Update #186

We finally have Internet again! Not only that, but my laptop, which was away on a "seven to ten day" warranty repair finally came back yesterday...after only 35 days! :-) So, we are up and running with regular posts again.

Friday's Plastics appointment was what we expected - Dave's incisions are healing well, and the skin around his wound still looks good in spite of the drainage. One major change - as we were out and about on Friday before the appointment, a new drainage hole opened up. Remember just before Christmas when we got transferred to UC because of a second fistula? This hole is in the same spot. One would think that development would be disappointing, but this time, it actually turned out to be a good thing because the change in the landscape of Dave's abdomen actually allows us to cover that area with an ostomy pouch (which we couldn't do from the site where the drainage had been coming from up until now) instead of a bulky dressing, and drainage being rerouted to the new hole is allowing the other area to heal. So, believe it or not, the second fistula opening before Christmas actually benefited Dave in the long run because the tissue there was still weak enough to allow the new drainage to escape in a much more convenient location.

Then, yesterday. The Trauma appointment with Dr. Muskat was what we had really been waiting on. And...he is VERY encouraged. In spite of increasing Dave's diet from liquid to low residue a week and a half ago, the amount of drainage has not gone up at all! Not only that, the consistency of the drainage has changed dramatically, to the point that Dr. Muskat doesn't even think it is true drainage from Dave's intestines anymore but may instead be a leftover pocket of fluid from the surgery that is still leaking. All of that to say that it looks like the hole may be closing! Dave had another CT last night, and we won't get the results for a day or two, but if things still look good when we do, he'll be back on a regular diet and well on his way to being dressing-free in the near future. So, it's taking a little longer than we had hoped, but the surgery may have worked after all. Yeah!

Life overall is very positive right now. Dave is feeling as good as (if not better than) he was pre-surgery, and he is pushing himself to get stronger. We got the go-ahead from Dr. Muskat to head back to the gym to work out - very slowly at first, of course. And - get this - Dave tried RUNNING yesterday. I looked out the window while I was washing dishes and he was carefully trotting back and forth across the yard. He said it was really difficult and his feet still aren't as strong as he would like, but he didn't fall, and he was certainly moving a whole lot faster than he has since the accident (well, except when I was racing him around the mall in the wheelchair, but that doesn't count).

Next on the agenda: driving. Dave tried once a couple of months ago, but his right leg wasn't even strong enough to move between the gas and brake, so we gave up before we even started. Now, his legs are stronger, but his main concern is the blindness in his right eye. We're planning to start tomorrow (it's pouring here today) in a very large, very open parking lot with my car, which is an automatic, instead of his, which is a standard - we'll see how it goes. Please be praying that things go smoothly and Dave gets his confidence back quickly. He is very hesitant to drive at all because he wants to make sure it is completely safe (both for himself and for everyone else on the road), but him driving or not obviously will have a huge impact on our life in the future - where we live, how often we travel, etc.

More updates when we hear back on the CT and when the first drive is over. Keep praying!