Deer Heaven

Well, after three and a half years of living in Deer Heaven and countless years before that traveling between Brighton and Marshall for business meetings, we finally got intimate with Bambi last night.

It could have been a whole lot worse!  He actually hit me on the front corner.  A dark, rainy night and we didn't see him coming from the woods at the side of the road.  Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow.....can you say Insurance Estimates????

Everyone have a good week and leave Bambi in the woods!

Love to all,

Charlie

Don's Best Medicine

I think this was more effective than the meds!

He's Home!

Don was released around 11 AM today and is now home and comfortably ensconced in his favorite lounge chair taking a snooze.  His hip is still in pain, but it's now manageable, according to the patient.  He's walking well with the walker and even climbed a few steps this morning before leaving.  Doc says he can drive any time he wants and he'll get his staples removed on Wednesday.  So things are looking good and he's definitely on a solid road to recovery.

Love to all!

Charlie

Coming Home Tomorrow

Don had a roller coaster of a day.  At 5 AM they took away his IV pain meds to get him prepared to come home.  Then the excruciating pain in his hip came back and he was uncomfortable and in pain virtually all day.  After consultation with the doctor and the pain management person they think his hip problem is muscular, possibly after the epidural for the spinal tap nicked a nerve and is causing a muscle in his hip to contract or spasm.  So he's now on a muscle relaxant and on "liquid Ibuprofen" by IV.  He'll get this every 6 hours until he's released.  When we left him this evening he was sitting pretty comfortably in a chair for the first time since his surgery, so we're hopeful that this will do the trick.  He will be released tomorrow morning, so we hope he has a good night and that the terrors of hip pain are behind him (no pun intended.....).

Love to all!

Charlie

PS:  His knee is doing fine.  The therapist is very impressed with his stamina and ability to walk around the pod several times.  It appears that once the hip issue is resolved he'll be on a fast track to rehabbing the knee.

The First "Walk Around the Block"

One lap around the pod.  A great first effort.

Don's Day Three

Today is a better day.  Don's pain is still high in his hip and thigh, but subsiding.  His pain meds have been kicked up another notch and we expect that will help.  He was more alert this morning; actually pretty normal from my view.  He got up and used the bathroom with help from the caregiver, sponge-bathed and changed gowns, so he's starting to feel better.  He has also started PT.  Had a 20 minute session this morning and will have another this afternoon.

Things are looking up!

Love to all!

Charlie

Don's Day Two Update

With the severe pain that Don has in his thigh and hip, the Pain Management doctor ordered a more serious pain relief drug.  Fentanyl was not doing anything to dull the pain so he is now on Dilaudid.  This has reduced the pain by a couple of points on the 10 point scale used.  But it has also made him even more drowsy.  He slept on and off for most of the day.  And the most pronounced effect is slurred speech.  Those are some good drugs!  I think by later tomorrow or Friday they will wean him from the drugs and he'll be on his own.  The doctor suspects his thigh and hip are reacting to the tournaquet that is applied to the thigh to minimize bleeding during the procedure and is unconcerned about lingering effects.  With all his pain today, he didn't do much in the way of physical therapy or movement of his leg and knee joint.  I'm sure he will be expected to pick up the pace on these actions tomorrow.  At this point we are targeting for him to return home on Saturday, but will keep you posted on how that goes. 

Love to all!

Charlie