Martin ~ Slow but steady

Things are moving along for Martin although quite slowly. The plastic fellow was here at 6am and removed the bandage over Martin's chest where the flap of flesh, artery, vein, etc. was lifted up to the inside of his neck and turned out to be his new skin in his mouth. Did you pass out yet? The suture is "pretty"..yes pretty...it is not angry red or irritated but it is large. About 9 inches long I guess.

He just had a doc remove the nasal-gastric tube from his nose since it is time and not necessary since the stomach tube is in now for tube feeding. He never did receive formula via that nasal tube this surgery. He used thay tube on the last surgery but this time, the jaw bone was so brittle and easily damaged, although gone along with the infected tissue, it is better to be on the stomach tube for a short time to allow the jaw area to really heal and be clean. The nurses are beginning to put medicines in via the tube as well and Martin may even begin to get pain meds via the tube and off the I.V. tower. I wish I had a working camera cord to upload pics. His I.V. tower was loaded up with pumps and bags of multiple fluids until this morning then the nurse started to take them off one by one. His load was lightened. He got two of the four I.V. lines pulled already this morning. Next is to downsize his tracheotomy tube for breathing in his neck either this a.m. or sometime soon. He will be off the I.V. fluids after his tube feeding is up to 70ccs so that could be tonight sometime or tomorrow. Dr. Myers, Martin's surgeon now for the past two years, the "subtractive" surgeon as I call him, is looking at discharge by Monday or at least he wants to watch Martin through the weekend. The new "flap" needs to be happy attached to the area with severe radiation and infection which is more challenging than if it were adhered to perfectly healthy or unaffected tissue. Martin wants a shower pretty badly..maybe today with the nurse we can make that happen. Head and Neck, i.e., Dr. Myers team says it is fine...we need the Plastics team to approve it then go for it.

Martin has a good attitude and as you may know, that can be challenging while sitting, waiting and, waiting to heal. He is up and about walking the pod. So well that last evening, I was on my makeshift bed, in his room knitting, door open and he went off to walk the floor himself. When he passed by the door, he glanced at me and I promise, he was walking a good clip as if nothing has happened. Yipppeee! Healing is coming along.