Burn, Baby, Burn

After returning home from some running around, Shelley decided to iron two pairs of pants she bought Saturday. She was a few minutes into her second pair when she noticed a big ol’ stain on them. I helped her find her receipt and sat down to watch some football.

The receipt was pretty crinkled up because the plastic shopping bag was jammed into the plastic bag holder with a bunch of grocery bags. Being the anal retentive type, Shelley decided to get the wrinkles out of it…with the iron. “Oh no!” I heard her squeal. When I asked her what was wrong, she held up the receipt. It was black. The paper is thermal, as is most receipt paper. I chuckled :-)

Wednesday

Shelley Dear is doing well. She's still very sore. I feel so sorry for her. I wish I could make it all better or bear the pain for her. We had a relaxing, four-day weekend at her daughter's house.

This weekend my lovely daughter is coming over to stay the night. I'm looking forward to it. I love that little girl, even though she's not so little any more. I miss her to pieces.

Monday

Just a quick note to say Shelley’s coming along fine. She wants to do more than she ought to, but that’s just her personality. The challenge is trying to keep her from overextending herself during her recovery. We had a nice weekend with her mom and her sister.

{Cell Post}

Dear shelley has been released. We'll be on the road in minutes.

Monday

I left the hospital this morning around 8:00am to do laundry, and some chores. I also did a little farming in our garden. I'm looking forward to a bounty of yummies.

Dear Shelley was supposed to get out of the hospital today, but the doctors want her to stay for at least another day. She was bummed, to say the least. Her mom and I visited this afternoon. She moped and cried a little; but was in better spirits by the time we left. I took her for a walk up and down the hall, brushed her hair, helped her with her food, loved her, comforted her, and even kidded her a little.

Dear Shelley's sister will arrive tomorrow from Washington.

Tonight I'm anesthetizing with a Vicodin and a little whisky. Just enough to bring on the sleep.

{Cell Post}

Staying the night with Dear Shelley in the hospital again. She's well, feisty and doing a sudoku puzzle as I text.

ICU

Dear Shelley’s mother, daughter and I visited her in the ICU last night. She looked so peaceful, as she continued to sleep off her anesthesia-induced sleep. I told her I loved her, stroked her hand, and talked to her for a half a minute or so before leaving.

After our short visit, the three of us went out for a nice little (and late) snack at a local diner. I had a taco salad and split a slice of cherry cheesecake with Dear Shelley’s daughter.

P.S.
I mentioned that Dear Shelley looked peaceful only because the pre-op nurse, someone I jokingly (not so in retrospect) referred to as Palsy Polly, a too-old pre-op nurse, apparently missed the vein when putting in the IV that would carry morphine after the first surgery last week. As Dear Shelley came out of the anesthesia, there was little or no morphine in her. She described the pain to the nurse as 11 on a scale from 1-10 that first night. The next shift’s nurse (Nellie) noticed the missed vein (swollen hand) immediately and fixed it. So…Dear Shelley went a few hours without any pain medication to speak of. I was furious when I found this out. I’m still furious. I don’t know what, if any, recourse we have but I think this is something that needs to be addressed officially to the hospital. That kind of mistake is absolutely inexcusable, and someone needs to hear about it.

The very thought of Dear Shelley enduring that level of pain because of an unacceptable mistake hurts my heart.

All Done

Shelley's surgery was completed around noon-thirty. As of around 2:15 she was in recovery waiting for a room in the ICU. She's doing fine. Thanks for the prayers and the crooked fingers :-)

{Cell Post}

Dear Shelley's surgery started at 9:30 central time.

{Cell Post}

And off she goes. Keep your fingers crossed.

Today is the Day

Shelley Dear goes in for a 3-6 hour surgery again today around 7:30am. I'll be there this morning to send her off to this week's adventure. Wish her well.

