Curmudgeon Hospitalized

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 26 Apr 04 - 09:20 AM

Whew, it's been a full day already and I haven't even gotten dressed yet.

Talked to Tom early this morning and they had already taken the lung drains out and the pacemaker was still disconnected. He's set to get out of the ICU as soon as they find an empty room for him in step down.

Just had a delightful call from Micca who caught me up to my elbows in cat doo-doo. I had just emptied the litter box (in the rain, of course) and cleaned it and thought it was about time to shovel out the spot between the washer & dryer that the cats like when they get finicky or someone's used the litter box before them. Well, Micca snapped me out of my shit shoveling mood ASAP and left me laughing.

Right now I need to finish up a few things around here, get dressed and make all the stops I have to make before seeing Tom (including taking a sheaf of papers to the patient advocate).

Later,
Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 26 Apr 04 - 07:19 AM

Well, speaking of bath and therapy -- I slept through calling Tom at 8:30 last night because of said bath and therapy.

The pressing phone call was my mother who got worried when she called the hospital, found he was still in the ICU, I wasn't there -- probably had just gone home or something, wasn't in the waiting room, wasn't at home. So I got her squared away, ate (see, I DO eat, even if someone isn't there to watch me -- and I've got cheese crackers with peanut butter in the car), fed cats and insulated Mort, poured myself a glass of wine, washed my hair and got into the tub. Finished the book I was reading (only a couple pages) and started a new bathtub book and realized I was really, really sleepy. Got out and thought I'd catch a nap before calling Tom to say goodnight. Uh uh -- didn't wake up til 10:30, way too late to call Tom. Went downstairs to turn off lights and the computer, and went back to sleep.

I was again awake at 5:15 -- but by then had racked up about 10 hours of sleep.

Good -- cuz the list was made before six and there's a lot on it.

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Joybell
Date: 26 Apr 04 - 06:25 AM

Still sending happy thoughts over the ocean. Glad that things are going so well. Joy

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 26 Apr 04 - 05:44 AM

Yes! Linn, learn to say "Yes!"

(BTW, lots of folks were asking after Tom and you at NEFFA)

Allison

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Janie
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 11:42 PM

Oh Jeri. You outdid yourself!

Linn, you don't HAVE to return phone calls. Or to post here, for that matter, unless, of course, you just want to. Focus on your top priorities and don't sweat the other stuff. You are probably getting alot of "Let me know if I can do anything to help." The answer is "Wow, thanks. As a matter of fact there are a couple of things that people could help with...." (light garden chores, fielding phone calls, laundry, etc.) People really do want to help at times like this. Let them. It builds community. Like Susan said--go to bed. Sleep tight. Sweet dreams. Good night.

Janie

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Charley Noble
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 07:54 PM

Good work, Jeri! Nothing like a good working shanty to get folks back in shape.

I was wondering if I could work up a parody of "Pump Shanty."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 06:40 PM

LINN. Go to bed, now please.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 06:29 PM

I could look for 'Bedpans Away', but I suspect he's past that. Maybe he should have his own shanty.

I bid farewell to the pretty young nurse
Way, hey, blow the ball up
I saw who was comin' and stifled a curse
One more damned time to blow the ball up

I really hoped I'd be restin' my eyes
Way, hey, blow the ball up
The therapist says "time for your excercise"
One more damned time to blow the ball up

Inhale then exhale so steady and slow
Way, hey, blow the ball up
Make it stay at the line, not above or below
One more damned time to blow the ball up

Blow the ball up, Tommy, blow the ball up
Way, hey, blow the ball up
Don't get confused and, by mistake, suck
One more damned time to blow the ball up

Will go see him whenever he's moved and would like visitors.

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 05:46 PM

Just got home from the hospital. He's doing a lot better since they put in the lung drains yesterday -- he's doing the cough and it's working and he's getting someplace with the breathing therapy, etc.

Right after I got there, the physical therapist got him up from the chair to do some stepping in place -- he's hooked up to so many things, it takes too long
to unhook him to take him for a walk. But he wasn't winded or anything afterwards and she figures she's going to have to be the brake or he could overdo himself without realizing it.

