11am Sunday June 9th – Day 4 Post-op

Dr. Clavel came by (on a Sunday!! – I cannot even imagine a surgeon doing coming out to see his patients on a Sunday in the States).  He has Sonja and one other patient to see.

He took the drain out and started reducing the morphine (2ml drip)

Sonja’s heart has been racing with palpitations.

He said he thinks he will put her on some medication for that and will request the house doctor to pay her a visit and do and EKG just to keep an eye on it.

He said she lost about 2.5 litre (5.2 pints) of blood after the first operation.

They gave her about 4 litre (8.5 pints) of new blood (it’s normal to put in more than comes out).  Given this and that her body is having to work to recover it’s not unexpected that her heart would be working overtime.

She still has a little fluid on her lungs making her short of breath but they are a lot better

He is also requesting the physiotherapist to come by.  He think it would be very good to get her up, walking a little and sitting for a short period. It will help with her back, stomach and lungs.  

Generally Sonja is doing better, no pain just very weak. Although she is stronger than she was yesterday, able to move about on the bed a bit to make herself more comfortable.

Ate breakfast okay though needed some help

I got her to roll on her side and rubbed her back to get the creases out and circulation going, she enjoyed that and seemed to feel better for it.

Although t’s very early days, we won’t know for sure till she is up and about, so far every indication is that the disk replacement procedure was a complete success – fingers crossed!!!