We're Home

[Guest guest]

Hi there

Well the surgery itself went fine, but the hospital stay/staff was another story. has done well, altho he frequently exercised his right to Morphine every two hours for the first 24 or so.

I am still learning and feel like a dingbat at times. Friday night they started using the gtube and also letting him eat by mouth. Remember he is only using the tube for fluids. Anyway, Saturday morning they turned the IV off and started feeding him liquids on a regular basis...30ccs every three hours...now you experienced ones will catch this right away, but I am still learning. Within 7 hours of him going off the IV and just on the fluids by tube, he was hallucinating, sleepy, his heart rate was spiking up to 140 while sleeping and his sats were dropping to 89...he had been doing much better...I was freaked and the resident on call (don't you love how hospitals shut down on weekends) said it was just b/c he was on pain...I was like, he is dealing with LESS pain than he was yesterday and his stats have never been that way...(on a side note, his BP ran 140s/50s the whole time...anyone else think thats strange or know why?) so finally I gav eup dealing with the weekenders and called Dr Korson's office...thankfully, he was on call and right away was like...Deb, he's dehydrated...they are only giving him the equivilant of 8 ounces a day when he needs close to 80 ounces...so we put the IV back on and increased his fluids too. There are lots more interesting stories testifying to what a bad hospital we have here...but I just found out they are getting a new director in January so I am encouraged about the future. Anyway, we are okay...he is still in pain and keeps trying to sleep on that side, as this was his habit, and he is doing okay with not drinking by mouth...so all is well...now to get used to getting up every three hours to do feeds...

deb