Hi Everyone,
I am sorry it has been so long since I last posted. I however have been in the hospital for 7 days. We went for my Neurosurgeon appointment to have the staples removed only have them tell my to go directly to the ER and that I would be admitted, since I had managed to get an infection (guess) I ginxed myself on the last post.
We went to the ER on Tuesday, and it took them several hours to have a bed ready for me. They immediately started drawing blood and doing cultures. Also during this time I had one of the worst headaches I have ever experienced in my life. On Wednesday morning, they came to get me at 7:00 AM to do a quick cat scan of my head to see if they could figure out what was causing the headache and then took me off to surgery. I didn't even have time to call Russell for him to get there. While I was in pre-op, it was the anethesiologist who put the pieces of the puzzle together and identified that my potassium was very low and that could be what was causing my headache, so with potassium therapy my headache started to go away. The Neurosurgeon did a I&D (Incision and Drainage) on my back. Thankfully the infection had not gotten too far in my incision, but unfortunately I had managed to get bacteria into my bloodstream. I now had a Neurosurgeion and an Infectious Disease doctor coordinating my care. On Wednesday after surgery a pic line was put in my left upper arm and I continued to get 2 different IV antibiotics and blood draws on a regular basis (but those went really well since I had the pic line).
On Monday, I was finally discharged, but that took over 4 hours as the nurse had others that were having significant issues so I kept getting pushed down on the list. I am so happy to be home even though we are continuing the IV Therapy here. Once a week I go to the Infusion Therapy office for the dressing to be changed on my pic line and pick up new supplies. I get 3 doses of my IV antibiotic a day ( 7 AM/3 PM/11 PM). I have to continue this therapy for 6 weeks.
Please say a quick prayer that that IV therapy continues to work, as I don't really want to go back to the hospital anytime soon!!!
Russell and the kids are doing great considering all the extra drama I have provided. Russell has been so wonderful through all this and encouraging as my progress previously made, went out the window. They (me included) are just happy that I am back home. I really missed being with my family for those 7 days and being 45 minutes away.
Hope you are all doing well and surviving the weather.
Tina
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Tina's Surgery Update
I know this one is long overdue and apologize, but it will also be a quick one.
Surgery went well on the Jan. 10th and required a 2 day hospital stay. On a positive note to date there has been no infection (for those that know me well they know this is a major accomplishment, as I am much like my grandmother and seem to get it with no trouble after surgery). The Neurosurgeon said it went really well he performed a discectomy so the L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs. I have about 10-12 staples in my back. I am allowed to sit for 10-15 minutes at a time only and am encouraged to walk. Since it has been so cold, my walking consists of walking around the house. I can't get comfortable in bed and slept on my stomach last night and so today I am not doing so well. I don't think I should have slept on my stomach. We go see the Neurosurgeon on Jan. 22nd and at that time he will remove the staples and let me know how much physical therapy I have to have, when I can drive (YEAH!!!!!) and when I will be going back to work (which I am ready to do, since today I found out my boss resigned and will be gone by the time I get back).
Well, this is all for now, please continue to pray that I heal and can get some good sleep........also, say a prayer for Russell and Darryl as they are at a Boy Scout camping/hiking trip and doing a Klondike tomorrow! I'm just glad it is them and not me!
Stay warm....................:)
Tina
Surgery went well on the Jan. 10th and required a 2 day hospital stay. On a positive note to date there has been no infection (for those that know me well they know this is a major accomplishment, as I am much like my grandmother and seem to get it with no trouble after surgery). The Neurosurgeon said it went really well he performed a discectomy so the L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs. I have about 10-12 staples in my back. I am allowed to sit for 10-15 minutes at a time only and am encouraged to walk. Since it has been so cold, my walking consists of walking around the house. I can't get comfortable in bed and slept on my stomach last night and so today I am not doing so well. I don't think I should have slept on my stomach. We go see the Neurosurgeon on Jan. 22nd and at that time he will remove the staples and let me know how much physical therapy I have to have, when I can drive (YEAH!!!!!) and when I will be going back to work (which I am ready to do, since today I found out my boss resigned and will be gone by the time I get back).
Well, this is all for now, please continue to pray that I heal and can get some good sleep........also, say a prayer for Russell and Darryl as they are at a Boy Scout camping/hiking trip and doing a Klondike tomorrow! I'm just glad it is them and not me!
Stay warm....................:)
Tina
Monday, January 7, 2008
This Week.......
Good Monday Morning.......
