Colleen update

[mdlbear]

Saw Colleen briefly this morning on the way to work, to say good morning and drop off her cell phone and some clothes to go home in. My boss promptly sent me back home (with my laptop, this time); I had some lunch, fielded a few phone calls, picked up her laptop, a vase with our last rose in it, and some more books for her to read.

As it turns out, she won't be needing the going-home outfit for a while.

Several weeks.

You asked for it. What she has is a fistula.

Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are the leading causes of anorectal, enteroenteral, and enterocutaneous fistulas.

Aside: at this point they don't know whether surgery is going to be indicated, but in view of the hernia and the ovarian cysts, I'm guessing this might be a good time to take care of multiple problems at once. But IANAD, so I don't know.

A month or more on IV nutrients sounds like a hell of a crummy way to lose weight. OTOH you could spend a month at a spa and not have as large a room -- the hospital is brand new. Worlds better than the last time she spent multiple weeks in a hospital about a dozen years ago.

She has no net connection at the moment -- there doesn't appear to be wi-fi at that end of the building. There are, however, half a dozen RJ-45 jacks, so I'm hoping they can do something to get her connected. She does have a VCR; didn't check but hopefully it also plays DVDs. You'll find her cell phone number on the Starport web page.

The timing means that she won't be going to LOSCON -- the kids and I will go. It also blows her hoped-for job at Penzey's new store in Menlo Park out of the water; maybe there will be something there in the new year when she gets out.

The fullness of it all hasn't quite hit yet, but at the moment I am not a happy Bear.

Comments

[mithriltabby]

Ouch! We’ll give her a call tonight and see if she’d like to raid the Maine Coon Manor library at some point.

[mdlbear]

Thanks.

[saffronrose.livejournal.com]

I hope indeed yhat Penzey's will hold a job for her.
Please give her my good wishes for a happily shorter than expected stay there.

[mdlbear]

Many thanks. Let's hope.

[trystel.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear how serious this is, and how life-affecting for all of you...especially Colleen. I am glad she is getting good treatment right away. Please give her gentle hugs from me. Will keep you all in my prayers. xoxo

[mdlbear]

Many thanks!

[nimuejohn.livejournal.com]

My best wishes to Colleen for a speedy recovery.

[mdlbear]

Thanks.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

Ow. Best wishes to Colleen and sympathies to you.

[mdlbear]

Thanks

[kshandra]

...

...

...um.

(Yeah, I think that's about as coherent as I'm getting on this one. You're in my thoughts.)

[mdlbear]

Thanks. Every thought helps.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

I believe Big Harold's TV had a DVD player. The Sleeper Chair sucks to sleep in, but is comfy to lounge in. Everything is still too hard though, my bottom demanded a pillow after a day.
Bummer about WiFi. The RJ-45 jacks are probably for the In House Hospital net only, ie medical equipment that talks to the main file servers. Nurse's Stations are all about connected medical equipment these days. But it doesn't hurt to ask. You can also remind them that Your Wife is connected to all her friends and family through e-mail and the internet, so moving her to a room that has WiFi is better for her mental health. Especially since she will be stuck there for so long.
And I thought Big Harold's Hospital Stay was long and ugly. At least she is near home and friends.

[mdlbear]

Yes, at least she's close enough to visit; she's already had several visitors besides me. But...

[lapislaz.livejournal.com]

Well, the good news is they know what's wrong and they can do something about it. The bad news is that it's not a quick fix.

Please give her a hug from me and let me know if there's anything we can do. Meanwhile, keep a hug for you and the daughters, too.

[mdlbear]

Thanks -- will do.

We will be thinking good thoughts for you

[capplor.livejournal.com]

Get well asap.

Re: We will be thinking good thoughts for you

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

Another saying "ditto" from Denver & hoping her care is the best of the best.

[hellloooonurse.livejournal.com]

Please give her a hug for me.

[mia-mcdavid.livejournal.com]

I am sorry; you'll all be in our prayers.

One thought; the other day you posted something where you had a drive with the Cat and, if I may paraphrase, she bit your head off for trying to understand what was going on with her. You should remember that she undoubtedly felt less than wonderful physically at the time, and this may have influenced her mood and her patience. When she seems to be feeling up to it, you might try this line of inquiry?

Hugs.

[mdlbear]

Thanks.

Likely true; she wasn't comfortable at the time. Probably not worth following up on, but I do need to remember that she's not at her best when she's in pain.

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

I can't come after work today or tomorrow, but what times are visiting hours on Thursday?

And what can I bring her?

[mdlbear]

I think they run until about 8pm, but there are no doors in the way so they don't really enforce hours.

No food -- flowers, catalogs, books, DVDs...

[asavitzk.livejournal.com]

Please give her our love.

[mdlbear]

Will do. Thanks.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Dialup is your friend. That said, it also isn't free or fast.

Ghad, I wish I didn't know that.

Yuck Yuck Yuck. *kicks*

[mdlbear]

It also doesn't work real well through a cell phone. :(

With a more modern phone I could pay an extra $30/month and use _it_ as a modem. Foo. :(

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

Healing thoughts sent northwestward...

[mdlbear]

Thanks!

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry, and hope she gets well as soon as possible.

[mdlbear]

Thanks

[ravan.livejournal.com]

Meep! Tell her I hope things get taken care of quickly with a minumum of pain and discomfort.

[braider.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, hey! She's alive, and being well-taken-care-of. This is a Good Thing. Also, people being out of their normal environments can give them fresh perspectives on things; this can also be an extremely good thing.

Edit: and the thing that first popped to mind, and I didn't write it: *hug* It'll all turn out. Treat it as a gift.

[mdlbear]

*hug*
As I said: hell of a way to lose weight. We'll make it.

[joecoustic.livejournal.com]

Best wishes and good thoughts to all of you!!

*hugs*

[mdlbear]

Thanks!!

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

Oh, damn.

My very best thots and wishes for her. That just sucks.

[elemirion]

I have the ability to perform Reiki Healing for her at a distance if that is ok. I had a coworker for whom it seemed to work wonders when she had major surgery on large parts of her body. Many hugs to you both!

[mdlbear]

Go for it! Many thanks.

[ifics.livejournal.com]

I will keep both of you in my prayers.

[mdlbear]

Thanks.

[patoadam]

Thinking healing thoughts!

[mdlbear]

Thanks!

[hms42]

Speedy recovery wishes to Colleen.

[mdlbear]

Thanks

[kyrielle]

Keeping both of you in my thoughts. I am glad she is getting the needed care but I am sorry that she needs it.

[mdlbear]

Amen to that. Thanks.