Leaving on a Jet Plane...Again

Finally got to talk to the Dr. in Houston (he was in surgery until 4, but I didn't know that so I sat home all day!I was going to go to WalMart today - I haven't been since 3/27!!!) -- he was SO nice. He is seeing me tomorrow at 2:30. It was too late to catch the last plane out today so we are leaving at 7:00 in the morning (I have to do my IV at 4:00 am!!!!) and will get to Houston at 9:30. I am really glad to be having a plan, to tell you the truth. He thinks that I "probably" won't have to do the IV anymore either, but we will see! We will come back Friday afternoon (in time to make the 1st basketball game & be here for all the games for everyone Saturday!). More later -- off to do IV!! My nurse is calling!! :o)

Update from Dr.

The nurse from Dr. Milton's office called just a little while ago and I have been on the phone trying to get some ducks in a row. The CT scan showed that there was an abscess on the massiter (sp?) muscle -- apparently she had already contacted the plastic surgeons here in town and no one would touch me SOOOOOOOO I called Dr. Byrne and he called his friend/colleague in Houston. He called me back and Dr. Brissett said that he would get me in (probably this week). I will call his office 1st thing in the morning (I have his personal cell # too, but will only use that as a last resort). I would like to maybe go at the end of this week and get it taken care of!!! I believe that it is something that they will do in the office and I should be able to return back home (to my sweet girlies) right away. I may need to follow up with him...maybe even weekly...but that will be much more manageable in Houston than Baltimore. At least we finally DOING something! I'll write more when I find it out!! :o)

Tuesday

Well...the good news is that I think that I am starting to FEEL a little bit better -- I don't collapse into bed every time after I do something! You have to look for the little victories, I guess! I went back to the Infectious Disease doctor yesterday and did the whole routine again. Dave & I were pretty set on insisting that someone drain my face or we were going elsewhere UNTIL the doctor said that the CT scan from the hospital show "normal post operative tissue." We'd never heard those results -- that kind of took the wind out of our sails because we couldn't insist on draining something that wasn't "drainable"!! The doctor ordered another CT scan and he indicated that it would be done there at the Diagnostic Clinic, but then the nurse said it would be at the hospital so that if it needed draining, the radiologist could do it right then. She set it up & called & told me it would be today at 12:30 at the hospital. I wasn't to eat anything and only have liquids this morning in case they needed to work on me. I got there and they took me to the same place I had the CT scan a week and a half ago. I knew that the lady looked at me kind of funny when something was said about them maybe draining it -- turns out, that if that were going to happen, it would have to be booked at another place in the hospital that does the procedures and I wasn't booked there and they couldn't do it today anyway!! They went ahead and did the scan - the girl put a STAT on it & said that Dr. Milton would have the results this afternoon. Once again, there may be NOTHING to drain! I am beginning to think that the "hard spot" is just scar tissue that will go down in time and that the infection is TOTALLY independent of it (even though we were SOO careful with everything). Even though the scar is still yucky and draining, I think maybe it is getting some better. At least that whole side of my face is not swollen like it was when I was in the hospital. AND Dr. Milton said from the get-go that I would be on IV for AT LEAST 2 weeks. Maybe we are just impatient! I FINALLY get my hair colored on Friday and she will fix it good...who knows it might be a small "reveal" -- that will be 5 weeks from the original surgery!! :o)

Saturday

Unfortunately, there is really no change in my face...I ran into my ID doc last night at the basketball tourney. He was asking how I was doing & I think was a bit surprised when I told him I was still having good days and bad days (they pretty much alternate) and that my face was still draining all the time. I will see him in the office on Monday and he said that we would do another scan (which is what Dr. Byrne). I really don't think that I am the type of person to just sit and do nothing or let others do something for me - when I feel good, I am a doer - when I don't (which usually is not often), I don't. I have to say I'm getting a little tired of this! I am pretending today that nothing is wrong. I have been to a track meet, a basketball game, and a soccer game and plan to go to Addi's next basketball game. Hopefully, they will win so we won't play again until tomorrow (if they lose, I might have to miss that game to do the IV). I am sure that I will pay for it tomorrow, but today I can pretend! Keep those prayers coming!

