Kendall's new thread -Update - procedure May 6th

Subject: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: kendall
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 12:39 PM

Some of you have complained that when a thread gets too long you can't open it, and the old one has pretty much run its course, so here is what's up.
I'm still having serious pain in my throat, it is hell to swallow and cough. Just had x rays this am to rule out pneumonia. Is there no end?
It looks like a trip to Mass. General on Monday.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: maeve
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 12:54 PM

Thanks for your update, Kendall. I'm sorry you've had such trouble. Patience is a small word for an enormous quality.

May you find relief and rest with a liberal dose of laughter.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 01:09 PM

Sorry Captain. Have they given you mega-doses of antibiotics in the meantime? Something for the pain?
You must be so tired of this crap.
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: kendall
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:03 PM

I just want to run screaming into the night!

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:06 PM

Fortunately it is still light out. And NO SCREAMING! That will really hurt. hopefully, you have Jacqui's cold and by Monday you'll feel better.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: maeve
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:08 PM

I feel like screaming, too. What key?

m

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: MikeL2
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:13 PM

hi kendal

Sorry to hear about your latest problem.

I know how you feel.

Stay with it, it gets better honestly !!!

regards

MikeL2

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:16 PM

So sorry Kendall. No screaming and no laughing out loud either. What are you permitted to have that may soothe the pain? Did the doc say how long the pain might last?

Hope it is as SINS said, just Jacqui's cold and will be gone soon.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: gnu
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:25 PM

Yo, Cappy... catching jac's cold and coughing (even more) after what was done is bound to make a BIG HURT on ya. BUT, as long as ya ain't coughin up blood or shittin black stool, TRY (I know) not to worry about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 03:29 PM

gnu - back to the Recovery Ward with you. We don't even want you in the CELLAR!
Really!

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 07:34 PM

Might I suggest the outhouse?

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: kendall
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 07:48 PM

The x rays are clear, so they say, but what the hell is making all this crap in my lungs?
I asked Jacqui if she has ever felt like she has lived long enough and she said "No".
Two plus weeks of unrelenting pain is enough to shiver even my timbers.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Amos
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 08:23 PM

A tiny bit of apple cider vinegar in your OJ might help a lot--say 1/2 teaspoon

A.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Midchuck
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 08:55 PM

Are you allowed the Water of Life yet?

P.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:30 PM

A tiny bit of applejack might help more.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 01:51 AM

looove those adverts - book called "Something For The Pain" - I wonder what it suggests & "Twenty Greatest hits" The Kendalls" - more than one Kendall?

sandra (hoping the one & only Mudcat Kendall is feeling better soon)

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 06:14 AM

I would imagine both vinegar and orange juice are completely out of the question while Kendall is healing.

It all is a bit much, though -- and there's a few of us who'd really LIKE to scream (especially if we could do it in harmony in the same key, right Maeve?)

Alas, Kendall. I know you've got more voice than you've had for years, but not enough for a decent scream. But I found out the scream only makes you feel better for a couple minutes.

Why can't this "one thing after another" include a couple really GOOD things?!?

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Morticia
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 06:38 AM

It doesn't compare but my non-healing bone and constant pain ( and lack of sleep) for 9 months is grim enough, I can't even imagine how much this must suck for you right now. All I can do is tell you I am thinking of you and love you both xx

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Bobert
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 07:03 AM

Ol' hillbilly pullin' fir ya', Capt'n...

More prayers and good healin' thoughts...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 07:50 AM

Today the pain is such that I can not swallow at all.Hydrocodone just can't "cut the mustard" as they say.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 08:13 AM

That cold you caught is making the rounds gave me nasty green and brown crap that felt as if it was coming up from my toes. I was miserable. Cost me two sick days. I can't imagine how you deal with the added hurt from the surgery.
Herbal tea with honey may soothe yor throat a bit.
I hate to say it but you have to keep keeping on for a while more (seven years and counting, sigh). Damn little kid with his cough!
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Tinker
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 08:46 AM

If it's the same congested cough making the rounds down her Capt'n its viral and just plain obnoxious. It takes at least a few weeks. Zach has been fighting it for a month now and complaining about throat pain (without surgery)   Antibiotics can't touch the virus stuff it really is a wait for the body to kick it out sort of thing...

Hugs, honey and tea.....

Love ya

tink

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 09:13 AM

Are you allowed the use of chloraseptic sprays. Numbing the area might do more good than painkillers.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 10:18 AM

If you run screaming into the night I want to come too.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 10:29 AM

I had that cold in late January/early February and it still hangs on with a cough and a drip. You will survive but it is nasty meantime.

Is this screaming into the night a clothing optional event? Can anyone join in? My place or yours?

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: kendall
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 10:58 AM

Maybe we could make it an Olympic event?

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Rapparee
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 11:06 AM

And the winner of the Gold Medal for "Running Around Maine In Early March Screaming While Naked" is: Kendall Morris.

The team event has been won by The Morris Dancers, also known as Kendallgroupies.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Midchuck
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 11:35 AM

It's not Morris, it's Morse.

We know it's Morse 'cause he has a code in the throat.

Peter

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 11:37 AM

Morris is a cat. Kendall is a Morse.

I see an Olympic Harpoon lit with whale oil atop Mt Katahdin while a hoard of naked 'Catters galumph around it with strategically placed banjos and guitars and a scattering of shaky eggs.

Did anyone else see that embarrassing Olympic introduction of the native Canadian tribes? We can pull that off easily.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 12:26 PM

{{{{{{{{{{{Kendall & Jackie}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Things are on the upswing here, so... I am sending some of the spillover to you! Happiness can be contagious, too, so...look out, here it comes...**bg** OR, if you prefer something a bit different: try this. (It actually gets better towards the middle and end:-)

As to the pain, I think the chloraseptic is a really good idea. Are the docs just not offering any alternative pain control/meds.?

