Re: Update From Gail (fwd)

[robert <http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert>]

 > From: Noelle <noelle>
 > Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:44:51 -0800 (PST)
 >
 > TMI

Not worse than Brian.  But, yeah.

Maybe we'll become super-uninhibited when we get older, too.

 >  > From: "Gail" <http://www.cox.net/~g3>
 >  > To: <http://dummy.us.eu.org/noelleg>,
 >  >         "'Kim Stare Wallace'" <http://www.drycreekvineyard.com/~kim>,
 >  >         "'Romy Fidlon'" <http://www.gmail.com/~rfidlon1>,     
 >  >     "'Paula Richardson'" <http://www.gmail.com/~plrichardson46>,
 >  >         "Lynn Raber" <http://www.gmail.com/~lynn.raber>,
 >  >         "'Cynthia'" <http://www.frit.ucsb.edu/~cj>,    
 >  >      "'Joyce Axilrod'" <http://www.cox.net/~joyceax>
 >  > Subject: Update From Gail
 >  > Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2022 18:04:25 -0800
 >  > 
 >  > Hi All,
 >  > 
 >  > A Mass email to you is an easier way for me to keep you up to date re: Don's
 >  > health situation.
 >  > 
 >  > Yesterday Don was discharged from the hospital about 6 PM. It would have
 >  > been earlier that afternoon, but his doctor was very busy with other
 >  > patients. I spent most of the afternoon with him in the hospital practicing
 >  > how to empty his urine bag from his catheter, walking with him down the
 >  > hallway with his walker with the urine bag hooked on it, etc. Fortunately he
 >  > had recovered enough that there was very little liquid coming from his
 >  > incision drain, so the doctor removed that before we left for home, so that
 >  > was one less thing I had to learn to take care of. Don does have a little
 >  > pain from chewing when eating. 
 >  > 
 >  > This AM a home health nurse came to answer questions and do some more
 >  > training. Also one of his men's support group friends, Joel Ungar, came to
 >  > our home to help buy a few groceries, and do some minor household repairs of
 >  > things needed that Don nor I could do. This was very helpful because the
 >  > doctor doesn't want me to leave Don alone at home for a couple of days.
 >  > Because Don wasn't eating much since the surgery, he hadn't had a BM since
 >  > the day before the 12/13. He did eat more today and a little while ago was
 >  > able to have a normal BM, so that was great showing more recovery. He is
 >  > walking around the house pretty well with the walker with his urine catheter
 >  > and bag and seems content in front of the TV. 
 >  > 
 >  > It did take quite a lot of work to get him ready early this AM before the
 >  > nurse arrived getting him dressed, emptying the urine bag, giving him his
 >  > medications, etc. I have lost a couple of pounds being so busy and not
 >  > drinking any wine, so less calories,  since he is not allowed to drink any
 >  > wine until possibly 1/4/23. Fortunately Don's temperament is and has been
 >  > very good through all of this ordeal including before the surgery with his
 >  > early stage dementia so he is generally an easy patient as did the hospital
 >  > nurses also agree. I'm the one who gets more anxious, nervous, upset at
 >  > times, etc.- I think somewhat like my Mom. His doctor did tell us at the
 >  > discharge that he will make arrangements with an oncologist to give Don a
 >  > pill medication to prevent further cancer. The smaller places on top of his
 >  > head and on his left chest were found to be cancerous that were removed, but
 >  > the parotid gland was not cancerous but partially removed because of the
 >  > swelling. I'm very glad to hear that medicine has come a long way that just
 >  > taking a pill medication will alleviate cancer - at least the type Don gets
 >  > on his skin. 
 >  > 
 >  > Love,
 >  > Gail/Mom