After Surgery

Frank had to fast from the night before surgery so when the doctor came in and said it would be two hours later than the 5:30 PM we were disappointed to say the least. When they came for him about 5:00 PM we were caught off guard, but elated that it was going to be sooner than later.

We didn't get to see Frank until almost 10 PM that night. I can't tell you how relieved I was when the PA came out and told me everything went well. By the time he came out Sherry, Renee and Jason were there with me for support. When we went into Frank's room he was in a lot of pain and they were just giving him something for his pain. It didn't take long and he was out of it. It was a shock to see him as he had been face down and his eyes were swollen, in fact his whole face was swollen, and it scared me as he looked like death warmed over.

He was put in his own private room and there was a day bed that I could lay down on while I was staying with him.

Then two days later they were going to discharge him and our case worker came in and said that they couldn't get in touch with our home health care in our area. So it was decided to keep him until Monday to make sure we had home health coming in and checking on him. Frank acted relieved to be able to lay back down and not have to make an 80 mile trip home. He was in no shape to be riding in a car for over an hour. This was also a concern of the case manager. No one realized that we were from out of town, and we couldn't take him to Sherry's condo as she has a lot of steps. I had already had my nerves in an uproar thinking that I had to take him home in the condition he was in. So we all settled down to the new plan.

Sherry & I were just sitting down to a late lunch when my cell phone rang and it was Frank telling me that I had to come and get him as Dr. Duke (no personality) had come in and basically had told him he had to be out of there as our insurance wouldn't cover it and it would be $50,000 out of our pocket. Dr. Duke was discharging him. I couldn't eat another drop of food and started to shake inside and out.

To cut a long story short. Sherry called Dr. Dukes PA ( We loved him) and told him the circumstances. He told her not to worry about it and he put a hold on Frank's discharge. Frank called me again and wasn't a happy camper and wanted to know what was going on. I went back to the hospital and we had a lot of explaining to do. My nerves were so shot that I was in outer space by now. Sherry did all the talking, I was numb.

Frank ended up going to Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital. I think this was a way to play the health care system and get the extra time he needed before making the long trip home. This all took place on Monday the 13th and as soon as we got there Frank said "What have I got myself into?" His room was a two patient room, and no place for me to lay down, etc. Frank let everyone know that he wanted out of there by Friday. So he did all the therapies up and beyond what is the norm.

He was discharged Thursday the 16th and that turned into a night mare as Sherry made plans for a friend to drive us out to the race track where I could get on the freeway and would be comfortable with that. We had been told anytime after 9 AM. We should have known it would be almost noon before we were ready to go and then we went into the lunch room and had some lunch. In the mean time Florida Sherry's friend who was going to drive us out to the race track had to change all of her plans due to the time changes. I had planned on driving myself and had a road plan all mapped out. So once again my nerves were all over the place as I could feel the steam coming off from Frank. He told me he was going to bring me in to Vegas and make me drive in the 5:00 PM rush. I know I am a coward when it comes to driving in Vegas, especially unfamiliar places, and I am thinking that I have a real phobia about it. I start tensing up and get all shaky inside and out. Having Diabetes doesn't help much. Good news we made it home. Frank slept for hours after we got him into bed.

The top picture is of Frank being taken over to Healthsouth which was just a very short distance from the hospital. The other pictures are of Sherry & I visiting in Frank's room at St. Rose.