Day One

Last night was a rough night for Jennie. Her pain medicine levels were too low and she suffered most of the night as we tried to get the Doctors to increase it little by little. Today seems to have gotten her pain at least to tolerable levels, although she still is having difficulty getting any rest.

They have requested a pain consult to see if a pain specialist will have any other suggestions or if they would be willing to bump her pain medicine up just a little more, unfortunately pain consults are only available Monday - Friday. To try to make it until then, the doctor said he will discontinue her continuous rate pain medicine and put her back on her oral pain meds she had at home but keep the PCA pump for breakthrough pain relief. They will be giving her these medicines by crushing them and putting them through her NG tube.

I am not sure that putting medicine into a stomach that was just operated on is a good idea, but the Surgeon that operated with Dr. Sutherland seems to think it will work and that it may help control it better. Time will tell, unless Dr. Sutherland has another idea when he is consulted by phone.

She has also started swelling quite a bit, just as she has for each of the previous surgeries, and they will be giving her lasix later to try and get some of the fluid off. There also was some miscommunication about the acceptable blood sugar levels, but the doctor that just came in will be adjusting the scale some to prevent her blood sugar from getting too high.

I just hope and pray that they are able to help with the pain some so that Jennie can get some rest. I think if we can get her feeling just a little better we can get her moving quicker and hopefully out of the hospital a day or two sooner.