Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)

[Darin]

Today Darin moved out of ICU. He still hasn't had any dizziness issues for which we are all thankful. The only bummer about Darin Moving out of ICU is that now he has a roommate. This is a bummer because his roommate is not really quiet at all. Actually, the entire floor isn't quiet. Kids scamper this way and that regularly throughout the day, and not without screaming an obligatory comment about catching the other kid, or some random talk of what the two are going to do next to keep occupied in this large and boring world known as a hospital. The nurses, though I am sure they mean well and their jobs are very demanding, they certainly aren't much quieter than the kids. We were spoiled in the ICU: Large rooms, quiet conditions, high numbers of caring and attentive nurses, and very quick response time to calls for pain medications. This floor is loud, the rooms are very small and not private, the nurses are more hurried and disconnected from the patients, and the response times for pain meds is much longer (45 minutes one time!).

Darin is doing well, but he seems to be having to ask for pain meds more frequently. He sat up for the first time tonight. The nurse really wanted him to get up on his own. This required a lot of exertion. After getting up he got dizzy for the first time. His heart rate raised, he got very warm and had to lay back down. However, after about a half hour he was back to normal, just more tired.

Tomorrow they want him to get up and walk! We'll see. It will be good for him to walk I am sure.

More to come-
Andy

[ppearl214]

thanks for the update Andy.... sharing Darin's post-treatment processes is very helpful to others that are researching options and it is most appreciated. Please give Darin my wellness wishes for speedy recovery..... 

Phyl

[sharonov]

Re the 45 min. wait for pain meds--unless he is asking for them more often than prescribed, that is unacceptable.  If he's not overdoing them, complain to the head nurse on the floor and do it firmly.  Don't give up or be intimidated.  I volunteer at a children's hospital, where some of the patients are too young to know they can ask for relief, but there's a sign up in every room for the parent/caregiver:  Every Patient has a Right to Pain Relief.

If there are any nurses on the board who can contradict me, please do so.

[Lilan]

He'll progress quickly the next couple days as the anaesthesia truly wears off. I really think that's part of it.

I couldn't sit up for 24 hours w/o retching violently and was terrified to leave ICU. By the next day I was (reluctantly, only because in the back of my mind I knew I had to if I didn't want to live in the hospital for the rest of my life) getting up with a walker (and I moved like a 98-year-old). By the third day I realized the walker was just getting in my way.    I felt like every 12 hours I could do something totally new!

Re pain, might it help to time out how often he needs something and then ask for it an hour in advance? Or if he's allowed to have one every four hours, keep that time period in mind and ask for it a half-hour early?

Best of luck, and glad he has such support!

[Cheryl R]

I am surprised they never had him up walking right away.     One can feel all kinds of weird ways at first when move and the more you move, the better it goes.                             I was lucky too and never dizzy.
You just missed an alll night rain down here.            Hard for 4th of July goings on.                    We are to go to an outside wedding at a neighbors tonight and bet they are sweating it.                Supposed to stop by noon.
                It does get better over time and we think of all those who are in the hard time part of after surgery.
                                                                Cheryl R

[MissMolly]

Hi there and Best Wishes to Darin,

My surgery was on June 22 and I am reliving my early postie experience all over again.  The 'dizziness" takes time to go away.  I ended up having to postpone my first standing and steps following surgery because I had a lumbar drain (to check Cerebral Spinal Fluid Pressure and make sure I wasn't leaking) for an extra day, which meant lying in bed an extra day as well.  The first standing up was a mind blower - the floor didn't feel right beneath my feet and I felt like I was on a spinning ride at a theme park.  I had a great Physical Therapist who was very good at explaining the vestibular changes that occur because of trauma/damage/destruction to the vestibular organs on the left side (my an side).  The example she gave was of a tight rope walker with the long pole used for balance - if someone came an snipped of one end of the pole, it takes the walker a while to make adjustments in balance and feedback before they feel more equilibrium.  With time, walking with the new pole becomes automatic.  I hope Darin is doing well with this and am happy to 'compare notes' along the way, since we both seem to be going through the same thing.

Hoping for continued good recovery. 

Miss Molly
  (P.S. - I HATED those inflatable leg things I needed to wear for circulation.  Was soooooooo happy to get them off)

mm

[heyct]

I'm so glad to hear Darin is doing well. He is young & will probably bounce right back.

As for the meds....My thinking is, that's what you in the hospital for! It's major surgery & don't be shy or embarassed about asking for them. I'm not usually an advocate on medication, & was still tenuous 10 days later when my doc said I was doing great & to quit them all!

Tell Darin to take care of himself & get lots of rest. Enjoy the down time.
Carolyn

[leapyrtwins]

Andy -

thanks for the update on Darin.  I can't imagine having a roommate post AN surgery 

I was lucky enough to have my surgery at a very small hospital with a private room; but maybe it will give him some incentive to get up and walking so he can go home.

I didn't walk for days after surgery - I was very resistent due to major nausea and dizziness.  In retrospect, I wish I had gotten up and about sooner; help him work on that.

Please let Darin know we are cheering him on and hope to hear from him soon.

Best,

Jan

[Darin]

Hey everyone!

Ok, I am in Minnesota for a Seminary class so my updating the site is pretty much finished. Robyn (my wife, Darin's sister) is going to keep updating you all on Darin's progress. He is doing really well. I know there has been a lag in the updates. He walked down the hall yesterday, took a shower, ate food, etc. It was a good day. He seems more alert.

As to his room, a nurse was in on Sunday Morning and asked how long he would be staying. Darin's sister, Julie, was there and said maybe till Wednesday or Thursday. The nurse, with a shocked look on her face, said that she would try to find him a private room right away! So that is good news, he is now in his own room again, which has been much better.

Ok, have a nice day everyone, more to come!
Andy

[Lilan]

Walking, showering, eating = feeling human again! Good for him! 

[CHD63]

Andy (or Robyn) .....

'Twas good to read your post on Darin ..... I was hoping you had all been busy.  Glad Darin is up and walking, etc. ...... and glad he is finally in a private room.  I would have been a very unhappy patient if I had had to deal with a roommate post-op.

I am hoping Darin will surprise the medical staff and spring out of the hospital before Wednesday or Thursday ..... let's pray he does!  Tell him we are pulling (pushing, holding up ....  ) for him!

Clarice

[wendysig]

I'm glad to hear Darin is doing so well.  I also can't imagine having a roommate, especially a noisy one right after surgery.  How horrible for him.  I did eventually get a roommate, but not until my third day in the hospital and she was very quiet and so was her family.  I hope Darin is able to go home sooner than later.  I was in the hospital, including two days in rehab for five and was more then ready to go home.  Leaving the hospital made me very happy.  Hope it happens for Darin soon.

Best wishes,
Wendy

[leapyrtwins]

Good news, Wendy.  Darin is home.  There's another thread here somewhere.

[mimoore]

I am late coming into this but so happy for Darin that surgery is over and went so well. It is apparent he has a loving family and that can make all the difference!
Hugs Michelle