Actually he must be doing pretty well because they let a friend into the ICU this afternoon (after asking Tom if it was OK) and they don't usually let non-relatives in to visit.

I surprised him when I told him it was Sunday, then he went over the chronology in his head, asking for verification of when the surgery was, etc. He said he was missing a day. I said, "Uh huh -- Friday. Remember yesterday I told you all about Friday cuz you didn't remember a thing -- and a good thing, too!"

Just before I left, the nurse came in to disconnect the temporary pacemaker to see how the heart works without it.

They'll probably move him to the step down unit sometime tomorrow.

Jeri and I went over to Dover this morning to bring Tom's car home from Wentworth Douglass -- and ran into traffic congestion and detours because of a bike race.

Linn (now going upstairs to reply to all the phone messages left on the machine; sigh. I'll get a bath & therapy sometime . . .)

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 08:04 AM

I tried -- when I first looked at the clock I though I'd gotten 7 hours of sleep, but on second glance, it was only 6. Ah well.

Wish I had time for the yard and garden work that needs to be done right now. I managed to pull the leaf mulch off a couple areas so the goldenrod colored crocuses could poke their heads through. Daffs are about ready to pop -- up and down the driveway. Can't find the winter aconite. Other stuff on the bank is blooming or about to.

Yard work would guarantee 8 hours of sleep -- but, then again, probably not being in crisis mode would, too. Sigh.

It's about time for me to be able to call the ICU.

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 01:01 AM

Hey, Linn, I spent several hours out in the front yard digging up flower beds (I've discovered that "No Till" beds, with newspaper and mulch are really "Mulch now, Till later" beds). I'm going to sleep tonight! Get some fresh air and heavy lifting in, even a few minutes, and maybe that will help with the sleep. Good luck to both of you!

SRS

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 10:45 PM

Wow, Uncle Jaque, yeah, will need some slate prolly in the more or less near future to practice on; and for a few weeks, at least, will have to stick pretty close to Tom (don't tell Employment Security).

Been so worried about Tom for so long and that kept me from some of the creative things I wanted/needed to do, like practicing the slate cutting. Fud Benson gave me some great tools and I've had some instruction from Doug Coffin and have some really good books as source material. Now I just need to spend some time actually cutting letterforms.

No, I have to admit, I haven't actually contacted your brother-in-law. I've got all the info on the desktop, and his website is still under construction, but mostly the worry, etc. about Tom has kept me from getting a lot of stuff done, and I had been negotiating through multiple interviews with a local publishing company that ended up not only not hiring me, but not hiring anybody -- they changed their mind as to what they were looking for. Since the editorial gig also involved scheduling and traffic, gawd, I should put this experience with all the financial, medical, etcet etcet planning on my resume -- I TOLD them I could do it!!! Hey, this experience directly relates to job skills and maybe some printer, publisher, research company, etcet etcet will figure that out.

Well, quickie update here, too. I called Tom about 8:15 and he was in the middle of a breathing therapy workout, so I had to call back about 20 minutes later. He was pretty sleepy at that point, but I read him Catspaw's most recent post and congratulated him on what a good job he's been doing since they figured out the lung problems. I think he's getting a lot better sleep than I've been. I just poured myself another snifter of orange brandy liqueur and I'm going back upstairs to watch more Rick Steves travel videos until I can fall asleep. I'll continue to try to sleep past 5 a.m. . . .

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Janie
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 10:21 PM

Yeah Linn, it is essential that you take care of yourself now. Continue to keep both Tom and you in my prayers.

Janie

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 10:08 PM

Well gosh; I'm way behind the times as usual.

Just popped in here to check the headlines, and it looks like the worst is over and ol' Tom's in the home stretch here; it is good to see the outpouring of direct and spiritual support for another member of the Mudcat "Family" who is going over a rough section of road along their journey. It seems like we are just breathing a sigh or relief and saying our "Amens" and "Thank You's" for Kendall's successful restoration when another member of the crew has to go in to the shop for an overhaul!

We'll be checking in a little more frequently for a while here for updates, and you will both be in my thoughts & prayers during the recovery ordeal.

