Below is a picture of John’s surgery site. Warning: If you are easily grossed out, then don’t look at the picture. It’s really nasty. Now it’s starting to bruise up real nice with all kinds of pretty colors. Tonight was my first time seeing it without the bandages, and I kinda wish I didn’t have to. But he got shower clearance so I had to re-dress it afterwards. Just call me Nurse Nancy. Not. He has 21 staples and it’s going to be a really ugly scar. Guess this doctor isn’t too interested in the plastic surgery aspect.

He was a much better patient today (I guess after reading the below blog entry and reducing me to tears yesterday was a small wake up call) and he actually took it sorta easy. Sorta. There was still work and computers involved of course. And newspapers too. But he’s not feeling so great and I think he realized he HAS to slow down and let it heal. I think he was not expecting to feel this banged up. Well, they did drill a hole thru his spine!!! Hello….

Here he is in a percoset induced stupor (really, he dosen’t look this bad, he was in the middle of a blink-but he shaved with a hospital razor and hacked up his face):

And the funny thing is that he’s not a bad patient in the normal male way. He dosen’t ask for anything, he’s not whiney and complainey. But that’s where the problem lies…he thinks he can do everything himself. Do you know the most pressing question he had to ask the doctor? He asked him (while lying in the recovery room gurney) if he was allowed to walk 10 blocks round trip or drive to get the paper every morning. The man is obsessed with the newspaper. But what the hell kind of question is that? The doctor had told him straight out to take it easy for the first week and no driving. So somehow in his twisted newspaper obsessed brain that information turned into walking 10 blocks to get the flipping paper. He dosen’t walk 10 blocks when he isn’t having back surgery where they drill a hole in his spine! The doctor said "no", but as John explained it his tone sounded more like, "no you giant idiot".

Oh, and then literally in the first minute we walked in from the hospital today, he’s checking his crackberry and on the computer. Then standing around in the kitchen, chatting. Then he seemed somehow perplexed that his back was hurting. And THEN, he carried his briefcase upstairs. Yeah, the doctor said "no lifting". Not "please carry things upstairs". It’s gonna be a loooooooong week. Instead of having 3 boys who don’t listen to me in the house, now I have 4. I’m not going to make it. Really.

So the whole surgery story: John’s parents picked him up at 4:30am yesterday and took him in. When my mom got here at around 7, I left for the hospital. It seemed like forever waiting for news. George (aka Mr. Incredible) came to the hospital from 8-10am to keep me company- how nice is that?? He’s a great friend. And his wife, Tricia who works at the hospital but in OB, asked her favorite anesthesiologist to serve on John’s case. He couldn’t as he had something else scheduled but he did stop in to check on John during the surgery and in recovery. So, thanks Tricia!! We finally got word at 10, although there was a mix up with the names. There was also a "Meyer" getting surgery that morning and the names got switched around. The report at 10 was that he was in recovery and doing fine. Then we didn’t hear anything til about 12, when they said I could go up to recovery to see him. He looked really great…sitting up on the gurney, good color (not that grey/green post-anesthesia skin), chatting with his surgeon about baseball. I guessed everything went well since they weren’t discussing the surgery itself. John told me they removed a huge hunk of disc from his back and drilled a hole in his spine which they apparently just leave open. Ew. And they closed him up with a bunch of staples. (I’ll let you know how many tommorrow when I have to change the dressing). Ew. ew. Anyway, he was up and walking in the recovery room which was great. And the best part was that the surgery fixed what it was supposed to fix- he had no more radiating leg/foot pain or tingling and numbness. He was really in a good mood. And of course, was discussing work stuff from pretty much the minute he woke up. Oh, and he somehow got himself a cup of coffee and of course the PAPER. 

Eventually, he got in a room (funny, but his roommate was the guy with the last name "Meyer"- and on the nurses station board it had in big orange letters- NAME ALERT) and was up and walking. They kept him on Percoset which was a good thing for all of us. His afternoon nurse, Lynn, was fantastic. Right on the ball. The other two nurses he had left something to be desired though. He had to ask numerous times for his medications (both pain and others). 

His discharge papers were signed earlier today but it took over an hour to get the wheelchair to take him out. We were ready to just leave without it. And by this morning he was already back in his usual mood- so I know he was really okay.  

John did great and is already walking around. He should hopefully get out of the hospital tommorrow. I am completely and utterly exhausted. Story and pix to follow tommorrow. Bed. Now.

And thanks to everyone for your good thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. Night.

The hospital called and let us know that not only are we a go for the surgery, but that it will be at 7am instead of 10am tommorrow. That means that John has to be at the hospital at 5am- and up at 4am! Not liking that much and it kinda threw a wrench in the whole plan for the day. But now it’s straightened out and John’s parents are driving him to the hospital at 4:30am. My mom is coming around 7am and then I am leaving for the hospital to wait and visit. My mom will be taking care of the boys all day including all school drop offs, pick ups and stuff. So if you are keeping a good thought for John, keep a good one for my mom too! She’s gonna need it.

