The Surgery Gang

This week has been very busy. Monday afternoon, after trying for 5 minutes to get our 7 year old beagle, Abby, to go outside, noticed that she was not walking right. Her back legs seems to wobble and slide from side to side, much like a drunk person. I got her to the vet, got x-rays done, and found that she has a herniated disc. So, after having a slumber party at the vet's, I was able to bring her home. She is on steroids for anti-inflammatory to help with the pressure on her spinal area. She is still having problems walking, but is definitely back to her stubborn self. I have to carry her up and down the steps to go outside and she is thirsty and hungry a lot due to the medicine. I have to call the vet everyday and check in with him on her progress. We should have a follow-up some time next week. There is a possibility that she may need surgery! Yikes!

Tuesday, after Abby arrived home, my mom called from St. Joseph Hospital and said she and Jack would be by. Jack had his heart cath done that afternoon and they had found that 3 arteries were blocked, so they were going to operate and do a triple bypass surgery the next morning. My sister and I kinda worked in shifts...she went to have lunch with mom and stayed til about 3 and then I had her watch the kids so I could go over. I arrived at the hospital shortly after Jack had gotten to his room yesterday to find out that he ended up having 4 arteries worked on instead! He had his breathing tube in, but was awake and alert. They were trying to get him to sit his head up on his own before they took out the tube. They wanted to make sure his airways were open enough. He would take short breaths and make his heart beat faster, putting pressure on Jack's incision and causing him a lot of pain. There was a lot of grimacing going on. He made some awful faces. Finally, the doctor said he was ready for the tube to come out(it was 5:15pm when I got there and 7pm when this was decided), so we had to leave the room(7-8:30 they kick people out for shift change and took that time to take out his tube). It was very hard to see him after surgery. All of the beeping machines were making me nervous. Before I left the room I asked him if he was ready to run a marathon...he shook his head, and then asked if he wanted me to braid his wild hair. Again, he shook his head. Carrie and I use to braid his hair when we were in high school/middle school. Mom, Greg and I got to sit and talk in the room and waiting room while we waited for him to become more alert. I left the hospital at 7:15, and went to pick up the kids from Mary Anne.

Aiden and I went to see Jack today. Mom watched Aiden while I went in to say hi. It was so much better to get to talk to him and have him talk back to me!! I didn't get to talk to him long. I reminded him of our "conversation" the night before and he smiled. He didn't really remember it, though. He even asked mom this morning when he was going to the hospital...that was after he got some good meds, of course. We had a short conversation about the kids and his pain before he fell back to sleep. Mom said he didn't sleep well and Jack said the nurses had given him a "bath" this morning, which hurt him when he had to move. He looked so much better this morning, though! So far, so good! He already has a substitute to preach for him this Sunday and next(Greg), so at least I know he's not PLANNING on skipping any of his recovery time!

Jack and the kids before he was admitted to the hospital Tuesday night.