I got a call this morning asking me if my husband had had anything to eat or drink today and I said, "he is eating right now." It was from the eye center at the University of Virginia which is about an hour and a half from here. She said that the doctor wanted him to come in and that he could not have anything to eat or drink for eight hours prior to surgery, they wanted to do surgery tonight and then send him home and have him return in the morning for a post operative check up. I told her that I cannot drive at night so that's not going to happen. She said she would check with the doctor and I asked about his medications because we were told by the ophthalmologist here that he would have to be off his plavyx for at least five days before surgery. They disagree and think he will be fine. He should just go ahead and take his medications in the morning and they want him at the clinic by 8:00 for a 4:00 surgery...wait, WHAT????? I had a fit, seriously, I cannot have him there that early unless I get up at 4:00AM because it takes me 2-3 hours to be able to WALK, let alone try to drive. I was ready to tell them to plan for NEXT week and a different assistant called me back and said that it would be a very bad idea to wait another week because there are changes in the retinal tear that could end up making the damage irreversible. NOT my favorite word. In any event, they agreed that he does NOT have to be there by 8:00, he can arrive by 11:00. They gave me directions and we are eligible for free valet parking because we are BOTH handicapped. If the surgery is at 4:00 and that IS an IF because another surgery could end up taking more or less time...IF it is at 4:00, he MIGHT get out and be able to be home before dark. If it is after dark, Damon, our son, says he will come and drive him home and that I can go home before dark. I said that would be okay...I guess. I am not leaving until he is out of surgery. He may be able to have his post operative check up at a doctor's office that is closer to here...if NOT, I will have to drive him back there on Thursday morning. I am concerned about him getting carsick because he gets really sick in the car when he is not driving and there will be two trips in one day...there and back and then again the NEXT day after surgery. I will ask them to medicate him for nausea so that maybe he will be able to sleep. This is crazy...although I will be really glad to have his vision restored, if that happens. This has been going on for well over a year but it got significantly worse after the heart attack and eye surgery cannot be done for at least six months after bypass surgery. I am learning so much...I never assisted on eye surgery or cardiac surgery and everything would have changed so much in the time since I retired that it would not matter anyways.
I will check in tonight, I have to run to the store for a few things...will probably check in quickly tomorrow but then I MAY be absent for a couple of days, depending upon how he does.
Love to all...no smoking!
Ellen
