I was released from Mayo today, mid-afternoon. I made a chart of when to take Tylenol and when to take Oxycodone. The Oxy is a low dose...5 mg. I was given enough for one week.
People manifest and process pain differently. My pain arrises mostly from soreness from the chest tube placement and removal and from the two ribs that were broken to access the surgical site. It's manageable.
Finally getting out...breathing fresh air (even if low quality due to Canadian wild fires), eating normal foods, wearing normal clothes. These are such little things, yet I thank God Almighty for them.
I read my pathology report. I don't fully understand it, but the tumor was classified as high risk. Parts of it were necrotic. I believe that I am followed with chest CTs and chest x-rays. Time will tell. In the meantime, the tumor at its largest dimension was 12 cm (4.7 inches). There was no invasion of the diaphragm.
The incision looks great! The hole for the chest tube has closed. I have a very large collection of black and blue marks...from heparin shots and from multiple attempts to start an IV. I also have bruising from the successful IVs that were removed.
They did a nighttime oxygen study last night and I need oxygen added to my CPAP at night while I'm healing. Small issue!!
I was blessed to receive Eucharistic three times in the hospital. I was also visited by Fr. Ben and got a post-surgical anointing of the sick. I watched a movie about Mayo and its history while in the hospital. Mayo wouldn't have gotten off the ground if it weren't for the Catholic nuns.
The nursing team and their interns and aides were top notch. The team of doctors that visited daily were outstanding. The PT and RT folks were excellent. Honestly, everyone was excellent!! One exception might be for whomever placed my first epidural. It had to be redone in recovery. After that, it was smooth sailing. I was sad to see the epidural go...but it did its job and it was time to move on to oral pain meds.
We start the drive home tomorrow. Prayers for all of you!!!
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