Bob Massie

I know many people are looking for updates and I'll try to post once a day if I can get in the rhythm. 

 

Yesterday I actually wrote a post full of the highs of the day, then promptly lost it on the computer. Bob, even as weak as he was, cautioned me to write it off line first, so this time I’ll be more careful.

 

It has all gone incredibly well. I remember that years ago at RISD the students made up a term: “moonbooters” for people who needed gravity boots to keep their feet on the ground. That was how I felt.

 

I will save my grateful thanks for another day because it would take me days to write.

 

Last night we were marveling at how well it was all going when he suddenly had a gastric bleeding and a flurry of activity ensued making sure that his factor levels were high enough.  They are rising appropriately on their own but it takes a while to reach the full level – and his gut was probably irritated by the tube they stuck down there. The totally lovely hemophilia doctor came into the hospital at midnight Saturday night to make sure Bob was getting everything he needed.  So in the end he had a farewell, last-dance infusion at 1 am. Just to be sure we were not too cocky about his perfect progress.

 

After everything was settled back down, Susanna (who had arrived not long before) took me back to the guest house where she made the bed and gave me a backrub. I only remember the first two minutes of it as I conked out instantly, and slept through until morning. A great, restful and needed sleep!

 

Today is post op day 2, he is doing well. I came in for morning rounds and heard the good report from the doctors. They pulled the gastric tube, stopped the IV, the morphine pump and the Factor VIII. Then we resettled him without the noises of the pump, the visitors and everything. He was sooo tired and he slept and I went back to the house. There I found that Susanna had totally cleaned up my room, done my laundry and generally made beautiful order out of everything.   When Susanna and I came back to the hospital, we found Bob sitting up in a chair, having his lunch! Practically surreal!  Then he got cleaned up and gave himself a shave and sat in a chair for two hours. Back in bed, he is resting consistently, calmer having to work less hard to make progress. I expect he will have a peaceful week, though now much of the trial is to get through the unglamorous part of the recovery: exhaustion, cramps, hot flashes, sweats, and the rest of the normal unpleasant results of surgery. The hospital staff are wonderful.

 

Bob is dozing while Susanna, Allan and I are talking. Hillary the PA, came in to tell us that Bob’s Factor VIII level at 4 pm was good, after stopping the factor at 9 am.  He is beginning to successfully make his own!   We were all beaming at the thought.

 

More tomorrow.

Anne