BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 14 - 12:58 AM

I have had occasions when hydrocodone was prescribed, and usually took it for only a day or two. Stepping down to Rx strength motrin, then OTC strength motrin, means you are more alert during the day. Good luck with that. I hope she can take the OTC stuff. It is a heckuva lot more affordable.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 21 Sep 14 - 09:51 PM

Today she decided to use ibuprofen instead of hydrocodone. She also balanced the checkbook, sorted and did the laundry, and put dishes in the dishwasher. Not big things, but more steps forward.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: maeve
Date: 21 Sep 14 - 11:29 PM

Goodness, Rap- those are very big steps! Well done, Pat.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: fat B****rd
Date: 22 Sep 14 - 04:10 AM

What an amazing lady!. A touch of Sinusitis and I'm a pathetic wreck. More of the very best to you.
Charlie

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: gnu
Date: 22 Sep 14 - 05:22 AM

Ditto maeve!

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Sep 14 - 06:09 AM

keep those good reports coming!

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Sep 14 - 09:36 AM

Back to the hydrocodone -- she thinks she "may have overdone" yesterday.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: maeve
Date: 22 Sep 14 - 09:39 AM

Easy to overdo. Two steps forward, one step back...or take it a bit slow without backing up! You will both find your dance steps with time.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: jacqui.c
Date: 22 Sep 14 - 10:39 AM

What Maeve said. Glad she's getting better, but it is too easy to overdo it. there is a fine line there and sometimes there is a need for the caregiver to draw that line, if they can.

After my hysterectomy I was staying with my daughter, who went a little too far in making me rest, even to the extent of banning me from making a cup of tea! However, I do think that it helped me recover faster.

Still sending good thoughts for you both.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: gnu
Date: 22 Sep 14 - 11:08 AM

I agree with taking it easy but I also know it's hard to do when you "feel a bit better". As said, she'll find her pace.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 23 Sep 14 - 03:44 PM

That's what recovery is--trying to find out what is "just enough" and stopping before "too much." Rap, tell Pat to keep healing.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 11:22 AM

Good luck with the recovery, as I type my wife is having a knee replacement.............ouch! Luckily hospital has free wifi and I'm logged into my home PC.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: gnu
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 12:34 PM

Bonzo... I wish her well. I hear the procedure and recovery have come a long way as far as pain and recuperation with strict adherence to the physio. I believe Rap can attest to this.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 07:15 PM

Well, I only had a partial replacement waaaaaay back this past March.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 07:29 AM

Good luck to you. I too have had knee surgery and brain replacement last year. I've never felt better now that I can bend my mind and walk pain free.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 08:30 AM

Sorry Rap,
Still dyslexic... after all these years.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 09:06 AM

A visitor last night and she brought her dog...or the other way around, maybe. Pat sat up talking until AFTER 8:30! Exhausted, of course...the physical therapist was here earlier. Today she gets her hair styled and her eyes checked (by an ophthalmologist).

It's gonna be a long (and fairly expensive) road. But then no house should be without a mortgage, I guess. Thank God we have pretty good insurance! I don't know what those without it would do (well, I do, actually, having been there).

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 05:02 PM

It sounds like Pat is coming along. And I hope the dog was a good part of the visit. The really good ones can tell when someone needs special attention or to be leaned on in order to offer therapeutic dog good karma.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 10:42 PM

Jilly, the dog, made friends with Jax, the puppy next door. The size difference (Jilly is a blue heeler/herder mix) was fun to see, as was the romping up and down the fence line. Pat also got a "fur fix".

No problems with her vision!! Sing hallelujah!

She also had the remaining side of her hair cut to match the surgical 'do. I looked like that in Basic Training.

But it was a plateau day, because the headaches were worse than yesterday.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: gnu
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 04:34 AM

Sorry to hear about the headaches and the financial aspect but glad Pat is doing okay, especially regarding eyesight.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 08:30 AM

wot gnu said

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 09:13 AM

Send money and I'll send Shame McBride, the quintessential Canadian, back. US dollars, nothing larger than a fifty and unmarked, random serial numbers. You will be instructed on the delivery.

In August we had to replace the air conditioning, the furnace (better then than in January!), a water heater, and the garbage disposer. Yesterday the new washer was delivered and around October 5 the mattress set will arrive. Everything, including Pat, has been broken this Fall (well, I'm waiting for the fridge to die and for people who rarely watch TV we have four sets so I'm not worried about THAT).

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 12:02 PM

I'll bet you're looking forward to getting out of 2014. Rough year.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 06:53 PM

Any news?

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 07:01 PM

Useless but relevant old saw:

"Whatever hits the fan is not distributed equally."

