April 27, 2008

Stew is sounding like he feels a bit better now, says he does feel a bit better, though he was having considerable pain today. But his vacuum has been removed, so his wound is healing well.

April 22, 2008

Well, this is frustrating. Stew is still throwing up everything he eats. He had to get rehydrated today. Tomorrow he goes back in for chemo. His doctor is clueless. Surgery was supposed to fix this problem.

He's not feeling very good. I'm planning a trip down there end of next month.

April 8, 2008

Stew went home last night after all. So that's all the news for now.

April 7, 2008: 5 pm

The plan WAS for Stew to go home today. Alas, the plan failed. Isn't that so annoying, when a good plan fails? It wasn't because he's not ready to go home, it's because someone screwed up the vacuum order and the vacuum didn't go to the right place, and he must have the vacuum to go home with. Or to. Or something. Anyway. It's the vacuum. Tomorrow the vacuum should be at the right place and he can go home.

Not that he's not READY.

April 7, 2008

Stew says he might get to go home today. He's a bit nervous about it, what with the incision popping open incident last week and all.

He also said he had this weird feeling. I asked about it. He said, "It feels like no one's listening to me."

So I said, "No one's listening to you?"

And he responded: "No, they just keep repeating what I say."

And I said, "They just keep repeating what you say? Like I do?"

And he said, "Yes, like that."

I said, "Oh."

Lot of help I am. Yes, I am here to reinforce the impression that no one's listening to you, and we're all just repeating what you say!

Further updates to follow.

April 6, 2008

Proceeding well. Hospital food inedible, and he won't eat it for fear of being overcame with the throwing up thing. No infection in the wound and it's healing, still have a bit of an opening and they're concerned about the long drive home -- 44 miles could be difficult on a wound that's not quite closed apparently. He's surving on Gatorade, protein bars, and Jamba Juice being smuggled in from the outside . . . okay, perhaps it's not being smuggled in, the doctors say whatever he'll eat is fine, and since the hospital food is not agreeing with him . . . He keeps the food down an he'll be able to go home in a few days.

April 5: 10:30 am

When I called Stew this morning he sounded good. At the time, he was his feet were being attended to by his sister, Margee, who flew in to be with him while he's in the hospital. A foot rub is just what he needed today. He's not allowed to move much because of the incision healing thing, but he doesn't seem particularly uncomfortable. Pain when he moves too much at this point, but otherwise proceeding a-ok!

April 4, 2008: 1:27 pm

Just talked to Stew -- he's consuming a jamba juice, which is making him happy. Naturally permission was obtained from the doctor before said jamba juice was admitted to the hospital.

He sounds good. They're keeping him for a few more days and they're going to let the wound heal from the inside, or something like that.

Great. Now I want a jamba juice too.

Setback on Aisle Four

Fortunately Stew stayed in the hospital yesterday and didn't go home. I say fortunately, because last night when he got up to go to the restroom something happened, and his incision came open. Opened. Just like that. Naturally it was not the best feeling, suddenly seeing blood where none should be. And his nurse freaked out a bit too. Panic ensued.

He is now bound to his bed with more painkillers, with possible action today to deal with the problem. Surgery perhaps, to seal it back up? He sounds perhaps a bit, well, weary of the whole thing, and tired, because last night was not a good night to sleep, what with the incision popping open and causing panic. But today they will fix that.

I encouraged him to get some sleep for now, now that he's somewhat comfortably bound to his bed and unable to move, and the pain pills are kicking in. I have much faith in the restorative powers of sleep. And let's hope that this time they seal him up permanently.

April 3, 2008: 5 pm

Alas, Stew was unable to keep his lunch down as well as his breakfast, so they're taking x-rays and keeping him overnight.

He hasn't had solid food for two weeks, so that may be why his stomach doesn't know what to do with it now. I know my stomach would be terribly confused after two weeks of no food -- it would say, "what the hell?" So they're taking x-rays just to make sure there's nothing else wrong. They don't want to release him until he can keep real food down.

The first step, I think, would be to give him real food and not hospital food. Well, apparently they think the hospital food is real food, and it may well be, but I'm not exactly getting rave reviews from our patient.

Tomorrow would be a good day for him to go home though, don't you think?

April 3, 2008

Stew had some pain issues yesterday. Shouldn't be a big surprise, considering what he's gone through. Last night he sounded better though.

There's been talk of letting him out today. They currently have him under observation however because he threw up his breakfast. Eggs and hashbrowns. Real food. Of course, it's HOSPITAL food, and apparently it wasn't the best eggs and hashbrowns. He sounds good, says he's feeling okay. Perhaps they will see that he'll do much better at home with real food.

His sister showed up last night too! I'm sure he's happy to see her, and she him. Now let's hope he gets to go home today!

April 2, 2008: Later that morning

Stew tells me they might let him go home tomorrow. He says the first thing he's going to do is have tacos.

I said maybe the first thing he does is to NOT have tacos. Sheesh. Boys.

April 2: 8:50 am

Today's report brings us details from Stew's mom. They are apparently trying to poison Stew with hospital food, which will naturally defeat the purpose of him being there, but I am certain he will overcome the evil forces of the unidentifiable food.

The good news is, he's eating. He had chocolate pudding yesterday. He wouldn't eat the soup, but that wasn't his fault. It was inedible. He did drink some coffee and milk too. And some apple juice in place of the inedible soup. This is all very good for someone who just had 18 inches of colon removed. The IV in his neck has been removed and the catheter, and he's been taking short exhausting walks.

The doctor is contemplating starting him on one dose of chemo before sending him home (possibly end of the week, he's recovering so well), then start back on once a week chemo for the liver.

April 1, 2008, 4:00 pm

All's well. Boredom has set in. Hospitals are not very interesting places, as a rule, if one is a patient and not watching the bedlam on television. Which bring me to my next question: Since there is such a dearth of activities available, why can't they at least spring for premium cable? Five channels is supposed to entertain the multitudes of ill people who are just looking to fill some time while they serve some time, but it just isn't enough.

And so we start a new crusade. Premium cable in hospitals! What? Too expensive? Carve some funds out of something redundant, like cat scans, because how many cats need to be scanned anyway? Or free coffee for doctors! Let them buy their own coffee. How about fewer x-rays? Look, if my arm is broken and the splintered shards are poking out of my skin, the doctor had better know what it all means without having to resort to pictures. How about less plants to spruce the place up! I like plants as well as the next person, but let's get real: they're not very entertaining, unless they're the kind that eat things, and those can be tricky to have around. Indeed, I can think of many things that we can eliminate.

A new crusade.

April 1, 2008, 10:00 am

Stew said he appreciates greatly the well wishes he's received. He sounds a bit perky today. I know what you're thinking. Stew? Our Stew? Perky? Yes, it's true. He's been cleaned up for the public and actually, I do believe, slept during the night. This is quite amazing progress and requires superhuman fortitude, since, as we all know, sleeping in a hospital is not an easy task.

I'd just gotten on the phone with him when his parents arrived, so I signed off. For now. More later.