Left Isis
Right Isis
             

June 3rd, 2009

On Monday, the day of Don’s surgery, I finally got home at 11 p.m.  The surgery was scheduled for 11 a.m., but they didn’t take him in until around noon.  The doc came out at about 4 p.m. and told me that side 1 was done and looked good.  He then went back into the OR and I heard nothing until 8 p.m., when the doc came and told me that side 2 was done. It had taken longer because of the scar tissue left from Don’s bowel resection back in 1965. He was able to do both sides by robotic surgery and didn’t have to cut him open. The urologist said that the stones were so embedded that he couldn’t get them out, so he ended up cutting out a little chunk of the ureters along with the stones and sewing them back together.  Apparently everything went very well and the STONES ARE OUT!  He still has the tubes, until they see how well he heals up and if everything opens up like it ought.  They didn’t let me in to see him until about 10:15 p.m., and then only for a few minutes.  He was groggy, but lucid and in pretty good spirits.  He said the worst pain he had was a very sore throat from the breathing tube.  

They moved Don out of the ICU and to a regular hospital room early this afternoon, which is a good thing, except for the fact that the regular room is very small and tight.  Don is still feeling okay.  The only pain relievers he’s had since the day of the operation is Tylenol.  He still has tubes sticking out all over the place.   Now we’re just waiting to see if the ureters will start functioning normally after all the trauma. If all goes well, he might be able to go home tomorrow, or perhaps the day after. I’m just hoping they’ll remove at least a few of those tubes before he does.

I’ve been living at the hospital, except to sleep, so I’m way behind on my e-mails and everything else having to do with regular life.

And that’s about all I know at this point. I’ll post more news when I get the chance. Until then, thanks for all the notes and calls and good wishes.  

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