Looks like a long night

We're home.  My husband had his Thumb, wrist and arm surgery today. They did 3 separate procedures on his right hand.  Removed the thumb joint and replaced it with part of a tendon from his forearm.  Revised his old carpal tunnel surgery, cleaned out the scar tissue, removed the lining around the nerve and covered the nerve with a synthetic material so new scar tissue doesn't form.  There were some complications with his blood pressure, it was very high and still isn't coming down very well even with additional  medication.  I have to keep checking his blood pressure through the night and call his regular doc in the am to let him know how it is.  He has 4 separate incisions.. They had to use general anesthesia but after the surgery they gave him a block under the arm to deaden the arm to control the pain and hopefully help in getting his bp down.

His bp is still 195/96 even after they gave him a medicine through the IV to lower his BP.  I have to keep checking it through the night to make sure it doesn' t start going up again.  Now he is running a temp. Have to watch that it's 100 right now. 

Good news for me I'm on the Z-pack Antibiotic and the prednisone seems to be starting to help with this cough.

Hugs, Paulette

Paulette,

Im sure you are not reading this now, but that seems like too high of a blood pressure to send him home with.  If his temp goes any higher I would call the dr tonite ( of course if you are reading this tonite).  That sounds a little crazy to me.  I would call  your Dr in the morning regardless and let him know what happened.

Hi Eileen,

I was really upset they sent him home with the bp that high too.  His surgery was done at an Out pt Surgery center and the anesthesiologist made the decision to release him. I could tell the nurse on duty didn't agree because she said..."It hasn't come down since the injection"  The anes. said " it will..."    By 11 pm it finally started to some down, it was 160/86 then.  This am it is back to normal 100/60.  He still has 100 + temp so I have a call in to the doc.  I think they should have sent him home with an antibiotic too.  He has implants in both hip & knees and they always worry about infection with him.

Thanks for your concern and input.  Hugs, Paulette

Paulette, I have to agree with Eileen. Why did they send him home with a high BP? To me it seems if you have had that many proceedures done, it would of been a given to stay over night.

I hope everything was ok overnight, and that you were able to get some rest yourself.

Hugs,

Lisa

Hi Lisa,

I was up a few times during the night with him but by eleven pm  he was doing better, and the pain meds kicked in too. I got up at 2:30  and 4:30 to chekc on him , at 4:30 he needed more pain med.  His bp is back to normal this am but still running a slight fever. Waiting for the doc to call.  Oops he's clling needs pain meds again....

Hugs, Paulette

Palette

I hope hubby is doing much better this morning.  That is a hard surgery to have.  My neighbor had it done about 6 weeks ago.  Recovery is a long haul.  My doctor keeps trying to talk me into it and I am like no way! 

Give hubby some TLC today.  Hope you both start to feel better soon. 

Hi Nancy,

We're bith doing better this am.  The Prednison, Pulmacort & Z-pack seem to have all kicked in.  Still coughing but at least now my chest isn't buring and hurting.

Earl is doing better this am too.  Bp is back to normal although running a slight fever @ 100.  I have a call into the doc, I think he needs an antibiotic because of the artificial joints.  Ususally whenever he has surgery he gets an infection, they say because of the RA, so they send him home on an antibiotic. 

Thanks stay warm & safe today in all this snow and blizzard stuff.

Hugs, paulette

Dear Paulette:

I am sending healing energy your way and hoping for a quick recovery for both you and Earl.

Hi Dawn,

I think we have both finally turned the corner .  Today I feel much better, still coughing but not as bad as before.  Earl finally has normal blood pressure and  normal temp.  This has been a very hard surgery for him.  He has lots of swelling in his arm, hand and fingers and alot of pain.  Earl usually toughs it out and doesn't take anything stronger than Tylenol for pain.  He said this is the worst pain he has had.  Worse than having the hip and knee replacements.  I don;t know if it's because of all the things they had to do or what.  He has been taking the Tylenol #3 every 4 hours until today, now he is about 5 -6 hours between doses.  He is allergic to most of the pain meds they have tried.  They sent him home with Vicodin but then he broke out in hives and itching from that.  But he did feel well enough to get a shower and cleaned up today .  We have a cast cover thingie that covered all of his arm so he could get in the shower.  He'll see the surgeon on Wed. to get the stitches out and starts therapy on Thursday.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, Paulette

Prayers and warm wishes to you and Earl-call the doc-w/artificail joints an infection is a very dangerous thing!!  Been there w/Eddie!  Love to you both-Janet K