So today Seth had surgery number nine. He has had a very easy time coming out of the last three surgeries--he knows if he's patient, the pain will be soon be controlled, he'll be able to drink some water and the nurses will bring him warm blankets. (After earlier surgeries, he was very disoriented, agitated, upset--and cold).
When he came out of surgery today, however, his left leg was giving him extreme pain. The nurse gave him pain medication in addition to his PCA medication, but the pain would not be controlled. It would lessen for a moment and then return. Seth was very upset, not just because of the pain but because his left leg hasn't bothered him for weeks, so he was worried that something new was wrong or that the surgeons had messed something up.
The nurse paged the orthopedists (affectionately referred to as orthopods here), but they were still in the OR. After three hours, the pain specialist showed up. She offered him an epidural, a nerve block, morphine or another drug I can't remember the name of. Seth didn't want to do any of those. Finally, an orthopod showed up and promptly unwrapped the leg. That was it. That was all it took for the pain to disappear.The doctor re-wrapped the leg, less tightly this time, and all was well. We were relieved that the solution was so simple, but four hours of excruciating pain was hard on both of us.
Even in the midst of pain, Seth still made me laugh. At one point, he said, "Look, Mom." I looked to see him flaring his nostrils at me.
Since Seth had been given so much pain medication, he was in a pretty good mood when we returned to the room and kept the nurses laughing.
Our friend Eleanor arrived today. She'll take the day shift until Jarom arrives on Monday. Tomorrow Seth plans to get out in his wheelchair just for the heck of it. Looking forward to it.
Sylvia, it was so good to talk to you. Tell Eleanor thank you for being there to take care of one of my very favorite people and her awesome son. Seth, you are amazing! I'm grateful for the little miracles happening for you.
ReplyDeleteSylvia,
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of you constantly. Is there anything I can do to help? I might even be able to make a quick trip there if you need assistance.
Melanie
Dear Sylvia & Seth,
ReplyDeleteI am new to this blog business--- you know how old I am plus I am not very mechanically inclined. So please forgive me for not getting in touch sooner. We also have been out of town for a few days and Ken is now catching me up on the blog through his tears.
Please know that we keep both of you in our prayers morning and night---you are on the top of our prayer list. We are so proud of the courage you both display to all of us. My Mom always said, "Courage is faith that has said its prayers."
I will continue to keep your place saved in RS.
Ken has had the following quote on his office wall since the Vietnam War (1971): "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight; nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety; is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Love Ken & Sue B
@Ken and Sue, thanks for this and love the quote. (BTW, it's OK to e-mail me as well!)
ReplyDelete@Melanie, you'll have a free hotel room if you want to visit. I would love to have you!