Was just thinking of you Saturday Lynn, as I was picking some shards of slate out of the dump to carve - wondering if you were still interested in that stuff. I reckon you'll have your hands full enough for a while yet!

Did you ever get in touch with my Brother in Law up in Brunswick about the job-search?

After all of the gory details about what cardiac surgery entails, i think I'll just adhere to my current policy of quietly thinking "Cool!" whenever I get those occasional substernal twinges that radiate down the left arm and/or up the jaw.
   Oh yes; after 15 years as an EMT on the local Rescue Unit, I know exactly what those are all about.

If no one is around, i sometimes drop down and knock out about 25 pushups to see if we can't just get it over with.

No luck so far.

It is a blessing to know that Friend Tom has so much to live for, as he is so obviously loved - and by all indications is going to be allowed to enjoy that blessing for some time to come.

Praise be!

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 07:43 PM

All righty then --

When I got to the ICU this afternoon I found out all the Adventures in Healing that Tom had been having since I had last been updated around 11 this morning. At that time, they'd given him another chest x-ray but hadn't yet interpreted the results. Turns out he was having some lung function problems (hence he really had reasons for not doing well with either the coughing or the breathing exercises), so they ended up putting in a couple lung tubes. (Geez, he gets rid of the chest drain this morning and they replace it with two more tubes in early afternoon.) They also gave him a temporary pacemaker -- it may turn out that he'll need one permanently.

NOW he can cough and, having been assured that his insides wouldn't fly apart, he'd been having some good productive gurgly coughs. (But tonight when I call to say goodnight, I'll read Spaw's comments to him.)

I had to wait in the lounge again when he asked to sit up more and they moved him to a chair so he could order dinner. The breathing tech was with him when I got back and had given him a refresher course in the tube he's got to inhale and exhale into and was giving him a decent workout on the other breathing dealie. (I think that's a technical term.) Anyway, since the lung work this morning, his performance was improving. I probably won't need the whip.

Around 5 p.m. he had his first real food since dinner before the surgery. His voice is still hoarse and quiet from the vent and it's hard sometimes to understand him as a result -- maybe that's why his dinner order got screwed up, not badly, but a bit askew.

At least tonight I can call him around 8:30 and say goodnight -- that's been one of the hardest things for me the last few nights. After all, last Thursday night was the first night in 23 years that I'd been alone in the house without him. We've been apart other times, of course, and he's spent nights in the house without ME, but that was a first for me -- and when we've been apart, at least we were able to talk to each other until the night of the surgery and last night.

A little later he asked to go back into the bed and since they kick me out to move him, I chose that time to head home with a detour to the laundromat to do a huge bag of laundry. I've got a lot of household stuff to get caught up on before he gets home. (He's never been able to stand seeing me do housework while he's around, so now's my chance -- and before anyone makes any smart remarks about that, he's done 99% of the cooking since we met, most of the grocery shopping, and a substantial amount of the laundry and tasks like litterbox emptying, etc. I do most of the decorating, cleaning and yard and garden work.)

Don't know when exactly he'll get out of the ICU into the step down unit, but it won't be tonight, so if anyone's planning on visiting tomorrow, please call first to see if he'll be available for visitation.

Gotta go feed and insulate the cat and then maybe feed myself. (No, DEFINITELY feed myself. Got designs on a bottle of retsina. Haven't had any in a long time and a friend made a pile of spanokopita for me and I've got salad fixin's in the fridge. Maybe a relaxing movie, too, tonight. I'm trying, I really am!)

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Alba
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 07:02 PM

Linn. Look at the pendulam..see how it moves from side to side, your eyes are growing heavy......now I want you to think of sleeping till 8.00am...a long restful, calming sleep. When I count to three you will wake up and not remember what I told you but you will have a bloody good sleep tonight:>)
It's hard to let go, even in sleep, with the mind turning. Sleep will come Darlin and I wish my hypnosis thingy would work but.....hey!I'm just a daft Musician in the Backwoods of Maine lol
Blessings and Love to Tom and to you Linn ma Dear.
Giac(Our Mary) is having some healing issues also. So two Candles for that tonight and one for Strength for you Linn.
White light always shining..
Love
Jude

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 05:32 PM

Linn, this is from Giac (Mary), who says "just 'cause we had surgery the same day, doesn't mean you had to one-up me, Tom!" (She was home on Friday, but has a tough time sitting at the computer right now.)

