Surgery was 10 days ago. The day after I felt proud that I could walk 10 times around the hospital floor. Each day since I have increased the distance. Today, I walked over 3 1/2 miles. Each day gets easier. I am just about up to 20 minute miles.
Getting off pain killers is taking a little longer. The doctors made it clear from the beginning. Pain is bad. It slows healing and you get no medals for enduring it.
At discharge from the hospital my dosage was two hydrocodone (10mg/235 mg) pills every 4 hours. Four days after discharge I dropped to one every 4 hours. Yesterday, I tried going to 1/2 that dose but the pain became evident, so I have put off reducing the dosage for another day or two.
The goal is to get totally off the pain killers so I will be able to drive again, and we will be off to Michigan to continue my convalescence. It could take two to three months for my body to fully adjust to the missing lobe.
I continue to be shocked that I have recovered so much in such a short time. It almost belittles the surgery and its effects. The speed of my recovery is clearly due to the minimally invasive surgery techniques employed by Dr. deHoyos.
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:53 am
Hi Charles,
Good to hear that all is progressing so well. Yesterday we were on the North Devon coast and enjoyed a great walk along the beach with plenty of bracing sea air and sunshine. We hope you can get to your home in Michigan and enjoy the same.
Marilyn joins me in sending to both of you our lone and best wishes.
When you have fully recovered why not visit us in the UK……..We would love to see you and we have plenty of space….
Best Wishes,
Marilyn and Michael xxxxxx
May 27th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Hi Charles and Jana,
Glad all went well!!! Just read the website after returning from Brooklyn Hgts. My daughter took her computer so I wasn’t able to check your progress until my return. This weekend we are working around the house but plan to be at the lake soon - you and Jana must come for dinner - hope you are on solid food by now!! Your website is pretty impressive - not many would know how to put that together - but perhaps you should now change the background color to something other than black!! How about green, the color of evergreens, veggies, environmentalists and all things growing and healthy. See you soon.
xoxoxo
Mary and Bob
May 27th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Mary & Bob, Thanks for comments. And I agree that the background should now be changed to a “happy” color. Going in I thought the black was appropriate for such a dire situation.
May 28th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Oh my God, I had no idea! What the heck. I was on vaction May 7-20. I kept inquiring and nobody new or heard anything. The old men keep on asking about you. I am going to print your blog and let them read this. I haven’t read anything yet. I was actually trying to find your phone number so I could call and see what was going on. Ok, I am going to read now. I will get back to you soon. Sorry it took so long for me to investigate. I hope everything is good now. Talk to you soon. Let me now what you are hungry for.
Bill
May 29th, 2008 at 2:42 am
I am glad to read that everything went well and it sounds like you are on your way to a speedy recovery. I am happy to know that everything is ok. Take care and enjoy Michigan. I will see you guys for lunch.
Bill