Inpatienience

8-20-23 DARTMOUTH-HITCHCOCK MEDICAL CENTER: I’m still an inpatient. I had the operative procedures last Sunday and Monday to establish external fixation of my fractured tibial plateau, half of the knee joint. This procedure is a temporary solution.

Internal fixation is the permanent fix. I am on  a NPO after Midnight  order, which is medicalese for nothing by mouth after 12 PM so that the stomach will be empty before anesthesia the next day and the repair. Will it happen? Maybe, but I’ve been NPO a few times already, and been left at the altar—jilted. 

Alison and Dan were here for most of the day today and yesterday. It was nice to have the company. Judy has been here everyday, usually twice a day, at least once with a dog, her specialty. The four of us had a chance to talk with an orthopedic on call today, Dr. Fort, and got to explain our [my] particular needs. Alison has sent me pix from the gardens.

Jon and Siobhan, Anna, Lily, Maggie, Lucy, Bob, Bill, Lynn, Carol, Roger, Ann, Laura-Beth have all called in the last few days or been here. Val and Steve have been in ME looking after Steve’s Mom, Mary.

Fingers crossed.