Take care and make him listen to Spaw!

love & light still coming your way...

kat

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Sonnet
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 04:24 PM

Still sending love and light to the pair of you. Give Mort a tickle behind the ear for me, Linn.

love,

Jay xxx

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 03:30 PM

Well said, 'spaw--and the kind of information he needs.

SRS

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 01:55 PM

I disagree. He needs a grreat post-op nurse. The best of them are kinda' "tough love" specialists. I know exactly where he's at right now and it's not great. Everything you do requires help from someone and you're drugged to boot so you can't keep things totally straight, although you think you are. If he's anything like me or most of us, he wants to be in control and not doing something is a way of taking control. Enter the tough nurse.

I wanted to kill that bitch at the time. She wouldn't let up and she wouldn't quit and dammit to hell, she was always there it seemed. The only way I could get rid of her and take control of my life was to do what she wanted and BY GOD I WAS GOING TO SHOW HER!!!!! Fucjin' bitch can't treat me like that!!! I'll show her some gawddam coughing!!!

Get on him hard.....He should have stepped down by now. In one of my surgeries Karen got mad at me and it was awful. Told me she was giving up. She'd had it and if I didn't care than neither did she.

Post-op is a strange time and that feeling of being invalided and helpless when you are used to control can be really awful. Make him believe the only way to get control is to do better. Challenge him to the point of demeaning him. It works........ask a lot of post op nurses who work the higher risk and longer surgeries.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 01:06 PM

Fear of pain or fear of reopening some surgical wound is probably holding him back from coughing as hard or often as he should. Find someone who can reassure him (Kendall, send a post, please!) that he won't come apart. That it gets easier.

I had a similar problem after some surgery--fear that the trip to the restroom was going to be so painful that I considered letting them reinstall the catheter as they offered. My ex, who had also experienced lower abdominal surgery, came into the room and said "Good Luck" in a way that sounded snotty, so I said so. He said "No, no, I didn't mean it that way. I meant that it won't be as bad as you're afraid of, if you'll just relax." He was right, and I'm glad he took the time to tell me, because I'd have been a lot more uncomfortable with the catheter and possible infection those can bring on. So someone in the know about recovery from this kind of surgery needs to share information with Curmudgeon right now when he really needs it. For whatever reason, at times like this we don't believe the doctors, but we do believe our friends.

SRS

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: SINSULL
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 12:53 PM

Linn, I still have one cat o' nine tails left. It's yours if you want it but I think Tom's roomies might object. He really does have to cough and do the breathing exercises. Don't make me come down there and pound on his back!

And you: GET SOME REST. The last thing you need right now is a cold. Eat, sleep, and sit down with a cup of tea or glass of wine. Let yourself unwind.

Give Tom my love.
Mary

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 12:08 PM

Quick revision --

I talked to the ICU about 45 minutes ago (about 11 a.m.) -- he's doing well and the chest drain is out, etc. but they're not in any hurry to move him to the step down unit. He just had a chest x-ray and they're waiting for the results from that -- he's not doing the coughing or the breathing exercises well enough to make them (or me) happy. I'll go in to the hospital after I wrap up a few things around the house and I'LL put the fear of the Lord into him! He's GOT to cough, GOT to do the breathing workout, or he's in danger of pneumonia, a longer stay in the hospital, slower recovery period, the always-there possibility of picking up one of the bugs that lurk at hospitals, etcet etcet.

Dammit! If he's not willing to go through the pain for his own sake, I'll damned well make him do it for ME!

I've been doing plenty of things lately that aren't particularly fun but have to be done -- now it's his turn.

(Uh, do you think I should bring the whip?)

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Amos
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 10:58 AM

Hang int here, lass!! You'll make it!!

