Where we stand?

I haven't been very good about writing the last 2 months.  Once we got though the radiation and chemo treatments, things slowed down.  An occasional doctors visit was all we did.  It took Bryan until the middle of December to start feeling better.  By Christmas, he was feeling quite a bit better, but then after Christmas he got a cold.  Funny how he worked every day thru radiation, but a cold kept him home.  But anyone that knows Bryan knows he has the art of coughing perfected.  So rather than share his germs with the world, he stay home for a couple of days.  But he had a hard time pulling out of that cold.  I could see a difference in his strength.  He really tired easily and although he kept his positive attitude and joyfully personality, he was struggling some.  So we were really glad when Jan 19th finally got here.

On January 17th, we spent all afternoon at the hospital getting him ready for surgery.  He did all the blood work and then we spent some time at the wound clinic.  They explained what a colostomy bag was and what he would be doing for the rest of his life.  Some people aren't as lucky as he is, they only have it for a few months, but Bryan will get to have it forever.  I still feel blessed that a bag is the worst that we have.  He could of had it so much worse.  Saying that, doesn't simplify it any.  His life is changed forever.

The wound clinic was so good for us.  They had him bend and stretch and move around and find the place that would be the most comfortable and easiest to work with.  They told us in detail how to work with it, what to expect and how to manage it.  What a blessing they were.  Two hours in an afternoon educated us in so many ways.

Wednesday, Bryan had a full day at work trying to get ready to leave the office for a couple of weeks (I hope that is all if will be).  Our plan is that I can help him through the next few to keep business going.  I am nervous about that.  But he still had to do a liquid diet and the flushing of the body.  That is the 3rd time in the last 3 months.  He is really sick of it. We had help to make the evening light with the kids and lots of games.  What a blessing our children are.  They have been such a support for the last few months.

Thursday morning we were at the hospital at 10:30 waiting for the big event.  The doctor wanted him last, so that he could take his time and make sure it was done right.  The idea turned out to be the best.

I left him at 12:30 and headed to the waiting room.  Dr, Cook had told  me to plan on 4-5 hours total (prep, surgery, and recovery) but that if the surgery wasn't done in 3 hours he would send someone out to tell me where they stood.  So we started the waiting game.  About 4:30, Dr. Cooks PA came out and told us that he was doing fine, but that it was just a really hard surgery.  They had explained to me that Bryan's pelvis was narrow and tight and that it had been hard to get what they needed.  Men are harder to work on than women in this spot.  Jory said they would be another hour or so.  So we waited some more,  Finally at a little after 6, Dr. Cook came out,  He told me that the surgery was really tough.  He repeated it several times.  He said he had lost a lot of blood and they had given him a unit of blood in the surgery.  Dr. Cook told me that he removed everything that was needed to have his best chances of getting rid of the cancer, which left him with a colostomy bag.  We knew that would be the case so we were prepared.  Dr. Cook said that Bryan had done really well, it was just a tough surgery. Dr. Cook said that he would be in recovery about an hour and then they would come and get me.

At 7:30, we decided to call and check with the nurse to see how things were going.  I was told he was doing well, but it would be another half hour.  The waiting continued.  At 8:30, James said he would call again.  The kids were surprised that they hadn't at least let me go back by now.  James was across the room talking to the nurse and I could tell by the look on his face, that there was more to the story than I had been told.  When James came back to explain, he didn't even know where to begin or what to say.  Ashley had called the first time and wasn't given any information, so we didn't expect anything.

The nurse informed James that the first epidural had not worked,  Bryan woke up and the pain was horrible.
The doctor had to put the epidural in again.  So they had him sit up in bed and you can guess from there what happened.  He remembers sitting up, throwing up, and looking at the clock at 6:00.  Then the next thing he remembers is waking up and looking at the clock and it was 9:00.  When the nurses came and got us it was just after 9:00.  He looked so pale.  Bryan knew he had worried me when he saw the time.  He kept saying I'm sorry to worry you.

I had held it together pretty well until they wheeled him upstairs and the nurse said to me "if you will just wait out in the waiting room, when Mr. Pendleton is ready we will come and get you".  I looked at him and said, can you do it in less than 3 hours, and then I fell apart.  The nurse could tell that was to much to ask.  He said "I'm sorry you can stay".  As the nurses from recovery left, they said "We have had more fun with him this afternoon than we wanted, we are happy to leave him hear.  Good Luck!