Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Another day.

Yesterday I had an episode of afib. I'd stopped taking the cardiziem because it made me feel awful. Sick people don't make good decisions. I think I was dehydrating, and went into afib. We called 911 because I didn't think I could walk to the car.

Cardizem IV put me right back in sinus rhythym, and I was thrilled that I got discharged. We got home about 10 pm. I have an appt with my cardiologist next Tuesday. I'm taking the cardizem right before I go to bed, so it shouldn't make me feel bad.

The antibiotic is making me vomit every day- this is just too much fun. Now I'm trying taking the zofram with the pill, without food, to see if this helps. I can't wait til Monday, when I finish both antibiotics and also the lovenox shots.

The visiting nurse comes tomorrow to change the wound vac dressing. I've had substitute nurses and "my" nurse should be here tomorrow. I want some continuity, so they can on-goingly assess the wound.

The granddogs are here. Steph has to go do a presentation for work tomorrow that means she leaves at 0600. So Toast will sleep with me and Whiskey will sleep with Ralph.

Tomorrow is our 38th anniversary! Where did the time go? I was 19 and Ralph was 24. It was a beautiful wedding and the reception was fun. At the time brides were big on adults only receptions, but I wanted all my cousins to share in my big day. The reception was held in a fire hall, and we had a buffet. One of my favorite pix is Ralph and I with our grandparents.

And the beat goes on!

Holly

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Lost, lost, lost

The series finale! Ralph is dvr-ing it, and has it on. He started late, so he can skip commercials. I watched the first couple of seasons, then Lost lost me. I'm half watching it, half playing on the laptop.

It was a chilly day. I started out not feeling good, so I went back to bed til 11, then got and stayed up til 6. Sat in the borrowed recliner and read and watched TV and talked on the phone, while the wound vac burped away and healing (hopefully) is going on. Boring! The high point of the day was Steph's fly thru visit to bring me soup from Panera Bread.

So it's day 5 of me being home. I'm either over 2 weeks postop, or 5 days post vac placement. I can sit fine in the recliner, but not on a traditional chair. I can walk short distances. Tomorrow the goal is to start doing walking in the long hallway of our house. I need to start rebuilding my strength, and that seems to be a gentle way to do it.

I finished Caught last night. Coben's books always have layers to them, and can get confusing. Now I've moved on the the new China Bayle's book, Holly Blues by Susuan Wittig Albert. Her books always have a nice flow to them.

And tomorrow is another day.
Holly

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Quiet Saturday

I'm enjoying being home and sleeping in my own bed! The home care nurses have been out twice, the wound vac is sucking it's little computer out, and the antibiotics are not making me sick! They're guessing 3=4 weeks needed to close the incision/wound. I'm trying to stay up more during the day, in the recliner, so that I'm actually tired at night and sleep better.

Today is Jim and Sharon's 11th anniversary! Where did that time go? We love you both and hope
you have a great day, and many more anniversaries.

Frank tore his hamstring playing baseball, so he's home for a while. Ralph promises to go visit him and keep him company.

I'm reading a really good new book,Caught by Harlan Coben. He's a NJ author who sets his thrillers/mysteries in North jersey.

The quest for a recliner continues! Today Ralph went to The Dump, but they didn't have the one in the ad, and we don't want a swivel one. I finally convinced Ralph that I just want a big squishy recliner. I found one in the Big Lots ad, where Mom has been telling him to check for 2 weeks now. She lent us a small one, but I want a more comfy one. Who would have thought that buying a recliner would be such an ordeal!

I got the new Quilt Sampler and the new Fabric Trends from equilter, so at least I can look a pics of quilts. I haven't sewed a stitch since mid March, and look forward to being able to stand and cut fabric, hopefully in another couple of weeks. I'm taking that as I sign that I'm healing, that I even am thinkig about sewing!

And now I'm off to bed with my book!

Holly

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The saga continues- quickie post

Just got home today after yet another 5 days in the hospital. I had an abscess of the incision, which required IV antibiotics, icky testing, sleep deprivation, and now I will have a wound vac and visiting nurses for several weeks.

The good news is, it all looks good. The bad news is, I'm weak, exhausted, tired, and the antibiotic gives me nausea. Heather couldn't take it, she came up for the 5 days I was in the hospital. It was good, because it relieved Ralph. He put the papers in for family leave for a couple of weeks, to take care of me. (Who'd have ever thought I needed to be taken care of?)

I've been up for an hour after taking the antibiotic, and now I'm going to bed.

Holly

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Home again, home again!

Quickie post- I got home last night. Surgery was May 6, and what they thought on US was a cyst was a big abscess that they had to repair. Sunday I went into afib, and had to go to PCU.

I have a new respect for anyone who's had a c-section! I can't imagine this incision and a baby! Today if postop day #5. I can walk around, and get in and out of my own bed- Yay! Ralph is monitering me very closely, LOL.

It's so good to be home!

Holly

Saturday, May 1, 2010

The date is set!

The gyn agreed that it's time to have the surgery, based on the pathology and what's been happening. Elective surgeries are booked up til June! So she'll have me go in thru the ER on Wednesday, and do it on Thursday. I'll be in Virtua Voorhees. I'd always heard bad things about the nursing ratio at Virtua, and was very pleasantly surprised by my experience there 2 weeks ago. The place is spotless, and the director of nursing makes rounds every day and introduces herself! I worked in a certain hospital for 15 years and never met any of the director's of nursing, so I was most impressed.

I've got most of the things on my pre hospital list done- I ordered clothes for Manda's wedding, renewed my nursing license, made reservations for hotel for Roseanne's son's wedding, got my disability paperwork started, talked to all my bosses. The big thing left is to get my haircut, and Ralph will take me to do that on Monday.

My energy level this weekend is way down. I slept a good part of today, and read the rest of it. I'm reading Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay, which is excellant.

Toast was sick earlier in the week, requiring a trip to the emergency vet, and followup at our vet. We kept her for 2 days for Steph. We had both dogs Wednesday night til Thursday night- Steph had to go to Maryland to present at a training session. Whiskey isn't the best overnight guest- I ended up going on the couch and leaving Ralph, the dogs and the cat to the bed.

No quilting, other than reading magazines, and no crocheting- just haven't felt up to it. I'll be so happy to have the surgery and get my life back!

Holly