Katie’s Recovery…Sunday August 22, 2010

11:30pm.  Katie had a very busy day. Well, sort of busy. She had two visitors who weren’t nurses. 

This morning our friend Mary stopped over after church for a short visit…very short, since she’s a doctor so she understands that recovering patients get tired from long visits. It was so nice to see her, though. As a doctor, she has given Katie (and me!) many tips on what to expect before, during, and after the operation, which made it so nice for us to have a general idea of what to expect. She was always very respectful to the operating doctor, though, by telling us the tidbits without anywhere near treading on “his territory”. It was always very useful general information; nothing specific to how she would do something better or differently, etc. She’s a wonderful person and would never stoop to disparaging another doctor.  The general info on the effect the muscles have on the body, if your body twitches then it’s normal, etc. Even down to letting me know that as the mother/caretaker, I’m going to be more exhausted than I thought….and that’s normal and ok.

After Mary left, Katie was very tired so she fell asleep on the upstairs couch. Poor baby. Even though she slept for almost 8 hours last night, she was still tired from just waking up in the morning, getting a shower, and having a visit.

In the later afternoon, our friend Abby came over. Partly to visit Katie, and partly to visit all of us since she was in Bangor. She lives in Machias, so whenever she gets to Bangor it’s always nice to see her. She and her sister Lori are like other daughters to me. Love ‘em!  It was nice because she came over just as Katie, Alex, and I were starting to take Katie’s first walk of the day. Abby joined us in Katie’s first day of reaching the sidewalk around the park in less than 3.5 minutes. Yay!!

Katie is up to a 7 minute walk, so we do 3 minutes 30 seconds one way, then the same back to the house.  Won’t be too long and we’ll be going all the way around the park!!

So far so good with these pain pills. She doesn’t seem allergic to them. Thank Goodness. She’s still taking the Benadryl once a day, so I don’t it will affect her as badly as it did before because we’ll catch it a lot sooner.

Til later…..

Katie’s Recovery…Saturday…August 21, 2010

9:30pm.  This has been a very nice, slow, laid-back day. Katie slept until 8am or so, which gave us about 8 hours of sleep. yay.  She had her shower, breakfast, we took a walk, where she increased her time by one minute, so she actually made it to the corner of Dartmouth and Juniper.  yay!!!

After our walk, she said she was still hungry, so we got in the van and drove up to Wendy’s for some delicious, bad-for-you fast food. yum!  The whole day has been relaxing like that. I cooked a meatloaf for dinner, which was really good. Katie and I went outside to her garden where we picked some tomatoes.  We went for another walk after dinner.  Now, we are watching the Disney Channel.

There is really not a lot to  “report” now. She’s dong very, well. Yay!!!!!

 

Til later..

Katie’s Recovery…Friday August 20,2010

11:45pm.  Katie is doing so well. Her allergy-rash from the Percocet is almost completely gone. Yay! The new pills (tramadol) seem to be working fine. She’s still taking Benadryl to chase away the lingering itchy-rash, but I think she will be rash/itch free by Sunday.

The Physical Therapy guy (Scott) was here again; this is his last time since she’s doing so well, and insurance won’t justify him coming over if he’s not teaching her anything new. He showed her stretches for her back, legs, and how to turn herself onto her side when she’s in bed. She has also “graduated” to going up/down the steps on alternate feet, instead of the “old lady way” of putting both feet on one step, then moving to the next step and repeating.

The visiting nurse won’t be back until Tuesday, so it seems we might have a “normal” weekend for once.

We took our 6-minute walks today….twice. Each day she goes a little farther in the 6 minutes; tomorrow she’s going to walk for 7.

Her incision is healing beautifully.

She is doing so well that there’s not too much of a daily update anymore. We are keeping track of her “pipes”…might be time for another wonderful dose of that “delicious” Milk of Magnesia. <shudder>. The hospital said to get a scale so she could weigh herself everyday…a severe weight gain/loss is not good. Especially a severe gain, as that would mean fluid is backing up. So far she’s been fine.

We are now getting into a pretty good routine, especially with these new pain pills and the benadryl. She takes a dose of the Benadryl and her pain pill at 11 and that seems to get her through til about 8AM for sleeping.  I’m also “allowing” myself to get into a deeper sleep now since I don’t have to be worried about her during the night.  Feels like I’ve gone full circle back to when she was a baby!!! ha.

Getting more sleep is great for both of us.

Speaking of which….good night.

Til later…….

Katie’s Recovery…Thursday August 19, 2010

9:30PM. Katie slept for 8 hours last night!! yay!! Benadryl is a wonderful thing. She was more sore and stiff than usual since she was in pretty much the same spot for so long, but it was great to “sleep in”. She was also hungry for breakfast, which was a first for her. She and I are not breakfast people to begin with, then throw in feeling so rotten for the past few days, and it’s no wonder she never wanted breakfast.

So far, her new pain pills are working fine.  No new allergy-bumps. 

It was the “usual” morning…breakfast, shower, take a 6-minute walk outside with Alex and me, sit in living room and fall asleep on the chair.

After lunch, Nurse Mel stopped over to check on the patient. She agreed that Katie looked great. Nurse Melanie wants her to continue the Benadryl at bedtime (if not at least once more during the day). And to also start taking the colace twice a day to avoid the “problem pipes” if these new pills treat her the same way as the Percocet. I hope not.

After dinner, the three of us took another walk. 

Now Katie and I are watching the Cooking Channel.

It was an uneventful day, yet at the same time a very, very exciting day. Any day that the rash is going away is a good day.

Til later……

Katie’s Recovery..Wed Aug 18, 2010

10:15pm. What a day. Starting from midnight, it’s been a loooooong day!

Continuing from when I “signed off” last night….I went to Katie’s room to check on her breathing; she was fine. Sound asleep, nice even breathing, no signs of her body going into distress, etc.  Satisfied that she wasn’t in immediate danger, I went to bed but couldn’t really fall asleep. About 2AM my cell phone rang. I thought it was Katie needing something, but when I answered it, my friend Merrie was on there. She works at the visiting nurse agency we are using (that’s why I chose that agency), and she was the coordinator on call these two weeks, so it was really nice hearing a friendly voice say, “Hey, Susan…what’s up?” as she has done many times during our Civil Air Patrol times.

I told her about Katie’s rash and mentioned the horrible, horrible constipation she’s been experiencing since Monday.  We talked for a few minutes, then she asked if I wanted the nurse on call to give me a call right away or wait til they open around 8. Knowing Katie was “fine”, I said it could wait til they opened.  Between talking to someone who is a friend, and knowing Katie was breathing and sleeping ok, I was able to get a deep sleep for the 4 short hours til Katie called for her morning pain pill. Never realizing, of course, that the pain pill in question  was the culprit. But still…….

Nurse Melanie called about 9AM or so; she was not scheduled to come over, so she had two patients before she could get over here. She wound up getting here in the afternoon. Perfect timing as it gave Katie a chance to take a shower, eat, and practice how not to scratch the huge red splotches invading her body.

