goes!
One last procedure I had to have done today was to have the 2nd of my two drains removed. Now, these drains are essentially tubes that are stuck in my body (presumably in important places) to suck out any aberrant fluids floating around in my abdomen. For example, they may have placed a drain at the (new) junction of where my stomach is now attached to the intestine. If the drains continually fill up, that would be an indication that something was right inside. Well, the drain had been dry and today they pulled it out.
Pulling my foley catheter was uncomfortable; pulling my breathing tube was challenging (it made me want to cough and it hurts to cough); pulling my nasogastric tube was nasty, but not terribly difficult; pulling the first drain was not something I’d like to relive, but HOLY MACKEREL pulling my 2nd drain was painful. To add insult to injury, the doctor used a minimal amount of gauze and tape to cover up the now empty drain hole, so I “leaked.”
Thanks to my Dad and company for the Marburg robe. I had asked the nurse what would happen if it accidentally fell into my suitcase, and the nurse suggested that we might get charged. I didn’t think it was worth the extra cost, but my Dad, Arlene, Barbie, and Harvey I guess went in together and bought me one. A souvenir to remember my time at Hopkins…well, in addition to the really big ass scar I have on my tummy.
MaryBeth and I are now in NJ staying at the palatial Sydney Hamburger estates. Remember how I said that walking up and down stairs was unexpectedly difficult and tiring. It has nothing on riding in a car for 2 hours after a 5-day recovery from an 8-hour surgery. I’m pooped. Thank goodness I have good drugs that allow me to hold the pain at bay. Rest assured, though, that the next couple of weeks will be spent hanging out, enjoying premium cable TV, and relaxing. I’m not allowed to lift anything heavier than 10 lbs and both my Mom and MaryBeth are rabid about enforcing that limit.
Look forward to hearing from y’all and getting back to Atlanta in 2 weeks.
Merle