This is going to be one crazy week. Darryl has play practice Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of this week. Rachel has basketball practice on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Isaac has Cub Scouts on Monday and Darryl has Boy Scouts on Thursday. Russell and I have our monthly Band Booster meeting on Tuesday (of which I am the Treasurer, but haven't been able to attend), Rachel also has chorus on Wednesday and lastly Isaac has basketball on Friday. Poor Russell has his fair share of running to do today. Here is how today really pans out, Rachel has to be at the Middle School for basketball at 5:30; Darryl has to be picked up from play practice at 5:30, Isaac has Cub Scouts from 6:30-7:30 and lastly Rachel has to be picked up at 7:00. I know he is so looking forward to my being able to help run kids again.
On another note, Russell starts classes in a couple of weeks. It is official.....on Friday, he went and registered so before long he will be able to sub for not only our school district but for any of the other 3 school districts that surround us.
Okay, I have a huge favor for all my blogger friends and family....I could really use the power of prayer on Thursday. This Thursday I have to be at Norton Suburban hospital for my back surgery. I have to be there at 2:00, and surgery is scheduled for 4:00. I doubt that I will be able to get an update posted to the blog before I come home, but I'm hoping that Russell will be able to bring the laptop with him on one of his visits and I can update you all. If not, you can consider no news good news. I know of one friend that has a blog, Leslie Clark, so maybe when Russell calls her to let her know that I did okay, she can put a quick note on her blog for me (Les, could I please ask a huge favor for you to put a quick note on your blog until I can update mine?? - you are the best!). Surgery is suppose to be routine and will last up to 3 hours. The Neurosurgeon will be removing the scar tissue from my past surgery back in '88 from a car accident, so with that comes a bit more of a risk.
I also ask that you pray for Russell and the children while I'm in the hospital (it should be no more than a couple of days). I want to send a huge thank you to my brother-in-law, Brad and sister-in-law Glenda for coming down on Thursday to stay with the kids so Russell can stay at the hospital until I am out of recovery. I have told Russell that I don't want him to feel like he has to stay forever with me that, I would much rather he be home with the kids. Besides I will be pretty out of it from surgery and will feel more up to having visitors on Friday.
Both Russell and I are very happy today.....the kids have been out of school since 3:30 on the 21st of December and returning back to school TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! We are so ready for them to be back in school, and from the moods this morning, we can tell Rachel and Isaac are excited about going back, however Darryl is not quite as excited as the others.
Well, I'm out of here to go back and lay down for a little while. I sure hope you all have a great day!
Love,
Tina
This is going to be one crazy week. Darryl has play practice Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of this week. Rachel has basketball practice on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Isaac has Cub Scouts on Monday and Darryl has Boy Scouts on Thursday. Russell and I have our monthly Band Booster meeting on Tuesday (of which I am the Treasurer, but haven't been able to attend), Rachel also has chorus on Wednesday and lastly Isaac has basketball on Friday. Poor Russell has his fair share of running to do today. Here is how today really pans out, Rachel has to be at the Middle School for basketball at 5:30; Darryl has to be picked up from play practice at 5:30, Isaac has Cub Scouts from 6:30-7:30 and lastly Rachel has to be picked up at 7:00. I know he is so looking forward to my being able to help run kids again.
On another note, Russell starts classes in a couple of weeks. It is official.....on Friday, he went and registered so before long he will be able to sub for not only our school district but for any of the other 3 school districts that surround us.
Okay, I have a huge favor for all my blogger friends and family....I could really use the power of prayer on Thursday. This Thursday I have to be at Norton Suburban hospital for my back surgery. I have to be there at 2:00, and surgery is scheduled for 4:00. I doubt that I will be able to get an update posted to the blog before I come home, but I'm hoping that Russell will be able to bring the laptop with him on one of his visits and I can update you all. If not, you can consider no news good news. I know of one friend that has a blog, Leslie Clark, so maybe when Russell calls her to let her know that I did okay, she can put a quick note on her blog for me (Les, could I please ask a huge favor for you to put a quick note on your blog until I can update mine?? - you are the best!). Surgery is suppose to be routine and will last up to 3 hours. The Neurosurgeon will be removing the scar tissue from my past surgery back in '88 from a car accident, so with that comes a bit more of a risk.
I also ask that you pray for Russell and the children while I'm in the hospital (it should be no more than a couple of days). I want to send a huge thank you to my brother-in-law, Brad and sister-in-law Glenda for coming down on Thursday to stay with the kids so Russell can stay at the hospital until I am out of recovery. I have told Russell that I don't want him to feel like he has to stay forever with me that, I would much rather he be home with the kids. Besides I will be pretty out of it from surgery and will feel more up to having visitors on Friday.
Both Russell and I are very happy today.....the kids have been out of school since 3:30 on the 21st of December and returning back to school TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! We are so ready for them to be back in school, and from the moods this morning, we can tell Rachel and Isaac are excited about going back, however Darryl is not quite as excited as the others.
Well, I'm out of here to go back and lay down for a little while. I sure hope you all have a great day!
Love,
Tina
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