Friday, April 24, 2009

Playing nursemaid, only not the dirty kind with slutty costumes and such

I'm in full-on caretaker mode. Poor Jason is laid up on the couch with his leg in a brace. He has to keep it elevated to prevent clotting. He's on mega-doses of percocet, and still hurts. Last night was really rough -- he just couldn't stay on top of the pain, even though, at my direction, he took extra pain pills. Sleeping is difficult. He feels guilty that I'm caring for him and Zeke and the dog and keeping the house together, while he can barely get from the couch to the bathroom without significant pain.

But I don't mind it. I can see how uncomfortable he is. And after the first day (the day of the surgery itself), when both Zeke and the dog seemed determined to fight me on every little thing, they've both calmed down. Zeke is learning to obey the two rules I'm insisting on enforcing these days -- don't touch the buttons on the TV, cable box or DVD player, and sit down in the booster seat when eating at the table. The dog is resigned to the fact that Jason, his favorite, can't take him on a million walks a day, so he's stuck with me.

Our friends have been amazing. Rich stayed with Jason at the surgery center until I could leave work to go pick him up, and has come by to visit him and to hang out and watch ski- and/or mountain biking-porn. Kathleen picked up Zeke at school on Wednesday so I could bring Jason home and get him situated. My friend Jen brought over a delicious meal so I wouldn't have to cook. Everyone has been so sweet and supportive and helpful, I'm really grateful.

And my mom is coming tomorrow morning. Thank goodness.

7 comments:

  1. Tell him that he has been lying around enough and get off his a**

    ;0)

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  2. Ohh, I'm so sorry! I'm glad your mom is going to be there.

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  3. Rosalba7:56 PM

    Wendy - wow! - your plate is definitely full - Hope Jason heals well.

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  4. I'm glad your mom is coming, too. That's a lot of responsibility to have. I'm sure you could handle it, but still, it's nice to have help.

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  5. Man! You've got your hands full! Watch out for day three...i've found that's when the confidence in the meds settles in, then the patient thinks it's okay to do things. then they end up hurting worse for a while. make him be calm and sit around at least a day longer than he thinks he should!
    And it's soooooo good that you're around help and more is coming...we'll be thinking about you guys and send our love all around!

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  6. Michelle LeGault6:56 PM

    Why did Jason have to have knee surgery? I feel like I've missed a post.

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  7. Josh - I passed along your message. He laughed.

    Lisa - my mom has been a godsend. My house is clean, I have time to take a breath, and Zeke is having a blast with his Mimi.

    Rosalba - Thanks! J's feeling some better, things are getting easier.

    Lisa - True dat. ;)

    Elizabeth - he's doing much better. The pain is subsiding, though now he's really bummed about not being able to be up and around. He's still being a really good patient, though.

    Michelle - J had surgery to fix a condition called Osgood-Schlatter's. It causes bone spurs under and around the knee joint. It's fairly common in children and usually heals up on its own, but in J the spurs just got bigger and more uncomfortable the older he got. The doctors in Australia told him there was nothing to be done for it, but he went to an awesome orthopedic surgeon here who told him he could definitely help him.

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Nu?