I AM BACK!!!

Thank you all so much for being here for me, Eddie and my whole family. I can't tell you how much friends and family mean when you are going through such a time as this. The flowers were so plentiful that I shared them with others in my room at the hospital and some continue to bloom here at home. Cards are still coming in and they make me cry and laugh. All emotions I need to get out. So thank you. Friends of my Mom brought her to Redding about the time I got out of ICU and others met she and Eddie in Williams when it was time for her to go home. The strength of love and friendship continue to amaze me.

Seems I didn't spend one night in ICU but five. Didn't spend three to five in the hospital but eleven.

The epideral was performed as expected and caused my left leg ,except for my toes, to become completly paralized for a couple of days. Suffered from really low blood pressure, high heart rate, serious signs of congestive heart failure. Then dehydration, then when they pumped the fluids in they had to reverse the problem that caused. Planned heart cath had to be put off several times because they couldn't do that until the last chest tube was removed and that had to be posponed several times.

At least I can report that the heart cath. showed absolutely nothing wrong with my heart. Thank you God. Seems all the susspected heart propblems were caused from the surgery. Leakage of enzymes (?) or something. During all of my problems my cousins, Terry and Lee had to have heart stints placed and Dal had a by pass before I went into the hosp. Needless to say I was pretty nervous about the results of the cath.

Eddie and I counted up one day and we saw no less than 12 doctors within the first 4-5 days.

The Dr. removed the first chest tube at 3:00 AM on his way home after a surgery. He actually woke me up to do it. Not a bad thing though as I didn't have to spend the day all stressed about when he was going go do it. As usual anticipation is worse than the actual event. I can't even begin to tell you all of the unexpected things that happened. I don't even know where I am in my recovery. I have been seeing a nurse pract. here for the past week and she is reporting to the Dr. in Redding. She says I am healing very well. They had me on Norco when I came home but changed me over to Morphine which is working much better. Oh ...yeah they broke a rib during surgery too. Not unusual I am told.

I do have to say that the care at Mercy Geneal Hospital in Redding is just great. At least it was for us.

Again I love you all K.


My next Dr. Appt is on April 30th. It is a post op chek up. From now until then is just the healing process. I can't do any kind of chemo etc until I am fully recovered from the surgery.