Monday, February 15, 2010

Home?

They are saying they are going to send me home tomorrow. While I am far from well, I am on the road to recovery. I will be going home on oxygen and very lucky to just be alive. I also have to give myself shots in my stomach with Lovenox. I am sure some of you are shuddering at the thought, and I guess I could let you think I was super amazing and totally stoic. But here is the truth. If you give the shot into a stretch mark, you can't feel it at all. Nada. Since Tank was 11 pounds, I have no dearth of stretch marks, which means, painless. So, there, I told you my secret. Who knew that someday I would be very grateful for my stretch marks? I never hated them, they just were. But now, they are a blessing. Seriously.
I guess my natural stubbornness extends even to my innards. They have me on blood thinners so that I will stop making clots and allow all the ones in my lungs, (large and small) to be dissolved. Well, my liver, which is the part that makes the blood clotting factors has absolutely refused to move! My INR has remained very low, and they have been giving more and more warfarin to thin my blood. I guess my liver finally threw up a white flag today. Even though it is still low, it finally moved, which made my doctor happy. AND made him say that perhaps I can go home tomorrow.
I am a little apprehensive since Little Man's care continues to be beyond my ability, and he really wears me out. But he misses his mama most dreadfully. He keeps telling me I need to come home, and read him a story and snuggle him. Breaks my heart.
They made me take a walk tonight to assess my oxygen needs, I think I scared my poor little aide. He looks like he is 14, and when I was coughing and gasping for breath, he was way concerned. I made it back to the bed without collapsing, so I won that round. Right now, if I am in bed, and I am not moving, I can keep my oxygen saturations up by myself without any help. I can not take a step, or even roll over in bed without gasping for air, so oxygen it is. Don't think I am complaining, I am NOT. After struggling for more than a week to breathe, there is nothing I want more, than to be able to breathe without working so hard at it.
And really, I keep being told I am very, very lucky to be alive, so I am just grateful for every breath.

5 Kids Who Want To Play:

Kristina P. said...

Oh, Jo, this is so scary! But I'm glad you are on the mend.

Bonnie the Boss said...

Jo, I am very glad you are alive too! I just wish you were 100% back to normal. I will keep you in my prayers.

FosterAbba said...

I don't have anything brilliant to say here, but just know that we are all thinking about you.

K J and the kids said...

They need to leave you in the hospital. Who do I need to talk to.
You can not possibly take care of yourself and everyone else, which you will no doubt try and do when you get home.

I'm calling your doctor right now. :)

mCat said...

I'm glad to hear you are getting better. This exact thing happened to me 2 years ago. Pulmonary Emboli (thought I had pulled something at the gym)

I totally made my husband give me the shots and I am here to tell you that the Coumadin for the next 6 months SUCKS!

That being said though, it really is a brush with death, and an opportunity to be grateful once more for sticking around this earthly life for a little while longer.

Keep getting well!