Surgery

Well, Tuesday did not go as I had hoped.  Cletus got sick over the weekend and ended up spending five days in bed.  I don't know if he technically had the flu...but he had a high fever (over 102) and was a mess.  He finally went back to work last Thursday.  Not sure he is completely well even now.

So, I was going to have to do the surgery thing by myself.  I thought about leaving Buddy home, but Cletus was not well enough to see to him.  The morning did not go as planned (does it ever).  I was so anxious about not getting up with the alarm that I woke up at 3a and could not get back to sleep.  Not the ideal way to start the day.

As it turns out, I left on time but had to go back to the house and ended up leaving late because I wasn't feeling well.  I did manage to get to St Vincent's in Bham before they did surgery.  Tdawg had left for Bham several days prior, when we realized how sick Cletus was.  Tdawg surely didn't need to get the flu/virus right before surgery!  And thankfully a friend drove him from campus to the hospital.

This is how he was when I got there.  Saying he was having a wardrobe malfunction (one shoulder gown) and thinking that he hadn't had any drugs.  Hmm.  I think maybe he had.  He was hilarious!

After awhile they took him off to get a nerve block.  Because of that, after surgery, he was not groggy at all.  Not to say that he was in a great mood.  He was good for the nurse this time, but surly with me. Last time he told the nurses: "For the love of Mike, will you please SHUT UP!"  He was boo boo faced in this pic because he wanted his phone and I wasn't sure it was such a good idea.

The surgery itself went well.  The labrum was torn in two places (top and front) and the doc put in anchors.  With therapy and the brace (6 weeks) he should be in good shape and well enough to play this fall.

Before too long, he forgave me.  And when he woke up a bit more, I let him have the phone.  The nerve block, surgery and recovery took a pretty good while, so it was 5p by the time he was ready to go.  Sadly, that meant that the hospital pharmacy was closed and I had to drive in the rush hour traffic.  Ugh!

I am getting old AND turning into my mother!  I get a bit snarky when I have to wait two light changes.  I don't like driving in traffic.  Or after dark.  Or very far.  So five o'clock traffic on 280 and I-20/59 is a nightmare for me.  But we made it without incident back to campus.  His friends got him something to eat while I got to get the pain med prescription filled in a seriously sketchy area of town. I'm glad we made it out of there without an incident.  For some reason, Buddy didn't want to take off his sunglasses in Walgreens.  Being 6'6" and with the big coat and the dark wrap around sunglasses...he looked mighty questionable!

I got back to campus for a second time.  And Tdawg set up with pillows and a movie, an ice pack and pain meds.  And took off for home.  He had set up pretty much 24/7 care from some of the pre-nursing students.  (after having him as a patient, they may end up changing their major!).  I started home and stopped for dinner.  While at dinner, I realized that I still had Tdawg's therapy instructions.  He was starting therapy at 10a the next morning on campus.  So I went back (third time) to campus...and then on home.  I got home about 11p.  Seriously the longest day ever.