Breathe in....THEN breathe out.


A

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: bbc
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 07:46 AM

Linn, I'm glad Tom has you & I'm glad you still have him. Take a minute, now & then, to be good to yourself, so you'll be in shape to be good to him. Best to both!

love,

Barbara

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 07:36 AM

I'll pass on everyone's recent good wishes as soon as Tom's ready to hear them. I think yesterday was probably his most uncomfortable day because they were really making him work -- off the vent but still plenty of tubes, having to lie more or less still for quite a while to keep things from bleeding, then into a chair, breathing exercises, "the cough" -- very painful but very necessary. Lots of drugs, I suppose, but he was still very very uncomfortable. Don't know how much of yesterday he was actually taking in or would remember. But he moaned a lot. They enlisted me, too, as combination cheerleader and drill sergeant. (As well as just being there, giving him ice chips when he wanted them, snagging a nurse, etc.) He got a nice Reiki massage right when he really needed to be distracted; she'd been trying to find him more or less without company for several days, but her timing yesterday was perfect.

He'll probably be moved from the ICU to the step down unit this morning.

Since they didn't want me there getting in the way until noon or later, I finally had a chance to do all (well, not ALL) the stuff that still has to be done even if parts of your life is on hold -- picking up jobs at the printer for a client, laundry, post office. Didn't get the litter box changed; maybe this morning. Laundry's drying right now.

After I saw Tom yesterday afternoon, I had to head back into Portsmouth to pick up mail from the post office across the street from The Press Room. Friends had insisted I stop there before going home so they could feed me -- and make sure I ate! (And poured a black and tan and a Jamieson's down my gullet -- for medicinal relaxation purposes only.) Boy is my brain fried -- I even flubbed words in "Aunt Clara"! Took me longer to extricate myself and finally reach the ol' homestead cuz more people kept needing to be updated.

Well, I got five hours of sleep last night -- I really wish the body & brain would let me sleep past 5 a.m.

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Carly
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 12:57 PM

I am so glad to hear Tom is doing fine. I have your mantra firmly in my head, Linn. Everything is going to be okay. Today is my birthday, and I have put in an order that only good things may happen.
I am embarrassed to relate that it took this thread for me to realize that Tom and Linn are Curmudgeon and Bat Goddess! Makes me wonder how many more folks I know are lurking behind Mudcat names!You are both in my thoughts and prayers.

Carly Gewirz

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: pixieofdoom
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 10:36 AM

I'm so glad to hear that the surgery went well. Thinking of both of you
hugs
Pixie

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Partridge
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 10:00 AM

Glad everything went well. You know I'm thinking of you and wishing you a good and peaceful sleep and Tom a full recovery.

take care Linn,

love from your secret santa Pat xxx

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 09:56 AM

Linn, don't forget to deep breath. Yer brain and *noives* will thank you for it. :-) Thanks so much for taking the time to keep us posted. We are sending up much thanks here for this successful outcome.

{{{{{{{{{{{{Linn & Tom}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

luvyakat & Rog

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 09:53 AM

Glad the worst of it is over for you Linn but Tom has a few uncomfortable weeks ahead. Kendall was convinced that I hit every bump in the road just to hear him yelp.

I will call you tonight. Didn't want to wake you in case you managed to fall asleep.

I know you are overtired because you are taking showers instead of baths. Get some rest girl!
SINS

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 08:29 AM

Talked to the ICU about an hour ago. He's doing fine -- they were just waking him up and won't take the vent off til he's awake. The nurse said I probably shouldn't come in to see him until at least noon and to call first.

Well, I've got plenty to do before then.

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Escamillo
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 06:55 AM

Sorry to be late to this thread. Tom and Lynn, everything will be ok, receive a hug from this distant Buenos Aires. Our thoughts are with you.

Un abrazo,
Andrés

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 06:22 AM

Sounds good so far Linn, things can only get better. I sympathise with the thought that Tom had been looking so 'grey' for so long, and looks healthier already. You don't notice a slow deterioration, and it comes as a shock to realise how bad things must have been. Still that's the cutting and stitching over, now comes the healing and coughing. Take Spaw's advice, and give him an extra hug every day, and thank the lord. Now is also the time to make plans to do something together that you've always wanted to do but put off till another day.
John

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 06:19 AM

Sleep -- what a lovely idea! (What a lovely fantasy!)

