Hospital & Home...

This was a week of highs and lows. Claude would have his surgery on Monday. I have recorded all that transpired in the hospital and when he got home in another place. For my Blog, I will share the humor and milestones of this week. 

Monday, June 19th, Home and to the Hospital for Surgery

          I was grateful we didn't have to be at the hospital until 11:30am. This allowed us to sleep in till rested. I was able to give Claude a haircut that morning. We were not rushed at all to get to the hospital. By 11:50am Claude was taken to get prepped for surgery. By 12:35pm they let me go back to wait with Claude until surgery. 

          Before surgery, Claude made me promise not to post pictures on Facebook. I had not taken any pictures. As Claude lay there all prepped and ready for surgery, he looked at me and asked if I wanted to take a picture. I assured him I really did. I took one serious picture. 

When I looked again, Claude struck a pose that sent us both into fits of laughter. I can only imagine what the nurses thought as they walked past the room they had Claude in. He was good enough to strike that pose again so I could take a picture for our kids. 

Okay, I did send it to more than just our kids. I sent it to Claude's siblings, our Bishop and Elder's Quorum president, a dear friend, Laura and my sisters. Just a few close people... When Claude's sister, Tami, saw it, she was concerned. I never thought anyone would take this picture seriously. Laura showed it to her daughter, Jessie. Jessie asked, "Is Claude pretending to sleep with his tongue hanging out?" Laura answered, "Yep." Jessie replied with a smile, "Silly old Claude!"

          I also took a picture of Claude's cool green socks. 

Claude's brother, Cordell, said, "I'm glad there's not a tag on his toe!" Our daughter, Andie, sent this picture of her dad's green socks. 

          At 1:20pm Claude was taken to surgery and I headed back to the waiting room. 

          There are signs all over the waiting room stating the person accompanying the person in surgery must stay in the waiting room. I talked to the volunteer working in the surgery waiting room explaining I would like to go get something to eat. She said the cafeteria closed at 1:30pm. I hurriedly went to the cafeteria and picked out a small bag of chips and a Mountain Dew. I found a quiet place in the second waiting room, curled up with my Liahona to read while munching my chips and sipping on my soda. Then I tasted the soda. UGH!! It was a Diet Mountain Dew. I do not like diet sodas. Silly Moi. I drank half of it and tossed the rest. 

         At 2pm I received a call from the floor nurse in surgery telling me Dr. Slabaugh was beginning the surgery on Claude. Surgery could take up to 1 1/2 hours and there would be 1 hour in recovery before he would go to his room. I moved back to the main waiting room and finished reading my Liahona. 

          At 4:40pm, I looked up from my reading and saw a nurse pushing a gurney down the hall. On that gurney was my Big Guy Claude. I walked with them to his room. I was asked to stay in the hall while they got him set up. The nurse pushing the gurney opened the door to Room 125. The door would not stay open. And, as she assessed the situation, she realized she couldn't get the gurney in the room and by the bed in the room. Claude had to get up and walk from the gurney in the hall into the room and get into his bed while still coming out of anesthesia. He did it, bless his heart. 

          The armband they put on Claude when admitted to the hospital had a bar code on it. Each time someone came in to do something with Claude, they scanned his armband bar code. Each time they scanned his arm, Claude would say, "I enjoy being a commodity." 

          Claude was sure I should go home each night. I stayed until 9pm, when normal visiting hours were over, then I headed for home for the night.

Tuesday, June 20th, A Day in the Hospital

           Claude sent this text to his children, "So far I have learn that the best way to draw attention to yourself is to go to sleep and the only near-death experience is the food."

          Claude would wear a bright yellow hospital gown that tied in the back. They actually gave him a second one to wear like a jacket so that he was not exposed when he walked. His work from this point forward would be to walk as much as he could. I took this picture of my hubby in his stunning yellow outfit.

Laura's daughter, Jessie said, "He looks like a jail suit or a big banana!" Our son, Jake, works at the hospital in Chelsea, Michigan. He sent this message to his dad. "I arranged a consult with one of Chelsea Hospital's ICU nurses. She confirms that Dad's patient gown has a regrettable McDonald's color scheme, but that he is "rocking it".  Andie, our daughter and Jake's sister, replied, "Let's call him...McDad!" Andie sent this picture.