11:45pm. Trying to write this without interruptions is sometimes next to impossible.  Katie is now tucked in bed, her teeth brushed, pajamas on, pills popped, etc. She took a Benadryl and her new pain medicine before getting into bed. Maybe we can sleep soundly until 6am or so……

Back to today…..Nurse Melanie was wonderful. She looked at Katie’s rash, took the steri-strips off the “puncture wounds” from where one of the tubes had been in her chest, called the doctor to report what she found, and stayed here for a while until everyone had called back, Katie had new meds, and the prescription had been called in to the pharmacy.

In addition to the rash, was the horrible, painful fact of Katie’s pipes not working since Monday. The Percocet does an incredible job of stopping up people’s “workings”, but especially when it’s being taken 2 tables every four/five hours around the clock. Way too much for  her “sensitive” body.  Katie was introduced to the icky world of “I Need A Lot Of Milk of Magnesia” land. It’s absolutely essential that bowels don’t get stopped up and stayed stopped up, so something has to be done. Nurse Mel told me what to get, so I did…colace tablets, Milk of Magnesia, and benadryl---for her itchy rash.

She did NOT have a fun time sitting on her “throne” of Unhappy Bowels. That’s about as delicate as I can put it. Poor Katie. However, after being off the Perc. for a few hours, her kingdom decided it loved her again and “let all the bad, ‘stuffy’ hooligans go away.” Leaving only peaceful solitude in the depths of her tummy.

And, of course, since my life is never dull, both big burners on the stove decided to bite the dust. Both of them. At the same time.  So, I had to call Sears to make an appointment

Katie, Alex, and I went for a walk with her today. She is doing so, so well.

I can barely keep my eyes open.

Hard to believe it is already after midnight. Was hoping I’d be able to post this entry on the same day I started it, but too many things  come along.

Til  later……

Katie’s Recovery…Wed…Aug 18, 2010

12:45AM.    Katie went to bed a little after midnight, but we had to call the visiting nurse and leave a message. My sweet, darling baby girl has developed a rash on her neck, underarms, belly, and along the length of the incision on her chest.  She said her neck had been itching for about a day, but she thought it was from where they’d had the tape on the IV in her neck. However, the IV has been out since Friday, and the rash from it had almost disappeared. The new rash had started, but she didn’t realize it wasn’t the same one…just thought it was coming back.

This new rash is on either side of her neck. She is allergic to the tape that’s used for bandaging, etc, and she still has some strips of it on her belly where the chest tube had been. The hospital told her to leave the strips on and they’d fall off by themselves. I think she’s having a reaction to it, even though she says it’s not itching near or under the bandaging strips. 

I’ll go out in the morning and get her some Benadryl for the rash. I hope the nurse calls me back early enough in the morning so I’ll have an idea of what to do…as in take off the five or six band-aid strips, take her to the doctor, take her to the ER, etc.  The rash is not bright red or bumpy, but it’s heading that way.  I feel so useless and stupid.

I have my cell phone right with me, the portable house phone is with my cell phone, and I’ve turned my air conditioner off so I’ll be able to hear either one if/when it rings.

Before I go to sleep….to get in the few hours that I can, since it’s now 1AM and her pain medicine will be wearing off in 3 hours….I’m going to go in her room and check on her breathing, etc.  I hope we don’t have to make an ER visit tonight. My poor baby has been through enough. I can’t wait until all this is behind her and she’ll be able to tell how much the new valve was worth all this.

Good night….I think…..

Til later…..

Katie’s Recovery..Tuesday..August 17, 2010

10:00PM.  I think getting on a schedule is going to be a good thing…if we can perfect it!! ha

My morning phone call came at 5AM; I gave Katie her pain pills, helped her get re-settled in bed, then was back asleep by 5:45. I slept til almost 7:30, so I had a nice morning “cat nap”. I got Katie up around 8-ish, then we went downstairs for breakfast. She wanted oatmeal, but not the instant….oh, boy. That meant I had to cook it. She gave me directions, so it turned out really well. She ate the whole bowl, which was wonderful since she doesn’t have much of an appetite right now.

We went back upstairs so she could take a shower and get out of her pajamas. It’s always nice to change into “day clothes”.  She hit a milestone today…..she was able to take her t-shirt off by herself. First time since last week she had the range of motion and muscle-ease to do that.

After her shower, she fell asleep on the couch; I had to leave for work (cleaning a house), so I left her in Alex’s capable hands. He’s such an incredible, caring brother. He was going to give her about a half hour to sleep, then go on her walk outside with her. Instead, she was too tired to go, but he was here when the Physical Therapy guy—Scott—showed up about 11:30am.  The three of them went for a walk.

I came home before Scott left, so I got to meet him. He was great. Katie feels so much more at ease now; she knows she can do leg stretches, back stretches, move her arms more, etc. As long as she’s not putting pressure on the sternum, she’s fine. In the hospital, all you heard was “don’t do this….don’t do that…..blah…blah…blah…” She was almost afraid to move. Scott is a perfect PT—calm, easy-going, young, and in shape. He’ll be back Friday.

Katie, Alex and I took a walk in the early evening. The walk was still 6 minutes, like the other day (Sunday), but she was able to go two houses farther than the Sunday. Yay!!

A few minutes ago, she breathed into her Spirometer again, and she’s up to about 2,000 consistently. In the hospital she was averaging between 800 and 1,000. She’s progressing so well.

Right now, she and I are watching “Chopped” on Food Network, where every week four different chefs compete in timed food-cooking challenges using out of the ordinary ingredients. It’s one of our favorite shows.

Her next pain pill is at midnight; she can now go sometimes 5 hours between pills, so it’s not a consistently  solid 4 hours between them, which means her last pill of the day….the one which will get her through the night….can be anywhere between 10pm and midnight. The trick is, the earlier the night-time/bed-time pill, the earlier she’ll need it in the morning for the dreaded AM achiness and pain. I think it’s better to go to bed a little later.

Til later……

Katie Home…Katie’s Recovery. Monday August 16, 2010

9:30PM. What a day. It’s not getting any easier to get into a schedule. Tomorrow we are making more of an effort; today was not a good day to start. Katie….and therefore I….woke up at 5 needing her pain pill. This time, though, after I got her milk (so her stomach doesn’t get upset) and she took her pill, she…and therefore I….went back to sleep well before 6. Alex had his dentist appointment at 9:30, so I was up again by 7:30 so I could take a shower and check in on Katie. She was sleeping pretty soundly, so I fixed Alex some breakfast (he loves my scrambled eggs, and it’s the one time/meal I can actually fix something and make him happy; it’s nice to mother him for a few minutes each day).

