Back to the Ranch

Good evening everyone,

Well, the hernia surgery has come and gone and from that point I am better and without any significant amount of pain. On the other hand, while the surgery went well the recovery was something else again. I came out of the surgery well enough and it was always the plan that I would stay in the hospital overnight for observation.

Somehow, the post operative orders got confused and I was given my regular evening tube feed and a protein shake earlier in the afternoon. This was contrary to the post op plan where I was to receive only IV Fluids after the surgery. Sometime during the early morning hours I was terribly sick and threw everything up. I spiked a fever of 38.7 as well.

Dr. Dhillon was called in and when I had been calmed down and made more comfortable, it was decided to do chest ex rays in the morning to determine if I had aspirated during the vomiting. Sure enough the ex rays showed evidence of aspiration in the left lung and I was immediately put on a regime of three anti biotics. By Saturday morning I had aspiration pneumonia in both lungs.

Dolores stayed with me the whole time. I was assigned a private ward and the hospital staff put a cot in the room and she took care of me except for the IV administrations. I was finally released on Thursday April 22nd 7 days after originally planned and I am finally getting some of my strength back. I was very weak when we left the hospital and I will be on anti biotics for another three days.

The good side of the story is that I am now getting better by the hour and the hernia surgery was a complete success. Dolores has taken yet more time off to make sure I get over the first 10 days back at home with as little discomfort as possible. 24 hour nursing care, I surely am the very lucky guy.

That's it for the time being but, like always stay tuned for further updates particularly as they relate to my son Brock.

Until then, Love and Hugs to everyone.

Rick