T + 170

Sunday, April 1, 2007
Karin got to see the surgeon on Monday. Dr Usher wanted to take her gall bladder out the next day, but she had to make arrangements for school. I took Wednesday afternoon off to be with her. Marie has come to help Paul with Bennett. Paul dropped her off at the Lewis Center and she waited with me for my bloodwork at 11:30. We then walked over to Candler Hospital for her surgery scheduled for 2:30. They got started a bit late, but the surgery is quick and she is in recovery by 4:00 pm. Due to the late in the day start, she has to stay overnight for observation. Dr Usher meets me to tell me that things went well. He gives me pictures that Karin requested. There was a stone blocking the duct from the gall bladder. That was the cause of her pain and nausea and daily vomiting. I get to see her just after 5:00 pm. She is out of it cold. She awakes a few times with nausea. The nurses give her two injections in her IV in addition to what she got during surgery. I get some supper at the hospital waiting for her to awake. I leave for home at 7:40. The dogs are very happy that I am home. Bennett is already asleep at the Wilson’s. Thanks Marie and Paul. Karin calls me at home around 9:00. She is finally a bit awake. I never recall her being knocked out so long after a surgery or anesthesia. They had to give her a shot in the butt for the nausea and vomiting.

Thursday morning I go back to Candler to get Karin. Dr Usher is in soon after 8:00 am as he said he would be. Karin has 4 small scars on her right abdomen, the largest above her navel. No stitches only steri-strips. She has to keep them dry for a day, and then she can shower. She is to see the doctor in a week for follow-up. We leave the Hospital after 9:00 and fill her pain med script. We stop at Sonic to get a chocolate malted shake for her on the way home. He throat is a bit sore from the breathing tube during surgery. I hang out with her for a few hours and then I got to work in the afternoon.

I get home a bit late due to road construction on Bay Street that I detour to avoid. When I arrive home, Karin’s shirt is in the garage covered in vomit. That is not good. I assume that she has continued to be nauseous. Actually, Bennett is sick. It just started. Thankfully Marie was there to help Karin out.

So Thursday night, the Bests are a sight for sore eyes. Bennett is throwing up and it won’t quit. Karin just had surgery, and she can’t lift anything. Mark is running around with a surgical mask on, freaking out about getting sick himself, while taking puke covered towels and clothes to the laundry over and over and over. I do lots of sanitizing with the Clorox wipes.

Karin called the nurse line for our pediatrician and gets some tips and what to look out for, etc. Bennett stays sick into the night. We get him to take a bit of pedialyte, but he can’t keep it down long. He goes through multiples of clothes and sheets (and towels during the night). Karin is a trooper. After 2 am she lets me sleep and tends to Bennett for the rest of the night. Only 36 hours out of surgery she is amazing. During the night he drinks half a bottle of pedialyte. By the morning, he is keeping it down. The worst has passed in just 12 hours.

Paul comes by at 7:00 am and I go to work. I felt bad leaving them for work, but with a 5 month old immunity myself, I am very scared of getting a virus. The nurse calls to follow up on Bennett. He eats and drinks fairly normally on Friday. He naps a bit more than normal and Karin is able to get a nap. Thanks again to both of the Wilson’s for their help.

Friday at bedtime, Bennett is a bit more needy than typical, but this is understandable after the previous night. He slept in till 8:15 am. Saturday was a pretty normal day for us. Karin went most of the day without pain meds, but she has some before dinner and for bed. I fixed a steak dinner for the Wilson’s and Best’s with Karin’s help.

Karin and I traveled to Atlanta today. Bennett is with Marie & Paul in Savannah tonight.

Tomorrow I go to Northside Hospital and the BMTG clinic for my 6 months post transplant testing. I have a Pet-CT at the hospital at 9:45. I will have blood work and bone marrow biopsy at the clinic after the scan. We will return at the end of the month for my results and to see the doctor and a PA. They will likely call me with some of the results prior to that. We will return to Savannah Monday afternoon.

I feel quite good.

Mark