The daughter had her operation and is home again, though it’s a miracle she had it when she did. The doctor’s exact words, “looked like a bomb went off inside” her. They removed everything abnormal and non-essential, then reconstructed and repositioned organs that were in some places twisted 180 degrees out of place.
The one good – if ironic – aspect of emergency surgery during a pandemic? She had every top specialist in the field immediately available if/when complications arose. And this was at the Mayo hospital, because my kid is a walking, talking medical complication. If she’d gone to the typical hospital she most likely wouldn’t have survived. The doctor at Mayo was familiar with her case and expected things to be about what they were.
Because her case was documented to kingdom come, and thanks to the pandemic scenario, they did major surgery on an outpatient basis. Given her erratic autonomic systems, we were more than a little nervous about that. Fortunately, she more or less breezed through: no spikes or troughs in heart rate or BP, and her digestive system and renal systems are working like they’re supposed to. The last time she had surgery (about four years ago) her body went berserk and we nearly lost her.
The daughter’s neighbors brought over a plate of homemade choco-chip cookies the morning after she got home, and they offered to help any way they can. Which is awesome of them. They’re going to tote her trash can to and from the curb for the next few weeks, since she’s not allowed to push, pull, bend, or pick up anything weighing more than 4lb.
Since I work from home, I packed up all my work equipment and worked from her home for the week. I came back to my home last night, exhausted and in pain myself, but glad she’s doing as well as she is. (She isn’t going to be alone for a few more days – she’s got a friend staying for the rest of the weekend.)
We launched a GoFundMe for the kid. She had quit her job to go to work where I work, and was supposed to start Monday. But with this surgery she’s sidelined for a minimum of six weeks, maybe 8-12. She can’t get unemployment because she quit her last job, and her ex got her stimulus check and her tax refund so she was left out in the cold. We’re doing all we can but we hit the end of our budget.
Aside from the whole my body is killing me detail, I arrived home to some pleasant surprises. After months of my whining, the spousal unit finally replaced the crappy, skinny metal legs on our sofa and added a center brace. It looks exponentially better, and I don’t cringe whenever I sit down. It had started bowing in the middle because there was so no center support. That’s been resolved.
We also had some deliveries while I was gone.
I had ordered a couple of custom-made dresses a couple of weeks before the pandemic exploded and shut down everything worldwide. I’d given up on my order and already contacted the folks about canceling, when lo and behold, it was delivered. On top of my order, they even tucked in three face masks. I already have masks but not going to lie – happy to have more.
Also a laughable one – a whim order from Amazon promising a “large-cup leisure bra”. It arrived. It might be a C cup, but that’s stretching the imagination a bit. That’s “large” for a transvestite using chicken cutlets, maybe? I paid next to nothing for it, fortunately. It’s not worth sending back. It might fit my itty-bitty older daughter or one of the ladies in the park here.
I’m so glad your daughter’s surgery went so well. I hope she recovers equally well. Glad you are home and that you had a few surprises waiting for you. I hope things will settle down again.
I hope so. I got called in to work an hour early today and it’s a Sunday. I expect this will be another long week.