I checked up on Katie before we left at 9:15, told her we were leaving, and made sure she was all set for about an hour. She was happily in comfortable-land…sort of awake, sort of asleep. A few minutes later, when Alex and I were almost to the dentist’s, Katie called…..we forgot her blood pressure pill that has to be taken every 12 hours. ugh. How could I have forgotten that. So, I dropped him off at the dentist, came home, and gave her the pill. However, by this time she’s starting to feel a little sick and weak because it’s been too long since she’d eaten. So…..we went downstairs so she could eat some so-called breakfast (Chocolate Fruity Pebbles….yuck.). She was happy with it. She and I are NOT breakfast eaters, so anything to get her to eat is good. It takes her a long, long time to get through a bowl of cereal because she really has no appetite with the pain pills (Percocet) she’s on.

While she’s struggling to get some food into her belly, and I’m sitting there eating the awesome Frosted Flakes straight from the box (not really for breakfast per se, but because I LOVE them), the house phone rings. Usually the house phone is someone calling for my mother because we use our cell phones, and everyone we know uses our cell numbers. For some reason, the visiting nurse “company” has the home number in addition to the cell numbers, but they prefer to use the house phone. Good thing I answered the strange number anyway. It was Gentiva (visiting nurse place). The nurse, Melody, was calling to see if she could come over today to check Katie. I thought she was going to be the Physical Therapist that Jen had mentioned yesterday; it turned out to be another “regular” nurse.

As Katie was finally finishing up her so-called breakfast, and we had made the appointment with the nurse, then Alex called to say that he was finished at the dentist. Katie got herself…..with me “supervising” in case she fell, tripped, etc…..settled into the chair in the first-floor living room. I left to get Alex, drop him back off at home, then I had to go to the bank and Walmart for more milk. I’m so glad Katie loves milk as much as she does. It’s good for her, it helps coat her stomach against the pain pills, and it’s a mini-meal.

Once I got home from all that, it was time for her to take a shower. Well, not really a scheduled time….since we don’t have a schedule yet….but she wanted to take her daily shower before the visiting nurse came over. Forty-five minutes later, she was showered, dressed, dry hair, and felt like a human again.

Nurse Melody (Melanie? Didn’t quite catch her name, and her name tag said “Mel”) came over right on time. She was really nice, but she was not the Physical Therapist we were hoping for. But, she took Katie’s vitals, looked at the little bit of discharge coming from Katie’s scar after her shower—which was determined to be the normal healing since it didn’t have any “danger signs”, and got in touch with Scott The Physical Therapist, who will now be here tomorrow around noon.  There was a slight mix-up in communication at the Gentiva Office, so Mel was assigned to us today, but Jen let her know that she’s keeping Katie; Jen will be back Thursday and will continue from now on.

After the visit, it was time for me to start dinner….such as it was.  Katie loves the Gorton brand frozen fish fillets, so I got a few boxes of those. We all love them, but they are so incredibly greasy that I hate for us to eat them. However, if it’s something Katie will eat, then I’m happy.

More pain pills followed, along with Katie taking her mandatory walks. It was raining today so she was relegated to walking in the house. She made a very borrrrrriiiiiiinnnnnng circuitous route on the first floor around the living room, dining room, kitchen, and round and round, etc etc. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice again so we’ll go back outside.

About 6:30 I was finally able to sit on the couch, where I promptly fell asleep for about a half hour. It felt so good!!!!

Katie and I have decided that I have to be more like the hospital when it comes to the timing of when to get her up for her shower, etc. Especially on the days I have to work, like tomorrow. I’ll start getting her up around 6AM, give her a pain pill, get her into the shower, then settled into a chair downstairs or the couch upstairs. Then she can come downstairs to eat another so-called breakfast, and settle on the chair downstairs.  I’ll leave for an hour or so, Alex will be here, then I’ll be back before she needs another pill.

This will work….I hope. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

Til later……

Katie Home…Sunday…August 15, 2010

9PM.  This is Katie’s first full day home, and we are still getting settled into a schedule. The morning started at 5:30 with a phone call from Katie requesting her pain pills. We use our cell phones to communicate as opposed to ringing a bell, a buzzer, or an intercom. It works out quite well, actually, but I was so exhausted last night I really didn’t want to be woken up by my cell phone. But, although it’s been a busy day, it’s been a wonderful, blessed busy day.  I so do not take it for granted that I am blessed enough to be taking care of my baby girl after such a major surgery. A few mornings of getting up early and being tired is worth it.  It is nothing compared to what she’s been through this week, so I really can’t complain.

After I got Katie settled with her pills, helping her out to the upstairs-living-room couch, and getting her comfortable, I had to go downstairs and fix Alex a scrambled egg.  Since he plays in the Praise and Worship band at church, he had to be there; I needed to stay home with Katie so Bobby took him. After Alex left (about 8:30), I decided to wash the kitchen floor, which I had wanted to do for weeks. Katie was taking a small rest on the couch before taking a shower, so I had a few minutes to wash the floor. I got halfway  finished when the phone rang.  It was the visiting nurse. I thought they weren’t going to call until tomorrow, so I was kind of surprised. But, I was glad to get the visits started. She asked if she could come over by 9:30. So…..I had to finish the floor, then get upstairs to get Katie into the shower---all in 45 minutes. Whew!!

We made it; the nurse, Jen, showed up, asked all kinds of questions, took her vitals, and even suggested that the Physical Therapist pay a visit so Katie can get started on some “low-impact” exercises that she can do in place of some of the “walking time”.

After that exciting start to my morning, my day was about to get even better----grocery shopping!!! Nothing can top a trip to the grocery store; and, I not only got to go to one store, I had the privilege of going to Super Walmart AND Shaw’s Supermarket. I was so happy, I could have cried. Yes, I could have cried….because I hate grocery shopping!!! ugh ugh ugh. There are always so many more things I want to do instead of wasting my life in a grocery store. ugh.  But, Katie needed a lot of different things to keep her appetite interested, and I’m the only one who can drive, so…….

One of the cutest things, though, was when Katie called and asked me to pick up some “kid’s cereals”—Cap’n Crunch, Chocolate Fruity Pebbles, and Frosted Flakes. That was so sweet…my 23 year old daughter requesting kid’s  cereal.

Once I got home, I put the groceries away, then Katie wanted to take her mandatory 6-minute walk---outside!! We went a few driveways up the road, then came back. I was so proud of her that she wanted to walk outside.

When we came back in, we ate some cantaloupe then I went in the back to water ALL the flowers and Katie’s garden.

I came back in, Katie and I went for another 6-minute walk, then we had dinner….at 7:30  I hope we don’t eat that late every night. My mother fixed dinner, and she always tends to run late. This will be part of the scheduling snag we are in right now.  I don’t like to cook…its a necessary evil to me. ugh. Katie is not well enough to cook yet, and when she is she can only lift 10 pounds or less.  Hopefully, tomorrow’s dinner will be on time.

Katie and I are sitting in the living room downstairs watching the Next Foodnetwork Star.  We think Aartay is going to win it, but Herb and Tom have become very excellent, too……………Yup, Aartay won. I’m glad. I liked her.

