The Wheels on the Bus
It's Kristen here with an update. Melissa came through her surgery yesterday smiling, well, kind of. At least that is what her surgeon said when she came out to tell us that everything had gone just as planned during the operation, which took four hours and twenty minutes. When we finally got to see Melissa around 7 pm last night, it wasn't exactly the beautiful, big-pearly white, Melissa smile I have grown to love. But, we did get a little bit of the Melissa sense of humor when she told us that she felt like a bus had run over her chest. Oh wait. She wasn't joking when she said that.
Obviously, Melissa was in a lot of pain, but she was figuring out quite quickly that she could press the magic button they had given her to get some relief. She told us that it hurt to take deep breaths and the muscles in her chest were really sore. She was actually moving her arms around quite a bit more than I expected. She was irritated by the compression hose on her legs and wanted them off, but was being patient since she didn't have enough use of her arms to rip them off herself.
It was a really long day for her. The surgery was supposed to start at 12 and it was 12:45 before one of the surgeons arrived at the hospital, making the day even longer for poor Mel, who hadn't had anything to eat or drink until 7 when she finally got to sip some water. She was considering a little snack when I left the hospital at 8 last night, but she was also ready to doze off. I don't know what kind of sleep she had last night because, honestly, I am hoping she was knocked out and I don't want to be the one to call and wake her from her hibernation. Mom spent the night with her last night and today, along with the doctors, they will decide if she stays another night or moves home with Mom and Dad.
I've known my sister a long time. And I've always known that she could kick butt (especially mine), thus I don't mess with her. But two things struck me last night as being typical Melissa. First, she was laid up in the hospital bed with all kinds of wires and hoses and gadgets (that is a technical term!) connected to her, and she wasn't complaining. She was focused and resolved to get through this and get her life back. Moreover, she was asking about my day and my son and concerned about me. When all eyes and hearts and prayers should have been turned to her, she was thinking about others. And I thought to myself, that is the Melissa I've always known. So the surgery may have changed her physically and set her back several weeks, but it didn't do anything to the spirit of Mel we love so much. Keep her in your prayers and I'll keep you posted.
Obviously, Melissa was in a lot of pain, but she was figuring out quite quickly that she could press the magic button they had given her to get some relief. She told us that it hurt to take deep breaths and the muscles in her chest were really sore. She was actually moving her arms around quite a bit more than I expected. She was irritated by the compression hose on her legs and wanted them off, but was being patient since she didn't have enough use of her arms to rip them off herself.
It was a really long day for her. The surgery was supposed to start at 12 and it was 12:45 before one of the surgeons arrived at the hospital, making the day even longer for poor Mel, who hadn't had anything to eat or drink until 7 when she finally got to sip some water. She was considering a little snack when I left the hospital at 8 last night, but she was also ready to doze off. I don't know what kind of sleep she had last night because, honestly, I am hoping she was knocked out and I don't want to be the one to call and wake her from her hibernation. Mom spent the night with her last night and today, along with the doctors, they will decide if she stays another night or moves home with Mom and Dad.
I've known my sister a long time. And I've always known that she could kick butt (especially mine), thus I don't mess with her. But two things struck me last night as being typical Melissa. First, she was laid up in the hospital bed with all kinds of wires and hoses and gadgets (that is a technical term!) connected to her, and she wasn't complaining. She was focused and resolved to get through this and get her life back. Moreover, she was asking about my day and my son and concerned about me. When all eyes and hearts and prayers should have been turned to her, she was thinking about others. And I thought to myself, that is the Melissa I've always known. So the surgery may have changed her physically and set her back several weeks, but it didn't do anything to the spirit of Mel we love so much. Keep her in your prayers and I'll keep you posted.
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Karole