WELL, I DON'T BELIEVE IT, ITS OVER, HERES THE DAYS SCHEDULE AS IT WENT
3;30 AM LEFT FOR THE HOSPITAL
4;20 AM ARIVE TO SIGN IN
5;00 AM GENE THE PRE OP ROOM
5;30 WE ARE INVITED TO BE WITH HIM
6;30 HE LEAVES FOR SURGERY
7;15 SURGERY BEGINS
UPDATE AT 1;30, BLADDER HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED BY DR.GILL AND CAMBPELL WILL TAKE OVER.
SURGERY FINISHED 4;30
DR. CAMPBELLS STATEMENT TO ME OVER THE PHONE, 'THIS SURGERY COULD NOT HAVE GONE ANY BETTER.GENE WAS STABLE THROUGHOUT, NO BLOOD LOSS, THE LYMPH NODES WERE CLEANED OUT, THE BLADDER AND PROSTATE REMOVED. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANGRY CANCER CELLS BUT THE PATH REPORT WILL COME IN IN 5 DAYS.
I HAVE TO SAY TO MY FRIENDS AT THE FORUM THAT THE WORST PART OF THE DAY WAS THE DRIVE-IN TO THE CLINIC AT 3;30 AM, THE FACT GENE WAS SO HUNGRY FROM THE DAY BEFORE PREPARATION, THE BIGGEST FEAR IN HIS LIFE WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
WE HAVE HAD OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED, GENE IS DOING MUCH BETTER THAN I EVER EXPECTED. IN RECOVERY HE WAS TALKING TO ME AND MY SON, IN AND OUT OF SLEEP, BUT I REASSURED HIM, I WAS SO PROUD OF HIM, THAT THE SURGERY WENT PERFECT, HE LOST NO BLOOD, AND VITALS WERE GREAT.HIS EYES WERE GLASSY BUT HE SQUEEZED MY HAND AND SMILED AT US MANY TIMES. AT 9;00 PM HE ARRIVED IN HIS ROOM.THE SITUATION WITH HIM WAS HE HAD A MORPHINE DRIP TO USE HIMSELF WITH THE BUTTON, TUBE DOWN HIS NOSE, A DRAIN FROM THE PELVIC AREA, A CATH IN HIS PENIS,AND HIS NEW STOMA. HIS BIGGEST COMPLAINT WAS HIS DRY THROAT, LIPS AND MOUTH. I SWABBED HIS MOUTH EVERY 15- 20 MINUTES,I ALSO WIPED HIS FOREHEAD AND LAYED A COOL WASH CLOTH ON HIS EYES. I DID THIS FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS. AT 3 AM HE SAID GO TO THE HOTEL ROOM AND GET SOME SLEEP. SO I DID, MY DAUGHTER HAD GONE BACK ALREADY AT 8 PM, SHE WENT TO SLEEP AND I RETURNED TO HIS ROOM AS I COULDN'T THINK OF HIM GETTING TO HIS ROOM AND ME NOT BEING THERE.SO I WENT TO BED AT 3AM AND KIM GOT UP AT 7AM TO BE WITH HER DAD, I SLEPT IN.
DAY 2. THIS MORNING HE HAD THE NOSE TUBE REMOVED, NO FOOD BUT THERE ARE BOWEL SOUNDS,, . HE IS VERY WITH IT.I AGAIN REMINDED HIM THAT EVERYTHING WENT GREAT. HIS CELL PHONE RANG AND HE SAID NOW I KNOW I AM STILL ALIVE..!!!! DR. CAMPBELL CAME IN, HE REPEATED TO GENE ABOUT THE SURGERY BEING EXCELLENT, PROGNOSIS VERY GOOD. AFTER HE LEFT THE NURSES CAME IN TO GET HIM TO SIT UP, IT WAS PAINFUL BUT NOT BAD, TWO HOURS LATER HE STOOD UP,,, LATER HE WILL WALK. THE DR. SAID FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS HE NEEDS TO VIGOUROUSLY FIGHT TO MOVE AROUND , GET UP, WALK, BREATHE IN THE SPINOMETER TO AVOID PNEUMONIA, AND BLOOD CLOTS.
I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW AMAZED I AM AT THE CARE AT THIS FACILITY. THE CLEVELAND CLINIC IS AMAZING FROM THE MINUTE YOU WALK IN. I KNOW WE HAVE A RECOVERY TO COME BUT I AM CONVINCED THAT THE SENIOR MEMBERS WERE RIGHT, TRUST YOUR CHOICE OF DOCTORS AND THE FACILITY , IT HAS GONE SO SMOOTH. MY WORK TO GET HIM TO ALL THE RIGHT PLACES WITH THE RIGHT DOCTORS IS ALL PAYING OFF. I WANT TO TELL DARLENE WHOSE HUSBAND HAS A SURGERY COMING, PLEASE PLEASE STOP THE WORRYING AS IT HASN'T BEEN BAD AT ALL. WE HAVE HAD GOOD NEWS WHICH HAS GIVEN ME GREAT HOPE. I ACTUALLY SAW GENES STOMA AND HIS BELLY, ITS SO COOL, ITS JUST A LITTLE LIFESAVER, HE ISN'T SWOLLEN AT ALL. SO FROM ME TO YOU, IT WAS A VERY LONG DAY BUT I FEEL LIKE A LOAD HAS BEEN LIFTED OFF MY BACK. AND I Have MY HUSBAND WITH A LITTLE LIFESAVER ON HIS BELLY.
PLEASE ALSO MAYBE RELATE THIS TO YOUR HUSBAND, IT ISN'T SO BAD, I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. I AM RE-ENERGIZED......OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. SO FAR SO GOOD. TALK TO YOU TOMORROW FOR DAY 3....MORE GOOD NEWS I AM SURE!!!!!!
also for pat ,, we are in h-70 room 10...see you monday