Sir Koff-A-Lot and the Nose in the Hose

Dad is still doing well, though he was more tired today and seemed to be in a bit more pain.  It could have been the 16 laps he did around the nurses station.  Basically, the man needs to slow down!!!  He probably is just sore from the exercise.  I can always tell when he is tired or hurting as he becomes less and less entertained by my particular brand of humor.  Actually, he is hardly entertained by it at all. But when he is tired or hurting, he doesn't even bother to give me strange looks but just closes his eyes and ignores me all together.

I think the pain meds are making him say crazy things too.  He was blabbering on about how he is halucinating and seeing holograms that fade in and out of reality and sometimes he thinks people come visit him who were never there or is surprised when we "come back".  What a weirdo.  Then he told me how excited he was to "get the nose out of his hose"-- what he really meant was he was excited to get the tube (hose) out of his nose.  That should be happening tomorrow.  Over the course of the next week he will get several 'hoses' removed...nose hose, chest tubes, epidural, catheter etc.... he has the whole rainbow of colors coming out of his body right now.  It's gross and cool at the same time.

The above picture is of Sir-Koff-A-Lot... isn't he regal with his bow tie?  I think so, but Mom and Dad didn't so they stripped him down.  Mom said that Dad is a grown man and doesn't need a bear with a bow tie.  Yet, he still needs the bear apparently.  He needs the bear because it is a weighted bear and if he squeezes it, it will help not to hurt as much when he coughs.  Pillows work too.

I forgot to mention that Dad started being fed through his J tube yesterday.  It's his feeding tube that goes right into his intestine (they still aren't ready for him to have anything go down his esophagus or his stomach as it is still healing).  The food looks like chocolate milk, but he won't be tasting any of that. 2 Weeks post surgery he will have a barium test to check for leaks to see if everything is healed up as it should.

He also got a fun new 'toy'... it's one of those dentist-type suction hoses that sucks up all your spit.  He made it a point to gross us all out with it several times.  Dad also wandered down to the patient/family lounge to help us with a puzzle (probably why he is feeling more pain--doing too much). Shortly after he decided to return to his room to continue more phlegm sucking and pain med button pushing... then he fell asleep and we went home.

Another update tomorrow....