Two more hours until Katie’s next pill at midnight, and I can fall into a deep sleep. Alex has a dentist appointment in the morning. Then, hopefully, the PT lady will be over.

Til later…..

KH Update…Post Op Day 4…HOME!..Sat Aug 14, 2010

11:45pm.  I’m exhausted. This was Katie’s first day home, and even though it was only a half day, I’m tired. Not complaining…just tired.

However, she is doing extraordinarily well. Unbelievably well. Super-duper well. She had a bad day yesterday (the dreaded 3rd day post-op), but today seemed to be much better as though it was just another normal, mixed up, emotional day. BUT….nothing like yesterday.

She has been up and down the inside flight of steps twice today, eaten an awesome meal (my spaghetti…yummmm), had some wonderful ice cream, took her pain pills at slightly longer and longer intervals, been up and down on the sofa upstairs a lot (drinking all that water…..), sat downstairs and watched the Food Network’s  sister channel, Cooking, washed her scar/incision and her face, and was in bed by 11:30.

That is an excellent day.  She was so, so, so tired that she started crying at one point as she was sitting on the upstairs couch. I explained to her that for right now, this and how she feels is her “new normal”. It will go away after a while, but for the next few weeks, don’t look any further than a day or so at a time, and don’t look back.

I know she’ll be just fine.

Til later……

KH Update…Post Op Day 4…HOME!!…Sat Aug 14, 2010

3PM. Katie has been home for about an hour or so. When we got here, Alex came out to support her as she walked from the van to the house. Getting up the four steps to the front door was a bit of an effort, so once she got into the living room, she’s been sitting in the upright chair resting.  Of course, since it’s Katie….she’s watching the Food Network. She said she feels like she’s run a marathon. Ummm….yup. Her body has been through a lot, so it’s going to take her a while to get used to the “new normal”.  She is scheduled for Sept 13 to start Cardiac Rehab; she’s really looking forward to that.

She is going to go up the stairs now, so Alex is going to help her/steady her.

Til later…..

KH Update…Post Op Day 4..Saturday Aug 14, 2010

10:30AM.  Katie called around 9:30 to say they had removed the wires from her heart (the ones sticking out of her stomach in case they had to hook her up to the emergency pacemaker) in preparation for her coming home today. Yay!

I am now sitting by her bed as she sleeps; she’s on mandatory bed rest for a while, then we will watch a movie about going home. It will probably be a few hours before she’s released. Alex stayed home so he can finish a few things with the modifications he and Bobby did to her bed so the mattress doesn’t move. He’s performing the high-tech operation of putting duct tape over the top of the two-by-fours so she doesn’t get splinters if she touches them. Actually, it’s a huge help for him to do the seemingly “little things” that need to be done.

While she’s still sleeping, I have a bit more time to continue writing. It’s kind of scary for her to be coming home. Most of me is so very excited; a tiny part of me is worried that she won’t be in the safe cocoon of the hospital with the “professional nurses”…..she’ll only have me to rely on!  Thankfully, she will have a visiting nurse a few times a week for a short while who will take blood pressure and other vital stats. That will make me feel a lot better. Even if she/he only sees Katie once or twice before declaring that Katie if fine enough without a nurse, I’ll be happy. It will be good to have someone for the initial “bridge” of the hospital and home.

Most of what Katie will need from me is help up and down stairs, getting in and out of the shower, and maybe help getting dressed. Her heart is fine; now it’s just a matter of letting her bones heal. Her incision still looks wonderful…..healing beautifully, not “weeping”, and a good color.

I didn’t talk to Katie on the phone long enough this morning to know if she had practiced on the steps they have here. She’s sound asleep, though, so she might have and that’s why she’s so tired. Yesterday and today have been “restful sleeps” since she’s been here. Before, even when she was sleeping, there was strain on her face. Now, she looks more like she does at home when she’s happily sound asleep.

She might be asleep for a while, but I’m running out of things to ramble on about.  It will be interesting to see what the “going home movie” will be like.  Probably something made in the 80’s; still relevant, but not really updated. ha.

Til later……

KH Update….Post Op Day 3..Friday Aug 13, 2010

8PM. Katie is so, so tired today. She’s sitting in her favorite (only) chair half asleep. We are waiting for the nurse tech to find the steps, which have gone AWOL, so she can practice for our steps at home. When Alex and Bobby brought my “dinner” (Burger King…not exactly the healthiest thing, but it’s all I could think of for them to bring me), I told them my idea, then sent them home to do it.

Since Katie’s bed is not against the wall, and her mattress likes to move whenever it’s barely pushed, I told them to take some wood and drill it into the bed frame on the opposite side of where Katie gets in and out.  Since she has to brace the backs of her legs against the side of the mattress then sit, this way her mattress won’t go anywhere and she won’t run the risk of “stumbling” into bed, or be startled when/if it moves suddenly.  Yup….I think I’m brilliant! ha

Watching Katie’s carotid artery, it’s very evident that she has a rapid heartbeat. It doesn’t seem to be of much concern to anyone, but it was still a question. When she asked the Physician’s Assistant (Dr. Clough’s assistant) about it this morning, he had an excellent answer: “Your heart has been opened up, taken out, drained of blood, taken apart, had a new part put in, sewn up, put back in, started pumping blood again, and now has to help heal the broken chest bones and torn muscles sustained through the operation. On top of all that, it now has to re-learn how to function with a new part in it. It has every reason to be beat fast for a while until it finds its equilibrium.”  I love that answer!!

Katie and I are watching one of the few “good” channels on the hospital tv….Disney. We’d rather be watching the Food Network or TLC (which has “Say Yes to the Dress”). However, there’s a cute, first-run Disney movie on….”Den Brother”. The Disney movies are usually really good; thankfully, this one is, too.

Wish those steps would magically appear so Katie can practice then go to sleep for the night. She’s really tired, poor baby.

Til later…..

KH Update…Post Op Day 3 Friday August 13, 2010

4:45PM. There is a very good possibility Katie will be going home tomorrow!! Yay!  She is doing very, very well. Dr. Clough is so pleased with her progress.

I came over this morning, but she was just starting to fall asleep after having eaten breakfast and going for a walk, so I left to run to the store for stupid groceries (I hate grocery shopping), then I came back after she had lunch. She was sitting in her favorite (only) chair, then she and I went for a nice, relatively long walk around a huge square that makes up this part of the the fourth floor. A much longer walk than just around the nurse’s station. She didn’t have a walker or any other type of help, and she didn’t lean on me once. When we got back, she said her legs were very tired, but overall it was nice to get up and move.

For some reason, she said they didn’t practice the steps with her, but later the nurse said she’d be fine with the steps once she got home. Just don’t go up and down a lot for a while.

