Janet relocated to a skilled nursing unit on the fourth floor of St. Mary's Medical Center today, a unit where patients are sent when they're not healing as quickly as expected. "Service is a bit slower here, but it's all fine,'' she told me this morning in a voice-mail message.
Early in the morning, she was to receive a blood transfusion because her blood count is very low. Janet says she believes the low blood count is due to the fact that she donated blood -- twice, I think -- to herself before her operation on Tuesday. "That's the joy for today,'' she says. "So I'm feeling a little dehydrated and weak and starting to rethink the whole idea of having surgery. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.''
She's exercising, working on leg extensions and "just feeling a little blue.''
It helps to know that her friends and co-workers are thinking of her. The flowers USA TODAY sent are "beautiful tulips.''
Janet has some access to e-mail, so encourages friends to send her a message, although she can't always respond. "It makes me feel good to know people are out there thinking of me,'' she says.
It's hard to judge someone's condition from a telephone call. Still, Janet sounded better than when I spoke with her Thursday. That day, she was heavily medicated as doctors tried a different pain medication. Today, in contrast, Janet sounded stronger and more clear-headed. That's great!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment