So a respiratory doctor came in yesterday, poked and prodded, and said "why are you here? Go home." So I took her home. Ev is home. Only downside is that we're supposed to be giving her an antibiotic that is about $100 per pill (our insurance will lower that to $48 per pill). Still working on how that is going to happen. But....,

She's HOME!!!!!!


Dad

Hey people! In case you weren't sure let me tell you now that back surgery hurts alot. The nurse told me before hand that the pain rating went something like: worst--kidney stones, then pancreatits and then back surgery. I found it to be surprisingly truthful and have found a reason to be grateful for having only one kidney! Whoo!
I'm definately on the mend and should be home soon. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!

!@#$%^&*()***!*!


Lots of expletives deleted. Ev has pneumonia. It's the hospital kind that you pick up and then it lies dormant until your immune system takes a hit (like during, say, spinal surgery) and then it wants to come out and play.

She stays until next week (Monday or Tuesday).

#@#$@#$#@$*****

Dad

Ok, so we were SUPPOSED to get her home today but some overprotective type wanted to make sure she didn't have a bloodclot in her lungs. So CT Scan time! Thankfully no contrast dye orally - just in the arm. No clot but the lung avoli are being lazy so Ev gets some RT and maybe comes home tonight but probably not till tomorrow. Don't yet know why the lazy lungs so we're waiting for a smart doc to tell us what's what.

Cheers,

Dad

Day two

Well, the general anesthesia is all worn off so the nausea is pretty well gone. So is the pain relief. Ev says it really hurts a lot. 8 out of 10. She is eating a little but it is better to not move at all. Ever. Even a little. Quiet. Still. Unmoving and unmoved. Except when she goes for a walk.

Hang in there ev. Oh and we finally got super nurse assigned to her. Thanks Lorna!!!

dad

Dr. Barry Bounous
bounousb@itsnet.com

Coming back through the looking glass

All is well.
Dr. G started cutting at 2 and folded his scout knife back up at 4ish. Ev is doing ok except for being puffy and very puky. Mitch is engaged in heroic levels of hand holding. Greater love hath no man than when holding his girlfriend's hair mid-puke.

4th floor is nice but the rooms are skinny. I feel in-the-way.

Do I hear a chorus of 'get used to it' from the adult members of the audience? .....

Dad
Dr. Barry Bounous
bounousb@itsnet.com

She's here

I'll be doing the updates for a day or two. It is comforting to be around the nursing staff. It beats the conversation in my head. Some parting words from booboo: I am sitting in pre op back in a drafty gown with an iv and the fun leg squishers on. Which all feels far too normal.

normal is relative. I forgot to charge this before I left so next update is later. Waiting, then holding, then surgical waiting then recovery, then 4th floor. No icu this time.

Dad

Dr. Barry Bounous
bounousb@itsnet.com

Well people, hours and counting and SURPRISE! I'm not sleeping well. Seeing as I won't be feeling up to much in the next little while I just want to thank you all in advance for your thoughts and prayers. They lift me more than you can know.

Happy Father's Day all! I was sort of hoping that I could give my dad the same thing that I gave my mom for Mother's Day, but to come home from the hospital I have to have been IN the hospital first. Ah well, he'll just have to make do with a tie. I guess I want to shout out to father's everywhere. Thanks for working and buying us food. Thanks for teaching us stuff even when we think we don't care. Thanks for your jokes--especially the ones we don't get. Thanks for making us mow the lawn and for starting the stupid mower. And thanks for taking care of the boo-boos--the big and small!

Well, get out your calendars people and find your pens! After much poking and prodding and pleading and pondering and--I'll be honest--a little crying we picked a day! A day for what you might ask and I'd be happy to tell. A day for knocking me out, sticking a tube down my throat, slicing open my back, screwing in freaky-big titanium screws, slathering on a fresh batch of bone growth hormone, sewing it back up, TAKING THE TUBE OUT, and then letting me wake up with lots of pain killers. Sounds like fun! I know it does ;)
Oh yeah, June 24th. Less than two weeks people!

Trauma B said my CT was BEAUTIFUL! And my right lung is clear! That sucker has been cloudy for forever! I saw G today and he ordered more X-rays which are done and so surgery scheduling is next. Whoo! Mitch goes in for his hand surgery on Friday. I'm sure he would appreciate your thoughts and prayers! :)

I dreaded today. I didn't want to go to sleep last night because I didn't want to wake up to today. What a baby! CTs are practically harmless. I know. Still.
It went well enough though. I got down four and half cups of contrast (they try to be sneaky and call it a berry smoothie.....right....try slightly watery, berry-flavored Elmer's glue). But apparently they wanted it intravenous as well so I got an IV with the wonderful stuff and got very hot. It was somewhat like I would think a hot flash would be like. My eyes burned and my lips tingled. Not to mention the wetting myself sensation. Way fun. But I didn't throw it up and I'm feeling pretty well considering!