Well, Tomorrow morning Pat goes in for his neck surgery. It is a pretty complex operation. They estimate 6 hours.
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Any news yet?
Surgery was Wednesday at 9:30. I started calling to see how he was at 3:30, but all they would tell me is that he was not in a room yet, and, later in the day, that he was in recovery. Unfortunately Pat did not think and i did not think to ask him to tell the doctor and hospital it was ok to talk to me about his condition.
At about 9:30PM I talked to Nathan and gave him the hospital number. He called later to say that when he tried the hospital they put him thru to recovery and he was able to talk to Pat who was conscious enough to talk, but still pretty out of it. He said Pat said that the surgery had taken 10 hours (though i think it more likely that it took 8 ) and that his neck hurt.
I called this morning. Pat is still in recovery. It could be that they are keeping him where they can constantly watch him because he is supposed to be perfectly still for the first few days. I was not able to talk to him because he was sleeping and was not able to talk to his nurse because she had stepped away.
I will post again when i know more.
Well, I am off to be with Pat. We had talked about my going there to help after his surgery but he didn’t think he would need me. He was more worried about being bored with nothing to do in the hotel for 4 days than he was worried about being able to “do” for himself.
While he has been laid up after surgery i have wished that he was not alone. I know he is not interacting, but he has to feel so very alone. Just knowing that someone who loves you is sitting there and holding hands when you are hurting means so much.
Frankly, when the idea of my going up there first came up, I didn’t want to go. I don’t know why… partly just inertia i suppose, but the part that kept me here after i got used to the idea, was money. We are helping Pat financially while he can’t work, and as it turns out we are helping him more than we had anticipated so i am especially aware of money right now. The trip there is going to be expensive, but had i been there when he had his surgery and while he was laid up in the hospital, i would have had to pay for a hotel room for several days and the trip would have gotten more and more expensive. The time that i was really worried about was when they first release him and he is supposed to stay in a hotel for 4 days before he goes back for his post-surgery check-up.
Pat was not concerned about not being able to manage before, but he is now. He called and said he hurts and his neck is swollen and he is so weak. He said that Monday they are going to get him out of bed and start him walking and Tuesday they are going to send him to the hotel. Pat sounded close to tears when he said “I don’t know what i am going to do. I don’t think i’ll be able to walk across the street.” I said, “you need me to come.” and he said, “yes.”
So i am taking off on Sunday. I think i will get into Gainesville on Monday, but even if it takes me longer (i am not going to push myself) I will be there early enough to pick him up and take him to the hotel Tuesday. (I will have to call and find out what time that is.)
I am not sure how long i will stay. Once we get to his house there is no reason i cannot stay for a long time (except that i will miss my own bed – Pat says he doesn’t have a decent mattress in the house).
I am glad i am going… glad i can.
I am half way to Pat, spending the night on the east side of Mobile, Al. I can’t believe i drove the whole thing! I drove for about 8 hours. It took 2 vivarins and 3 stops to get out and stretch, but traffic was moving so fast i made good time. The first thing i did when i got to the motel was sleep. (Well, after i set up the computer, of course :). My ankles are a little swollen, but all in all I made it better then i expected. We will see how it goes tomorrow.
I talked to Pat today. He sounded much better… so much stronger than yesterday. I had the thought that by Tuesday he may not need me after all, but i had to go anyway just in case. It will be good to see him and meet his boys. The last time i saw Pat, Nolan was just a few months old. Now Nolan is 7 and has a brother. (Oh, wait… there was a family gathering when Nolan was 3 or 4 and Andrew was a baby!)
Any news yet?
Surgery was Wednesday at 9:30. I started calling to see how he was at 3:30, but all they would tell me is that he was not in a room yet, and, later in the day, that he was in recovery. Unfortunately Pat did not think and i did not think to ask him to tell the doctor and hospital it was ok to talk to me about his condition.
At about 9:30PM I talked to Nathan and gave him the hospital number. He called later to say that when he tried the hospital they put him thru to recovery and he was able to talk to Pat who was conscious enough to talk, but still pretty out of it. He said Pat said that the surgery had taken 10 hours (though i think it more likely that it took 8 ) and that his neck hurt.
I called this morning. Pat is still in recovery. It could be that they are keeping him where they can constantly watch him because he is supposed to be perfectly still for the first few days. I was not able to talk to him because he was sleeping and was not able to talk to his nurse because she had stepped away.
I will post again when i know more.
Well, I am off to be with Pat. We had talked about my going there to help after his surgery but he didn’t think he would need me. He was more worried about being bored with nothing to do in the hotel for 4 days than he was worried about being able to “do” for himself.
While he has been laid up after surgery i have wished that he was not alone. I know he is not interacting, but he has to feel so very alone. Just knowing that someone who loves you is sitting there and holding hands when you are hurting means so much.
Frankly, when the idea of my going up there first came up, I didn’t want to go. I don’t know why… partly just inertia i suppose, but the part that kept me here after i got used to the idea, was money. We are helping Pat financially while he can’t work, and as it turns out we are helping him more than we had anticipated so i am especially aware of money right now. The trip there is going to be expensive, but had i been there when he had his surgery and while he was laid up in the hospital, i would have had to pay for a hotel room for several days and the trip would have gotten more and more expensive. The time that i was really worried about was when they first release him and he is supposed to stay in a hotel for 4 days before he goes back for his post-surgery check-up.
Pat was not concerned about not being able to manage before, but he is now. He called and said he hurts and his neck is swollen and he is so weak. He said that Monday they are going to get him out of bed and start him walking and Tuesday they are going to send him to the hotel. Pat sounded close to tears when he said “I don’t know what i am going to do. I don’t think i’ll be able to walk across the street.” I said, “you need me to come.” and he said, “yes.”
So i am taking off on Sunday. I think i will get into Gainesville on Monday, but even if it takes me longer (i am not going to push myself) I will be there early enough to pick him up and take him to the hotel Tuesday. (I will have to call and find out what time that is.)
I am not sure how long i will stay. Once we get to his house there is no reason i cannot stay for a long time (except that i will miss my own bed – Pat says he doesn’t have a decent mattress in the house).
I am glad i am going… glad i can.
I am half way to Pat, spending the night on the east side of Mobile, Al. I can’t believe i drove the whole thing! I drove for about 8 hours. It took 2 vivarins and 3 stops to get out and stretch, but traffic was moving so fast i made good time. The first thing i did when i got to the motel was sleep. (Well, after i set up the computer, of course :). My ankles are a little swollen, but all in all I made it better then i expected. We will see how it goes tomorrow.
I talked to Pat today. He sounded much better… so much stronger than yesterday. I had the thought that by Tuesday he may not need me after all, but i had to go anyway just in case. It will be good to see him and meet his boys. The last time i saw Pat, Nolan was just a few months old. Now Nolan is 7 and has a brother. (Oh, wait… there was a family gathering when Nolan was 3 or 4 and Andrew was a baby!)