Word Choice

We have heard nothing new today. McGreeky hasn't actually stopped by yet. The team of residents simply looked at the wound vac and the drains and left. Not a good enough reason to flip on the exam light at 0630, in my opinion.

While we wait for any news, I'm going to take the opportunity to improve semantically. In the spirit of fairness, Dan wants to clarify that he does not HAVE to go to Lodi. He has chosen to go. The surgeon wants him to stay in northern California for a little while after discharge, and since I will not be able to be here, it makes more logistical sense to stay at his parents' house. The plan was originally to stay in Santa Rosa, but without me there, it won't really work.

Just so we're clear, Lodi is not the unfortunate middle ground on the way home. And when I said "Lodi isn't home for him," all I meant was that it wasn't our apartment in La Mirada with me. Dan will be taken care of very well by his parents, and I am grateful for that. Our first choice would be being together, but he will have anything he needs in Lodi. Honestly, what surgeon would choose a nursing student caretaker versus a surgeon and a licensed nurse as caretakers?
If Dan is sad about anything, it is not that he will be in Lodi indefinitely, but that we will be separated.

Anyway, Dan is feeling more comfortable with the wound vac, though he isn't thrilled with it. He received blood products last night, so he has more energy. The docs also increased the calories in the TPN, so he isn't even hungry. Unfortunately, the decrease we saw in the drain output has increased again, so maybe the leak isn't getting better after all. The "2nd opinion" surgeon was quite clear that Dan will not taste food until the drains are dry, while McGreeky just wants to see a solid and steady decrease. Who knows which opinion will be followed?

It sure is getting frustrating to get excited about an improvement and watch it get worse again. Something positive that lasts would really help us out.

Prayer Requests:
* Drying up of the drains (no more increase in output)
* Efficacy of the wound vac
* Surgeon's confidence in letting Dan out of the hospital
* Good news today
* Good communication between Dan and I and others

Praises:
* Less pain with wound vac
* More energy from the blood and TPN
* Free coffee all the time