A good day...mostly

Yesterday we had the chance to visit with several doctors.  The infectious disease doctor, who we love and is so careful about everything, said, "I really don't see any evidence of infection.  You are doing great.  Call me if you need me."

Then we went to the oral surgeon.  Wound care wanted him involved early so that we could talk about what to do if my bone transplant has died etc.  He took a look at my pano and said, "I don't think your fibula graft has died.  Usually it looks moth eaten when it dies.  I think there is some dead bone that will need to be cleaned out but not the whole graft."  He felt like when chemo is done and we have a handle on this cancer we could do hyperbaric therapy again and surgery.  The surgery didn't sound too bad.  Most of the important structures that they would normally have to cut through are already gone.  He also talked about reconstruction of my sunken cheek.  Apparently they can take a muscle from your chest, turn it over and thread it up through your neck, into the area that needs to be filled.  Again, he said that he thought this could be done locally.  Yeah.  I have joked with JoLynne about having a breast implant put in my cheek when I am done.  I keep telling her that I only need an "A size", that shouldn't be too expensive.  Anyway, we will cross that bridge when we get to it.  I plan on getting better, I love it when people act that way too.

On the not so good side, I went home after that and sat down to lunch.  I was being good, eating soft foods when suddenly I started to bleed and not a little.  It quickly filled my bandage and was falling out on the table.  JoLynne grabbed me and ran for the emergency room  I had a rag on it which was filling up.  The waiting area was pretty empty and they checked me in and said "Sorry, we don't really have a room for you.  Why don't you just sit there until we have a room available."  We sat for an hour, JoLynne and I and my blood soaked rag.  I thought, "If I were having a heart attack would I be sitting here waiting for a room?"  Who knows.  Anyway, after an hour the bleeding had stopped and they were ready for me.  Oh brother.  They tested my platelets and they were low but not too low and basically they had no idea what to do so they simply put a new bandaid on my face.  After the bandaid it still took them over an hour to discharge me.  Are all emergency rooms run this poorly?  I wonder.  In the meantime, don't have a heart attack in Utah Valley.

Who are those youngsters?

Later when we got home our bishop and stake president came over to give me a blessing.  That was more valuable to me than what they did at the emergency room.  They gave JoLynne a blessing as well which I greatly appreciated.

Today I am tired but good.  It is our 31st anniversary today.  JoLynne informs me that we have been married 11,323 days.  I can't describe how blessed I have been by having JoLynne in my life.  She is my soulmate, my sweetheart, my support when I can't stand on my own, my confidant, my darling wife.  Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for her.