Back to work

The biggest challenge Steve faces now is that recovery is a slow process. He's doing well for the most part. He's eating, drinking lots of water and Gatorade (the last couple of times it's been checked his blood pressure was low -- 90 over 60. The doctors say this is just a volume issue and to drink more and more to pump it up.). We've been taking some walks - SHORTER ones - each night.

A big issue for him has been that his backside is giving him a lot of pain so he's been unable to sit. That's forced him to lay down all the time - and we all know how lousy you can feel if you just lay down all the time. It turns out, according to our visiting nurse, that he is "pocketing" blood and discharge from the incision in his butt. We got a quick appointment with the doctor covering for our surgeon, who was out of town, yesterday. He pronounced this to be "something to watch." Apparently, there's a high rate of infection with this. But he didn't do anything proactive like aspirate it, which I thought/hoped he might.

However, if you press on the area, you get some of this pocketed blood and liquid out and that relieves the pressure. Last night he sat up for much of the evening and was able to sit down to eat. mostly he's been eating standing up since we got home. (Sorry if this is too much detail...).

Anyway, we're watching it. It is this kind of thing that concerns me. As an untrained person, you just don't know what things are "normal" and what aren't. I am really glad we have the nurse coming to help us sort those issues out.

Otherwise, he's doing well and taking things day by day. Notes, cards, emails, visits are all welcome. Especially now that I am going back to work.

Starting Tuesday, I have been going into work for half a day. I don't feel comfortable leaving him the entire day yet. He's not very mobile and I'm a little concerned he will attempt to do something he should (nooooo, not Steve!) and have an problem when I'm not here. Maybe that's being overly concerned, but I would rather err on the side of caution in this.

It's been hard being at work and worrying about him being home, but I think next week I'll be back in the office full time unless there's some unexpected setback.

Everyone at work is asking about him and sending him prayers and good wishes for a quick recovery. That's always nice to hear and it makes both of us feel very good. Tammy continues to cook for us (I think I will have to hire her on). She either assumes that I can't cook or that I am too tired to cook (the latter is really true). Last night, we had Chicken Marsala. Excellent.

For now that's about all that is new. I think our next big step will be an outing to the Colostomy Shop (no kidding, that is the name) to check out all the latest in "appliances" and get our monthly supply. I bought Rolf Benerske's book "Alive and Kicking" for Steve (and me) to read. He was a kicker for the Chargers and played several years in the NFL after having a colostomy. There are also magazines and web sites all devoted to having the most normal life possible after a colostomy. So there's a lot of info out there.

Steve seems to have adapted pretty well so far to the new way his body works and we are handling the maintenance of his "appliance". I know there may be down times in his mind as we go forward, but I am encouraged by how well he's doing with it so far.

Thanks again to everyone who has lent us a helping hand, commented on this blog or said a prayer. We are grateful to have so many who care!