This has been the infamous “Day 3” post-op, which she had been warned about. The day of hormones deciding to figure out if they want to stabilize or not (they usually do, but not without a fight); the day of realization that the operation really-n-truly happened; the day of still in a lot of pain, but getting used to the pain, so the pain comes in more crashing waves than a constant companion (although the underlying achy-pain is still there at all times); and it’s the day of tears for seemingly no reason, yet for every reason.  As the wonderful Nurse Michelle told her this morning…it’s like being an adolescent all over again.  So, not a particularly cheerful day. At least it was expected, so that didn’t add to the general angst.

It’s almost 5pm, dinner time. Alex didn’t come with me today as he and Bobby took a run to Farmington so he can get most of his stuff moved into his dorm room early. College starts Sept 1. They are going to bring me something to eat when they get back to Bangor. Good, since I’m really hungry.

Reverend Haddix from All Souls Congregational Church (the church Katie attends; I’ll explain the reason for different churches in a different post) just stopped in to visit and pray. That was so nice. I love the people at All Souls. I love the people at Bangor Baptist. It’s great to have a church or two that are so wonderful. Well, her dinner is not here yet, so I’ll explain the church-thing now.  When we first moved up here, we attended Bangor Baptist (BBC). As the kids got older, there was a lot of “fitting in” problems because the kids at BBC only seemed to like to gravitate to the other ones who also attended the school attached to it.  I wanted them to be in a church that was more “kid friendly”, so I found All Souls, where I loved the people immediately. Katie and Alex loved it there, but my heart-worship was with BBC; once Katie graduated and went off to college, Alex and I started back at BBC. Katie prefers All Souls, so now Alex and I go to BBC, and Katie goes to All Souls. Their friend Bobby has started attending All Souls, so he takes her.  I am comfortable with both churches; I feel so blessed to have a church home at two places.

The best part of all this is that over the years BBC has become more kid-friendly/teen-friendly….to the point now of where I wouldn’t dream of leaving if they were still young. And….All Souls has become much, much more “conservative” in their theology.  Congregational churches are not known for their “conservative” thinking, but All Souls is like an island unto itself. I have to say I  love both churches, but I love, love, love BBC and the contemporary worship music.

So, we are a family blessed with friends and “church family” from two awesome churches. Christ is our rock and foundation and our Savior, so that’s the bottom line and the best part.

5:12pm. Hopefully, Katie’s dinner will be here any minute, so I’ll close this computer for a while.  Katie just called for some more pain medication; it’s been a very busy day.

Til later…….

KH…Post Op Day 2..Thursday Aug 12, 2010

11:30PM.  Let’s hope I can write before I fall asleep. ugh. Katie is making major, major strides in getting better. When I went back over to the hospital around 5pm, she was sitting in her favorite (only) chair. Her color was wonderful.  She said Nurse Dustin had taken her for a walk earlier, around the ever-popular tourist attraction of The Nurse’s Station.

Bobby and Alex came over when I did so Bobby could pay her a visit.  While we all were there, she had to use the room bathroom.  Alex was very, very impressed that it took her hardly any time to get out of the chair. She didn’t need any help to either get out of the chair OR for walking to the other room.  They didn’t stay too long (Bobby gets rather squeamish around hospital stuff like blood, etc), but I stayed there until around 9:30. Visiting hours are over at 8pm, but I don’t think they mind me being in there since I help Katie so much, which in turn helps them.

I’m falling asleep as I write this, so I’m going to get some real sleep.

G’night.

KH Update…Post Op Day 2…Thursday Aug 12, 2010

10:30AM. Alex and I are here with Katie for a little bit this morning. When we came into her room she was sitting up in her lovely chair; she had a good breakfast this morning; the nurses woke her up for a lovely stroll around the nurse’s station at 5:30 this morning; and they’ve been waking her up every few hours during the night for meds, etc. She’s having such a great, restful time on this vacation!!

She is now taking a shower for the first time since the operation. She was so excited when they told her last night that she’d be able to take one today. I brought her face soap so she’ll feel extra clean.

When she arrived in this room yesterday, she didn’t have a roommate, which was really nice. When I left last night around 10 or so, she was still alone. She now has a roommate—an older lady who was brought in around 3 this morning.  Knowing Katie and how sweet she is, she will be good friends with this woman before one or the other leaves.

11:30AM. Alex and are home so Katie can get some rest; I have two houses to clean today, then I’ll be going back over to EMMC after that. She was really exhausted after taking a shower, washing her hair, getting her bandages changed, and having more pain because of all that. This will give her a few hours to sleep, eat lunch, and sleep some more. Well, until they get her up for another walk.

Before her shower, the nurse (Michelle) took the bandages off the incision; they are now gone for good. I was able to see the incision after Katie took her shower, got back in bed,  and NM was cleaning the “scar”. It’s healing so well!! It’s a very neat, nicely sewn spot. Looks very healthy. NM said they’d only have to cover it again if it started weeping in places, and then they’d only have to cover those spots. They don’t expect it to open up, though.

As NM was cleaning the incision and generally getting Katie back in order, I noticed some very thin wires sticking out of both sides of Katie’s stomach. Maybe 22 or 24 gauge wire with probes on the ends of each of the three wires on either side. NM explained that they are threaded up into Katie’s heart, then would be connected to a Unit (I can’t remember the name of it right now) in case her heart would “have a problem”. They do that for the first few days, then they will pull them out on the day she goes home.  I can’t quite wrap my mind around how the wires will be pulled out but not yank a little of the heart with it, but……..it’s still amazing.

Even though it doesn’t seem like it’s been a busy day for her, she’s doing a ton for only 48 hours after major surgery.

I’m keeping her garden watered and looked after. When I watered it this morning, she had two flowers on her pumpkin vine. I took a picture of it and showed it to her when we went over. I wish she could eat more solid food…I’d take her some of her cute little grape tomatoes.  She’s on “almost solid” food (oatmeal, custard, etc), but I don’t think tomatoes are on the menu yet.

She’s doing so well. I’m so pleased and proud of her.

Til later…….

KH Update Post Op Day 1…Wed August 11, 2010

5PM. Katie was moved up to the “Cardiac Recovery Floor” (my term) on the 4th floor a little over an hour ago. Everyone is very nice in her “new home”, but it’s very busy here. It was so calm down in the CCU, and the nurses were able to be quicker in responding; I am in no way, shape, or form being mean to the nurses up here. It’s just that with a smaller amount of people to attend to, it’s nicer. These ladies  up here are doing a fantastic job…they just are in higher demand.

