Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
On the first, Karl had surgery to have a rod and screw put into his bone. The lesions on his left femur had eaten practically through the bone and it had cracked through, so his pain was only getting worse and it needed stabilization to prevent more cracks, or from slipping completely off.
The first few days after his surgery, after he got home I mean (because the very first night he was shaking, screaming and sweating in pain, and the next two they kept him for general, normal, after-surgery observation), which was actually days 4,5,6, whatever... he was sore and really stiff. But now he is doing SO MUCH BETTER. It's like night and day. He's still stiff and sore but he's not using his pain meds as much as he's allowed. Still quite a bit, but he can take his dilaudid every 2 hours and he's only taking it like every 4. And before, he was supposed to take it every 3 but he was taking it like once an hour lol. He still can't do much on his own, he has to use the walker because he's fairly weak and the femur that was rodded makes the joint and general area stiff and sore. But even with that stiffness, the lessened pain makes him much more mobile. He needs help showering (Hon, can you please turn the shower head off of me? ok now turn it back), dressing, getting in and out of bed, in and out of cars, getting food, doing general personal care still but I can't even tell you how relieved I am that he's not constantly in pain at an 8-10 level. He is on oxygen a good 80% of the time now -- especially at night, because pain meds suppress his breathing and being asleep also does this, and he was dropping down to low 80's at night without it. We see a home health nurse once or twice a week, and a physical therapist comes once a week, too. She annoys the shit out of me. She's very nice, and she goes out of her way to do much more for her patients than the job calls for -- what? You need a hand-held shower head? I will find you one! -- but she is also bad abotu talking down to Karl, acting like he's maybe 3, or an 80 year old dementia patient. Pfft, woman! If anyone is going to roll her eyes and talk to my husband like he's 3 it will be ME tyvm.
I also can't even express my gratitude to the many people who've been there for us for all of this. Suzy took the kids home with her for two nights after Karl's surgery so I could be there with him and stuff. Best best friend ever. Olivia gushed about playing with Nikki for a week LOL My parents, who take the kids an awful lot (they are also thankful to Suzy for taking them those nights lol). Karl's youngest brother Scott (my favorite BIL btw), his dad and step-mom and her bff Olie, who all came up and built a ramp coming off our front porch so Karl would be able to come home, and get in and out of the house for appointments safely. Lamont and Toni even bought the wood, and I was planning on doing in. LOL Lamont ALSO decided that building the ramp meant he got a new nail gun, hahaha. And the so many of you out there who have been praying for Karl's health, for my sanity, for all of it, I can't even thank you enough. It really does help, knowing that there are so many people out there praying I don't even know hoe many there are. It's comforting. It gives me peace. It gives Karl peace. The day he went into the hospital this last time I had hit rock bottom. I had multiple meltdowns. I cried, I screamed, I stomped my little feet. I think that's ok. But it was all the love that got me through it.
OH and my mom and sister, who came over last Friday and stayed up LATE with me, scrubbing the house and rearranging it to make sure Karl could get around safely in it with his walker when he got home, and also just to help me catch up because it had gotten prety bad.
We see the oncologist next week, we'll probably get another scan to get a baseline before we make any decisions regarding chemo and treatment.
The first few days after his surgery, after he got home I mean (because the very first night he was shaking, screaming and sweating in pain, and the next two they kept him for general, normal, after-surgery observation), which was actually days 4,5,6, whatever... he was sore and really stiff. But now he is doing SO MUCH BETTER. It's like night and day. He's still stiff and sore but he's not using his pain meds as much as he's allowed. Still quite a bit, but he can take his dilaudid every 2 hours and he's only taking it like every 4. And before, he was supposed to take it every 3 but he was taking it like once an hour lol. He still can't do much on his own, he has to use the walker because he's fairly weak and the femur that was rodded makes the joint and general area stiff and sore. But even with that stiffness, the lessened pain makes him much more mobile. He needs help showering (Hon, can you please turn the shower head off of me? ok now turn it back), dressing, getting in and out of bed, in and out of cars, getting food, doing general personal care still but I can't even tell you how relieved I am that he's not constantly in pain at an 8-10 level. He is on oxygen a good 80% of the time now -- especially at night, because pain meds suppress his breathing and being asleep also does this, and he was dropping down to low 80's at night without it. We see a home health nurse once or twice a week, and a physical therapist comes once a week, too. She annoys the shit out of me. She's very nice, and she goes out of her way to do much more for her patients than the job calls for -- what? You need a hand-held shower head? I will find you one! -- but she is also bad abotu talking down to Karl, acting like he's maybe 3, or an 80 year old dementia patient. Pfft, woman! If anyone is going to roll her eyes and talk to my husband like he's 3 it will be ME tyvm.
I also can't even express my gratitude to the many people who've been there for us for all of this. Suzy took the kids home with her for two nights after Karl's surgery so I could be there with him and stuff. Best best friend ever. Olivia gushed about playing with Nikki for a week LOL My parents, who take the kids an awful lot (they are also thankful to Suzy for taking them those nights lol). Karl's youngest brother Scott (my favorite BIL btw), his dad and step-mom and her bff Olie, who all came up and built a ramp coming off our front porch so Karl would be able to come home, and get in and out of the house for appointments safely. Lamont and Toni even bought the wood, and I was planning on doing in. LOL Lamont ALSO decided that building the ramp meant he got a new nail gun, hahaha. And the so many of you out there who have been praying for Karl's health, for my sanity, for all of it, I can't even thank you enough. It really does help, knowing that there are so many people out there praying I don't even know hoe many there are. It's comforting. It gives me peace. It gives Karl peace. The day he went into the hospital this last time I had hit rock bottom. I had multiple meltdowns. I cried, I screamed, I stomped my little feet. I think that's ok. But it was all the love that got me through it.
OH and my mom and sister, who came over last Friday and stayed up LATE with me, scrubbing the house and rearranging it to make sure Karl could get around safely in it with his walker when he got home, and also just to help me catch up because it had gotten prety bad.
We see the oncologist next week, we'll probably get another scan to get a baseline before we make any decisions regarding chemo and treatment.
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