Radioactive

Head Wounds And Graft Sites

Thanksgiving Update 

On The Stereo: Diamonds And Rust, Joan Baez
In My Bloodstream:  Ciprofloxacin HCL,  Metronidazole,  Hydocodone-Acetamin

When I last wrote, we were heading to see the Tyson family in Raleigh.  We had driven to Naples on the 19th, to see Kath's doctor at 9:30,  and the next morning, at 6:30, we started the 12 hour drive north.  To most of you, a couple of days of driving like this are probably inconsequential, but these days, to me, it seems a touch daunting.  Wednesday's surgery seemed to be healing well, although it is under wraps so to speak, so I'm surmising, based on my history.

We arrived at their house after 6:30 and we ordered Chinese food for dinner.  I had some stomach pains the next morning and as we believed I must be constipated, we went to the pharmacy that morning and I took two Senecot pills immediately.

                                                        The Ropes Course with the host.

We all went to Ruth's Chris for a great steak dinner and we went home. put the kids to bed, had a nightcap, and watched a movie with Doug and Kristin.  I took two more laxatives before retiring, dead tired.  It was well after midnight.  Exhausted as we both were, my stomach pains continued throughout the night, and sleep avoided me.

                                                                     Da boys.

Thanksgiving morning Doug made us coffees and I took one bite of a muffin.  I was in incredible pain.  My stomach felt like it was going to explode and I thought this pain was not constipation.  I believed I was suffering a recurrence of pancreatitis.  Kathy drove me to the ER right away.

The staff and facilities were excellent.  I was admitted immediately.  Turkeys had not yet begun to take their toll on their feasters.  No accidents with deep fried birds, heart attacks or over-stuffing.  Not yet, anyway.

                                                              Happy Thanksgiving

Blood work and urine samples were collected and then a CT scan was ordered.  I was put on an IV with iohexol and sodium chloride.  All of this did take several hours.  We had given the staff fairly extensive details of my cancer trial and subsequent side effects and they were concerned, too,  that my pain levels were leading to something quite abnormal, and not constipation.

Finally, the resident doctor advised us that I had acute diverticulitis of the intestine and that I would be put on antibiotics  as well as pain medication.  He said I should normalize over the next 48 hours.  I must be careful with my diet and have no alcohol for the next ten days.  Thanksgiving dinner was a feast, thanks to Kristin's hard work.  Wine was an excellent Pinot Noir.  I thought it looked delicious.

I woke up the next morning unable to stand up.  Kath had gone upstairs to help with breakfast.  I shuffled, eventually, to the bathroom, and struggled with mobility of my arms and legs.  I tried to  get up the stairs and could not lift my foot onto the first step.  My muscles ached and my limbs were not responsive.  My first thought  was that I was suffering  another AVM or stroke.  Kristin and Doug eventually half-carried me to the dining room, where they helped me get seated.  How incredibly bizarre this all seemed.  This trip was not going well.

Kath brought out the hospital information on the drugs I was given and we all talked about calling for an ambulance.  I had no hope of walking to the car.  Kath read the info thoroughly and surprise, surprise, I was, in fact, having side effects of the antibiotics.  More seriously, perhaps, than they suggested.  She called the hospital and was told that sometimes the symptoms were extreme, but they should lose some intensity over the next few days.  Kath was also told that we could go back to the ER for further treatment if we were worried.

Kath knew, almost without asking, that I would not be returning to this hospital, on this visit to Raleigh.  We toughed it out.

                                                  Friday breakfast. Not chile.  Chilly!


We are back home now and still not feeling well.  But better, certainly.

Summer, 2016

We last left you when we were at Kiawah and Dr. Tran had given us a breakfast call.  He was worried about a staph infection and possibly meningitis.

We returned to Moffitt for surgery at 7:15 am, on July 2nd.

                                                                Looking good going in.

The operation was performed by Dr. Tran, who would remove the bone flap of the original AVM operation.  It had been contaminated with staph infection.  He would also remove the burr hole covers ( the visible metal ).   Dr. Harrington, the plastic surgeon, was assigned to the task of closing the wound and putting my head back together.  There was extensive work to be done, and a skin graft was required, with my right thigh being the donor site.  The scalp had to be turned about 30 degrees and then reset in its new location.  Further complications arose when the surgical team could not get sufficient blood to flow under the graft, and Dr. Harrington had to add a "patch" to enable them to complete the operation. All in all, it was a very long and messy operation.  I was admitted to hospital for at least one night , to guarantee that the wound site would receive blood.  Kath was advised that the infectious disease group would determine the antibiotic course of action and contact her directly.

                                                              Not so good coming out.

For the rest of the day I was given a regular antibiotic and oxycodone, which I would take as needed until a planned follow up visit on the 7th.  I was also given Arthritis Tylenol, as we chose not to ingest too many opioids.   And of course, Senekot, as pain medicine causes constipation.  I had drainage tubes attached, and was not at all a pretty sight.  

Kathy spent the rest of that day with me, as the anesthetic wore down and pain began to set in.  Blood  oozed everywhere.  That was a tough operation.  We were glad it was over.  I was released the next morning, at my request.  Dr. Harrington was not happy with the overall graft and told us, that sometime after I healed, he would re-do my forehead, which was pretty weird looking, and at that point, covered with bandages, as was my thigh.

As Kath left to get the car, the nursing staff got me into a wheelchair, to take me down to street level for pick up.  A candy striper watched me settle into the chair and asked a nurse what was dripping under the chair.  Of course, it was blood from the donor site.  I was not staying in the hospital, waiting for the site to dry.  It might be days.  I ordered them to get me a sheet to cover the blood running down my leg, and get me to our car.  They were shocked by my directness, and did what I asked.

                                                That is not a stylish bandana on my head.

When we started home, I told Kath of my new predicament.  She was left to pick up the pieces.  Again.  We escaped.  

I felt like we were Bonnie and Clyde.

See you next time.