PairoDocs
Well-known member
Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing, at least for me-lots of prayer.
Springtime in Idaho,
-Laura
Springtime in Idaho,
-Laura
The Ross' Journey
- Thread starter AngelaR
- Start date
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AngelaR
Well-known member
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Hello everyone! Thank you for your kind words.
We came home yesterday. Ray is doing phenomenal!
The surgery itself only took about an hour and 45 minutes. They took the tube out of his throat about 3 hours later. The first night in ICU was rough for him. He was in a lot of pain. But after that he got up the very next morning and was in a chair when they let us back into ICU. Then was up and walking a few hours after that. He stopped taking the narcotics on Saturday. He has extreme shoulder pain and has been taking flexiril for that. His INR was still only at 1.1 so he is taking Lovenox shots until he gets that up. Hopefully he can quit worrying about INR's altogether in a few months.
The ON-X team came to see me while I was in the waiting room. They were doing training with the hospital so I got to talk with them.
I will sit down and write a play for play on how everything went for those that are still waiting to have one more positive experience to hold onto while they are in the holding pattern. I just don't have much time right now.
Ray is already walking 30 minutes on the treadmill in the morning and at night. We've had people here non-stop today. His sister and brother were at the hospital the whole time with us and my dad was with our daughters.
Everything went really smooth and fast and the staff at VCU was amazing. They were very efficient and nice. Nothing but rave reviews from us for them =)
OK, I will be back while Ray is napping to tell you all more. I have some great pictures too.
Thank you for all your pep talks and just listening to me rant as we waited. You all have been amazing as well.
Home
Hello everyone! Thank you for your kind words.
We came home yesterday. Ray is doing phenomenal!
The surgery itself only took about an hour and 45 minutes. They took the tube out of his throat about 3 hours later. The first night in ICU was rough for him. He was in a lot of pain. But after that he got up the very next morning and was in a chair when they let us back into ICU. Then was up and walking a few hours after that. He stopped taking the narcotics on Saturday. He has extreme shoulder pain and has been taking flexiril for that. His INR was still only at 1.1 so he is taking Lovenox shots until he gets that up. Hopefully he can quit worrying about INR's altogether in a few months.
The ON-X team came to see me while I was in the waiting room. They were doing training with the hospital so I got to talk with them.
I will sit down and write a play for play on how everything went for those that are still waiting to have one more positive experience to hold onto while they are in the holding pattern. I just don't have much time right now.
Ray is already walking 30 minutes on the treadmill in the morning and at night. We've had people here non-stop today. His sister and brother were at the hospital the whole time with us and my dad was with our daughters.
Everything went really smooth and fast and the staff at VCU was amazing. They were very efficient and nice. Nothing but rave reviews from us for them =)
OK, I will be back while Ray is napping to tell you all more. I have some great pictures too.
Thank you for all your pep talks and just listening to me rant as we waited. You all have been amazing as well.
Ross
Well-known member
Outstanding!!!!
Now, don't let him over do it, which already, he seems to be doing too much too fast. No need for backsliding here.
Now, don't let him over do it, which already, he seems to be doing too much too fast. No need for backsliding here.
WOW!!!
1 hour and 45 minutes - thats amazing.
But I do have to ask........he's NOT doing 30 minutes on the treadmill at one time is he????? I thought that doing 10 minutes of walking 3 to 5 times a day was sufficient.
Oh how it does sound he is doing too much to fast.
Please slow down Ray and take care.......both of you.
1 hour and 45 minutes - thats amazing.
But I do have to ask........he's NOT doing 30 minutes on the treadmill at one time is he????? I thought that doing 10 minutes of walking 3 to 5 times a day was sufficient.
Oh how it does sound he is doing too much to fast.