The brain finally quieted down around 10:30 last night . . . and started chattering away (despite white chestnut) a little before 4 this morning. I'd REALLY like a respite from the list-making that my tyrant brain is insisting upon!

There IS preliminary planning going on for a benefit concert -- but that sort of thing takes a LOT of planning and we also need to know how much of the medical tab, etc. (I'm studiously avoiding even letting speculation about how much all of this is costing cross my brain) various financial assistance agencies will pay and stuff like that. I can PM contact information to anyone who wants it.

I've just had to cancel going to NEFFA tonight to support Tyler Buck in her Celtic Singaround, but with Tom in the ICU etcet etcet, I just can't do it -- so PLEASE people, go to the singaround (9 pm in the Music Room) and PARTICIPATE and sing your hearts out even if you have to go on stage and use the microphone (because of sound-sucking wall tiles).

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 12:31 AM

Linn, thanks so much for keeping us in mind at Mudcat. You must be ready to sleep for weeks when this is over. Good luck with everything!

SRS

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Brían
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 12:15 AM

Sorry it took so long to stumble across this thread. I am glad things seem to be going o.k.. You are all in my thoughts and whatever.

Brían

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 11:42 PM

OK ..... good ..... I can go to sleep. Pulling for you here, buddy. Now, Linn, a good night's sleep is called for. Go to bed. He is in good hands.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: GUEST,julia & fred
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 09:07 PM

Well you know, all that re-routing of the blood can do strange things... or maybe he's really a blue-blood... not bloody likely!

Enny whey- LINN, please let us know if you need a fundraising concert or something. WE'd love to help out
Chyahz- Julia

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Amos
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 08:16 PM

Now, guys -- Linn didn't say his peter had turned blue, did she? Or was that in private correspondence?? ;>))

A

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: GUEST,Julia & Fred
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 07:58 PM

Hey! we've been away and look what happens....

Linn- you are amazing! What a woman!
Tom - great to hear you're coming through this thing! Blue Peter flying!On to greater things!
Best from J & F

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Amos
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 07:54 PM

White Light flowing, aye, Linn!! He's gonna get up and start complaining before you know it!


A

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Alba
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 06:59 PM

Way to go TOM.......it is all going to be absolutely fine in a short time.....Ah Linn Hang in there. It is hard I know to keep it together(ish) when the Person you Love is so Fragile.
It's done, the Op is over and now it's time for Healing.
I think you have been amazing with all the Worry and Stress, posting every Day to keep us informed of Tom's progress and focusing on all the other things that go along with that, Medical forms ect, add the Cats and Yourself in to the mixture and you have one drainng and difficult experience happening there.. and no Tom right beside you to Hug and tell you it's gonna be ok. But He will be soon now...:>)
That White Light is still shining brightly,
Candles burning as I type.
You are Both in my Thoughts.
Blessed be
Jude

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 06:35 PM

*great big smile* yep...it will be fine! Lots of silly, semi-tedious routines as he recovers and asks for various treats...but, that part of it will be fun...mostly.. ;>)

I do KNOW about the "looks sooooooo much better than it has" thing. You see this sudden change, when you had barely been aware that things weren't quite right. The valves working and the blood flowing freely improve things immediately!.....Tom is gonna enjoy this recovery, as soon as he can get past the obvious temporary discomforts!

Bet you sleep better tonight!

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 06:11 PM

Okay . . . cut to the chase. Tom got into the ICU after his surgery this afternoon about 2:45 and they let me see him about an hour later. (More on that, later.)

The surgery took 6 hours and during that time Amy, the OR nurse, called me about every hour (I was in the ICU waiting room) to tell me what they just did, what they were doing and what was about happen. He ended up with a double bypass, they replaced the aortic valve (with pig tissue) and repaired his tricuspid valve with a ring. As far as I know, things went along smoothly all the way; what I was told is that everything went along just fine.