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 08:42 PM

She's doing okay, and the physical and occupational therapists are very happy that she's able to bend over and pick something up off the floor. Her hair is growing back; it's probably a quarter inch long now. She's still on pain pills (opiates) and is very careful about THAT. Last weekend was pretty miserable as a strong weather front came through and she was in considerable pain -- apparently a recent craniotomy can be affected by strong changes in barometric pressure.

She's still having problems reading and listening to NPR, but reading time is slooooooooowly getting longer and longer.

I have the OT's permission to massage her ears. Really.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: maeve
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 09:03 PM

That all sounds very promising to me, Rap. I'm glad for you both...though my condolences to Pat regarding barometric pressure...me too, with migraines.

Maeve

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Janie
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 09:57 PM

I can't remember, Rap. Did you catch up with the guy who hit her? If so, does he have any financial liability? I ain't one to advocate for suing folks, but when it comes to medical bills when some one else is at fault, sometimes it has to be done. (But I bet Pat already knows the ends and outs of that one.)

May she continue to recover. May the headaches go away. May you not bust your other knee shoveling snow this winter.

Things could be worse. AT least the Yellowstone Caldera hasn't blown.

Yet.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 10:06 PM

Actually, I injured the inside of my right knee in the early days of this and I see the orthopod the day after tomorrow. It's pretty painful at times. I think I slammed it against the steering column of my car when I got in a hurry out one time.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: maeve
Date: 30 Sep 14 - 10:46 PM

Yikes! Rap's going to see an Arthropod! At least he/she will have had multiple experiences with legs and such.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: gnu
Date: 01 Oct 14 - 04:08 AM

Appreciate the update, Rap. Hope the doc can help with the knee.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Oct 14 - 08:56 AM

Yeah, well, I'm still the sole driver. I hope that if something drastic is required it will can be a couple months away, at least.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 01 Oct 14 - 02:20 PM

Please note - re barometric pressure!

For over 20 years now I have avoided the severe headaches caused by that horrible "it should be raining, why doesn't it just get on with it..." feeling. Green tea! I drink it almost daily since a friend noted, acerbically, "SOME people drink green tea for their weather headaches.

It is good for other things as well but the wonderful miracle of being free of those debilitating headaches makes me love it.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Oct 14 - 09:20 PM

I'll tell her. Now they've confirmed at UTI; we're waiting to see which type. Not surprising after a catheter.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: gnu
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 08:50 AM

Ahhh, gee whiz. No fair!

I hope the knee news is good or as you wish.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 06:52 PM

Thank you for the updates. Sorry about Pat's headaches, UTI, and your right knee. I hope they can all be fixed quickly and easily.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 08:46 PM

Almost certainly a torn meniscus, sayeth the Doctor. And he sayeth further, you can let it go, take NSAIDs, have a cortisone shot, or have surgery.

I chose the shot and will revisit the problem later, if I survive until then.

Yes, a UTI. E. Coli. She's on cefalexin and cranberry extract, and she's stashed on the new mattress that arrived today instead of tomorrow when it was expected.

Yes, a new mattress. I ordered it about a week ago when I found that wires from the springs of the old one were stabbing me in the back of the leg when I got up.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: maeve
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 10:35 PM

You're doing an impressive job taking care of Pat- do please take care of you as well.

Maeve

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Janie
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 10:45 PM

What maeve said.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: LadyJean
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 12:58 AM

I'm glad your wife is doing so well. I hope you're looking after yourself. Being caregiver takes it out of you, I know this from experience. Anyway, you're making me feel better aboug my PCI. (Permanent Car Issues).

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 06:53 PM

She's down today with a temperature of 101 (F). If it goes up .4 more degrees she goes to the Emergency Room -- this from the home care nurse. Since she's on antibiotics this doesn't seem to be related to the UTI.

(If she has seizures she gets another ride in the ambulance...also says the nurse.)

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 07:30 PM

Praying for the best--no ambulance ride needed.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: gnu
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 05:35 AM

I agree with CL. For one thing, I am not awake enough to be cohereatall.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Janie
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 08:31 AM

Hope that fever dropped overnight, Rap.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: jacqui.c
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 10:54 AM

More good thoughts coming to both of you from Maine.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Bill D
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 12:11 PM

Watching and sending good thoughts

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 12:45 PM

How is she feeling this morning, Rap?

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 03:15 PM

Very weak and quite cold. Her temperature has gone down to normal levels, but she's been taking acetaminophen as a febrifuge. Don't know what will happen if she stops. Not much food intake, either.

Next week her home health care benefits run out. We'll pay for them to continue.

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Anne Lister
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 06:06 PM

Sending love and warm wishes to you both, Rap ...

Subject: RE: BS: My Wife's Having Brain Surgery 5 Sept
From: Mrrzy
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 08:52 PM

Keep your pecker up, as they say! Thinking of you all,

-Mrr