Recovering

It was a quiet but tiring day for Kevin. We asked most people not to visit today. There was no telling ahead of time what kind of adjustments Kevin might face after surgery so quiet and some privacy was the name of the game. Really, who wants to figure out the new plumbing with an audience?

Lisa and Ian brought up cookies for me--yumm--and blew a quick kiss in Kevin's direction. My sister and brother-in-law came this evening, brought me something to eat and stayed while I ran home for a shower. My father and Mary peeked in for moments.

Paige came in this morning with a roll of brown ribbon and safety pins. She pinned tiny brown "cancer bows" on her dad's gown while he was sleeping. He had a good (but painful) laugh when he woke up. Joshua came up for a brief visit and was pleased to find his grandpa sitting in a chair and not looking scary sick.

Dr. Francis is on call this weekend at the hospital so he was in twice. It eased my concerns considerably to have him seen by a doctor who knows him. Dr. Francis reiterated to Kevin that if the lymph nodes are clear he will not need additional treatment. We are stunned--pleasantly so.

I'm awed by Kev's strength. He was really pushed today to walk through the pain and dizziness. The medication for the pain causes dizziness and nausea for him. He walked 4 times today, a little more each time, and I know it was really hard for him. A nurse walked with us the first time and decided I could manage things after that. It takes some doing to make it all happen in sync--get him and his assorted tubes and IVs up and moving, stay right beside him to catch him if he stumbles then reconnect the whole mess once we're back at his bed.

The surgery sites are sore. There are 4 small incisions as well as one large one. And the drain tube and catheter both bother him and slow down his mobility. File this under things they don't detail when you make those marriage vows. "In sickness and in health..." is too damn general. People would think twice about marriage if they had to promise "through carrying around bags draining your urine and blood while we monotonously drag up and down the same hospital hall, time and time again...."

He's not allowed to eat for a few more days and can't drink either. But he can crunch on ice and I can wipe his lips with a damp cloth so we're doing that repeatedly. It's not very satisfying for him, but it's what we can do.

I knew he was feeling a little better late today when we returned from a walk down the hallway and he stopped to adjust the pressure mechanism for the leg wraps to something more to his liking before getting back into bed. He particularly hates the restriction of them. Ever the engineer, he just had to fiddle with the buttons and dials.
We've had a lot of voice messages and emails. I think I've answered all--we appreciate the prayers, the offers to help with things, the concern and good wishes! Kevin would like someone to smuggle something edible into him....don't do it! Or at least make it a Meat Lover's Pizza so when I take it away from him, it'll be something I can enjoy. Get the think crust, will ya?