I woke up this morning at quarter to three and couldn't get back to sleep despite the alarm being set for 4:30. So I got up at 4 and was set to hit the road at 5:10. I even took the trash up to the road for pick up. I was concerned about the car starting so I wanted to try it with enough time to call Jeri if it didn't want to start, but as it happened, it started just fine. Got to the hospital at 5:45 and got "princess parking"-- probably the best parking place in the lot. I'm glad I got there early as I was able to spend some time with Tom before the morphine took effect, after which I just stroked his hand and listened to him breathe and snore softly. After I walked along beside him to the elevator and kissed him, I went back to the room to gather all his stuff to schlep down to the car for storage until he's in a regular room again. (THAT's the real reason for "princess parking.")

Then I went to the lounge area that is the ICU waiting room. I wrote some notes and impressions in my journal/notebook, etc. Now to tell you how fried my brain is these days, the obvious took me a little while. I was sort of staring at one of the telephones for awhile before it occurred to me -- "telephone"..."local call"..."oh, call a friend"..."Mary Faux will be up this early -- doesn't work in the morning" etcet etcet. Gave her a call and she grabbed some croissants and came right down. (The coffee in the waiting room is great.) So she kept what's left of my brain occupied through all the waiting. Kit Hutchins, who is a nurse at Portsmouth Regional (off today), came in and later Hutch (her husband) joined us. And Cecil Abels midafternoon. So I had good company who also took care of my every need.

I was able to go in to the ICU to see him around 3:45. Now remember, everyone has warned me how shocking and difficult to bear the appearance of the patient is right after surgery, body probably still not brought up to normal temperature, on a ventilator, tubes coming out of EVERYWHERE, many machines that go 'ping' and probably the worst, the tube of bloody fluid coming out of the chest cavity.

Deep breath. You know, it wasn't as bad as I expected. And by the time I was ready to leave the hospital I had figured out why -- his color, at least, looks sooooooo much better than it has for the past coupla months. In many ways, he looked better -- even right after surgery -- than he has for the past several months. Now THAT'S scary. And, sometime when I can let myself do it, I'm going to cry for hours in relief. (But if I let myself cry right now, whether for relief or any other reason, I don't think I'll be able to stop.)

It's not over yet, but we're on the way. He'll probably be in the ICU until late tomorrow. Then a few more days in Telemetry.

Everything's going to be okay. (That's my mantra.) And I'll schedule falling apart totally for sometime, -- maybe later this summer. And now, since all the updates to the four major Update Centrals have been made, all I have yet to do is call Tom's only other family, an elderly cousin, and then . . . I'm going to crash. Hope nobody (especially the hospital) calls. I'll finish the chicken salad I've been picking at all afternoon, wash my hair and shower and collapse into bed -- oh, yeah, feed the cats and insulate Mort. Everything's going to be okay.

Keep the white light beaming!

Linn

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 06:09 PM

long... slow.... release of breath.....

Yay, Tom!

Allison

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: bbc
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 06:06 PM

Glad to hear the news. Now for a boringly uneventful recuperation, we hope!

best,

Barbara

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 06:01 PM

wow! with that kind of overhaul, he'll be good for another 100,000 miles *grin* (who cares what the paint job is like when the engine is purring!)

Take care, Linn...it all works, one day at a time....*smile*

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 05:59 PM

Thanks, Jeri. I like to hear about successful operations. Sure sounds like Tom was at the right place at the right time.

How can we help financially?

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Curmudgeon Hospitalized
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 05:55 PM

Okay here.....lessee.....Two valves and three tubes beats one valve and four tubes but I'll see you and raise you a ripped aorta. Aw nuts, Rita just went for the whole tamale...Got us both!!!! Damn! Oh wait....We ALL won huh?

Seriously Tom, you are lucky to still be with us so give your wife and extra kiss and an extra hug at least twice a day, everyday, for the rest of your life...........and think how blessed you are.

Now get out of bed, cough, and then start the short walks........End of the hallway is all of a sudden a helluva' lot further than you thought ain't it? LOL...Get well quick.

Spaw