Surgeries aren’t any fun. But there’s a good feeling to be on the recovery side of it, rather than the anticipation side.
For those of you who didn’t know, Lowell was in a motorcycle accident almost 5 years ago. His entire left side was beaten up with multiple broken ribs, a shattered elbow, broken pelvis, fractured ankle and wrist, punctured lung, and an entirely numb leg from a pinched sciatic nerve. That nerve was the worst of all of them when it decided to wake up!
If I were brave, I’d post a picture for you of the gray hairs that have graced my head since that traumatizing day. But . . . I’m not brave.
This surgery was to remove as many plates and screws from his left elbow as could be done. Some of them were too embedded since the last time his arm was opened up four years ago.
Notice I said “the last time”.
This elbow has a unique history. I’m pretty sure Lowell’s doctor is sick and tired of dealing with that crazy joint!
You guessed it . . . his left elbow.Lowell originally injured it in May of 2008 in the motorcycle accident. That November, he had the plates and screws removed. But only a few weeks later, he slipped and fell on some icy water in the garage while holding our littlest then, Logan. To save Logan, he instinctly fell on the opposite side.
Back to surgery we went and the doctor fixed it for the second time!
The surgery to remove that hardware was scheduled for 1:30 pm on Thursday. So we found a babysitter for Logan and began the 2 1/2 hour ride down to Spokane. His surgery was in Sacred Heart Hospital.
But we get the call that due to unforeseen circumstances, his surgery is now going to be at 5 pm. All this time, Lowell is getting hungrier by the minute since they ordered him not to have any food after midnight or drink after 9:00 am.
When we finally check in to surgery, it is about 1 pm. They said to be there early in case the doctor can get us in before 5 pm. Back into prep we go – Lowell with his rumbling stomach and Wyatt and I just waiting for him to be knocked out so that we can go eat a huge supper. All day, we tried not to eat too much in front of Lowell, although we did snitch behind his back.
Halfway into prep, they inform us that now surgery is moved from 5 pm to 6:30 pm. Oh yay.
Here is where Baby Joey decided to let me know that, surgery or no surgery, he needed food. So Wyatt and I left poor Lowell in the care of the surgery prep nurses before my blood sugar bottomed out and I found myself in a hospital bed.
If you’ve never been to Sacred Heart in Spokane, you’ve missed some scrumptious food. I don’t believe these stories of bad hospital food! Their cafeteria is wonderful, as you can see.
Wyatt and I enjoyed a delectable salad and a piece of huckleberry cheesecake. The little munchkin was having a great time with his chocolate milk, chips, and Mom all to himself!
After nourishing ourselves, and of course Baby Joey, we head back to Dad. Here is where we decide that it would be best for me to go back home for the night, gather up all the children, get a good night’s sleep, and return in the morning. We’ve done enough surgeries and recoveries to know that things always take longer than expected. Most likely, had we waited around for surgery and recovery to end, we wouldn’t have left the hospital until close to midnight – putting us home around 3 am.
So that’s what we did and surgery went great! The doctor removed some screws, plates, shaved off some extra bone, and also removed some fibrous tissue. Smirking, he told Lowell that he didn’t even order him a sling because he knew Lowell wouldn’t want one. Truth is, Lowell would’ve used it on the way home from the hospital . . . and then promptly discarded it.
Yes, I know him. All too well I know him.
That’s why I’ve decided to save my breath this time around . . .
He was a little loopy and nauseated here, but pizza sounded good on the way home. His nausea meant more pizza for me! 🙂 |
Truthfully, I like my husband when he considers even healing a challenge. But don’t tell him that because I am supposed to be his nurse who keeps him on the straight and narrow path to good health.
It was rather nice to have someone make the long ride back and forth to Spokane with me! |
I’ve also got a feeling it will come in handy that we are already on good terms with a super orthopedic surgeon . . . especially with four boys growing up!
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Michelle-ozark crafter says
Thankful the surgery went so well! Now on to healing up!