grateful recovering blogger update

The surgery came off without a hitch. My surgeon removed two discs and replaced them with grafted bone and fused the vertebrae with titanium plates and screws. I woke up sometime Friday afternoon feeling no pain – thank you, morphine. When the pain started the nurses promptly gave me more morphine and I would drift off to sleep. Thank you, nurses. When I woke up Friday night my nurse told me Dark was out of surgery and in the next room. She helped me walk to see him. Thank you, Nurse Laura. I wish I had a picture of his face when he looked up and saw me. It registered complete shock. Thank you, Dark. It was priceless.

It seems the drain the surgeon had put in my incision was doing its job. The blood had drained and soaked the bandage and was soaking the front of my gown. I must have looked like I had been attacked by an axe murderer. His operation went well and his leg was propped up. What a pair we made. The nurse helped me back and cleaned me up. Saturday, the drain was removed, a new bandage applied, and I was sent home with a prescription for Percacet. Thank you Cedars-Sinai Hospital.

Gay Scott drove us home and helped each of us up the stairs. So how do I feel? Not bad at all considering. My pain is manageable. Thank you, Percacet. The pain is actually between my shoulder blades. The surgeon told me that might happen because he had placed a bean bag support under my shoulder blades and taped my shoulders to the operating table to get the proper angle he wanted. I had been in that position for three hours while he operated on me. I have an inch and a half incision. No stitches, it is dermabonded closed. During the operation my trachea and oesophagus were moved to the side to allow the surgeon access to my discs so I have a bit of a sore throat still. I had a few bad hours Saturday night caused I think by the anaesthesia or morphine. Poor gay Scott had to hold my head while I worshipped the porcelain god. That’s a true friend. Thank you, Scott. But the nausea passed.

Sunday, the flowers and visitors started arriving. We are both a little overwhelmed. Friends have been more than kind. Thank you one and all. And special thanks to you, Susan. We are both recuperating nicely. The good news for me is that the operation has eliminated the difficulty I have had holding my head up. Thank you, Dr. Patel. The good news for Dark is the scars on his leg will be gone when he heals. Thank you, Dr. Bradley. We’re both very happy campers. Have I forgetten to thank anyone? Oh yeah, thank you, Cher.