John dosen’t seem particularly nervous about tommorrow, but I am (it’s that Jew worrying gene- can’t escape it). I keep reminding myself that this surgery is cake compared to the last back/neck surgery he had where they removed the disc, fused his spine with bone from his hip. That area was a lot more dangerous to work in and this time they are not fusing or anything. They are just supposed to remove the bulging part of the disc to get it off the nerves- which is what is causing all the pain. I just hope it works as well as last time (he had no more pain as soon as waking from surgery- incision pain, but no neck,back, radiating down the arm pain) and that the recovery is as fast as they are saying it should be. If you are the praying type, please send one up for us tommorrow. Thanks.

Today was totally nuts, trying to get everything settled before tommorrow. But it’s almost all done (just a few more to-do’s on the list before I can go to bed).

Timmy had his psychological evaluation today and it was very interesting. The psychologist said she sees some indications of low muscle tone (ummm…hello Jack & Patrick) and he definitely needs help with articulation. She asked if he was always this happy and easy going- yup! His vocabulary was in the 99th %tile (that we knew!), and his general IQ was on the very high end of average. His self-care skills were in the average range. She did see some things that warrant an OT (occupational therapy for fine motor skills) evaluation too. So, this all really means nothing except that we now proceed to the next steps: Speech evaluation on Friday and OT evaluation on Saturday. It’s kinda good that she wants him evaluated for both as if you are trying to qualify for one service, you need a 33% deficit in that area, but if you are trying to qualify for two services, you only need a 24% deficit. And she’s going to leave it up to the OT to see if he needs a PT (physical therapy for gross motor skills) evaluation too. I am so hoping he qualifies and can get the services NOW to get this done. The only issue (well, other than getting approval for services) is going to be the scheduling of appointments. They are so busy at this facility. When I went with the boys we started PT and OT at 7:30am 2x a week. *(and yes, we did make it on time every time even at that hour!). Obviously, I can’t do that now so I don’t know when they will be able to fit us in. One step at a time though.

Here are two of Timmy from today-one in the laundry basket (don’t ask) with his new Buzz Lightyear trains from Uncle Nelson. I know there are far more pix of him than of the boys, but he’s with me all day and they are at school so he gets stuck being my subject. Better on the focus here. Still practicing. And I think I’m bringing the camera to the hospital tommorrow, too! 

Trying to cram everything in before John’s surgery on Tuesday. Not going to be easy, and not going to happen, but I’m still gonna try.

Had a photoshoot this morning for some "extra" christening pictures. That should be on the blog later this week. Be on the lookout.

Hit the stupidmarket to get in the shopping for the week. Still need to go to the deli and CVS tommorrow, as well as the pediatrician to drop off forms, scrapbook class, Timmy’s first evaluation. Usually there is religion tommorrow too, but it was thankfully cancelled. One less thing and all.

Spent over an hour in the camera store yesterday afternoon (had to escape the house for a little bit. I so need winter to be over-getting cabin fever and so are all the boys). John said some people escape to a bar, but I go to the camera shop. That’s pretty accurate. I’m really not feeling the improvement in my photography that I think I should- on the focus end of things mostly. So I went in there for a little encouragment and advice. I got both and am going to be doing some additional practicing with some new ideas and tools. Which I’m soooo sure the boys will just be thrilled about. It’s all me-not the camera, not the lenses. Just me. Focus, focus.

I worked for a few hours this afternoon. It’s an on again/off again gig at a Test prep place. I give practice SAT’s or ACT’s and the like to the students and grade them. It’s really a great little job. Very convenient and easy. And I’ve been working on and off for the Professor who owns and runs the place for almost 10 years now. He’s a great boss and brilliant beyond brilliant. He will be tutoring my boys for their SAT’s eventually, even if I can’t afford him.

Drove John’s new car all day today and I really liked it. Can you say LUXURY vehicle? My favorite parts are the way it drives (tight, quiet, and cush), the ipod direct hookup (you know I was blasting Amy Winehouse!), and the way the trunk opens and closes with a touch of a button. Plus the fact that it’s a Mercedes is pretty cool in itself. And best of all, I didn’t crash it.

Leaving you with some pictures I took of Timmy last weekend. Found this cool grey wall/stairs and the red & green doors over by a party that Timmy went to. Always on the lookout for some good new locations. He wasn’t particularly thrilled with the balloons but Uncle Nelson met us there and really helped out. He even made a really good save once and caught the balloons just as Timmy let go. Used some textures and frames from Pink Ink Studios that my friend Maureen bought me back on my birthday. The pictures were of him turning 3, although a few weeks late.