(#8) Recovery Seems the Longest

So how are we doing, a bit more than two weeks after surgery?  

This post surgery time is difficult. At times I’m weary of pain and process, and looking for different ways to spend recovery hours. I’m starting to feel a bit more energy and am doing better managing pain. I’m weaning off of the opioids toward less potent anti-inflammatory and  analgesics. My brain is starting to clear from the fog. Jen and Kim tell me they notice I’m moving and stepping more lively. Trying to get a brief escape from the house daily… either a walk or a long sit on our new deck, or just going for a ride to pick up the grocery order.

My doctors were quite encouraged by the surgery. For some reason in my case, they didn’t need to enter as deeply into the chest cavity as they normally would. Most patients require chest/lung tubes on both sides, but not in my case (I’ll have to ask more about that). They prepared me to expect to be connected to lots of wires and tubes when I awoke. I had plenty enough, but not nearly as many as they expected.  The first days after surgery are a total blur. I was most concerned having an n/g tube (which was such a misery for my dad), and I know I had one for about 4 days, but I hardly remember it. A lot of the hospitalization is sort-of a memory, but not really (thank God).

I’m right in the middle of this nothing-by-mouth (4-6 week) period – being fed from by tube into my abdomen, crushing medications and pumping them in to the same tube, dragging around an IV pole with my breakfast lunch and dinner in a bag. I anticipated it would be difficult to watch the family eat, but honestly, that hasn’t been bad. I do miss my cup of coffee in the morning. Hopefully all of that will be done soon.  We anticipate, if everything goes well, I’ll begin on clear liquids about Labor Day, increasing to soft foods through that week.  If so, they’ll remove my feeding tube after a bunch of tests on Sept 18 and I can begin to eat in the common fashion. So Sept 18 is the date I’m looking forward to.

This has already been a life altering experience and after healing there will still be changes. No more 3 meals a day. I’ll eat small but often. Half-cup sized meals will be my max. Balancing calorie/nutrition intake will need to be a major focus to stay healthy.

So this has been hard. But there are so many reasons to Praise God. The timing has been quite amazing and in-spite-of the COVID thing, we’ve navigated quite well. The opportunity to have Jen and Kim with us is really a rich blessing – but would not have been possible without the reality of social distancing. They have gladly re-engaged in our life and needs and I’m amazed at their generosity. 

Thanks to all of you who continue to pray for us. God knows our needs and we are so thankful for the mercy He grants us every day. But God says that there are some things He waits to do until we ask.  Thanks for asking Him on our behalf.  Keep it up – Pray us through, especially to that Sept 18 date.