Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Taken several years ago at The Dublin Zoo...

I don't even look like I had surgery at all, right?

Just kidding. This poor guy. He's pretty jacked up. It was so funny, when I walked into the office today for my visit, the entire staff couldn't get over how "non-post-op" I looked. The administrator asked me if i went for my surgery. There was no significant brusing, no swelling, NOTHING. I got pretty lucky, I guess. I'm actually starting to develop some bruising on the right side, where the worst of the trouble was, but thank God, nothing like this poor schmuck, whoever he is.

1st Day Post-Op

I went for a follow up with my doctor this morning. She told me how nasty things were up there. When she created an opening for the maxillary sinus, all kinds of nasty stuff came pouring out. No wonder I've been sick on and off for years. And as far as the tissue mass/growth she had to remove, I won't get the biopsy results on that until a week from today.

I feel really dizzy, but the pain is pretty much under control because of the med. I can't move my head too quickly, or it bleeds. I guess things are pretty fragile up there right now.

Although it's too early for me to get the full benefit of this surgery (that might not happen for months), I feel like I can breathe a little better already. I'm pretty happy about that.

This s*$t ROCKS

Surgery

I had surgery today. I had complete obstruction of my right maxillary and right ethmoid sinuses, as well as abnormal tissue growth. The same ENT that did my septal deviation surgery a few years ago did this surgery as well. (She's a very special doctor and person, but that's another story in itself.)

So, the surgery went pretty well, I think. I don't get a chance to actually speak with the doctor until my follow-up appointment in the morning. I know that I lost a lot of blood, so there was a lot of IV fluid replacements. My heart rate and blood pressure were off the charts post-op. I began to try to figure out why and started thumbing through my chart while nobody was around. It turns out that to help stem the bleeding and to "vasoconstrict" me, the gave me cocaine, lidocaine, and epinephrine (locally at the sites of the bleeding), all of which are helpful with slowing down blood loss. I thought that was pretty interesting.

The nursing care I received today was terrific, from start to finish. I met some wonderful nurses, and did a LOT of spying and listening. It's amazing how much of what I've been taught over these last two years IS actually relevant and IS said and done by nurses in practice.

I was in the PACU (recovery) for quite a while, but by the time Ceci arrived to escort me home (they wouldn't let me leave without an escort), I was really ready to go. (I almost vomited in a Ziploc bag in the cab on the way home.) She took such good care of me tonight until Farrell got home. And now nobody is taking care of me. (That was joke. Farrell has been EXTRAORDINARY tonight. Thank you, both.)

As far as recovery is concerned, the pain is pretty outrageous, a lot more than I was expecting. I've got a pain med that seems to be effective (it's freakin' awesome, actually), but the other concerns are bleeding, inflammation, risk for infection, and the sinuses actually "adhering" to themselves. (I'll spare you the details, but adhesions would be bad.) So, in a nutshell, I have to follow the teaching I received today from the surgeon and the nurses really carefully. I basically can't do shit. No lying flat, no standing quickly, can't bend down, can't lift ANYTHING, can't tie my own shoes, I have to move very slowly, not speak loudly, etc., all so that I don't pop whatever fragile clots have formed. Of course they should have mentioned not to scratch my nose: I had a really bad itch before, and was distracted by something on TV at the same time, and kind of forgot I had surgery. I rubbed my nose really hard like I always do when I have an itch. (Jules, are you with me on that?) Needless to say, it hurt and it bled.

Martina Update

Hingis won her first title of the year last night...The Tokyo Toray Pan Pacific Open. It was a Tier I event during which she didn't drop a single set and took out some really heavy hitters, including Ana Ivanovic in the final. She has moved up to #6 in the rankings and is closing in on being a top five player pretty soon.

This win should silence a lot of the critics who contend that while she has great court craft, movement, and plays some of the most intelligent tennis out there, she will never be able to contend with the 6'2' power hitters who stand behind the baseline and fire away. Well, on the contrary, she did EXACTLY that, all week.

Update

My patient who I wrote about in December with the rare neuromuscular disorder has passed away. I will be forever grateful to him and to his partner for allowing me in to their home in December to spend some time caring for him and talking with them. It was an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life. I hope his loving partner and his family find peace and comfort very soon.

Martina 2007

The 2007 season has begun. My girl is having mixed success so far. She has played in two tournaments already this month as warm ups to the Australian Open which starts next week. The first one she made it to the final, and lost in a heartbreaking loss. She should have won that match. There really was no excuse. It was really close, but she should have won. To make it to the final, having barely dropped a set throughout the tournament, and then to lose the title?? I was sick. And then in the next tournament in Sydney (this week), she was ousted in the first round. This was another heartbreaking match...she lost the first set, and was about to lose the second, but fiercely clawed her way back to win the second set. And then in the third set, it was as if she wasn't even there. She had MANY opportunities to win, but squandered them. (She only converted like 3 of 16 break points, or something like that.) Her form is good, but she is getting nervous on big points, and seems to lose focus. It's going to be a long 10 months.

