Second progress report on Jean. Peter HB ____________________________________________________________________________ Jean was the only person in the high dependency unit next to the nursing station the night after her operation. She did have a lot of pain from the transfusion of two units of her own (cold) blood cells. It took her a fair while to argue the nurses into doing something effective (their standard protocols take her through a bunch of drugs that didn't work) but they eventually gave her morpine, which did help.
On Tuesday morning they took her (bed and all) to Xray, so she now has a nice set of before and after photos. Sort of like an Adams Family portrait. Someone else was due into the high dependency room that afternoon, so they returned Jean to a new private room a few doors down the hall. She no longer had all the instrument connections. The spinal block was wearing off after 24 hours, so Jean was having some problems with pain. There seemed also some miscommunication between what we heard the surgeon say, and what happend with the drug regime, so Jean had a bad night again, and had to argue with the nurses. Jean was walking (for small values of walking) using a frame in her room on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after the operation, with help from the physiotherapist. Mainly because she wanted to get to the bathroom. On Wednesday Jean had the final two drains removed. The physiotherapist took away the walking frame and got Jean using the crutches. She got a fair way up the hall. She also spent some time out of bed sitting in a chair. On Thursday (today) Jean was able to take a shower without help, get dressed in street clothes, went for a walk up the hall with me. She was a lot better on the crutches. Got around the corner of the coridoor this time. When the physiotherapist arrived he took her all the way outside, to where there was a flight odf seven steps. She got down these, and back up, and then repeated it. For an encore, she walked around the coridoor instead of straight back to her room. Since some people who received this asked questions, I'll try answering some here. The surgeon tended to drop in between three and five times a day. His office is down the hall, and surgery is at the other end of the hospital. He walks past seeing patients around breakfast time, again usually mid morning, on the way to surgery early afternoon, and again after he ends surgery. Well, except on Friday, when he is late for the morning visit because he has a religious meeting on the golf course. Jean did get a private room. It is very like a motel, with a private bathroom, well set up with mobility aids. Better than we will be able to arrange at home. Actually the hospital had a fair number of empty rooms most days. The meals ranged between good and excellent. There was always someone coming around offering mid meal snacks also. Jean received a wonderful bunch of flowers that one of the nurses delivered to the room. I think that was on Wednesday. Jean insisted I photograph them, so when I pull the photos off the camera I will confirm the date, and send a copy to the folks who kindly sent them. Jean sends her thanks. Jean was doing so well on Thursday that after her physio visit, I headed back to Airlie Beach (and the internet connection). The surgeon says Jean could go home on Friday or Saturday, and it is basically up to her. She phoned me from her cell phone (the phone in the hospital rooms only does local calls) a little while ago to say she plans to stay until Saturday. She wanted to have another walking and stair climbing session with the physiotherapist, but that would be mid afternoon Friday. By the time I got her home (probably a two hour drive) she would have had a pretty active day, and it would be dark. Saturday sounds less energetic. She liked the hospital food enough that I expect she will stay until she gets lunch! __________________________________________________________________________________
