September 18, 2013

Ron's Turn for Surgery

September 18, 2013

This morning we needed to be at the hospital at 6:30 for Ron to have surgery by Dr. Olson, my Orthopedic doctor.  As I have previously mentioned, Ron broke his right leg/ankle when a ladder he was on broke 19 years ago.  The surgeon at that time put a rod in the outer leg bone and a pin in the inner tip of the ankle bone.  Both have bothered him almost from the beginning.  He finally made an appointment with Dr. Olson who agreed to take out that hardware as well as deal with a very painful nerve in his foot near his toes.

We arrived on time but apparently this hospital has most of the day surgery patients arrive at the same time and then arranges the schedule as they go along.  Ron was taken into the prep area about 7:15 and little was done until 10:15.  Then he was taken to surgery holding area at 10:50, and surgery started at 11:35 and finished at 11:55.  The doctor had said surgery would take about 20 minutes.  He was right.  Around noon the anesthesiologist came to the waiting room to tell me all was well.  They had been able to remove all the hardware and there was no infection, etc., but that a piece of the hardware on the outside bone was loose and that could account for some of the pain. 

About 2:00 a nurse took me back to area where we started the day and said they were concerned because his blood pressure was low and he was nauseated.  He told them to bring me in and his blood pressure would go up.  :)  They also had to give him two different medications because he was in so much pain.  That much pain medication took a long time to wear off and for him to become coherent enough to try walking with the crutches. 

They sent in a little 85 lb. nurse to get him up on the crutches.  I told her with my arm problem I would be of no help and to go get someone else to help.  Another nurse came but she agreed after a few minutes that he was too groggy to try the crutches yet.  About 30 minutes later they tried and decided to wait longer after he put pressure on the foot that had been operated on and it started bleeding.  Part of the dressing had to be changed and he was still too groggy to deal with it.  It was after 4:00 before he was ready to leave, and I am not sure how ready he really was, but he was ready to go to his house, with his bed, and his nurse.

Most of the staff members were outstanding and we appreciate their help.  A couple of the assistant nurses were difficult to deal with. 

At Ron's suggestion, we picked up our oldest grandson to come spend the next 24 hours or so helping get him up and around and to be here tomorrow while I go to Physical Therapy and then to the office for a while.  I hope to take our oldest grand daughter to the office with me tomorrow.  Our pastor's wife brought supper to us tonight and Ron slept through it.  Our grandson and I enjoyed and appreciated it.

As for my hearing today, I could hear most of the professionals who were in and out of the room.  At one point a nurse called on the phone in the waiting room to tell me something and I asked a man in the waiting room to take a message for me.  I texted our kids to keep them updated. 

It was a long difficult day and I know it was draining for Ron.  I hope he forgets most of the day.  I know I would be happy to!  He has slept since shortly after we got home and I hope he can sleep tonight.