*2blog*

My Little Chapless Chap

Ian's jaw surgery went well yesterday. Basically, they wired it shut. There's really nothing else they can do in his case, since it broke on both sides up at the top where it hinges into the skull. Those hinges are gone now, so his body will have to come up with some new connection. The doctors said he will most likely have TMJ and pain there for life. He will have his jaw wired shut for 3 weeks, and then they will replace the wires with rubber bands to encourage him to strengthen his jaw. After another 3 weeks, he will have all the metal stuff taken out.

In the meantime, we get to carry around a pair of scissors in case he should ever get sick to his stomach. We would then cut the wires. Fortunately, that almost never happens. We did have to spend a lot of time in recovery with him yesterday, as they had to keep giving him medicine for nausea as a precaution, so we got to sit and watch him sleep for about four hours. We ended up leaving Little Rock at 4:30 pm. Woohoo. I'm so glad Scott was driving! In addition to normal rush hour traffic with the maniac drivers, we also have lots of road construction.

By the time we got home last night, Ian became his dad's patient. Why do they call it "patient"? Ian wasn't and I wasn't. I went to bed early to keep from being a hag. Scott's going into town now to get the liquid forms of Tylenol #3 and antibiotics. There is hardly any way to crush a pill and make it tolerable to drink. I tried everything last night before I gave up and let Scott deal with it. I even tasted a milkshake I made at one point, and I could have drank it without tasting the medicine, but Ian wasn't hurting bad enough at the time to try. Maybe I should have drank it. ;) At 4 am I guess he realized that he needed the pain med after all (gee, it's tough being right all the time) and crushed his own and drank it with juice, which was horrible, but hey, he had his chance earlier.

But anyway, I will cheer up today. I'm glad not to be living at the hospital anymore, and I imagine it will get easier from here for Ian and everyone. People who know us have been very kind. I appreciate all the comments, thoughts and prayers from all of you here.

Posted by 2Flower at May 7, 2004 08:52 AM