Day #2 A.S.

Good Afternoon!  Today seems to be a typical 2nd day after surgery;  anesthesia starts to be metabolized out of the body, stomach/bowels start to wake up and grumble, weakness begins to set in and pain begins to be more localized.  Doug is feeling very tired and a little weak today.  Dr. H still wants him up up up and on his feet.  Which, (yeah!) he successfully accomplished today.  This mornings' Doug Billings workout routine consisted of getting up and out of bed and walking, with the aide of a walker, to the hall and back and sitting up in his chair enjoying some yummy juice!  Yes, that's right, today is the beginning of ingesting clear liquids!  He's been taking sips of water and juice so far.  Taking it very slow so as not to become nauseous.  His optimism, great attitude and goofy sense of humor have been completely unchanged by this surgery, which has been strong medicine for us. 

Technical stuff;  Having a little difficulty with the urine drain pouch (leaking).  Had a great nurse this morning that put on a new one with more and better adhesive and position adjustment that allows gravity to be our friend...  Dr. H came in this morning and flushed the neobladder and removed the dressing from the incision.  The drainage tube and collection system is working just fine (we call it the hand grenade, because that's about the size and shape.) Doug has a little bit of a fever which Dr. H said is typical.  It is being watched closely and a Tylenol suppository is bringing it down.  He still has the morphine button, (yeah!) Doug's humor is fine, when it turns green, which is when you can push it to deliver the medicine, he says, "yummy", makes me laugh every time, but I'm easy...  Catheter still in place and not causing any discomfort.  He's still doing the breathing exercises and still has an IV.  No BM yet but he's been given some meds to get that system going... So far so good!