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: gnu
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 12:59 PM

Too bad ya can't have some herb tea.

Man, catching a cold at the worst time really sucks. I feel for ya.

I know this is paltry in comparison, but... last slice and dice, in the recovery, the nurse assigned to me (and a few others) was sniffling and wiping on the back of her gloves. Sure enough, two days later, when I was released, I had a cold. Imagine... in a NURSE recovery with a cold!

At one point, I did have a good laugh... as much as I could. The blood pressure monitor was on auto at ten minute intervals. It had a medium sized band and there wasn't a lot of velcro secured. I knew what was gonna happen. Sniffles was writing on my chart when it flew off and she dropped pen and paper when it flew toward her. Wish it had smacked her in the head.

Ya know, come to think of it, that last time I was on the slab it was over 5 hours. My throat was not part of that slice and dice but it hurt like hell for several days from the intubation (which had aslo occured for aboy an hour and a half three eweeks prior)... and the coughing, of course.

Anyway, bud... I think of you often and hope this eases up on ya soon.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 01:57 PM

May I suggest avoiding dairy products and using steam to help with the catarrh.

For the pain maybe a wheat bag (neck pack) frozen instead of microwaved and placed on your throat.

Hoping you get relief very soon.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: gnu
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 02:02 PM

Link takes me to Google.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Cuilionn
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 02:44 PM

Kendall, whatcha need is some of that there "Maine Medicinals" elderberry stuff--"Antho-immune" I think they call it. I've been swigging it all winter and it's supposed to fight all the bad beasties...haven't had my usual winter bouts of pneumonia or any colds or sore throats, which is quite unusual for me. Yep, it's supposed to be good for what ails ya... but if it doesn't cure anything, there's still enough alcohol in it to make the swig a treat.

(If you CAN have herbal tea at some point, "Throat Coat" from "Traditional Medicinals" is more soothing than anything else I've found, owing to the wild cherry bark and slippery elm. 'Course, that assumes you can swallow, or at least manage to drizzle things down without too much pain.)

--Cuilionn (who suggests punching a pillow or writing enraged letters to random newspaper editors as nice alternatives to screaming...)

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 03:46 PM

sorry about that
wheat bag

works a treat on headache and arthritis. I am thinking your throat is bruised as well as raw from the surgery. There may be some swelling too. Soft frozen pack may be just the thing to ease inflammation.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 05:14 PM

That's a good idea, Tam. I think I posted this a while back: my doc said pain and cold travel the same pathways and cold trumps pain, so ice on should give some relief.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Rapparee
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 08:43 PM

Try frozen peas.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Janie
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 09:36 PM

Damn it, Kendall - get well already! Soon you will have me believing that life isn't fair, and that is a bigger dose of reality than I feel like accepting tonight.

(love you.)

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 11:06 PM

If you can stand the cold on your skin, Kat's right. I got myself some soft ice packs and they have been a life saver with the pain from my port.

Feel better Kendall.

Tell Jacqui to give you a big hug from me.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: gnu
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 06:11 AM

Ice in a ziploc bag wrapped it in a towel. Never apply directly.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 09:39 AM

Chunks of ice are not very comfortable. The towel does not permit the cold to get through very well. Too much barrier.

The wheat bag is ideal, because there are no pointy bits jabbing into tender places (please try to keep your minds out of the gutter fellas) and it it already wrapped in fabric, so you don't get shock of cold against the skin and it will wrap nicely round the neck in any direction, front to back or back to front.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 10:06 AM

That's the reason behind a bag of frozen peas.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: gnu
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 11:44 AM

The towel works for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Janie
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 11:45 AM

I knew there had to be good reason to freeze peas.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: gnu
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 11:54 AM

I suppose it's the "green" thing to do, but what if it leaked?

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Janie
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 12:12 PM

How are you feeling this morning, Cap'n?

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Irene M
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 02:08 PM

A little Manuka honey? I know it is expensive, but I understand it is naturally antiseptic. Clever little sods, bees.

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 02:46 PM

If it leaked...well, you'd have peas in your pants....

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: KathWestra
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 02:53 PM

Big hug to you. So sorry you're hurting, and hoping you're feeling whole bunches better REALLY soon!!! Will be in touch by e-mail.
Loveya, Kathy

Subject: RE: BS: Kendall's new thread
From: jacqui.c
Date: 06 Mar 10 - 09:31 PM

Last night, about midnight, Kendall woke up having difficulty breathing. I took him to the ER, where they hooked him up to saline and steroids, did blood tests, chest x-rays and an EKG and decided that he now had some pneumonia so they were going to keep him in. I left him there at 6.00am this morning, just waiting for a bed to be made ready.

When I went in this afternoon, after getting some sleep, he was looking a bit better. they have him on three broad spectrum antibiotics and an anti fungal, to offset the antibiotics and steroids that he has been on this past couple of weeks. I haven't actually talked to the doctor yet, so don't know when they are thinking about turning him loose, but, right now, he's in the best place.

Hopefully, they will get the pneumonia under control fairly fast and this bloody awful cold will have run its course, making it easier for him to swallow. I've let Dr Z's office know the latest, just in case they want anything done that hasn't been so far.

Mary insisted on driving me to and from the hospital and took me out to dinner this evening. She was probably right about my not driving - I'm feeling a little sleep deprived right now. It's good to have such good friends.

More tomorrow, once we have more info.