The Morning Report

Mum notes. Well I don't sing but you will all recognize the Lion King reference. I went in to Selena's room about 7p and stayed until 8a. Selena passed a good night, sleeping off and on, managing her pain with a self activated morphine pump. This morning she was chipper ,but hoarse and able to commence her respirometer exercises. Being a teaching hospital she was seen and examined by various residents from the two different services (and the janitor). Not really! Selena is too nice! I always snarl and kick the students out. After one student decided to listen to her chest on top of her brand new incision I thought she might become like her mother. Plan was to have her ambulate and try eating semi-real food. I left her hitting the watery oatmeal. One bite for her, one bite for the bed linen. Chris had returned and had the day shift. Selena has beer very surprised that she feels soo good, pain mostly in lower back and belly,not chest. Wait till the morphine is discontinued..... More updates as they happen. Sorry if this sound like a nursing report! That is exactly what is is! D

Resting (not so) Comfortably in Bed

Selena finally overcame the ether (and no I don't mean the ethernet Cat 5 cables you use to connect your computer to the internet!) at 6:15pm. She was transfered to her room on the 7th floor at around 7pm. She was able to scoot herself over from the recovery bed to her room bed by herself! That is a really good sign. She was complaining of pain of an 8/10 but then finally got some morphine and the pain went down to a 5/10. She got nauseated from the morphine so she also got some Zofran. She is sleeping right now so I came home for a little while and Mum is up with her. Her color is good and she really came through the marathon surgery really well. I am really proud of her. Once again she proves:

"She is strong like bull."

"Nyet. She ees strong like Russian bear."

"BULL!"

"BEAR!"

"BULL!"

"BEAR!"

"WOMAN-BULL-BEAR!"

"Yes"

"Da"

Chris

Surgery is Complete.

Selena is in recovery now. Sorry so short but this is posted from my iPhone.

Chris

Phase I Complete, Phase II in Progress

Sounds like I am giving updates on a housing development. Sorry.

Phase I, the mastectomy took about 3:30 hours. 8:45am - 12:15pm (longer than expected)

Phase II, the hysterectomy is estimated to take about 4 hours and to started at 1pm after repositioning and staff changes in the OR.

Chris

THIS IS THE MOMENT, THIS IS THE DAY

WHEN I LET ALL MY DOUBTS
AND DEMONS ON THEIR WAY... Jekyll and Hyde-The Musical

Well the day has come, finally..... Selena is in the OR getting her right breast removed at this very moment. Last night was pretty yucky because she had to drink two litres of this bowel cleansing solution to prep her for the hysterectomy. It tasted REALLLLLY gross and of course made her spend most of the evening in the bathroom. We marked her left breast with "KEEP ME! (Don't' cut off!)."

Selena and I arrived at UTMB at 7am and she got ready for surgery. She was very calm and ready. We met with lots of nice nurses and doctors and they got her ready for surgery. Dr. Silva the Breast surgeon came to see her at 8:40 and then at 8:45 I gave her a big kiss and told her I loved her and they rolled her away. I have been told to expect the surgery to last until 5pm!

I am in the Medical School library trying to study. I can feel some prayers and positive energy flying in from all over the globe into her OR! :)

More later,

Chris

We're on track...

Today I saw Dr. Silva and signed the second set of pre-op paperwork. I find it interesting and a little disconcerting that this time I have been given instructions that I wasn't given last month. I have to do a bowel cleansing thing that I wasn't asked to do last time AND I was given a packet of information on breathing/coughing and what to expect in surgery. I guess it's good that I wasn't able to have the surgery last time because I could have compromised the laperscopic surgery by not having done the bowel "thing".

While I was at the Dr. we became concerned about a pain in my neck and arm so they sent me in for another ultrasound. Turns out I am better and a few of my clots have dispersed. No worries for the surgery.

About a week...

Today I have a Pre-op appointment with Dr. Arristea (OBGYN surgery) and I have Dr. Silva (Breast Surgeon) on Friday. My cough is nearly gone! This crud has been going around and it is particularly hard to shake. For once I don't seem to be the only one hanging on to it. Surgery is scheduled for February 12th.

Chris started his psychiatric rotation - the portion that he has to drive to Houston for -this week. He is leery of driving such long distances in heavy traffic since his accident. This only lasts 3 weeks.

School continues to go well. I share a classroom with Brandon Dinklage who teaches the Weiss students, and he has been great. He is a good teacher, which makes it easier to let him drive...