February 1st already? Where did the time go? It has been a whirlwind for me since my last post ......... in November???? Really? Hmmm....guess I have some explaining to do, huh?
December started off nice and slow. I knew that my son would be having surgery on the 17th (to coincide with his Christmas vacation from school) so I got the tree up, the decorations out, the house was all ready for Christmas. I had my box almost ready to go to my Secret Santa, just a couple more things to finish. Everything was going according to the plan.
Before I knew it, it was the 17th. The day of Spencer's surgery. This was the surgery that was supposed to make him all better. He had been suffering from Ulcerative Coloitis for almost 2 years. His case was so bad that the conventional drug therapies did not help at all. He was even taking Remicade for a period of time. Remicade is for people with rheumatoid arthritis but studies have shown that it has helped on UC patients. But nope, not for this one. So, his only hope was to have a colostomy and iliostomy. His colon was removed and he was given an iliostomy bag. The bag is only temporary until the second surgery, which hooks the small intestine to the rectum. I know....more than you want to know! Well, he did fine with the first surgery and came home on Monday the 21st. Which was also my first day on a new job. I had interviewed for the job a couple of weeks prior. I really didn't want the job, but I figured that some job was better than no job. Ha!
Anyway, this is where it all goes to hell in a handbasket! (By the way, where did that saying come from? My Gram used to say it all the time!) Monday night/Tuesday morning, Spencer starts throwing up and running a high fever. He isn't keeping anything down. I make a frantic call to his doctor at 6:30 am. He started to hyperventilate and if you've never seen someone hyperventilate, it is downright scary! I called 911 and the paramedics got to the house just about the time that his doctor called. The doctor said to go ahead and let the paramedics take him to the hospital and he would call ahead with some orders. My husband went to the hospital with Spencer and I went to my second day at work, with a promise that he would call if things got worse. Spencer went through a battery of tests on Tuesday looking for blood clots or any sign of infection. His white blood count was a little elevated but nothing serious. So the doctor sends him to the ICU with a list of antibiotics and anti-nausea medications.Wednesday morning at 5:30, my phone rang. It was the ICU nurse and he doesn't have good news for me. Spencer has gotten worse over night and the nurse has called the doctor. So, I jump in the shower and start to get ready to go to the hospital. Spencer's girlfriend is on her way to the house. The doctor called me and told me that things were not looking good for my baby boy. He said that he was going to do emergency surgery and open him back up where they had just been in the week before. Alyssa and I got to the hospital just as he was being wheeled into surgery. They were waiting on me to get there to sign the consent. I gave Spencer a kiss, told him that I loved him and away he went.
Two hours later the doctor comes out and tells us that Spencer has about a 50% chance of pulling through. He had a terrible infection caused by gangreen that had apparently started when part of his small intestine folded over on itself after the first surgery. Almost immediately, Spencer's temperature was back to normal, his heart rate went from 170 down to 120 and his other vitals were starting to return to normal. He was on life support, sedated and airlifted from the satellite hospital to the main hospital downtown. That was the 22nd. He spent the next few days in ICU and started to make an amazing recovery. I spent Christmas Day with him in ICU and ate two hospital turkey sandwiches as my Christmas dinner. He was released from the hospital on New Year's Eve. And he had a 13" open surgical incision on his rearend that made it hard for him to do anything for himself.
My job? Well, it lasted 3 weeks. I was let go for a training mistake. His loss, not mine.
If you are still with me at this point, thanks! I'm still at home with Spencer working on his recovery. Everyday is a little better.
On January 11th, which is Spencer's birthday, my first grandchild was born. My daughter was induced a few days early because she is so little and the doctor feared that the baby was getting too big. I was at the hospital with her all day and was able to witness her little angel being born. Ayden Jiovanni Chernes was born at 3:17 pm at 7 lbs and 4 oz. He is perfect and gorgeous! I never knew that the part of my heart that he opened up was there! I only wish that Steph's Daddy Roy was still alive so that he could be here to see his grandson. Steph is at my house just about everyday because her partner works 12 hour days. So, I've had a lot of time to bond with Ayden. Can you tell that I'm totally in love with this baby?And I think that just about brings us up to date. I've started sewing again in the last week. I'm working on finishing my Red & White Snowball Challenge and Bonnie's Carolina Christmas Mystery. Both of which I'm way overdue on! Oh well, they will get done!
Till next time!
Pati
