A bit of a curveball -- Joanne has had some swelling and redness. After looking at it and doing some tests, the doctors found she had an infection and wanted her to go back to the hospital last night for a round of antibiotic IVs. Then this afternoon the docs decided they want to do surgery tomorrow to take some stuff out, clean up, etc.
So...
Riley and I will be jumping back in the truck after my Four Keys talk tomorrow in LT and driving home. She should be out of the hospital on Saturday and then it's more drains and an IV of antibiotics for 2wks at home.
Rich, so sorry to hear about the complications, the solution sounds straightforward which is a good thing. Thinking good thoughts for you all, and sending a virtual hug to Joanne. Hope you and the pups can manage a couple more weeks of nursing! Thanks for keep us in the loop.
Seeing this thread for the first time, otherwise would have said something when I saw you in Madison. Wishing you both a speedy recovery from the recent complications and on to a speedy recovery with all of this behind you.
All, thanks for the well-wishes. She had her first followup appt with the surgeon today and everything looks. She still can't drive and said she needed some retail therapy, so I'm doing Season Plans for the team here at the Nordstrom's coffee shop. This will probably be a very expensive cup of coffee....
Rich, So glad to hear he 2nd round of surgery went well for Joanne! Give her my best and we are pulling for a speedy recovery for her. I'm sure the Nordstrom bill won't be any bigger than a bike part of some sort! Let it go...she's worth it. All my best, Jenn
As a breast cancer survivor, my hat is off to Joanne to taking the proactive approach. Doing an Ironman is easy (comparatively) to the bilateral mastectomy and 6 months of chemotherapy I endured to get rid myself of the cancer. It gives a new perspective to life and every day is a blessing. My prayers are with Joanne for a speedy recovery.
Today at 10am Joanne gets her one drain removed. It's been two weeks. They will likely keep her on the antibiotics for another week so she still has the PIC line (sp?) installed, the pump and all that jazz. But she should be able to drive after today.
She's generally just over it -- the sitting around, the routine of taking the drugs, etc. I think she spends hours and hours every day reading up on stuff on the net, which can be good or bad. I was away last weekend, traveling to Atlanta for my dad's 70th bday and I know she was pretty bored and lonely.
In other news, my sister is going through some similar stuff and will have a lumpectomy on Monday, received the results of genetic screening, etc. Our mom died of cancer in 1993.
Anyway, one day at a time I suppose and I'll probably grow a bitchin' 'stache for Movember
Drain out, another week on antibiotics, pic line likely out in about 10 days. However...I kinda ratted her out by asking the doc at the end of the appointment if she could drive. Doc said no. Joanne had been counting on being independent but I figured better safe then sorry.
When I got home there was a dead rat on the kitchen floor with a note attached, in crayon, that said "Stitches for Snitches!" and signed with a paw print. I think I'm in trouble.
Ha, watch your back man, I wouldn't want to be on Joanne's $hit list, but a guys gotta do, what a guys gotta do. Best to her, sending on good thoughts for a speedy recovery, and patience to you all!
Rich, Just stumbled on this forum post. Wishing you and your wife only the best. I too underwent this surgery at age 39, complicated by the usual infections. The physical stuff heals, the confidence takes longer.Now at 55, I have never regretted my decision to have the surgeries. Take time for yourself as well, I underestimated the toll it took on my husband. He wont admit it, but, so did he! Now we are counseling our three daughters to help in their decision making. Congratulations to you both for making the decision to go forward with surgery. Terry
Rich, glad to hear that things are progressing although perhaps not quite as quickly as Joanne would like, we all were a bit concerned for her when you had to leave Tahoe. It still sounds like there is a good amount of recovery left but I'm sure she'll get there.
Update: Joanne was on some pretty serious antibiotics from her surgery just before IMLT until this past Saturday. However, her blood test last week found that she had a very, very low white blood cell count, a potential side effect of the drugs. Like, cancer patient low. So early this week I was living our version of the Bubble Boy as she wore a surgical mask, we were both washing our hands several times a day, and she vacuum sealed the dogs into special puppy contamination suits. I joked that she had gone mostly full-on Chinese, with the mask. All that was missing was the welding mask/visor, white gloves, and 3 dozen Hello Kitty dolls in rear window of the Element **
They took the picc lines out and retested her blood on Wednesday. Everything back to normal so we are back on the Bigguns Schedule, with D-livery expected in time for my birthday in March. I've told her she has an unlimited lingerie budget .