Before I write anymore, I want to say how much the love between Katie and Alex just fills me with motherly pride and humble love. They have always been incredibly close friends, which has been such a blessing; but the sibling love is so wonderful to see in action. It was Alex’s choice to come with us yesterday; he was our alarm clock to get us up by 4AM; he kept Katie laughing when she was getting ready in the hospital before going down to surgery; he stayed with me in the waiting room the whole time; he made phone calls for me when needed; he was with me when we saw Katie right after the operation and she was still “out of it”; he was in her room as we held hands with Pastor Obey and prayed for her; he was there for her first journey to the chair two hours after “waking up”; he noticed the huge improvement on her second journey to the chair a few hours later; today, he was there again for her first steps with her new heart when she ventured into the land of the nurse’s station—he applauded when she completed her venture.  Last night, I told him how much I appreciated  him being there for Katie and me, how much I love him, and how much it meant to me to have him to lean on all day. I was so overcome with emotion and love I almost couldn’t talk. When I gave him a hug, he hugged me back very, very tightly and gave me a long hug. That showed how much he was concerned about Katie, how relieved he was that everything was OK with her, and also how much he loves both Katie and me. Alex is not an automatic hugger, so when he gives prolonged hugs, I know exactly what he’s saying. He is a precious, precious son. I love and respect him so much.  I think it’s so great how much he and Katie love and support each other.

6PM….Katie has “graduated” to eating pudding. Yay!! Her diet is technically a salt-free liquid diet, but since she’s able to hold even that atrocity disguised as food down, the wonderful nurse (told you they were great) brought in some chocolate pudding for her and ordered her food to be changed to “soft deliciousness”. Ok, I made that up, but that’s basically what she’ll be able to eat now. Katie should have her new and improved food tray here any minute. Yum! Nurse Michelle is amazed with how great Katie is doing….Katie requested to go back to Chairland; when Nurse Michelle went to help her, Katie did most of it on her own. Nurse Michelle said that if all the patients were as good as Katie, her job would be so much nicer. Yay!! NM expects Katie to be one of the “faster release” patients. Maybe by Saturday.

I’m so proud of Katie. Even though she’s in so much pain, she is doing everything she’s supposed to. No whining, complaining, or putting it off. She’s incredible.

Katie said she’s getting used to what to expect with the different parts of pain, depending on how she moves. She is definitely on the fast road to recovery. Yay!!!

Til later…..

KH…Post Op Day 1….Wed August 11, 2010

10:30AM. Twenty four hours ago, Katie had her new valve for a half-hour. She had gone “off machine” at 10:00.

Now she is concentrating on recovering from the broken sternum, but doing so with a heart that is fully functional. Alex and I are back in her room in the CCU—Coronary Care Unit—since almost 10.

Katie was taken off most of her IV tubes and abdominal tubes very early this morning; they had her sitting in the chair again for “breakfast”; she received some morphine while we were here; and now she’s trying to sleep, but is still not overly comfortable to be able to get a deep sleep.

The orders were sent up this morning for her room on the “regular” Cardiac recovery floor, so now we are waiting for the room to be available.

The nurse is allowing her to try and get a little sleep before getting her out of bed to take a walk.  The Cardiac Rehab specialist was just here to set up her appointment in September. Katie was looking forward to that. She loves to exercise and was excited to get to do the rehab with cardiac specialists.

As I watch Katie lay there, I can see her carotid artery pumping away; it’s something that kind of scares me because it looks like her heart rate is up, and that’s when we’d go to the ER before. Now, the nurse says it’s ok…..it just means that with her laying down it’s noticeable. She thinks it’s a normal occurrence but since I don’t watch her sleep all the time like I did when she was a baby, then I’m just now noticing it. I tried to tell her that it wasn’t doing this yesterday or when I got here; I only noticed it after the morphine was administered, but she said morphine wouldn’t cause it, so it must be normal for Katie. Nurse Dee was a tad bit patronizing to me, as though I were an over-active-imagination mother. That is so far from the truth, and I have to say I resent it. However, I’ll sit here and keep an eye on Katie…..as a good mother should.  I loved the two nurses Katie had yesterday (Steve and Sue), and the two last night (Kim and Dave).  This Nurse Dee might be good, and she is nice, but I don’t think she like trivial questions. Or, what she thinks of as trivial. {Side note: Nurse Dee is not Katie’s nurse of the day; that’s Melody who is very, very nice. ND was the only person at the nurse’s station when I had my question, so I got stuck with her attitude.}

Katie is coherent, good color, motor functions seem to be fine, and she can still swallow the water from her straw. I’m just not happy with watching her rapid heartbeat from a jumpy carotid artery.  Nurse Dee also said it could be from the IV tube still in her neck; I think I would have noticed that yesterday since it’s obviously making the inserted tube pulsate.  So, I’ll keep an eye on it.

They should be coming in soon to get her up for her walk.  I can’t wait until the pain calms down so she can made a  speedier recovery. I don’t think we’ll know until tomorrow when she will be going home.

Til later……

KH Update #22…Still Tuesday….5:10pm

It’s hard to believe we have been here for over 12 hours. Katie is now resting semi-comfortably.  She’s not in a deep, wonderful sleep, but she’s at least resting.  When we were able to come back in after her breathing tube was out, she was still in so much pain, her face was still very swollen, and she could hardly talk because the breathing tube had made her throat raspy. About an hour after the tubes were out, the two nurses had her out of bed and sitting in a chair for an hour. She was in so much pain doing that.

Alex was sitting in a chair by the other side of the bed, and I was standing behind him trying to stay out of the way. When I saw the pain on her face as they were helping/moving her to the chair, my hands dug into his shoulder to make sure I didn’t go over there and help/hug her. As much as I know it’s for the best that she move like that, it’s still awful to see and hear your child in pain. Knowing that this is a temporary pain which will yield magnificent results is the only thing that get us through.

Right after the operation, when she was still under heavy sedation and had the breathing tube, the assistant Pastor from our church (Bangor Baptist) came by to visit and check up on us. Pastor Obey is so nice. Pastor Mick had left town this morning, so couldn’t be here, but Tom Obey is awesome, too. I was so pleased he came by.  He, Alex and I held hands—I had a hold of Katie’s hand, even though she was off in Sedation-Land—as he prayed over us.

About an hour after he left is when they got Katie into the chair. She is making a great recovery. Even though it hurts like crazy, she’s being strong about getting through it. She’s breathing yoga-style to help her lungs regain their function.

She mostly wants water, water, and more water. However, they don’t want to give her any in case she throws it up, so we asked them to give her ice chips, which they agreed to. So now I’m her official ice-giver.

It’s now 5:35. The nurse is back in here to check meds, etc. Katie is going to use her Spirometer to exercise her lungs. The awesome part is that Katie asked to sit up when she does it!!! yay!!!! She must be feeling better to say that she’s willing to sit up to use it. She’s bored with being in one position (laying down) for a few hours, but a few hours ago she would have never volunteered to change positions.

Her spirometer “count” was 1200 the first try, and 800 the second. Yay!! Pretty good for the first time using it after being operating on.

Her other nurse just said that she’s doing extremely well; she only had the breathing tube in for an hour after the procedure. Normally, it’s in for a lot longer.

So far so good!!!!!!!

I’m so tired I can hardly stay awake. I will stay here until tonight to make sure she’s all settled in, then I’ll go home. Bobby is coming over to get Alex so he can go home. Thank goodness we all live close!

Til later…….

