The Operation... So Far So Good :)

It has been brought to my attention that there are people out there that check our blog every day, and they are not happy with me causing a delay in getting something up here lol. So after a long week, I finally have Daniel at school, Barry watching Star Trek or something just as dreadful on the space channel, and I am here to write! So make sure you are comfortable, grab something to drink, but today I am sure you can leave the tissues...hopefully there won't be many mushy or gushy bits :)


As you know, Barry had his operation a week ago Thursday. He was asked to come in the day before, just so they could run any tests that they needed and we wouldn't have to make a special trip just for those tests.


Mount Sinai hospital is in downtown Toronto, and not a fun place to drive to, let me assure you! So on Wednesday, Barry's mum and dad came to ours, and offered to drive down with us so they could help me get back by leading the way! What a lifesaver that was! I had Barry to get us down there, but on the way back I was terrified to go it alone. It was also nice to just have them there with their upbeat outlook and Daniel always loves to have them around.


When we got to the hospital, Barry was taken to his room and as he beat his room mate by 2 minutes, he got to choose the bed he wanted. We were on the 11th floor and in an end room with windows on 2 sides of the room. What a view! From his room, he had a great view of the CN Tower, which was pretty neat, and because there was so much construction going on, he also had a full view of a huge crane! Daniel loved that! It was definitely better than the brick wall view he had for a bit at the Guelph hospital in July

Barry's room mate, John, was a very nice man who didn't mind Daniel in the room and was talkative and nice to have around. He was having an operation on his arm, so he wasn't terribly sick and he even made a few trips to the in hospital Tim Hortons's for Barry! His wife was lovely and Daniel liked her so much he even invited her to his birthday party lol. I think it made a big difference to have someone healthy and easy to get along with, instead of someone grumpy or very sick that can't talk at all. I remember years ago, when Barry and I were first together, I had pneumonia and I was hospitalized for a few days.


So we got Barry settled in, had a little visit, met Dr. Wunder (who was very easy on the eyes and not short like all the rest of Barry's doctors), listened to him explain what was going to happen and what Barry was to expect after the operation, and then we left. The drive home was slow going, and I am so grateful that I could follow Barry's parents! The traffic was heavy and having never driven this myself, it was nice to not have to worry. Also, Daniel was in the back seat and the boy loves to talk! He loved seeing the trains, the planes and the big windmill! It was a very exciting experience for him :)


When we got home, and Daniel was in bed, it was very quiet in our apartment. I don't like Barry being away. I didn't sleep well that night and all the nights Barry was away. Its a hard thing to get used to but I just kept telling myself this was for the greater good of Barry's life, so I managed to get through it!


The next day was the operation. He went to the operating room around noon and didn't finish surgery until 4:30, and we were told it was a 3 hour procedure. I am not a patient woman, and I found the waiting so hard. Daniel was at school, the apartment was too quiet, and I didn't have the ambition to do much to take my mind of Barry. I found out that Barry was being kept in the recovery room longer than normal because he had a slightly elevated heart rate. He was never given any drugs for this, but they wanted to be able to monitor him closely. The nurses told me he was doing well, and the operation was a success and that it went smoothly. Barry didn't return to his room until 10:30pm and the phones in the rooms are shut off at 10:00pm so I never was able to speak with him that night.


Friday morning I called him bright and early and it was so great to hear his voice. He had no pain, and was just bored and hungry lol. Daniel loved that he could talk to his Daddy before school and told him to get better! It was nice to see his smile grow while he was talking to Barry. I took Daniel to school, and when I got back I called Barry again. His breakfast wasn't enough (he needs to eat a bit more or else he gags and sometimes throws up due to his stomach surgery in July). I called the nurses station and advised him of this, and they were more than happy to bring him food between meals when he needed it. I was not able to go visit Barry on Friday, and that is the only thing I wanted to do! Barry still had no pain medicine and the nurses disconnected the pain pump and gave him tylenol every 4 hours. What a strong man Barry is. I would have been pushing that button as much as I could, but he really had no pain. Until he had to get up. Then it hurt a bit, and he was uncomfortable, but he pushed through it and still had no medicine.


Saturday, my aunt Janice and my uncle Gerry and Samantha packed into my little car and headed to Toronto with me. I was still nervous about making the trip myself, and my uncle knew the way, so off we went. I packed a bunch of sandwiches and some other goodies and we headed off at 9am. I am so glad they came, because one of the highways was closed and we had to detour off to Lakeshore and drive more in downtown Toronto. I would have got lost if it weren't for my uncle! Thanks for coming with me guys, it was fun (because I wasn't squished in the backseat) and I couldn't have done it without you!!


We had a nice long visit with Barry and Daniel had a great time colouring and visiting with Daddy. The drive home was nice (again, because I wasn't squished in the back seat lol) and I think everyone slept well that night!


While we were there, Barry and I spoke with the nurses and asked if he could be transferred to the Guelph hospital for the remainder of his time recovering, and we were told he would be discharged sooner than they could transfer him. So Sunday morning Barry was told he could come home!! I was so excited for myself, and for Barry because he was so isolated and so bored out there. And he always feels better being at home than in a stuffy hospital!


Bieke had agreed to watch Daniel and to take him to the Erin Fall Fair. He was so excited to see animals and go on a Ferris wheel! And that is exactly what he did. My little man, who is afraid of heights, rode on a Ferris wheel and was not scared. He also attempted to ride a pony, and actually got on the pony, but then felt very scared and had to be taken down. Poor little guy. But he had fun, and enjoyed spending time with Bieke. Thank you Bieke... once again you really helped us out! I don't think I could have managed the drive with him. The boy loves to talk, and as it was I took a wrong turn and headed the wrong way. Thank goodness for cell phones and Barry lol.


The trip home was a bit rough for Barry. He had to ride in the back seat because his leg couldn't bend enough to sit in the front and being stretched out was far more comfortable for him. By the time we arrived home, he was actually in quite a bit of pain because he didn't move his leg the entire trip. I got his walker from our apartment and brought it to the car, and he managed to get into the building. Our apartment is up about 10 steps so he painfully made it up the steps and then used his walker to get to his comfy spot on the couch. He took some of the codeine that the doctor prescribed before the operation, but since then hasn't had anything for pain. I know I said it before, but I can't believe his strength!


I think Barry is still bored, and longs to be able to simple things that we just take for granted like getting a glass of milk, or getting the mail. I feel terrible for him at times, and wish that he enjoyed reading or crosswords or something that could just take his mind off the boredom. I have started getting him to help me by doing things that can be done while sitting. This morning was garbage day, so I brought him the garbage cans and he wiped the 3 of them down and cleaned them. He also helped Daniel get dressed and ready for school this morning. Both of these tasks really helped me to be able to other things that needed doing and I think Barry felt more productive and useful. I have asked him to think of other things he can do while sitting that could help me out. I sometimes feel like his parent, always asking him to do things for me, so I thought if he came up with some things to do, it would help us both in the long run.


Ok... I have been working on this for days, but have been feeling very run down. Once Daniel goes to bed in the evenings, I follow his lead not long afterwards. It has been emotionally tough, and I will go more into details in my next blog post, which hopefully won't be far in the future.

Lots of love to you all, and I will be in touch soon. I was shocked and pleased to hear there are many people that check our blog every day. I was very touched, and since hearing that, I will make a better effort to write. I love writing, and although it doesn't always come out as nicely as I would like, I find it very helpful and therapeutic. We all need an outlet and this has become mine. I do picture everyone sitting at their desk, sipping tea, or coffee, or perhaps something a little stronger, reading these words. Its a nice picture, and I feel very cozy :)

xxxx