Please slow down Ray and take care.......both of you.
ctyguy
Well-known member
Great to hear that Ray is doing so well ! I had a rough first night in the stepdown unit when the reduced my meds but by noon the next day I was doing pretty well. I was on the treadmill pretty quickly also and ended up with a bout of pericardial effussion when I was at 2 weeks post-op, not sure if there was a relationship there but I would caution to not push too hard, wear a heart monitor, and slow down when his body tells him to.
Hopefully Ray has a very boring and uneventful recovery !
Hopefully Ray has a very boring and uneventful recovery !
P
Phyllis
So happy to read this. Best wishes to you and Ray for an uneventful recovery and we will look forward to the pictures.
K
Karlynn
Great news! And here's someone else telling you to tell him not to overdo it. There are some things that only time will allow to recover and willpower has nothing to do with those things. If he does too much, his body will throw him down.
Walk, sleep, eat and breathe - those are his only jobs. If all the visitors are wearing him out - kick 'em out!
You are Nurse Ratchett for the first couple of weeks!
Walk, sleep, eat and breathe - those are his only jobs. If all the visitors are wearing him out - kick 'em out!
You are Nurse Ratchett for the first couple of weeks!
PairoDocs
Well-known member
Glad to hear Ray is doing well. Chris and I made sure that he increased his activity in steps, always while wearing the monitor. He did run up and down the steps prior to discharge, though... what is it about men needing to be studly, anyway? The physical therapist was sure impressed, though.
Cloudy in Idaho,
-Laura
Cloudy in Idaho,
-Laura
AngelaR
Well-known member
Friday, 9 May
Friday, 9 May
Hello All.
Still not a lot of time to sit down and type, just wanted to let you all know we are still doing great. Ray's INR is still only 1.3 so he has to increase his coumadin to 5mg and continue to take the lovenox shots. (ugh) His poor belly looks like a warzone from those shots. They really bruise him up.
His incision looks fantastic. about 2 inches at the top still need to heal up better but the rest of it looks sealed, so hopefully that will stay that way. His drainage holes look like black obyss'. ick. I can't believe they didn't put a stitch or two in there.
His walking is going good. The muscle pain in his shoulder is starting to ease up. He walks outside a good bit and then does his 30 minutes on the treadmill at night. He has trouble sleeping at night, but I hear everyone has that. He takes some pretty good naps during the day so he thinks that might be a contribute and he limited his naps today. we will see if that helps tonight. He is sleeping in the recliner, too hard to lay flat still. Hopefully that will go away soon, I miss him =)
He gets a sharp pain now and then like a flutter. Nothing that lasts. It did it every few hours on Wednesday. Wednesday he was in a good bit of pain and just really tired. It happened once today. Was told that as long as it wasn't constant or happened more than a few times it was normal healing.
We go back next Friday for his post op check up and go back Wednesday to get his INR read again.
All and all we are just enjoying our time off together and taking it easy. I will post some pics soon. I just have to get the darn things off my camera!
Thank you for everyone's support and "two cents". He isn't pushing himself and he is listening to his body. All is good, we are just going to continue to rest and relax.
Friday, 9 May
Hello All.
Still not a lot of time to sit down and type, just wanted to let you all know we are still doing great. Ray's INR is still only 1.3 so he has to increase his coumadin to 5mg and continue to take the lovenox shots. (ugh) His poor belly looks like a warzone from those shots. They really bruise him up.
His incision looks fantastic. about 2 inches at the top still need to heal up better but the rest of it looks sealed, so hopefully that will stay that way. His drainage holes look like black obyss'. ick. I can't believe they didn't put a stitch or two in there.
His walking is going good. The muscle pain in his shoulder is starting to ease up. He walks outside a good bit and then does his 30 minutes on the treadmill at night. He has trouble sleeping at night, but I hear everyone has that. He takes some pretty good naps during the day so he thinks that might be a contribute and he limited his naps today. we will see if that helps tonight. He is sleeping in the recliner, too hard to lay flat still. Hopefully that will go away soon, I miss him =)
He gets a sharp pain now and then like a flutter. Nothing that lasts. It did it every few hours on Wednesday. Wednesday he was in a good bit of pain and just really tired. It happened once today. Was told that as long as it wasn't constant or happened more than a few times it was normal healing.
