We get up early and get to the airport and head to PA with Dad W. Phil successfully brings the laptop along, and thus finally gets a chance to catch up on all the journaling (in fact, right now he's typing in the hotel room while watching Monday Night Countdown). We all watch a solid MNF game, as the underdawg Browns rally, but fall short to the Rams 26-20.
Tuesday, we get up and out early for tests at the hospital. We get lost for a half an hour, very near the hospital, but unable to find its location, which is on River Road. After the tests, we meet with Dr. Gerhart. Two old ladies make a ruckus in the waiting room and then in with Gerhart, and he tells them "We're done," then comes to see us. We can still hear them as Christine describes her symptoms. After that visit, we hit Wegman's, which has everything except the prescription we need for Christine. Harrold's pharmacy is recommended to us, and, after an unsuccessful attempt at CVS, we get to Harrold's. They do have it, and we hang out in the store as they fill the prescription. They are playing good music, including U2's Beautiful Day.
Christine has to drink the fleet when we get back, around 4. She gets the first installment down, then Phil crashes hard for a 3 hour nap. He wakes up around 7 to the sound of Christine throwing up. Eventually, Christine gets settled and Phil goes down to the Sunset Grill to get some food as Christine and Dad W. watch Alex & Emma. Phil comes back up toward the end of the movie, and watches the last few minutes. The movie ends cheesily, concluding with a big kiss that has the camera rotating around as the scenery changes, their clothes and hairstyles change and they keep kissing. As this is about to fade out, Christine quickly gets up and says, "I'm gonna be sick." As the movie fades, Christine runs to the bathroom and begins vomiting violently as the credits begin. Phil couldn't help but notice the timing. Eventually, we get to bed and sleep off and on from about 10 to 10.
Wednesday is Christine's surgery. Everything goes pretty much as expected: short stay room, surgery an hour late (better than expected), recovery in the hospital room. Christine gets to her room about 5 alert and gung ho to get outta here. She has to pee first, and she makes several unsuccessful attempts. We watch Seinfeld The Contest and also see unranked Maryland upset #1 Florida in basketball. We go for a few walks to try to get her bladder going, then watch Notre Dame against Indiana. That game is tied 31-31 at halftime. In the second half, Christine successfully goes, and then so do we. So nice not to have to spend the night at the hospital!
Back to the hotel, we order Papa John's and the two of us hang out in the lobby. Christmas music is playing, pizza is coming, and the surgery is done! The pizza comes a few minutes before midnight and Phil (hasn't eaten since a late lunch in the hospital cafeteria) wolfs down half of the extra large, and Christine eats the interior of a breadstick. We go up and read in bed for a little bit, then sleep. Phil has a great dream:
<< I'm watching a football game on TV, and it's the 'Skins against either the Cowboys or the Bears, I'm not sure (the 'Skins play the Cowboys Sunday and of course we're going to the Bears game the following week). The 'Skins score early, and the ensuing kickoff is high and short and the other team muffs it, and the 'Skins recover. Then somehow it's a baseball game, like the touchdown was a home run, and the short muffed kickoff was the next batter hitting a blooper that the outfielder botches and the runner gets to second. Both cases are a score followed by a great offensive opportunity, and the short kickoff//bloop hit with the runner getting to second before the ball are sort of similar-looking plays. Anyway, it's the Cardinals, of course, and they're playing the Cubs in the top of the first. I leave wherever I was (like probably Springfield) to go to Mom & Dad's, where Mark is. I take public transportation, like as if the Metra went to Bloomington-Normal. The nearest stop is at College and Parkside, and I consider transferring to a more specific transport system like I guess the CTA, which would stop at Gregory and Parkside. But I decide that I can just walk it, and save $1.50. Then I realize that it's actually going to be less walking anyway. Plus, when I get off (which now feels like getting off a bus), somehow I'm at Bone and Tompkins, so it's a real quick walk. (This must have something to do with the school bus dropping me off back in the day.) Once I get there, I've missed the whole rest of the Cubs-Cards game, and the Cards have won. Mom and Dad are showing me the newspaper article on it (already), as the Cards have eliminated the Cubs from the playoffs. But it's a day-night doubleheader, and the Cards have a chance to clinch the pennant (most likely over Houston at this point) in the nightcap. I ask if they want to go to the game (like as if we're in Forest Park). Mom and Dad can't because of church stuff (it's Sunday, of course-remember the football game!) and Mark considers it but then decides that he can't. I go to the Mom&Dad's bathroom and think about it. I'm considering going and getting a standing-room only ticket. It's totally broad daylight still, just like it's been throughout the dream, but I look at my watch and it's 9:00pm. I'll probably miss most of the game if I