Catch-up Day

Samuari loves Kay

There is so much to report since last Thursday.  Here we go....Thursday after work at the Vet's Home, we had a nice surprise.  Koleen came home for a short visit.  It caught us all by surprise.  She stayed until early Sat. morning.  We sure enjoyed seeing her.  On Friday we had an appointment with Dr. P.  He pulled the left chest tube.  YIPPPEEEEEEE!!  Steve said it was not that painful except when Dr. P stitched him up.  Only a little hole about 1-2 inches.  It is healing nicely.  Later that afternoon, the home health nurse came to change his wound-vac.  It as the hour from hell.  The tape would not unstick from Steve.  It took us 45 minutes to remove the tape.  It was painful for Steve and nerve wracking for the nurse and me.  We finally, after trying several different methods, found that a citrus pad worked the best but we could only remove a mm at a time and it still was nothing but pain for Steve.  It was decide that the wound-vac would not be put back on.  Now, Nurse Janie, changes the bandages twice daily.  It is again the wet/dry package.  The wound, in my opinion, is healing nicely. There is a picture of it below, so if you can't stomach things like open wounds, you might want to just fly past it.  :)   It is really looking much better.  I think without tubes and other things connected to him, he feels much better.  Basically a free man. 

The weekend went well after that.  Steve tried to go get his hair cut on Saturday, but that did not work.  The smell from the perms in the shop made it impossible for him to catch his breath.  So, needless to say, he is still my little "hippy boy".   For some reason, he will not let me cut his hair!  On Sunday, we went to church for Mother's Day.  Steve made it through the whole service.  He still just sits because the sitting and standing is very painful.  We went to Grace's for dinner.  It was delicious.

Monday we had an appointment at St. John' to have the procedure where they inserted his port/cath.  The procedure took about 45 minutes and they put him halfway out.  He still came back loopy, but was thrilled when the tray they brought him had the little baby carrots on it.  He was equally thrilled with the apple juice.  He has just two small incisions with this port.  From the sound of the expaination the doctor gave, this port will save him lots of pain and trouble in the future.  It will be where they take blood, give medicine, and give his chemo treatments.  It is completely under the skin and only a small bump is visable.  This morning he is in quite a bit of pain because of it, but they assured him that this would pass in a few days.