The Morning After...
Jason was unable to sleep the night after surgery because he shared a room with a fellow soldier patient who snored and snored and snored. The patient, also probably fell asleep, and left the TV on loudly till about 3 AM Jason thinks. Jason said, "I got about 1 1/2 hours of sleep" I said, "We can ask for a room change." Jason said "I told the MD's earlier when they visited on their rounds." By noon, Jason had been moved to another double room with a younger soldier Chris who also had HO surgery yesterday but on his elbow.
By 9 AM Kyla PT was at work at Jason's bedside stretching his right leg. It bent to almost 90 degrees! Then Kyla, Dennis and I took Jason on his first walk of the day. One circuit around the ward; Jason took a second walk around the floor after lunch. Dennis said this walk probably took about 1/2 hour. The surgery really made a difference, Jason's not dragging the right leg, he is bending it at the thigh.
After PT it was time to go to Radiology Oncology. Jason, I and Dennis had a meeting with Dr. Wilson who reviewed the risks and procedures. I offered to go get the HO model as I said, "You always see the after, not the before." This turned out to be a blessing for the MD's. The actual procedure only takes 3.5 minutes, the set up 1 hour and 1/2. They take many x-rays trying to pinpoint the center of the area they want to radiate. When I brought the model, Dr. Wilson ran to me in the waiting room, took the model and ran back to the work area. He said it helped so much to locate the exact spot for the treatment. Jason was sore after the treatment and we headed back to the room.
I went to get Jason's and my lunch, my watch stopped and I stayed an hour later than I thought! I got into a "catch up conversation" with the man known only as the Guv. This was bad enough but I had Jason's cell phone that I thought he could text message Jodi as he usually does to pass the time. I hadn't the opportunity to give it to him after the radiation therapy. I felt badly when I returned about 3 PM. Jason did get to talk to Jodi in the afternoon and to return phone calls to friends who "checked in yesterday and today" about the outcome of his surgery. Jason is making plans to travel to visit friends after he recuperates from his last surgery, hopefully in May. He will receive 30 days of convalesence leave.
Dennis went back to Mologne #316 and I worked on emails in the common computer room while Jason talked on the phone. He watched a little TV and didn't really want to eat dinner. Both Wards 57 and 58 are over the max in patients, it is a busy time and the aides are understaffed. Jason's nurse was very helpful as he needed help to get up and down, in and out of bed. They may take the two drains off tomorrow if the wound stops bleeding.
Jason and I began a walk around the floor and were met by Patrice who was carrying a boquet of tulips for Jason. We continued our walk and met Dr. Frisch coming out of his office. Jason and he talked about how the first day after surgery was going, we said our "goodnights" and met Dennis at the RN station. We got Jason settled in the bed again, I said my "goodnight" to Jason and he was visiting with them as I left at 7 PM. He wants me there at 8 AM tomorrow as he is going to try to get to PT, if he is too sore, Kyla will make her morning visit with him in the room.
Blessings everyone. I pray you have a good night's sleep with peaceful dreams.
By 9 AM Kyla PT was at work at Jason's bedside stretching his right leg. It bent to almost 90 degrees! Then Kyla, Dennis and I took Jason on his first walk of the day. One circuit around the ward; Jason took a second walk around the floor after lunch. Dennis said this walk probably took about 1/2 hour. The surgery really made a difference, Jason's not dragging the right leg, he is bending it at the thigh.
After PT it was time to go to Radiology Oncology. Jason, I and Dennis had a meeting with Dr. Wilson who reviewed the risks and procedures. I offered to go get the HO model as I said, "You always see the after, not the before." This turned out to be a blessing for the MD's. The actual procedure only takes 3.5 minutes, the set up 1 hour and 1/2. They take many x-rays trying to pinpoint the center of the area they want to radiate. When I brought the model, Dr. Wilson ran to me in the waiting room, took the model and ran back to the work area. He said it helped so much to locate the exact spot for the treatment. Jason was sore after the treatment and we headed back to the room.
I went to get Jason's and my lunch, my watch stopped and I stayed an hour later than I thought! I got into a "catch up conversation" with the man known only as the Guv. This was bad enough but I had Jason's cell phone that I thought he could text message Jodi as he usually does to pass the time. I hadn't the opportunity to give it to him after the radiation therapy. I felt badly when I returned about 3 PM. Jason did get to talk to Jodi in the afternoon and to return phone calls to friends who "checked in yesterday and today" about the outcome of his surgery. Jason is making plans to travel to visit friends after he recuperates from his last surgery, hopefully in May. He will receive 30 days of convalesence leave.
Dennis went back to Mologne #316 and I worked on emails in the common computer room while Jason talked on the phone. He watched a little TV and didn't really want to eat dinner. Both Wards 57 and 58 are over the max in patients, it is a busy time and the aides are understaffed. Jason's nurse was very helpful as he needed help to get up and down, in and out of bed. They may take the two drains off tomorrow if the wound stops bleeding.
Jason and I began a walk around the floor and were met by Patrice who was carrying a boquet of tulips for Jason. We continued our walk and met Dr. Frisch coming out of his office. Jason and he talked about how the first day after surgery was going, we said our "goodnights" and met Dennis at the RN station. We got Jason settled in the bed again, I said my "goodnight" to Jason and he was visiting with them as I left at 7 PM. He wants me there at 8 AM tomorrow as he is going to try to get to PT, if he is too sore, Kyla will make her morning visit with him in the room.
Blessings everyone. I pray you have a good night's sleep with peaceful dreams.
posted by Katy (Scott) Zatsick | 3/01/2006 03:52:00 PM
1 Comments:
Please tell your son thank you for serving our country. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. I am not quite sure how I came across your blog, and I wanted to let you know that if there is ever anythign that I can do, I will be glad to.
We will be in Washington, DC in April for the milblogging convention, and some of us mothers plan to come to Walter Reed and see our wounded HEROES.
Thanks again.
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