Today, Suzanne had the rest of the staples removed from her neck incision by the Grey’s Anatomy team. Upon inspection, they noticed that a small area was still open and would report back to the Doctor.

Dr. A arrived around 1 pm with his whole surgical team. After looking both inside and out, he shared that this was one of the complications he originally spoke about that might occur. The skin in that area has been recently radiated, poor quality, and is not healing properly. To ensure that it does, he recommended staying in the Hospital through the weekend so they could monitor that area and make sure it gets better and not worse. Now that area will have to heal from the inside out. As disappointed as she was, Suzanne agreed with me that it seemed like the most prudent thing to do.

Suzanne also shared with me that another one of her Dr’s was in earlier this morning and told her she had the biggest surgery on the floor and doesn’t complain enough. Additionally, all the nurses have told him that she is the easiest patient, tube feeds herself, walks a lot, never complains, works with their schedules . . . . I told her, nurses aren’t used to dealing with us rural farm type that believes if it needs to be done, just Get’er done.

Finally, today the drain in her right arm was pulled, the arm re-dressed, and a little training for us as well. The area down by the wrist is where the ‘flap’ was taken and is still covered, this is the spot the skin graft hopefully will take hold. Tomorrow the stitches that run up this arm will come out. This was where a vein & artery connected to the ‘flap’ were stripped to give blood flow to the reconstruction in her neck.

After they re-wrapped her right arm, she now has a lot more mobility in her right wrist. Stuck in the hospital now for a couple more days, “Bring me some embroidery” were the orders I was given.

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment,
1 Timothy 6:6