D Update #14: We're Home!!!

By Bill Craig
We're home! Walked in the door about 3 hours ago. I hate that my otherwise so active and beautiful wife has been brought down by these stupid happenings, but I'm making it my project to get her back on her feet and, as soon as she's able, taking her with me to the track so she can walk and build her strength again.We were discharged this afternoon, but didn't leave the hospital until 8 PM Friday night.

Dondra is far from well, and will need home oxygen, physical therapy, many follow-up doctor's visits and much TLC (that's  my department! LOL!).

Funny story: As D was getting dressed, and I had already taken some stuff down to the car, I came upon her nurse giving report to another nurse outside her door.

"She's doing so much better", she told her, "and will be going home within the hour and thank God she's taking that asshole husband of hers with her!"

I walked smiling past them into D's room, and I know she knew I'd heard her.

But I don't mind being thought an asshole as long as I know I did the best I could to watch over my wife. They'll meet many more assholes worse than me, I think

Just to recap for y'all:

1. She had a severely inflamed and infected gallbladder which HAD to be removed. Our surgeon told us it was the largest one he'd ever seen, and it almost didn't pass through the bag used for laparoscopic surgery.

To put the size into perspective for you: Look at a bottle of Snapple tea, and then any plastic bottle containing 2 ounces of any liquid.

The 2 oz. bottle is a normal gallbladder and the Snapple bottle is what they pulled out of Dondra.

2. We found out she has pulmonary hypertension, a disease of the heart which is incurable, and can only be helped with home oxygen, medications or, in extreme cases, a lung transplant.

3. Because of the PH, we now have to watch out for any heart arrythmias, because the heart will have to pump much harder to get oxygen to the lungs.

There is no cure.

We have home oxygen for her, and we have the meds which will hopefully make a difference. The last resort is a lung transplant, because the pulmonary hypertension can destroy everything the lungs can do.

It hurts to see such a beautiful woman be weakened by this disease which can't be fixed, but I'm making it my quest to see that she'll keep active within her means, take her with me to the track to walk (when she can) and build her endurance, and to always know that I love her.



She's been with me pretty much all our married lives (both marriages! lol!) and shared my love for the animals. She's been with me through both rides: D2D4Wetnoses (www.d2d4wetnoses.com) and the Carrollton to Carrollton Ride To Care (www.c2cr2c.com), and I could not have asked for a more wonderful or loving companion both times. If I succeeded at all, it was her who put me there.

In short, I hope to one day be worthy of her love.

Please click to feed our little four-footed friends!
The Animal Rescue Site

Thanks,

Bill

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