Tomorrow I leave the hospital

Twelve days ago, I arrived at this hospital and prepared myself for my surgery. I knew there was a possibility that I would stay for as long as two weeks, but I never really thought it would be so long. Now here we are getting ready to leave on hospital day 13, Wednesday. Today, bedrest day 4, we started making arrangements to leave. The wheelchair arrived in my room, I chose the crutches over the walker, we arranged for a commode for the hotel, and it hit me- Oh my God, I need a WHEELCHAIR, CRUTCHES, AND A COMMODE JUST TO STAY IN A HOTEL ROOM. Hello, is this a cruel joke? However, sadly this is all true. I have done my exercises and I will do them as instructed (and prove that doctors can be good patients), but I have been in a bed for 4 days which is a feat I never thought that I would accomplish, so I know that I will do what it takes to get back on my feet as quick as possible.

Back to twelve days in the hospital… I have always known that the nurses are the front line. At work, I fully realize that while I may be in charge of the team it is the nurses, residents, fellows etc. that carry out the plan. Seeing it from the perspective of a patient is interesting. Here has been my schedule. I am awoken every morning by the ortho team (fellow, resident and NP), around 7 am we discuss how the night went etc. then they leave to be followed by the plastics team. All this before 8 am, then for the rest of the day I interact with the nurses, nurses aides, Physical therapy, nutrition people etc. who take care of many an unspeakable activity of daily living. Then sometime in the evening, my doctor comes by and we talk about the big picture. Then the night comes and the whole thing repeats itself. My questions have all been answered and my needs met and another day begins greeted by my night nurses who bring me my left over yogurt at 6am so my pain meds don’t make me sick. That has been my schedule for the last 12 days. So, while I know I am very thankful for the care of my doctor, she I will be in contact for the next couple of years, but I want to publically (or at least in the blogger world) thank my nurses, Pt, etc. who have been so great and have made these last two weeks bearable. …. Tom, Peggy, Dana, Elli, Jill, Vicki, Rita, Veronica and Estelle- Thank you so much. Tomorrow I get out of here!!!!