Sunday PM, POD#3

12:50pm: Matt is tired. Has a lot of bloat pain still, probably the gas from anesthesia. I told him if he would walk around, this would help blood flow and help move the gas around. The gas meds they have given him haven't helped. I know he also has a lot of toxins in his body from anesthesia, that needs to expel from his system...he will feel a lot better once that happens. Lemon added to water will help, but although he is extremely thirsty he is really sick of water.

 

 

 

Here's some random pics:

 

Jinnefer, Starr, and Jen

Starr, in her "office" and "bed" in Matt's ICU room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The entrance to Matt's ICU room

 

Dad, Tom, and Dave

 haha ok this is cute: Jeff Stratton doing his calculus homework at the nearest table in the waiting room. Yes, it's a child's table and chairs.

 Matt and Jeff Stratton

 

 

 

 This is the back of Matt's head. These are little...well, we'll call them Lilliputian stab wounds... from the halo-type device that held his skull/head in place for the surgery. It was to stabilize the head in case of a seizure during surgery.

 

 

 

 

1:09pm: Went on a small walk, but then had to lie down. The physical therapist came shortly after and wanted to take him on another walk to make sure all the major motor skills are present, to check off one more thing on the "to be discharged" list, but Matt is just too tired. She will come back tomorrow.
1:30pm: Tom and mom went down to the cafeteria. Jeff and Deann went to return movies to RedBox, and see if Pitch Perfect was available (taking 13 hours to download it on iTunes because of the open Wi-Fi here).
2:00pm: I am in the room with him while he sleeps. Housekeeping came in and cleaned.

3:00pm: Dave came in; we have been trying to get a picture with him and Matt, but Matt hasn't been up to it. Him and Dave know this website "chive" that promotes t-shirts that say "Keep calm and chive on" (it's a take on the popular "keep calm" logo you see everywhere) and people take pics in them all over, in all situations, then upload them to the website and I guess there are prizes...maybe just notoriety  haha. Matt and Dave decided before surgery that they would take a pic with Matt after surgery with the head bandaged, and upload it to win prizes (Dave: if I get any of this wrong, let me know!). Matt's only question was "you're not going to make me put it on, are you?"  haha no, we'll just lay it on top of you. So we did.

Matt's pain level is back up to 8-9; body pain and not headache. Nurse gave him Reglan (antinausea) and Fentanyl. Have been trying to give him oral Lortab, but he throws up everything, and doesn't want to eat. She said "I can't give this to you unless you've eaten; whaat did you eat?" He goes "I had that banana" and she says "umm yeah that was two hours ago; I'm not liking this"  haha (she was funny). The codeine in the Lortab will immediately make him hurl if he doesn't eat something. Talked him into eating a little applesauce so he could take the Lortab.
3:30:pm: I had to leave for St. George. Not happy at all about this, but I was told I had to go back to work because we are short a person. Also Royce and Tom are my only way home and they are leaving....kind of important  haha. I told mom she was in charge of writing down all of Matt's details; she looked at me wide-eyed and said "but.." so I looked at dad and said "you're in charge"  haha
7:30pm: Matt is no better, as far as the pain level goes; maybe a little worse. Mom and dad went to Jamba Juice and got him a protein shake and he trying to suck that down. He wanted nothing to do with the spaghetti and broccoli dinner (omg that's the last thing I want when I don't want to eat!).
8:30pm: I got to mom's house to pick up my van. Checked in on Amy and the animals; she has been staying at the house while mom and dad are gone. The dogs are happy, Elliot is quiet (that never happens!! He's the parrot), and Oliver (cat) has been upstairs. Everything doing well there. I updated Amy on when mom and dad might be home (Jan 31st), and if she needs to get back to her place or if there's a problem to call or text me. I'm closer than Idaho :)
Stopped off at the hospital in St George to see Rhonda and Todd; he looks a lot better than last time I saw him (they live in Vegas, so I don't see them every day). Less swelling. Dr Goodger was there when I came in, and was very happy at how much better Todd is doing. Will be discharged tomorrow around noon. Rhonda is head-over-teacups (as my mother-in-law would say...what are teacups? Not sure I want to see them..) about Todd's improvements.
10:00pm: I got home. No more details on Matt. Rod has been sick since I left (he never tells me these things...once he broke his arm at work, went to Instacare and had it fixed up, went back to work, then came home after work and told me. Another time he fell off the ladder and broke his heel. Nope I didn't know. So he either cares enough about me to not worry me, or he's afraid I'm going to chew him out for getting hurt....hmmmm).
9:45pm: Mom and dad headed back to the hotel.