Saturday, August 01, 2009

Picture-Palooza...

Today was a pretty decent day. My friend Kate drove in last night and has brought much good cheer with her. She helped me win a battle over a PICC line last night (which I believe should not be inserted bedside) and we were rewarded with a perfect new IV this morning despite the fact that las night I was told there was not a vein to be found on either arm. Good friends near and far are lifting my spirits daily. I'm walking up a storm. Wish I had a pedometer to track, but I'm up to 4-5 brisk walks of 20-30 minutes each per day.

My days are brightened by the look and smell of lovely flowers such as these...
And the view at the foot of my bed is rather uplifting as well. Happy feet and lovely children continue to motivate me to try to get healthy and home as soon as possible.
Here are some of the gorey details. I started out with the following:
1) 31 stitches down my abdomen. Basically split from top to bottom. Belly button permanently gone (it was mentioned in the biopsy report as one of the "samples" that were submitted for analysis)
2) 3 stitches to close my colostomy. Yay!
3) 6 Jackson-Pratt drains to remove blood and fluid collection from the various surgery sites.
4) 6 EKG leads so they can constantly monitor my heartrate and hassle me when I exert myself too much. They tell me the fastest way out of here is to walk-walk-walk, but if my heartrate hits 160 they want me to sit-sit-sit.
5) 1 central line, removed about 5 days after surgery.
6) NOT a tracheotomy scar. Don't know what it is. Woke up with it in the ICU and nobody will fess us to having done it. Nice, eh?
7) Connection to my medi-port.
So here's a little photo-montage of my journey. Here I am the morning of my surgery, only slightly apprehensive...
This is the first shot in the ICU while I still had the breathing tube. Perhaps not my finest super-model moment.

Day 2 in the ICU. Breathing tube is out, but really not looking a whole lot better. At least I can tell you that I felt better than I looked here.

Day 3, still in the ICU, but ready to hit the road. Trevor's doggie and I have become constant companions. He's the only one the nurses haven't tried to throw out of my room.
Day 4, out of the ICU and into a regular room. Don't Doggie and I look so much happier?
Day 5, starting to feel like myself again and styling in some fancy scrubs I bought on the internet in preparation for this extended hospitalization.
Day 6...Ahhh...finally back to the old me. Hope you don't mind that I photoshopped out the NG tube. It was just so unsightly and detracted from my otherwise lovely appearance.

And there you have it, my week in pictures. Be sure to go out on the internet and post some pictures of your worst days too. Because once it's on the internet, it lives forever.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love your sense of humor even with gorey details...
Glad your friend is there.
Take care. We continue to pray for fast recovery leading you back to Houston...Kim

Anonymous said...

You are such a beauty! Thanks for the gory pics - I love them!

I was wondering about that incision down your throat. Ray swore that you wouldn't have been given a trach for the surgery. Somebody screwed up! And I hate it that you are having to deal with that. After all of this, the last thing you need is some joker cutting into you in the wrong place. NG tube out today? Allison

Sara said...

Who needs a belly button, anyway? :o

If you really miss it, maybe you could get a realistic tattoo?

You look great, though! Keep up the good work. :)

SullaVinos said...

You have come soooo far, just keep on keeping on and you'll be there before you know it!

Chris said...

Hi Lisa Marie:

Since the physical Thank-you card is on it's way to your work address, I thought I'd say hello and thank you electronically...

First the Thank You: Thank you for the surprise baby gifts! So very thoughtful of you. The blanket and pacifiers are both already hard at work. Sam(antha) is doing great, and the last 3 weeks have been awesome. She is clearly already daddy's little girl (although my wife would beg to differ).

So I also wanted to say hello too. Love the pics, and the sense of humor in your posts. Faith and I are praying for you & your family, and hope that you get home soon.

-Chris

*By the way, I second the realistic belly button tattoo idea posted by "Sara." :)

Renée said...

Really glad you have maintained a sense of humor!

Anonymous said...

Amazing - why did I think those recovery photos would span over two weeks or more? You put your recovery on warp speed. Any news on coming home? Margaret

Carrie said...

Man, what Dr. Sugarbaker did with your lips is amazing! I think the lack of bellybutton will be cool when you want to convince your kids and their friends that aliens abducted you and conducted experimental plastic surgery. :)
Keep up the good work - seriously you have more physical, spiritual, and emotional strength than I can even fathom! XXXOOO Carrie

Anna said...

Glad to see your recovery is progressing nicely via the photoblog. I tried to call, but must have missed you. Sending loving thoughts and prayers your way for a quick discharge and return home to your precious children. Anna

Jennifer said...

Sorry you had a unnecessary, unrequested slice on your neck. What a scam. Sugardaddy won't tell you what the heck happened there? Did those evil ICU nurses do that while the guys were out?

On a brighter note, I wanted to pass along new bathing suit options. ;)

http://tiny.cc/IJl0G

Hang in there.. You getting closer and closer to having WHC being a faint memory.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a trooper you are!! I cant imagine all the walking you are doing with all that you have been through!! Just think of all of it as a reminder of how much you love your family and what you did to stay around to see them grow:) Grandma Carole has a funny Hayden and Trevor story every time I talk to her. And she is still gushing over Miss Juliette. She has been a trooper over there. ha. Keep up the hard work.

Varina said...

Thanks for all the pics! I wonder how those doctors would enjoy waking up with an extra incision. I'm sure they sleep sometime, perhaps you can locate their crypt on one of your walks...

Anonymous said...

Absolutely love your spirit! I am praying for your continued healthy recovery and fast ticket home!

God Bless you.