The list of questions continues running like a ticker tape through my mind - sometimes I wish I had a direct IM to my surgeon so I could ask him as these questions when they arrise....I mean everyone knows how it works; you try to remember everything you want to ask while you are in front of the doctor, but you never seem too and then you kick yourself after you leave and say "shit I forgot to ask about..." and then even more questions come up.
Now I just keep telling myself that it has to happen - there is no way around that fact - if I don't go through with it, I could end up destroying my bones and not just the ligaments (which the Doc is surprised I haven't done yet!). So I have to try to stop wondering about all these questions and just try to keep myself busy....well...I don't really have to try, other people are kind of doing that for me...let me ellaborate...
KEEPING ME BUSY NUMBER 1
So, my husband Joe who has had a tube in his chest since December 15th will be going to get yet another Xray tonight. Last week, his Doc decided he wanted to stay on the safe side and leave the tube in for another week just to make sure everything on his lung had sealed up nicely....if you have been keeping track, that means it has almost been 1 whole month this pour guy has had to sleep in an upright position on his back with a 1/2" piece of plastic tubing sticking out of his chest. This, of course, means he can not, and has not been able to do a whole lot for himself, so that became my job. Getting him this, getting him that, change his dressing, help him bathe - and don't forget that I just had surgery myself so I have been doing all of this while I am supposed to be wrapped up and on crutches with no more activity other than getting up to pee and go to work....guess I didn't follow the doctor's orders word for word...no wonder I am still hurting and it looks like they implanted a gold ball in my ankle.
Please understand that I don't mind doing things for my husband at all, especially when he really needs me - I love him more than words can describe - this is just kind of a play by play to note that I am being kept very busy, just busier than I had hoped while I was recovering from my own surgery. Like I know he would be for me - I will always be there for him willing to help and hold his hand through all of this.Anyway, Joe's Doc said that he would definately be taking the tube out this Wednesday...but as I recall, the Doc's definition of definately differs from how I learned it...
On Dec. 15th we were told he definitely would be out by Christmas and it was highly unlikely he needed surgery, usually these things heal on their own if it's the first time....on Dec. 20th he had surgery and we were still being told that he should definitely be home for Christmas....on Dec. 23rd we were told he would definintely be out of ICU and into a regular room by Christmas - WE SPENT CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE ICU WITH JOE!!! On Dec. 24th we were told he would deinitely get the tube out in a couple days...on Dec. 26th we were told the tube deinitely could not come out yet...on Dec.28th Joe was sent home with the tube still in his chest and so ofcourse by then we stopped listening to his definitely's. Though I am pretty sure they will take his tube out tomorrow (Wednesday, 11th) - I will always remain a tad bit skeptical until he his back to his normal self once again.
KEEPING ME BUSY NUMBER 2
My cat Precious decided during this whole mess, that she needed some medical attention too....she as evolved some sort of allergy to something in her indoor environment that no one has changed (besides cleaned) in almost 2 years...this allergy is causing her to build really thick dander and scabs which when the fall off take her fur with them and leave a sore (it's not mange)....so, it looks like she has really mean parents that have taken thining sizzors straight down her spine...she's basically going bald....so to the vet we went and now I have to make sure she gets an allergy shot and antibiotics to keep the sores from getting infected...
KEEPING ME BUSY NUMBER 3
My siblings are all younger than I am - and as it always has been since the beginning - I get to be the hipocrite who says what they should and shouldn't do after I have already been there, done that, paid the consequences, or had the time of my life....they don't listen...
About 2-3 weeks ago (right after my ankle journey began), the oldest of my sisters rolled her right ankle while wearing high heels during a night on the town with her girls...the next day she came over with a bulging ankle that was all kinds of pretty colors...I told her that if she didn't break it then she definitely tore/damaged atleast 1 ankle ligament if not more than one. I told her that she had to go see SOMEONE to make sure that she got it properly braced and put on crutches to keep her weight off it for a little bit so that the ligaments had time to heal properly so she didn't end up like me....Did she listen??? NO - OFCOURSE NOT! So what happened do you ask?...she rolled her ankle again this past Sunday night walking down or up the stairs...
This time she can't bear weight on it at all and though it doesn't seem to be bruising, it is super swollen. She waited to go to the emergency room until last night and though they took a lot of xrays they say there are no cracks so they put her in a boot and gave her crutches - told her no weight bearing for while and to find an Orthopedic and schedule an appointment....hey I know a pretty good one...haha...
They never want to listen, just like I didn't, and still don't sometimes (I KNOW I AM A HIPOCRITE!!! - but only for a good reason) - and look where that's putting us...up shit's creek for sure...
...and in casts, and boots, on crutches, with chest tubes, in OR's, ICU's, and hospital beds...
Now that's time well spent! Yay Family!
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