Spring Semester

The spring semester has started already. It's pediatrics and labor/delivery. To say I have very little interest in it would be to overstate my interest in it. I am bored to tears already. Hours and hours of lecture already on child abuse. It made me want to find a random child to abuse. And sadly, we're being spoken to like 18 month olds by the instructor. She is nice enough, but I think she only knows how to speak to people like she's speaking to a child she's about to vaccinate.

So, I'm not too happy. In other news, well, I'll make a separate post about that when I have time.

And with regard to the claymation story, it seems to have stalled. What a shame. I think it had potential. And yes, in response to several inquiries, Bridget did actually make those out of this Crayola clay-like stuff (it's not clay, it's not Play-Doh, it's something very similar but also very different) on New Year's Eve in the time span of like 20 minutes.

Estoy cansado. Me voy a la cama. (I am learning Spanish. Figure it out on your own.)

Bridget's Clay Creations

Merry Christmas

Nuala

Radio City Christmas Show

We have been wanting to go to see this show as a family for many years now. Tonight was the night. My mother, my father, Julie, Tom, Kim, Michael, Ryan, Ceci, and I all went. Alexis couldn't join us because she had to work, and unfortunately, Grandma got delayed returning from a trip upstate. Here are some pictures of the show and the tree in Rockefeller Center.

Christmas Cactus

This is my first Christmas cactus. It bloomed today.

Nuala Studies Law

Even when you are reading or studying, this dog needs to be right there on top of you. Here is a perfect example.

Perspective

Four years ago, Mr. Berk (not his real name) was an active, normal, vibrant 50-something. He had a good job, a loving partner, Caroline, and a beautiful apartment in Stuyvesant Town. But then one day, somebody at work noticed that he seemed to be walking a little strangely. Shortly thereafter, he began to feel slightly off balance, and a bit clumsy. In a matter of weeks, he began to lose strength in his arms and legs, weakness taking over his body. A tremor began to develop, and his speech started to become slurred. Nobody knew what was happening to him.

Four years later, Mr. Berk is now virtually bedridden. A rare neurological disorder has swept through the neurons in a portion of his brain, rendering him incapable of speech, mobility, and even the ability to sit up. He is in constant pain, lays in a hospital bed in the middle of his living room all day, and has become incontinent. He can barely form any words, and every movement is labored. He's completely alert and conscious, none of his cognitive abilities having been affected by this disease. In other words, he lies there all day every day, completely helpless, and also completely aware of his disability...thinking of nothing but the past, and how things used to be.

I had an opportunity this week to visit this home while doing a community-based nursing rotation. My instructor assigned me to visit this family on my own, provide a basic nursing assessment, spend some time talking to them, and report back to her. Nothing could have prepared me for this experience. I was immediately in awe of the amount of love and compassion Caroline and Bernice (the home health aide) showed Mr. Berk. Caroline has stood by him every step of the way over the years, and provides hours of care each and every morning and evening; washing him, turning him, lotioning his skin, talking to him, and holding his hands, joking with him, discussing politics, and simply "being" with him. While Caroline is at work, Bernice continues the extraordinary care, and treats Mr. Berk like a father. They are loving and attentive. They treat him with respect and dignity. These people are selfless. They are devoted. They are nothing short of heroes.

When it came time for me to leave Mr. Berk that morning, I thanked him for allowing me into his home. I told him that the service he provides by allowing students to come visit him is invaluable, as I will remember my experience with him and his "family" for the rest of my life. He began to cry. I wondered if I had said something wrong. I looked at Caroline. She had a bittersweet smile on her face, and she, too, was crying. I looked to the aide. She had tears welling up. No words were being said, there was just a profound silence in the room. I could hear my heart beating. I took a tissue from the box, and wiped the tears from Mr. Berk's face. I would soon need one for myself. I again turned to Caroline, hoping for some help in understanding...she smiled warmly and thanked me from the bottom of her heart...and told me that Mr. Berk's tears were simple tears of joy.

On that morning, i had discovered the true meaning of Christmas.

Thanks, Kim...

Thanks for your contribution to our party.

Oh, what a night...

Hmmm...

...I sure wish I had some coriander cabinets.

A Holiday Prayer

In this, the start of our joyous holiday season, I humbly ask all my fans and viewers worldwide to just get the f*^k along and cut the s*@t. You're all pretty. Act your ages, for f^#k's sake.
Amen.