Home Again, Home Again

Although he isn't smiling in the photo, Parker came back from the surgery with a huge smile on his face. Not only because the surgery went well, but because he was taken to the 4th floor, IMC, instead of the 5th floor where a lot of post-surgery patients go.

He said he felt like he was going home.

The familiarity and friendliness of the IMC unit warmed my heart as well. But there is a sadness on the floor right now, due to the tragic death of one of the night time CA's, Audrey. She was a young girl who had reached out to Parker and I, and made friends with us while we were there before. She passed away suddenly a week ago today, and I know the loss is felt deeply by all her co-workers. I saw the flowers Parker and I sent to them, they were lovely and I hope expressed our sincere thoughts to all our friends on that floor.

Dr. Turner was very happy with the surgery. Parker has the wound vac back on, which will stay on probably for a few weeks. This is FINE with us, trying to keep the wound dressed without it was such a pain. The gauze and diaper looking pads underneath kept slipping to the bottom and I had to tape Parker up so much at one point I wrapped an Ace bandage around his middle just to keep the thing in place.

Parker has to stay in bed for several days with the exception of using the bathroom. We know we are at risk of another ileus, so he will move around as much as possible without disrupting the skin graft, and hopefully won't require huge amounts of Dilaudid to keep him comfortable. The thigh area where they took the donor flesh is where most of the pain is. The other risk is infection. God, please, no infection. Let this one thing be simple, let him start his life back up again soon. He is ready!

Parker asked me today to start scouting out places at nearby lakes (of which there are tons) to have his Water Party after the wound vac is off and the trach is out. The Water Party idea came from when he couldn't have anything by mouth and he was taking the medicine for the yeast infection that made him have serious cotton mouth. I promised him when this was over, we would have a water party where everyone had to bring something related to water. Ice water, watermelon, water balloons, slip n slides, anything at all water related. He still wants the party, and I will certainly honor that promise.

Today was a good day. A stressful day, with lots of anxiety prior to the surgery ~ like when we pulled up to the hospital and Parker gripped the door handle and told me he'd changed his mind, he didn't want to do this today after all ~ but in the end it was good. After a rough week, it is nice to end on a positive note. Next time he goes home there won't be as much stress. We'll know more about what we are doing, and won't have to fight the dressing, and hopefully the trach will be out. One less thing to worry about.

Something I keep forgetting to put on here. This lady I met in the ICU waiting room, Ty's future mother-in-law, calls the GPS voice the "Bitch in a Box"! Totally unrelated, but I was just reminded of it.

Good night my sweet boys. I miss you James.