5/4/16 Release day update (a day late)

Instead of an x-ray at 8am, I went down in a wheelchair to have another ultrasound and the x-ray followed shortly after I got back to the room from the ultrasound.  While I was down in the x-ray lab, the Doctor came by doing her rounds.  Colleen asked if they could do the biopsy (scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday) today.  So we could go home earlier.  Dr. April said that we would be going home today.  Hooray!!  Best news ever.  We may have a blood collection tube attached to the pig tail through my side into the lung area.  Or we may have the pig tail removed.

I tried to take an early afternoon nap.  I entered deep sleep several times.  Several times there were knocks on the door, or a voice asking if they could come in. 

The decision was made to remove the pigtail and send me home with nothing hanging from me.  Maybe I should get an ear or nose ring so that I feel normal.  A  guy can get used to 25 days of stuff hanging, I'm just sayin'.  Went down to surgery and finished my nap.  Ignored probably 30 minutes, blissful minutes.  The surgery, such as it was, was very brief.  Pulling the tape caused the greatest pain.  My skin is thin, especially after surgery and tears easily.  I always tell the puller to go slow but this doc didn't understand the concept.  I finally barked enough at him that the nurse took over and peeled the tape down enough so that he could do his part and trundle off to mangle someone else.  The nurse did a fine job of removing the last of the tape.  I love nurses!  They listen.  They care. 

We then needed to listen to the Pharmacist tell us about the new meds and new doses and so on.  Then the PICC line was removed.  I had been asked to visit a patient who was about to receive a LVAD and see if talking to someone who had gone through it had info that would help him.  He did not seem the least bit distressed about the surgery, just wanted info.  Nice guy.

Finally we got our discharge instructions and signed out at about 7:15.  Got home and started to put things away.  the pile of pill bottles is astounding.  Check the photo in the next post.  Did the night time tests and recorded, took night time pills and went to bed. Tomorrow is a big day and it starts a 6am.

The photo is proof that I am actually out of the hospital and do not always wear a mask!

John