Today Andy was admitted to the hospital. Brigham and Women's to be exact. We were told to be there around 7 a.m. so that he could get a platelet transfusion before his surgery. So, we get there, answer the usual admitting questions, sit down and wait. We must have said several times that he needed a platelet transfusion and that no..the leads had not been put yet. Andy had to speak to two different people on the phone at their reception desk to explain the whole thing again and again. After about 1/2 hr we finally are told to follow this woman down to PACU..post op..Andy gets into the johnny (very cute with his hairy legs sticking out..lol) and onto the bed. The nurses then start an IV, taking blood to see what his blood counts are at that moment. Another half and hour or so goes by and the nurse comes back to say..'your counts are 68 so that's above protocol..so we don't need to give you platelets!!'...well, that just means we have to sit there and twiddle our thumbs for two hours while we wait for his surgery to start. He met up with the physicians assistant, the OR nurse and the anesthesiologist. Finally, just before 11 the anesthesiologist comes for Andy to take him to the OR and I was shooed away.
That being said, the 'waiting room' is actually called the 'family liaison'. You give your name to this receptionist person and the name of the person having a procedure then you're given a beeper for when the doctor or nurses are ready to talk to you. There are phones, computers, copiers/fax machines, many tables w/chairs, sofas and little alcoves with a grouping of comfy chairs for families and maybe their privacy and there are a couple of tv lounges and a couple of consultation rooms as well as an extensive book/educational and dvd library. They offer free coffee/tea and water and if you want to eat, there's an restaurant around the corner and the cafeteria around another corner. I had my breakfast and then read a book. Closed my eyes for a while and after about two hours was told that all went well (PA called me on my cell to say that) and the nurses to say I could go and see Andy.
I went downstairs to post op and there he was, as alert as someone can be after surgery. He wasn't put under general anesthesia but a twilight kind of sleep so it wore off pretty quick. We had to wait for the resident anesthesiologist to consult about Andy's cpap machine that he needs on account of his sleep apnea before they could bring him up to his room. He now has two Hickman catheters, each with two leads. The one on his left kept bleeding a little bit at a time. Anyway, he was brought up to his room sometime after 2 I think. I had to wear a mask and gloves right away..my purse has to go in a plastic bag before I can take it into his room and anything like his computer, etc..has to be wiped down with an antibacterial wipe. Before you put gloves on you have to rub in a squirt of Purell on your hands.
The room is on the 6th floor in the B pod..lol..there are 4 pods...he's in room 38. He has a room to his self. While I was there with him in his room, a resident came by to check on him, then person from the dental department. Not sure what they talked about because I'd left just as this man was coming in the room. The nurse, Nancy, was taking care of the bleeding from one of the catheters..it wasn't a huge amount but it just kept weeping if you will. Before I left Andy was able to eat a hamburger. I'm pretty tired right now so I'm feeling a little disjointed in my thoughts and probably sounding like it too...lol. So, I'll end this for now. I can wake up a little bit later tomorrow. My plan is to leave the house b/w 8:30 and 9 a.m. and leaving in the afternoon for home around 3 or 4..at least for the next two weeks or so..while he's going through the chemo and then the transplant. After that we'll see how things are going. I am very grateful that my mother is home to help out and that Jen and Lauren are working more like a team to watch Ben than at each other's throats. Hopefully they will continue to get along. Anne, my mother in law, is coming over next week to help out too and to visit Andy of course. :) One day at a time..that's our mantra nowadays...one day at a time. I miss my hubby. :-( but..the end result..his being cured..is worth it.
Certainly was a whirlwind day.
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