Wednesday Update

Dear Shelley is well, but Sunday night and Monday were a bit rough for the poor thing. And she was doing so well Sunday. So, I stayed the night with her Monday and spent all day Tuesday with her, leaving her in good spirits around 7:15pm. I wish I would’ve taken Monday off instead of Tuesday so I could’ve been with her when she wasn’t doing so well.

Shelley’s daughter, who I’m convinced doesn’t like me much, will be in town around noon today and will stay with her grandmother until Saturday morning.

The house seems so empty without Shelley. Kitty is here and a fine companion, but she’s not much for conversation. ;-)

Dear Shelley goes in for the second and final surgery tomorrow. She’ll be in the SICU for a day or two, then back to a private room for recovery. The doctors anticipate she could be home by Monday or Tuesday of next week if her recovery goes well.

Thanks to those of you who’ve posted/emailed your concern, kind words, and interest.

Until next time…

Sunday

Shelley Dear is fine. She looked better today than ever. She still has some pain, but not so much that she couldn’t dole out a little grief. Ten or twelve more days and She'll be out of the hospital.

I’m home now. I picked up Shelley’s mom today and took her to the hospital for a visit. I came home and did a few loads of laundry, napped, watered the grass, napped, and went back to the hospital to retrieve Mom and hang out a while.

Me tired. Me write later maybe one day. Thank you to those who have posted or emailed. I appreciate your kindness.

And now for a another glass of bourbon and a long nap.

{Cell Post}
Shelley is well. I stayed the night fri. Spent all day sat with her, & spent the night agn. Mom will be here today.

{Cell Post}
I'm lying on a little bed next to Dear Shelley holding her hand and talking...slowly about politics. She's very very tired.

{Cell Post}
I'm here at the hosp. Dear Shelley's sleeping soundly. I woke her only so she'd know i came back. Dr. will be in early. We'll chat.

Friday

Good news: Shelley’s out of the ICU and in her own room.
Not-so-good news: She had to have a little surgery last night to stop a little “bleeder,” as they call ‘em in the biz, in her brain. So…she’s pretty groggy and generally feeling like shit today. Nausea, mild pain, discomfort, and frustration with being bed-bound are the main source of her ire. She's stable, alert, and she understands everything and knows where she is...and that's what counts...But I so hate seeing her like this. It hurts my heart to the core.

I’m headed back to the hospital to spend the night tonight.

Adios

Thursday Night

Shelley is well. I left work early and went promptly to see her; visiting hours were from 1:30pm to 4:00pm. I spent two hours sitting by her side in the ICU. The nurse, Nellie, was wonderful. Shelley looked so much better than yesterday. We talked…I held her hand, stroked her, kissed her, told her I loved her, and told her I’d stay as long as they’d let me. By the end of visiting hours, she was wiped and was ready for sleepy. So I gave her a peck and let her sleepy. She should have her own room tomorrow. I miss her so.

{Cell Post}
Sitting here with Shelley in the ICU. She's sleeping and all is well. Should have her in her room tomorrow.

Dear Shelley

Dear Shelley’s mother and I visited my Dear Shelley in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit this evening. Although she was in a good deal of pain, the nurse assured me she was doing very well. I comforted Shelley, told her we were there, and told her I loved her. She was in no condition to have a conversation, but she was cognizant enough (despite the morphine) to tell me she didn’t want to talk, and that she had a headache - understandable, considering she’d just had brain surgery. I might have a bit of a headache too.

For me, the hardest part about this has been seeing Shelley worry and fret, seeing her in pain, and knowing she’s going to worry and fret and hurt some more during her recovery. I wish I could bear all the discomfort and anxiety for her. I want to bear it all. I don’t want her to have to go through this. She’s a sweet, gentle, kind woman who doesn’t have a mean or unsavory bone in her body.

I’m out for now. I’m going to call the NICU and see how Dear Shelley is doing.

Tomorrow after work I’ll be visiting her again. Those of you who know my personal email address can email me for additional details.

And Shelley…I love you. The house and my life are empty without you. And Kitty is none too pleased with your absence. Get well and come home soon.