Tag: surgery

OT: one unhappy camper.

OT: one unhappy camper.

by Joanne ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I went to visit the boy after surgery #2 this afternoon, and boy, what a difference from yesterday.

I picked the evening shift, as his mother had made him some soup and other comfort-food yummies. Upon delivering them, I was greeted by a grumpy, slightly bleary-eyed version of my beloved. I soon learned that while the second surgery was also a success, the pain of the first was starting to set in, coupled with the fresh discomfort of the second.

He was completely on edge today. And I tried not to let his surliness get to me, but when he’s miserable, he can be a downright mean and ornery SOB. I had to take a moment at one point to have a little cry in the bathroom (again, hormones. The un-pregnant me would have sucked my teeth and cussed him out, surgery or no).

The patient rooms bunk in twos, and he’d gotten a new roommate – a brown, Muslim guy from Trinidad whose name escapes me at the moment (meh. For story’s sake, I’ll call him Jamal). He was talkative and lively, in the way I find most Trinis to be, and I was thankful for his presence. Jamal had apparently come in the night before, and the boy had told him all about me and my Bajan background. Having him there today forced the boy to be social, and we spent the rest of the evening exchanging funny stories and bonding over our West Indian commonalities.

Still, I was relieved when 9 o’clock rolled around and visiting hours were over. It’s been an emotional week, and even though he’s in pain, I know the boy will be okay. He walked me to my car, and sent me off with a kiss and an apology for being so surly. He’s got one more full day in the hospital, and then he can come home to convalesce.

Thank God. He’ll be a LOT happier there. And then his mother can dote on him for a bit. I’m not cut out for this.

Grumpy-Cat-79r
Srsly? The boy makes Grumpy Cat look positively sunny.

OT: one of two.

OT: one of two.

by Joanne ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The boy survived the first surgery.

I went to see him today, and yesterday (immediately post-op). I was so happy to see him looking healthy and smiling, that I cried with relief (which surprised the hell outta me. I’m not typically that weepy. Must be the hormones).

Aside from a little bit of discomfort, he said he felt all right, and when I went to visit him today, he seemed to be doing even better. I had picked up his mother so she could visit, and then his sister drove in from Milton to meet us there. The four of us sat out under one of the gazebos on the grounds and chatted. It was such a beautiful day, and I can’t say enough how gorgeous the facility is. I joked and told him it was more like we were visiting a celebrity rehab joint. There were other families visiting patients, sitting on benches in the sun, or walking along the cobblestone pathways. A few of them were playing on the mini golf course, while others took to the shade. Everyone seemed so relaxed. It was rather strange.

He’d shown me his scar yesterday, and said that due to painkillers he didn’t actually hurt, but the way the doctors had closed up the incision, things felt really tight in the groin area. But he was talking, laughing and walking (albeit slowly), so I wasn’t terribly worried.

Just before the two-hour visiting window was up, the boy’s sister asked to snap a shot of us. Turned out pretty nicely, I gotta say.

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Look at him. The picture of health. I’m almost inclined to think he’s faking it! 😀

Surgery #2 is tomorrow, and then he’ll be discharged on Saturday. I’m just so happy this hernia business is about to be all over, because it’s really taken a toll on him, and put a damper on his/our summer. He’s been on modified duties at work, and because of major discomfort, he can hardly walk or sit for any great length of time. We’ve spent most of the season with him flat on his back or reclined in a chair in his backyard. It doesn’t sound like such a bad deal, but Toronto truly comes alive in summer. We’ve missed out on so many things, and while he hasn’t said, I know it’s been bumming him out.

Oh, well. At least he’s getting the treatment he needs. It’s costing a bit because we’ve gone private, but if he waited for the public health system, he wouldn’t have been able to get an operation until November.

And that just wouldn’t do.

Here’s hoping that tomorrow is just as successful.

Muitos beijos, amor!

OT: under the knife.

OT: under the knife.

by Joanne ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

larp_surgeons_tools_by_haraldr32-d4zbgyq
These oughta do the trick.

The boy was admitted into hospital today.

His first hernia surgery isn’t until tomorrow morning, but all of the pre-requisite sign-in stuff was today. It was a long process and he’s not the most patient man in the world, so he was a little edgy. I also know it’s because he was nervous. He’s never had surgery before, and he’ll be at the facility for a week (we opted to go private to get a faster appointment, as opposed to waiting until November thru public health). After he was shown his room and unpacked his stuff, we took a walk around.

It’s completely beautiful, like a spa for men. Beautiful grounds with fruit trees, benches, a mini-putting green…you would never believe that just a kilometre out there’s a busy road and non-stop traffic. There are two shifts of visiting hours: 4-6 and 7-9PM, and since I was with him during the second shift, we did a little jailbreak and headed out to McDonald’s to grab a bite and enjoy our time together until lockdown.

He goes for surgery #1 tomorrow morning at eight. He gave me a Big Mac-flavoured kiss goodbye as I promised to come see him in the afternoon.

He’ll be all right.

He has to be.