Finally, an update:=)

It has been a whirlwind since my last post!

Anesthesia does funny things to people.....or so I have been told! Roger finally got his food---oreo cookies by the handful within 2 hours post-op. Whole nuther story for later!

I came home late Christmas Eve so thankful for so many things! I knew Roger was still far from out of the woods and there could be some serious complications involved! Since it was late and nothing was open for food I headed down to the Hospital Cafeteria to get something to take home. I ran into the Anesthesiologist who confirmed that the anesthesia does funky things to people!

When I got home there was the most awful smell in this house. One has to stop and think that with 5 dogs..well, 4 that night...and 3 of those 4 loose in the house that something icky could have happened. My Aunt Charlotte had been taking care of them and letting them out each day so they didn't have to cross their legs......

It was SHELLIE! We have a turtle who is in the basement for the winter. She usually lives out in the back yard in her turtle villa...complete with a pool, filters, ramp to get out and lay eggs in the mulch and a shade mesh cover over part of it.

In the winter she has to come in to the basement because she would freeze to death. She is 10 years old and is almost 12" long. She is a red-eared slider with a personality like a dog. Roger is her primary care giver......he has her pool in the basement (one of those BIG plastic kids pools) along with her ramp, a heat lamp and a UV lamp hanging down from the ceiling and another pool with mulch in it for her to get out and bury herself in.

The smell was coming from her pool because I had turned the filters off to feed her a few DAYS earlier.....OOPS! The water runs thru big Canister filters to clean it and keep it moving. She usually eats in a separate tub to keep her water clean--not with me--I threw food in and ran back upstairs.......It is NOT STINKY ANYMORE--I had to clean it!

So, back to the Roger Chronicles.....I was so exhausted that I collapsed in bed and didn't wake up until 2:00 pm Christmas Day. I had my phone by my head in case something had happened and I was sure Roger would be out of it for awhile. I got up, called his phone immediately which was in his bag.....and then got ready to go to the Hospital.

The Hospital called and said they had GOOD NEWS....he could go home....GOOD NEWS FOR WHO????? He was less than less than 24 hours post-op, has pneumonia and who knows what his body is doing since they have been in there so many times?

I am not sure who was the driving force behind the release.....but, the Dr. managing his care in the hospital was OK with it and the surgeon was called at home and said it was OK for him to go home. They handed me the paperwork when I got there that HE had already signed to be released and said he could go whenever we were ready.

There was a script in there for an antibiotic for the pneumonia and when I asked where in the world I could get it filled on Christmas Day the nurse said--oh, there has got to be something open today...NOT SO MUCH! She said--well, if you fill it first thing in the morning he will have only missed 3 doses by then......WHAT???????????????????????

So, away we went! They tried to wheel him out with just a short sleeved coat on....did I say he has pneumonia? I got out of the car and went running with a coat to put on him to get to the car. GEEZE LOUISE!

He came home.....and Nurse "Lisa" took over....I have had as much medical training as.....well, I have had NONE!

The worse part is that my entire body ached and I knew I was getting sick myself. How in the world was I suppose to take care of Roger when I was sick?

On Friday, I slept...I was so sick I could barely lift my head off of the pillow. We slept on the couch Thursday night and last night. It is a big sectional and is pretty comfy...thank GOD! I had to get up and go to get a room humidifier and his script which took about all of the energy I could muster up.

The girls were coming home today at 3:00 and were expecting to have their "Christmas" here with us....they knew what was going on with Roger......but, when you are 12 and 6...gimme the presents! I had planned on shopping this past week...not so much! by the grace of God, I was able to get it taken care of TODAY before they got here!

When I got back from the store today I had the greatest surprise---Roger had been up and had taken a sponge bath and looked better than he had in 5 days! I don't think I slept that first night--he had so much fluid in his lungs that every time he coughed I had a near panic attack that something was happening!

We are all sitting here on the couch watching NCIS as usual. Rae is chief in charge of Roger's medications.....she was in charge of the 9:00 antibiotic...she just gave him the ROGER--TAKE YOUR MEDICINE NOW!......I MEAN NOW~!

She is also chief in charge of making sure he has his tweezers on him at all times as the Dr. ordered. They are long handled, special tweezers.....to help remove stuff from his airway. He had them both in the bathroom and walked out and Rae asked where they were.....she snapped her fingers at him and said-"UH, NO WAY MISTER....THEY NEED TO BE ON YOU AT ALL TIMES!" "GOT IT?"

We are all smarter than messing with Rae.

Just wanted to make sure I let you all know that he is home.....doing better....and we are so thankful for your thoughts and prayers!

I am so sorry for no update for a few days---I was sick and didn't even have the energy to type-

Love,

Roger, Lisa, Meghan and Raegan