try to go, I think to myself (you know how dreams are). At this point, I realize that it'll be a two hour drive to get there anyway, so why don't I just watch it at home with everybody. And hey, I don't teach til Tuesday, so I could even stay over tonight and drive back tomorrow! But, ooh, I'd better get my 15 minutes of studying in today and a full day tomorrow. I can do it. Then I look around the bathroom and notice how clean it is-it's amazingly clean; so great Mom and Dad had to straighten everything up for the move. But look at their wall. It was all cracked, with white caulk streaks and splotches. They would really need to patch that up if they were going to sell it. Ah well, they're not going to! I happily leave the bathroom, and wake up. My brain is mixing together all the different topics of us living near Chicago (as everyone is staying over at our place to see the 'Skins-Bears, and how I've jumped on the train to see Cards-Cubs games), our townhouse and Mom&Dad's house (which we really haven't been settled into at the same time), baseball and football, my study schedule with vacation, etc. But it is a situation that, aside from the ridiculous confusion, is theoretically possible for next fall, probably the next-to-last weekend of the baseball season. >>
Thursday, we get up and Phil and Dad W. watch an old episode of Cosby as Christine gets ready. We meet with Dr. Gerhart, then head to the Bear Creek Café, which is closed. So we eat at the Bear Creek Inn, a nice family-owned restaurant that looks like an old house. Afterward, we come back and mill around the hotel. Phil runs finally, on the treadmill. Then one-by-one we hit the sack. But first, Phil sends out the mass email…
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Hello all,
I'm sitting here at the hotel in Pennsylvania with Christine on the
computer next to me surfing the web. She's doing pretty well, though
still not all that mobile.
This trip was very similar to the last one back in August; the events were
as grueling and even corresponded to the same days of the week, just 18
weeks later. Her last surgery helped but didn't fix everything, so we
were hoping to have the rest cleared up this time.
The biggest difference was that this surgery involved only one doctor (the adhesions doctor, as the endometriosis doctor's promise that he "got it all" seems to have been true) and that we knew what to expect, so we had a bit less fear and anxiety. Besides, they weren't even going to remove any organs this time! Just another surgery. (Sorta like the Saturday Night Live Chicago Superfans--"He's just hyavin' a hyeart attyack.")
Christine's Dad Bart was with us and gave so much help, every step of the way. The pre-surgery prep was actually a little bit worse this time around, as Christine got violently ill twice trying to take the fleet and other drugs. But she settled down a bit and we slept off-and-on the night beforehand. The surgery went well, and she-always a trooper-was gung ho to get out of the hospital right away. They wouldn't let her leave until she could go to the bathroom, which took about 1 1/2 college basketball games. (How about that Maryland upset over Florida!) So we spent last night at the hotel instead of the hospital, which was MUCH nicer for all of us.
We talked to Dr. Gerhart today. He said he found some adhesions that he hadn't gotten to last time on the liver and abdomen. There were also a few very slight adhesions that had returned since the last time, but he didn't think they would have had any effect. He removed all of the adhesions, and looked around with his scope. He said it is all clear on the inside now. So basically this is good news and bad news. The good news is that there were some adhesions removed, which will make her mobility better and reduce her pain. Also, Christine has the green light to do physical activity, as her insides are clear and exercise cannot do any damage to intestines or internal organs.
The bad news is that if the pain is not totally gone, then there's nothing more he can do to fix anything. Essentially, if she continues to have pain in her right side, it is from the muscles and ligaments that may have been damaged in her gall bladder surgery (Nov. '02). She will have to work through it like an athlete in rehab. He talked about how she would need to exercise to the point where she's feeling pain, then continue to push through the pain a little bit. Then gradually the pain would come later and later, until hopefully she could be at full strength, even running again. He recommended we find a physical therapist to work with her, starting in January when the scars from the surgery are healed.
So right now she still has a lot of pain from the surgery itself. But she's able to walk short distances, and she even ate FRIED CHICKEN for dinner! (Though she did pick off the skin.) This is encouraging, but it looks like the full recovery process will take a lot of time, effort, and pain.
So tomorrow we'll be heading back Home for the Holidays. (Just ahead of the Pennsylvania folks a travelin' down to Dixie's sunny shore.) It feels like the Christmas season can officially start for us now.
We appreciate all of your thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes we've received throughout this time. God Bless and Happy Holidays!
Love,
Phil(ip)
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