SURGERY . . .
Who likes to hear that dreaded word! I know that Dalip did not. I remember when he and I were leaving the Cardiologist’s office Dalip said, “If they want to do surgery…I’m NOT going to have it done!” But then after more tests, he decided to do it…after all, it’s only routine, isn’t it? Little did we know then that it was going to be more than ‘routine’.
The last time I did updates with regard to Dalip was on February 26th http://www.xanga.com/RaZeHeLL/449221558/updates-at-the-bottom-of-post.html and February 27th http://www.xanga.com/RaZeHeLL/449804629/real-life-survival-test.html He had just gotten out of the hospital Saturday afternoon—a Visiting Nurse spent three hours with us teaching and demonstrating how to operate the IV Pump—and then we were on our own.
At the end of the day on my first Monday, I was so exhausted, I fell asleep by 9:30 P.M. It all seemed so overwhelming! Tuesday morning when Dalip and I were having breakfast, I said, “Okay ~ Now, we have to get on a schedule” (he looked at me kind of funny) “then I said—a system”—(that was better) “then I said—I say and you do.”
In the beginning, I had to call the on-call nurse Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights when I was getting Dalip ‘plugged in’. I finally got it. I was doing everything right, but at a certain point I was to click on ‘Change’ and then the screen would give me options and then I was to click on ‘New container’ … let it go through it’s little cycle and then click on ‘Start’. It is programmed to start the new dosage at 8 P.M. Now, all of this is a piece-of-cake. It takes very little time to ‘hook him up’.
Wednesday, March 1st, Dalip had his staples removed. Eric was concerned about the drainage hole on Dalip’s left side and asked the Plastic Surgeon to take a culture of it—it didn’t look very good. That evening, I sent out an e-mail to friends I have labeled as my ‘Prayer Warriors’. Hebrews 4:16 declares, “ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Apparently a yeast infection decided to move in, but he is taking another antibiotic and that is taking care of that situation. The drainage hole is healing very nicely now and is just about closed. Praise God! Dalip’s incision has healed very well also. Twice a day he applies hydrogen peroxide to various areas and that has helped tremendously.
We are back to playing our daily game of Skipbo; however, since he is at home and not going to work, we play three games a day—after breakfast ~ somewhere during the day ~ and then before dinner. One evening when we were playing, I could see that I was not going to be the winner, so I told Dalip, “You better let me win or I won’t plug you in tonight—you’ll have to do it yourself.” That ‘threat’ didn’t help me any—I still lost. 
Every Monday morning a Visiting Nurse comes and changes the tubing on his IV and ‘blood’ lines. I have to ‘shoot’ Heparin once a day into the ‘blood’ line so that it doesn’t clog…that way Dalip does not have to get poked when the nurse draws blood. The IV line requires much more work. When the dosage is done for the day (3 P.M.) I take him off the machine—clean the line with an alcohol swab and ‘shoot’ a saline solution in to clean the line. After that, I clean it again with an alcohol swab and ‘shoot’ it with Heparin to keep it open…and clamp the line. Now Dalip is free of the machine for about five hours.
I have a system also when it comes to keeping his arm dry when he showers. It’s all so easy when you have a SYSTEM!
Dalip has progressed very well. Of course, it will take some time for the deep healing inside his body. He is not allowed to drive yet or stretch his arms—he has to be careful—or do any lifting.
Eric was home this afternoon and took him first to see his cardiologist and then to see his plastic surgeon. His life at the moment has been busy with doctor visits and having his blood tested for his level of Comaudin. This is a feat in itself! We have a long list of food that describes what is high –medium & low in Vitamin K. LOW is the best. Vitamin K interferes with Comaudin.
Thank goodness we got a call just in time last week before Dalip took his ‘prescribed’ dosage at 6 P.M. His level was at 9 (extremely high) and it is suppose to be kept between 3 and 3.5. The heart surgeon called at 9:50 P.M. to make sure that Dalip had not taken any pills. Apparently, there are two medications that Dalip takes that will make it go high—I don’t know what they’re for, but perhaps he will be able to come off of them in due time. He goes for a blood test tomorrow, so hopefully it will have come down a good amount.
Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot going through all of this! And one thing more I am certain of and that is this ~ God is faithful. He is walking with me each step of the way—I have nothing to fear.
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things
work together for good
to them that love God,
to them who are the called
according to his purpose.
Blessings and Love,
~Carolyn
Thank you all for your continued prayers!