At 5pm, I left the hospital to get something to eat. I had not eaten all day and it was time. I stopped to take a picture of the horse outside the entrance to the hospital.

I would go back to the hospital until 9pm. When I got home, my goal was to make a grid. I had picked up the four medications his doctor ordered for him to take during his recovery. I wanted a chart that Claude could simply mark when he took the meds for an easy way to keep track of when they were taken. I am quite proud of this grid. My family teases me about my grid making, but Claude would say later in the week that the grid was very helpful.

Wednesday, June 21st, A Day in the Hospital

          This is where the hospital stay became trying for Claude. He was prepared to stay one night. He was aware he might have to stay for two night. This day he learned he would have to stay for a third night. He was miserable and in great pain. 

          This day I kept hearing what sounded like a music box playing from the speakers in the hallway. I learned that every time a baby is born, they play a lullaby over the PA system. LOTS of babies were born on Wednesday. There were also LOTS of announcements over the PA for strokes in the ER. And, to make the day really special, there was one crazy person in the hall. They came in off the street and managed to wander down the halls. I heard someone carrying on as if they were very upset at something that happened to them in the hospital. It sounded like they were in the room next to Claude. Turns out it was this crazy person in the hallway. They managed to get them out of the hospital. 

Thursday, June 22nd, From the Hospital to Our Home

          During the night, Claude finally passed the corner and was told he would be released on Friday. Claude had the same nurse during the day for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Her name was Stephanie, and she was a pure delight. She was definitely a Kentucky girl with a thick accent and a heart of gold. She was a quick wit and matched Claude's wit very well. Claude had a little bag inserted into one of the wound to drain fluid out of the wound. Stephanie came in to remove it and another RN was with her named Sal. She was going to show him how to remove the bag as they don't get to do this very often. As she was preparing the area to remove this drip, she said, "It's not that hard. I just Google it!" 

          At 2pm we were given final instructions and Claude was released. 

          We were at home by 2:30pm. Claude was so happy to be out of the hospital. He went right to bed for a good, well-deserved nap.

          You know you are on the mend when your first meal home you ask for macaroni and tomatoes. This was a family favorite when Claude was a child. Claude's sister, Lynette, said, "Memories of our childhood!" Another sister, Tami, said, "It is always the go to Comfort Food."

Friday, June 23rd, At Home

          Was a banner day, Claude had his first shower. His last shower was Monday morning before we went to the hospital. His comment after getting out of the shower, "I am blonde again!"

           I started a puzzle Andie and Michael gave me to make while Claude was recuperating.

Saturday, June 24th, At Home

          We got Claude out of the house for a bit. We went for a Smoothie run. We started watching the Monk DVD's again. I finished the puzzle this night. It was fun to do a puzzle and it not be Christmas.

Sunday, June 25th, At Home

           I would leave Claude alone for the morning. I played the organ for Sacrament Meeting and the piano for Primary. Then drove to Jimmy John's to get us sandwiches for lunch. 

          While I was in church, I could hear thunder rumbling outside. This day would be full of thunderstorms, some severe. We had a quiet afternoon and evening watching more of the Monk series. Thunderstorms happened through the evening and into the night. 

           Claude did participate in a Zoom training meeting for the Communications Council. 

Monday, June 26th, At Home

         We started our morning with a biscuit run. One can get really stir-crazy when one can't do very much. You start to feel better but you can't lift things and you really don't have much desire to do things. Getting out of the house helps with that. We got our biscuits and then drove to the park by the creek and sat until Claude was ready to come home. 

          When we got home, Claude laid down for a nap. I went to Sandiland to work on my laptop. I looked out the window and immediately realized things were not right on our patio. I went out the back door and found this. It appears the thunderstorms toppled over our table with the umbrella, the four chairs and the two planters. I went out to see if I could pick all this up. 

I couldn't help but notice that, even in this mess, there was beauty. There were flowers on one of my hostas and a beautiful mushroom sprung up beside one of the petunias. There is always a positive, even in the midst of a lot of negatives.

Claude still has a lot to do to be fully recovered. But we are very happy with his progress so far. He even fixed shrimp salad for our dinner!!