Tuesday, August 28, 2007

T-watch, Day 2.

T-watch.... Twatch?! ... That can't be right. Anyway it's late, and I'm tired (not that you guys care about ME), so I'll give the Joe Friday "Just the facts, ma'am" version.
Trish is doing really well. She would probably say, "Yeah... really well for someone with a fucking TUBE down her nose, and a vertical incision in her abdomen!"... but, as an objective, outside observer, I'll stick with my diagnosis: she's doing really well.
The second day is notoriously the worst day after surgery. You're more aware, and that means more capable of being annoyed. The hardest thing for her has been a very sore throat, exacerbated by the tube and the proscription against any liquids... so she has a sore throat she can't lubricate. The surgical incision is painful for her, but she is dutifully able to do the deep breathing exercises she needs to make sure her lungs puff up and stay clear. I was there when the pulmonary nurse came to show her the breathing-in toy (providing bio-feedback on her inhaling), and after she listened to Trish's lungs she said she didn't have to do the abdominally painful "coughing up" exercise, as her lungs were remarkably clear. Score points for swimming and yoga.
We talked for a while this morning, until that seemed to exacerbate her sore throat (or maybe that was just her polite way of saying, "Andy, shut up!!"), and I got her a pad of paper and a pen to ease her communication.
However, even without the spoken or written word, Trish is remarkably expressive. She made me laugh (better me than her at the moment) with her takes and eye-rolls as we listened through the curtain to the very lovely lady in the bed next to her discuss EVERY POSSIBLE item to eat on the lunch menu with her two daughters. It was obviously God's little joke: "You can't eat Trish, but here's a detailed list of all the things you aren't going to eat in the next half hour!"
Anyway, I left at around 12:45 when Willie and Dennis came, and I hear from them that she continued to have a good day ("With a fucking BURNING throat!" I can hear her yell in my head).
I'll let you all know about tomorrow, and maybe she'll have some input for me to add to the next post.
Sleep well.

1 comment:

JS said...

Thank Andy.
Sounds like you and Will and Dennis have been keeping Trish's spirits up even while she's in pain. Amazing recovery already walking! Wow! Please tell her June send a big gentle hug and a huge imaginary bouquet of farmers market roses (as she wants my $ to go to VAP).