POD #9

Delay in Discharge

Last night was the first night Michael actually got 5 hours of sleep in a row. Hurray! His pain is under much better control. Everything was set from urology's standpoint for discharge on Saturday morning, then in walked the colo-rectal fellows. They proceeded to explain the CT findings of inflamed and swollen bowel causing problems with the ostomy and said it could take 3 plus days to resolve. That really deflated our thoughts of being home by Monday. I guess that spaghetti bezor (look it up ie. fur ball) needs to come out before he is discharged home. Probably a pretty good idea. I saw intra-operative pictures of the tumor today (that were taken during his surgery 9 days ago) which gave alot of clarity and closure for me. I always like to see what I am facing. The kids will actually get to see what their dad's cancer looks like (they have been asking that question alot). Ruger's daily question is "how do you get cancer?" Know matter how many times and ways I explain it, he always keeps asking. When Michael came out of surgery the first evening he still had green dye on his skin and Rugers first response was " he still has cancer on him!" We had to explain that it was just dye to clean his skin. Michael and the night nurses have been enjoying jello shots of gatorade in the evenings. Tonight was rootbeer float night.

As for me and the kids, we are exhausted. My parents went up with us to Mall of America today. So much for any shopping. I sat and watched my kids go up, down, round and round and upside down all day until late in the evening. I think we maybe hit 10 stores total. I couldn't get Yukon out of the Apple store. It was great to see the kids so lost in fun in their own little world. Oh, to be a kid again~My kids met a great shoe salesman today at one of the stores, hopefully he is reading the blog. He was an incredible young man with a great knack to entertain kids. Who else could entertain my kids in a shoe store for 20 minutes. If you are out there "K" thanks for making my kids laugh!

I feel for my patients who are awaiting my delayed return and most importantly my partner who has picked up my slack and held the fort down for me with endless call. It is so hard for me not to be working. I am soaking in this whole mayo system of health care though. What a novel concept of health care out here amongst the corn fields. "Build it and they will come" is so true.

Michael has had his first access at the blog last night and stayed up til 1 am reading it. Need I say more.

Don't let the bed bugs bite!
Dawn & Kids