KH Update #21….Still Tuesday

Alex and I went back to see Katie. She is hooked up to all kinds of machines; the lung machine is breathing for her; the urine catcher is catching….well, her urine; the IVs are giving her fluid (you know, wo the UC has something to do); the heart/blood pressure/oxygen machine is monitoring her…..you guessed it—her heart/blood pressure/ and oxygen!! All the machines are doing their respective jobs so she doesn’t have to work at all. The two nurses let us stay in there for about an hour, then they gently kicked us out so they can now start waking her up. Parents and family are not allowed to stay  in there in case they get in the way.  So, we are back out in the waiting area…..waiting. Another family moved into the  corner Alex and I had staked out earlier. At least it’s a quiet family. The Cackle Family, on the other hand, is still here in full force.

Alex and I spoke to the doctor when we first went back to the ICU. He said she has a “bovine valve” now, and he repaired a little hole in her heart they had discovered when they did the heart cath and TEE. The hole is pretty common….it’s called “patent foram en ovale”. (I only know the full name of that because I have the report from our family doctor in my computer bag.) It’s been discovered that the “patent hole” (my new term) can cause migraines, which she gets a few times a year. Maybe she won’t get anymore now.

I’m so glad that yesterday the nurse told us about how swollen she’d be so I was prepared for it.  Her face was very swollen, she didn’t have her normal beautiful pink color….she looked exactly like she just came out of major surgery….which she did. Nothing like on tv.

But, I got to hold her hand—sort of---and be with her, so I was happy.

Gotta go. Katie’s tubes are out and we can go back in. Yay!!

KH update #20. Last one from waiting room (I hope)

One last note on the Cackler Family. They have now added two more adults to the raucous mix AND two toddlers. Do they not realize that this is not their personal waiting room? People are here who are worried, stressed, contemplative, etc. To bring in toddlers who have to be constantly entertained in a roomful of “serious people” is ridiculous and rude. It’s not even like they are off in their own corner or something….they are spread out in the middle of a row of chairs against the windows.

I highly doubt the kids care about being her for the OR Guy, even if they are grandkids or whatever. Please people, have some respect for the adults who are here. We don’t feel like putting up with the noise from your kids, or from you as you talk LOUDLY to them, when it makes it hard to hear what the nurse is trying to tell us about our loved ones.  Sorry to tell you, but this waiting room is for everyone…not your personal reunion space. It’s also not fair to allow the 4 year old to run around because he’s bored, but it’s also not fair to make him stay still like an older child. Have some thought of your kids…for once.

Ok. I feel better for venting.

KH Update # 19…Not waiting anymore!!!

10:00…..Katie is “off machine” and Dr. Clough is closing her up!!! Praise God!!!! Her new valve is working and pumping the life-giving blood on its own. She’s going to feel so much better soon!!! 

Once the doctor is finished, he will call us in to talk with us, and let us know what’s what.

This is getting done a lot faster than I thought.

Gonna close this now so I have everything together when they call us in there. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KH Update…#18…still Tuesday…still in waiting room

0945. Still no news on Katie….but more observations on the Cackler Family. Mother Cackler, Daughter Cackler, and Aunt Cackler just left the room. Only Head/Instigator Cackler and Sane Man are left. Amazingly, when the Others left, H/I Cackler actually got up and moved into the now-empty seat next to Sane Man, where she  spoke in a….are you ready….whisper to Sane Man!! AND she’s not even talking now. Absolutely amazing how different people bring out different personality traits in others.  People know who will respond to them in certain ways, and they form their actions to suit the people around them. I’d say Sane Man doesn’t feed into her loudness, so she’s more reserved around him. Once the Others come back, she will probably start getting louder.

It’s now very, very quiet in here. My lack of sleep the past two nights, plus lack of caffeine or water is making me very, very tired.  I’d like to take a walk outside but there are contractors working on the patio. That’s a shame because this side of the hospital faces the Penobscot River; the hospital is built along part of the river…..it’s a huge hospital. The patio has picnic tables and benches so you can sit out there and drink in the calmness of the river. Very, very nice.

The pastor from our church said he’d be here about 10:30. At this rate, I hope I’m not sound asleep in this chair when he gets here!

I think I’ll stretch my legs for a bit. Maybe it will help to wake me up.

Til later……

KH Update #17…still Tuesday….still in waiting room

It’s now 0905.  Haven’t had any updates on Katie, so I’d say that’s a good thing.

Since there is really nothing else to do, I’ve been “people observing”. Since there are no other people here, I’ve been observing the Cackling Trio. It’s fun to observe the dynamics of different people. One of the Trio left with the only male in the group (I’ll call him Sane Man). The other two “ladies” left were so good without her around. Very quiet. Spoke softly, just between the two of them. Normal conversations. It was so nice for about 20 minutes. Then, the Head Cackler came back. Sane Man was still nice and quiet, but the other two Cacklers started getting louder and more obnoxious….again.  About 10 minutes ago, Head Cackler went out to smoke with Momma Cackler (it’s her husband in the OR getting heart surgery). So, all who is left is Sane Man and Daughter Cackler (obviously the daughter of OR Guy). It was nice again for about 5 minutes. In comes another part of the Caclking family….she looks like OR Guy’s sister or cousin….about that age (60’s maybe).  Sane Man is still nice and quiet, just plucking away at his computer. Daughter Cackler and Aunt Cackler are talking….sort of loudly, but not in an obnoxious way. Don’t think Aunt Cackler has “young ears”, so it’s more of a normal conversation.

Uh oh. Head Cackler just came back in. Alex has bestowed upon her the moniker “instigator”. That fits.  It will start to get loud pretty soon. Mother Cackler stopped of at the ladies room, but she’ll be here soon. It’s amazing the parts of conversations a person picks up!!  Ahhhh……..just learned that OR Guy has blocked arteries, and they are doing his surgery “off cath” (or off cap….couldn’t hear it correctly), which is where the surgery is performed while the heart is still pumping its own blood. I only know the definition of that because Head/Instigator Cackler just read it aloud from her phone.

The Sleepy People are still here. They have been in and out of the ICU visiting their person. I heard somebody mention feeding tube and life support. It doesn’t sound good. I feel really sorry for them. I hope everything turns out ok.

KH Update #16….still Tuesday….still in waiting room…

It is now 0815; at 0805, I was informed that they have started the “bypass” part of the operation. That means Katie is now on the blood bypass machine so they can insert her new and improved valve. I know God is in the OR guiding Dr. Clough’s hands. It’s awesome to know that God is holding my baby’s girl heart, just as He did when he formed her 23 years ago.

There is a lady at the desk in this waiting room, whose sole purpose is to keep in touch with the OR and relay the messages/updates from there to us. I love that. I didn’t realize that would happen. She told us earlier that once she hears “on bypass” from them, that means the patient is on the bypass machine and the actual valve replacement has started. She will then get a message saying something to the effect “off machine”, which will be when the valve is in place and ready to receive the wonderful blood on its own. For the very first time. How amazing. I don’t know how much longer after that before we can go in and see her, but it’s great knowing that the whole process has started. I feel like crying from relief, joy, gratitude, happiness, trepidation, humble thankfulness to God, and on and on.

