Since Thursday evening, I've been here helping my father recuperate after a total knee replacement. He's been in a lot of pain, but cruelly he's also been sick - sick to his stomach, with diarrhea and a very bad headache. We were blaming it all on the pain meds at first, but the headache seemed separate from the stomach stuff - maybe a result of the anesthesia, maybe not - anyway, it was all a mystery until yesterday afternoon, when I became violently ill. We found out that there's a virulent GI bug around, and that it had been in the hospital. I feel really fortunate - I was only acutely sick for 9 hours or so, and although I'm wiped out today from that and from lack of sleep, I can tell I'm on the mend. The goal today is to rest and take care of myself, since I can't be much help to him if I'm a wreck too.
Having a knee replacement is no fun. I admire my father for being so determined since the surgery - in the hospital he flexed his knee to 96% range of motion, which is very unusual; he's already walking with a cane some of the time (instead of the walker) and can take steps on his own. Yesterday he walked down a flight of stairs and took a ride with me into town to get the mail. But because he hates the way the pain meds make him feel, and, like many of the rural people around here, has a lifelong aversion to taking pills, he's in constant severe pain; my arguments don't work and I've given up. Tomorrow his rehab starts, and it will clearly be a long slow journey back to health and normal movement; I'm hoping that the professionals will be able to devise a routine of exercise and pain management that works for him.
I agree with your father about the pills. I don't like them either. You should go to a Vietnamese restaurant and have some pho. The broth and noodles always work wonders for me. I had coffee the other morning with a friend who had come to town to visit. She now lives in New Orleans. She is still not back in her house. She said that a lot of people down there have what they call the Katrina Crud. Some kind of mold thing. .....Well anyway... get well!
Posted by: Fred Garber | January 09, 2007 at 09:48 AM
Poor Beth, what a way to start the year! Your Dad's determination bodes well, though. Lots of love and best wishes to both of you.
Posted by: Jean | January 09, 2007 at 10:25 AM
Oh, that's harsh! I'm glad you are both on the mend from that bug. Now I wish you renewed energy. Congratulations to your father for his strong will to recover without meds. Best wishes to you both.
Posted by: marja-leena | January 09, 2007 at 10:34 AM
Oh, Lord! I feel sorry for both of you.
A hospital-borne intestinal illness is not something to fool around with. Hospitals in Ohio are now required to report outbreaks of Clostridium difficile, an unpleasant bacteria that resists a lot of sanitation measures. I gather it is fought by maintaining the highest possible sanitation -- something institutions try for but don't always reach.
I hope you're both feeling better. Wash your hands a lot.
Posted by: Peter | January 09, 2007 at 01:27 PM
Hospitals around here have the same problem and it's all over the news. Hang in there. Hope you start feeling much better very soon.
Posted by: Martine | January 09, 2007 at 04:23 PM
Sorry to hear about your illness. My dad has the same aversion to any kind of drug or pain medication -- he won't even take aspirin for a splitting headache! I dread what things will be like when he reaches your dad's age.
Posted by: Dave | January 09, 2007 at 04:53 PM
Oh, Beth.
"I can't be much help to him if I'm a wreck too."
Yes. And I can see what a challenge all this is: rarely are the Cassandra Pages without photos!
Health to both of you, to all three of you actually. Salud, gesundheit, santé.
Posted by: Teju | January 10, 2007 at 12:56 AM
I have a sufficiently vivid mental image, thank you, and am not missing photos! Hope you're both feeling better today, Beth.
Posted by: Jean | January 10, 2007 at 07:37 AM