We go back next Friday for his post op check up and go back Wednesday to get his INR read again.
All and all we are just enjoying our time off together and taking it easy. I will post some pics soon. I just have to get the darn things off my camera!
Thank you for everyone's support and "two cents". He isn't pushing himself and he is listening to his body. All is good, we are just going to continue to rest and relax.
AngelaR
Well-known member
I guess I can only upload one in a reply? Here is Ray's incision on 5/3
AngelaR
Well-known member
Ray's Incision on 5/15
WE also saw the surgeon on Friday (5/16) Everything is going perfect. He got the OK to run and he ran last night for the first time. He did 4 minutes, then 3 and then 2. Just felt winded. He goes back to work on the 27th. He got the promotion he put in for so he is a detective with a gang unit now.
He started a cardio rehab program. He does his 30 minutes either on a bike or elliptical there and then does 30 minutes on the treadmill at home.
He sweats a ton!
HIs INR is still only 1.3 so he goes tomorrow for another test.
We find out 1 August which control group he will be in for the study. I will keep you all posted on that.
Otherwise this experience was nothing that I anticipated and hope that it continues that way.
Thank you again for all your help. I'll be back in August to let you know how we are doing with the study and just in general.
WE also saw the surgeon on Friday (5/16) Everything is going perfect. He got the OK to run and he ran last night for the first time. He did 4 minutes, then 3 and then 2. Just felt winded. He goes back to work on the 27th. He got the promotion he put in for so he is a detective with a gang unit now.
He started a cardio rehab program. He does his 30 minutes either on a bike or elliptical there and then does 30 minutes on the treadmill at home.
He sweats a ton!
HIs INR is still only 1.3 so he goes tomorrow for another test.
We find out 1 August which control group he will be in for the study. I will keep you all posted on that.
Otherwise this experience was nothing that I anticipated and hope that it continues that way.
Thank you again for all your help. I'll be back in August to let you know how we are doing with the study and just in general.
Did he have a female Doctor???
That incision looks so clean neat and tiny. He won't have much a scar......lucky guy.
Best wishes for a continue uneventful recovery.
Oh yea....thanks for sharing.....got any more pic's???
That incision looks so clean neat and tiny. He won't have much a scar......lucky guy.
Best wishes for a continue uneventful recovery.
Oh yea....thanks for sharing.....got any more pic's???
AngelaR
Well-known member
One more, he decided to shave his head! ha ha.
AngelaR
Well-known member
Ha ha, no he didn't. That is too funny! Dr. Brinster is a man, however, the Doctor that is on resident with him, Dr. Dash is the one who sewed him up and that was his only concern when we saw Dr. Dash on Friday. Let me see your incision! Then he said yep, ha ha, patting himself on the back =)
He did do a fantastic job. I didn't even know it was sewn. I could have sworn it was glued!
Yes, I have more pics. Give me a sec and I'll post some others.
AngelaR
Well-known member
Scariest one for me! But he still looked GOOD. I was preparing for him to look grey and just "dead".
AngelaR
Well-known member
Here he is feeling good. Playing basketball. So happy he can lift his arms =)
AngelaR
Well-known member
With his girls. This is when he got moved to his room. If you notice Sydney (pink shirt) has her ER bracelete on her right hand 
Trying to kill her poor mother =0
Trying to kill her poor mother =0
AngelaR
Well-known member
And one of the two of us. Ray was gained 20lbs of water weight and here he is at almost 270lbs!!! All belly =) And me just worn out.
AngelaR
Well-known member
oops...here it is.
sknydave
Well-known member
Glad everything is going well! Looking at your photos makes me wish I had taken photos.. Even though it's not the happiest memory, it's still a major event in your life.