God….please be with the surgeons and guide their hands. Please be with Katie; whisper to her how much I love her. Please, God, give her a hug for me until I can hug her myself, and thank You, God, for blessing me with such an incredible daughter. Thank You for the surgeons who will be working on her today. In Jesus’s Precious Name. Amen.

Til later……

KH Update #15….still Tuesday…still in waiting room.

It is now 0715. The relative peace and quiet of the waiting room has been invaded by three cackling females. They are really quite annoying, having “announced” their arrival by entering the room talking very loudly, laughing at every little thing, then sitting across the room from us while talking to each other as though they are sitting across the room from each other, instead of next to each other. There is one guy with them, but he’s quietly on his own computer, sitting a little apart from them as though he doesn’t want it known he’s with them. Poor guy. The “girls” (looks like an older mother with two 30-something daughters) conversation consists of the popular gossip from the cheap magazines and the low-life shows on tv.  I think it will be good when their caffeine high wears off. If I don’t have that hope, then I’m going to start getting too irritated by them.

There were a few people in here who must have spent the night, as they were asleep in the chairs when Alex and I came in. We’ve been very quiet all this time, respecting that they are worried about someone in the OR. The Cackling Trio comes in, with no regard that people don’t want to hear their yapping, and the Sleepy People have gotten up and gone. Except for one young lady who was very sound asleep; she’s now awake. I think the Sleepy People have had a very stressful, restless night.

I understand when people like to laugh or talk, etc, but it’s so much more polite to at least make a pretense of keeping it among yourselves. I have no patience for ignorant people. Especially when they act like they own the place.

Nice…they’ve been quiet for a minute. Oh….never mind. Quiet shattered.

Oh no…..now one of the “girls” has decided to read the paper aloud to the other Cacklers.

Til later……

KH Update #14…still August 10, 2010

It is now 0620. Katie is in the OR. The “transport man” (Don) took us down to the first floor; once outside the double doors to the Walmart of Hearts, he let Alex and me give her hugs. I,of course, had my camera. Don was so nice he ran in and got her a “bonnet” for her hair so she’d look official in the picture. He was great.  Katie, of course, said the pictures are not to go on Facebook. I, of course, said they will….why else have FB if not to put up everyday pictures that will irritate your children. ha ha

So, Alex and I are in the OR waiting room. We’ll be here for a few hours at least. I’m finally getting hungry so I’ll run up to the cafeteria and bring us back some breakfast. Alex will stay here and babysit all the electronics and Katie’s belongings.

I love the food in this hospital. It’s not like the typical, yucky hospital food that has such a bad reputation. This is good stuff here!

Til later……

KH Update #13 August 10, 2010

It is 0521 as I write this; we have been at the hospital since 0450. We were told to be here at 0500…and we were!! It was so early, the valet parking wasn’t even “open”; I had to give my keys to security. Actually, we were early enough that the lights hadn’t been turned on in the registration waiting room.  I’ve never been to a hospital so early before.

After registration was complete, someone came and brought us up to the fifth floor, the cardiac unit. (Katie rode in the wheelchair; we plodded along behind). She’s now in with the nurse getting another shower with that delightful antibacterial soap.  I doubt that it smells like flowers like our wonderful soap at home.

They’re back. Katie is changing from the dull brown hospital socks into lively red ones. The nurse is explaining that the red socks signify that someone has to be with her at all times. How interesting. The nurses here are so, so, so nice. I’ve never met a grumpy one.

Ahhh……the questions. “Any metal in your body…..when did you eat last….when did you drink last…..etc, etc…”

So far, I have acquired her bag of clothes, her cane, and her glasses. She has traded those items for the lively red socks, a very stylish hospital gown, and two awesome wrist bands that are the latest in the bracelet fashion world.

Another nurse is now here asking more questions. Some are the same, some are different.  I guess redundancy is only good for certain questions. Is that discrimination against the other questions? We really need a Dunkin Donuts here.

Now…..the stethoscope.  Guess everything sounds good; there was no surprised look on the nurse’s face. 

Katie is now brushing her teeth. Guess they want all germs gone….since I know they are not having her brush because she has eaten recently. Poor thing has not eaten since dinner last night.

The people will be here in a minute to take her down to the OR. Yay!!!

Til later…….

KH Update #12 Monday August 9, 2010

“I thought I’d never be able to run without getting tired until I got to Heaven.”  Katie said that to me last night as we were talking about all the amazing things she will be able to do once her valve-transplant is done. It almost made me cry; I teared up.

She wants to learn to swim “for real”, as in good enough for a swim team; she wants to take unlimited walks; she wants to run around the park as much as she can.

We went to the pre-op appointment this morning at the hospital, where she answered more questions, most of them the same as before, they took more blood, we met with the anesthesiologist, we met Dr. Clough’s Physician Assistant, Katie got a “goodie bag” with special anti-bacterial soap, instructions and hints for what’s going to happen tomorrow, a breathing-exerciser she will need to use after her operation to keep her lungs from collapsing, and the always-popular enema to make sure she’s all cleaned out for the surgery. As the nurse said “it’s not your typical birthday party-type goodie bag.” ha ha So true!

The anesthesiologist answered a lot of questions that Katie was worried about; the main one was about waking up during the operation. She asked, “Am I going to wake up?” He replied, “Eventually.” ha ha He went on to say that it’s the goal that she wakes up after the surgery. ha. He was really nice.  Because she had read in that stupid, poorly-worded, so-called “helpful” pamphlet they gave her 2 weeks ago after her 2 procedures about “…you might find yourself waking up during the operation, while still in the Operating Room. Don’t panic.”  Oh, that’s helpful. I think they could have explained it a little better than that!! She’s been sort of a lot worried since she read that.  He explained that she could “become aware” of what’s happening for a few seconds or a minute (never longer), but she will never feel pain during that time. There will be too many “good drugs” in her system. However, as they are re-circulating her blood (kind of necessary since they are working on the heart!), there may be a moment when the “sleep drugs” are not affecting her brain for a few seconds. It could happen at the beginning and the end of surgery. The anesthesiologist said that in all his years of doing this, he has never seen it; it seems to be a pretty rare occurrence, but it has to be addressed in the stupid, poorly worded, so-called “helpful” pamphlet.

Katie felt so much better after talking to him. Much more relaxed. After our talk with all the important people, a volunteer showed us the waiting room where Alex and I will be sitting and waiting. The good part is---it has wifi!! That is so great since I’m almost falling asleep writing this because I’m so so so so so tired. We have to be over there by 5AM (!!!!!!!). I need to at least pretend to be getting some sleep.  It’s going to be a loooooonnnnnngggggg day tomorrow.

Katie, Alex, and I had our “circle of prayer” a little bit ago. Praying is always such a help.  God bless you, Katie-girl. I love you.