Thursday went so well, I decided to wear my Hawaiian blue shirt again. I have a green one for next couple of days. Undershirts for alternate days will keep my look new each day. Sent clothes home with Rhonda's mom, and they were returned Thursday evening, so everything else is fresh (well, almost) :-)
Rhonda's chemo port was put in place this morning with a short procedure under general anesthesia. They picked her up at 6:15 am, into surgery at 7:15 am, actual surgery at 8:30 am, and successful return to her island at 11:45 am. Everything went well, and she was sitting up, talking and making sense, and eating a bit of breakfast right away.
Today, another first: a nursing student named Ai (pronounced "I") shadowed Rhonda from sun up until 2 pm. She went with us into pre-op, then with Rhonda into operating room, and ICU recovery, then back with me to waiting room for patient history. I know Rhonda's pretty much by heart, and read her mind, so I was a pretty good pseudo patient. Rhonda was out of touch for couple of hours there. Ai got an earful from this engineer on the details of St. Luke's, the procedures that Rhonda had recently, and a bunch of other stuff. Ai immediately realized I was a detail person, and she listened very closely. I never did stump her with a question. But, she did have to think on a few of them. My favorite was in pre - op. I pointed out to her the three Oxygen nozzles on the wall and the tubing on the bed that ended in Rhonda's nostrils. So, Ai, is she on oxygen or not? Where's it coming from?
Moderate frustration has begun to set in as we consider renaming the Hearne Hideaway to the timeless name "Gilligan's Island" with our merry band of castaways. Hopefully, we will still be home by Monday!
Katie is here again as a helper. She shadowed a food service manager in Texas Children's across the street for four hours, clinical credit she needed for college course.
Either island has the blue waves, and the shark net out there in the surf to keep the sharks away...
til then,
David
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I know its easy for me to say since I am not trapped on Gillian's Island with you but "patience, grasshopper." Good things take time. I can't imagine being in the hospital for over a week. 2 or 3 days for an appendectomy just about did me in. Hang in there guys! No need to rush God, Mother Nature, and anyone else that is working on the healing process. Have you considered sudoku and crossword puzzles?
ReplyDeleteLove and prayers, Anne