** I'm 100% Honkie and Joanne is 100% Cantonese. We live in a very diverse community, in which I'm quickly becoming a minority, so we have a good joking relationship around race. I pretend I don't understand the Cantonese words for white guy, dumbass, pain in the ass, etc and she just rolls her eyes when I suit up to park the car at a Chinese supermarket...
Does she speak Cantonese? wife and I going to hong kong on vacation in February. Qweilo is Yellow Devil (Cantonese for Haole)? hello = Nay Hou? thank you = Mm Goy? any other choice words?
Comments
Rich,
My thoughts and prayers go to Joanne. Good luck with the recovery. Thanks for being so open.
Simon
A bit of a curveball -- Joanne has had some swelling and redness. After looking at it and doing some tests, the doctors found she had an infection and wanted her to go back to the hospital last night for a round of antibiotic IVs. Then this afternoon the docs decided they want to do surgery tomorrow to take some stuff out, clean up, etc.
So...
Riley and I will be jumping back in the truck after my Four Keys talk tomorrow in LT and driving home. She should be out of the hospital on Saturday and then it's more drains and an IV of antibiotics for 2wks at home.
Rich, so sorry to hear about the complications, the solution sounds straightforward which is a good thing. Thinking good thoughts for you all, and sending a virtual hug to Joanne. Hope you and the pups can manage a couple more weeks of nursing!
Thanks for keep us in the loop.
though I'm late on the news, still thoughts and prayers to you guys.
hope you have that infection under wraps.
Rich -
Seeing this thread for the first time, otherwise would have said something when I saw you in Madison. Wishing you both a speedy recovery from the recent complications and on to a speedy recovery with all of this behind you.
Rich ,sending well wishes and prayers to you and the family!
Update:
Today at 10am Joanne gets her one drain removed. It's been two weeks. They will likely keep her on the antibiotics for another week so she still has the PIC line (sp?) installed, the pump and all that jazz. But she should be able to drive after today.
She's generally just over it -- the sitting around, the routine of taking the drugs, etc. I think she spends hours and hours every day reading up on stuff on the net, which can be good or bad. I was away last weekend, traveling to Atlanta for my dad's 70th bday and I know she was pretty bored and lonely.
In other news, my sister is going through some similar stuff and will have a lumpectomy on Monday, received the results of genetic screening, etc. Our mom died of cancer in 1993.
Anyway, one day at a time I suppose and I'll probably grow a bitchin' 'stache for Movember
Drain out, another week on antibiotics, pic line likely out in about 10 days. However...I kinda ratted her out by asking the doc at the end of the appointment if she could drive. Doc said no. Joanne had been counting on being independent but I figured better safe then sorry.
When I got home there was a dead rat on the kitchen floor with a note attached, in crayon, that said "Stitches for Snitches!" and signed with a paw print. I think I'm in trouble.
Ha, watch your back man, I wouldn't want to be on Joanne's $hit list, but a guys gotta do, what a guys gotta do. Best to her, sending on good thoughts for a speedy recovery, and patience to you all!
Hi Terry,
Thanks for the good words. Yeah, it's gonna be a long road but we're just getting it done, working the problem.
Update: Joanne was on some pretty serious antibiotics from her surgery just before IMLT until this past Saturday. However, her blood test last week found that she had a very, very low white blood cell count, a potential side effect of the drugs. Like, cancer patient low. So early this week I was living our version of the Bubble Boy as she wore a surgical mask, we were both washing our hands several times a day, and she vacuum sealed the dogs into special puppy contamination suits. I joked that she had gone mostly full-on Chinese, with the mask. All that was missing was the welding mask/visor, white gloves, and 3 dozen Hello Kitty dolls in rear window of the Element **
They took the picc lines out and retested her blood on Wednesday. Everything back to normal so we are back on the Bigguns Schedule, with D-livery expected in time for my birthday in March. I've told her she has an unlimited lingerie budget
.
** I'm 100% Honkie and Joanne is 100% Cantonese. We live in a very diverse community, in which I'm quickly becoming a minority, so we have a good joking relationship around race. I pretend I don't understand the Cantonese words for white guy, dumbass, pain in the ass, etc and she just rolls her eyes when I suit up to park the car at a Chinese supermarket...
Continued best wishes through the process.
Does she speak Cantonese? wife and I going to hong kong on vacation in February. Qweilo is Yellow Devil (Cantonese for Haole)? hello = Nay Hou? thank you = Mm Goy? any other choice words?