Day 2 Post Op Update

     Mom is awake and more alert even than yesterday.  She is still in some pain but it is better controlled today.  She is a little down today because she feels like she is not “doing as well as she should”.  She stated she wants to get up and walk more but that its all she can do. (Occupational therapy came to see her this morning and made her stand up in the room for 30 minutes!)

     I think that mom thinks she should just hop out of bed and be running laps around the unit, though I have assured her that she is doing much better than most people do.

     Significantly though, it seems that she could possible have contracted a UTI and has had a low grade fever as well. White Count this morning is up from 11 to 14. This could be normal after surgery of this magnitude or could mean something else, like infection, though we hope not.

     Additionally, her JP drain has been having to be emptied every hour because it is putting out a good deal of what the residents think is bile.  Dr. Christein (surgeon) came in a few minutes ago and said that she probably has a leak from one of the artificial connections that were made during surgery.  As a result, he hooked her JP drain to wall suction and it has pulled a good deal since.  He stated that these types of leaks usually heal on their own, but she could possibly have to go home with her JP.

   The only residual jaundice that I see is in her eyes, only mildly yellow. Her face, as opposed to yesterday, has a pinkness back to it.

     Continued prayers for pain control and also additional prayers today for: the leak in her stomach to dry up and heal, and for her to have  a sense of accomplishment for the work she has done with PT and OT and not a sense of failure for what she cannot yet do.

     Thank you all.

     In Christ,

- LUKE