Wednesday

Nothing exciting happening here...I have felt better today than yesterday (I can tell now). I did a few things yesterday, but I really didn't feel great from the time I woke up. I took a bath yesterday (all by myself) and I guess I held my arm up too long - trying to keep it dry - and it was REALLY sore last night. I even took Tylenol -- haven't done that in a while! Like I said, I feel pretty good.
We finally got the piano moved from my mom's house to ours. It was originally my Grandmother Trader's and my brother wanted it, but he said for us to go ahead and use it until they had more room since Emee needs one to practice on now. I have known that for a while now, but we have been a little pre-occupied! The other day, something was said about the piano and Kendie said, "We need to call the Piano Removers!"...so I finally did. I must say, it looks really great in our living room!!
Exciting days at the Stacy house...anyone is welcome to come keep me company!! :o)

Monday

I went to the Infectious Disease Dr. this morning -- well, I went to his office, but I did see him too. I had to get blood tests, do my "infusion" (IV) there, & then get more blood tests. It all took quite a while...and I have to do the whole thing again next Monday! They wanted the results from the culture so they would know whether or not to keep the antibiotics the same this week and they couldn't find the results (one Dr. took them in his office-they thought that the hospital had them...blah, blah, blah). Anyway, they finally sent me home & we had to go back this afternoon. After all that, they said that the culture didn't grow ANYTHING (I think they lost it!) and so I have to stay on the same regimen until next week -- 2 bags at night, 1 in the morning. I came home (to an empty house yet again - I've never been home alone so much in my life!) and sat outside -in the shade- and read a book. It was beautiful and I thought that it would be better than sitting in bed again! Mom took me this afternoon to get my new IV stuff for the next week and we ran a couple of errands. We were right by where Hi-De-Do is and Mom needed to drop something off there so I ran in & said "Hi!" I think it was good for her to see me and see that I am OK -- she may not can say much, but she is still sharp as a tack & I know she was worried when I was in the hospital. It was good to get out...if only for a few minutes!
It's 8:00 - got to go get hooked up to the IV!!

Sunday

HELLO!!
Well, I am not quite as tired...that's a good thing! :o) BUT, I have done NOTHING! I have truly sat in bed the whole weekend...I have missed 4 soccer games (Addi & Kendie) and Emee's 1st track meet. Right now, Emee is at KidzPraize and everyone else is at soccer -- the house is SSSSOOOOO quiet! I am feeling pretty good -- a little nauseous this afternoon -- except for still being a bit wigged out by the PICC line. Dave is a GREAT nurse and very good at doing my IV's. I am on an 8 and 8 schedule -- in the AM, I just do one bag that takes about an hour and 15 minutes. At night, I do that and then another that takes about 30 minutes. Dave will be hooking me up of a morning and then working from home until he "undoes" me and then he will go on in to work. What a sweetie! I have complete confidence in him -- I think the main reason that I don't like the PICC is that they apparently hit a nerve when they were putting it in. I had a HORRIBLE pain (like an electric shock) all the way from the top of my arm to my hand. Now, if I move my arm the wrong way, I get a shock -- apparently it is still too close or resting on that nerve. The lady that trained Dave said she didn't want me moving that arm too much b/c she doesn't want me to have permanent nerve damage (yeah, me too!) and it HURTS! So basically, I can't do much so I just sit around. My face is doing LOTS better -- the swelling has REALLY gone down. The "hard spot" is still there so I am hoping that that will start going down now that the other is clearing up! Emee made me a Neverland Sandwich (PB&J) for dinner last night cut in heart shapes -- so sweet! Her Peter Pan book had the recipe. Apparently it said to "Ask an adult first." Emee ask my mom & then said, "I don't why you have to ask an adult - it's JUST a PB&J!!!" Nothing much else to report!
Have a good week! :o)