Bionic lioness: morning 1

[jenett]

I've finally gotten a chance to get to a computer with a 'Net connection after spending most of the morning with our favorite bionic lioness.

She is doing a lot better this morning (and the pain seems to be slowly getting more under control.) I got there at 6am, got an update on the overnight stuff, and then was around for various morning things - everything from meds to food to her first physical therapy session. She got as far as sitting up and very briefly standing long enough for us to move some of the post-surgery support structures out from under her on the bed.

In typical Lioness fashion, she apologised profusely to the physical therapy folks for saying "Ouch" a lot and not being able to do everything all at once. They were great, and also very amused.

I also got to see my first encounter with the CART (real time captioning) folks: despite us puzzling her somewhat with references to grues (the path from the parking to Elise's hotel room is a maze of twisty passages, all alike), skiffy (in reference to something I'm reading and we were discussing), and various other terms of art, she was not only very good at her job, but seemed to be enjoying it. The CART is definitely a big help to Elise, as it gives her a way to keep track of ongoing conversations much more easily when her focus is not as good as it might be.

All of the other medical staff were also very thoughtful about handling the signs around the room saying "Hearing Impaired Patient" and instructions on how to deal with that.

I will be back there tomorrow morning, bright and shiny early, and am otherwise alternating between a brief stint at the job to deal with paperwork.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Saying "Ouch!" is good! Lets the PT and other folks know what's going on with her. Also, making noise when something hurts reduces the actual pain, or at least a report in the NY Times this week so indicates.

Hug-equivalents to the lioness from CA -

-- Lisa
Lisa Hirsch

[erik]

What good news!

[snippy]

Thanks for the update, glad it's such good news!

[aedifica]

Hooray for better pain management!

[mrissa]

I'm so glad it's going as well as this, and I hope it gets to be going better yet. Thanks for letting us know.

[janetmiles]

*tries to make a joke about putting the CART before the Lioness, but it just doesn't work out*

Thanks for the update. Yay for cool technology that helps, and yay at least twice for competent medical people who pay attention to patient needs.

[(Anonymous)]

Yays for a Lioness with shiny news parts!

And yays for excellent and helpful technology and people who care.

Happiness and warm thoughts from Toronto.

- BridgetJ

[bam]

This is good news. Standing up! Doing some PT! Tell Elise that saying 'ouch' is expected feedback. If she doesn't say 'ouch', then they won't know that they've bent her too far.

[fgherman]

Glad to hear that things are going as well as can be expected.

Let me know if I can assist with anything.

[emmabull]

Yaaayyy! Thank you for the update. And I'm so glad the CART is proving helpful. You'll get 'em trained about the grues and the skiffy and the other technical terms in no time, I bet. *g*

I wish I could send paletas (Mexican ice cream bars) from Arizona...

[jenett]

No paletas I fear. (Though perhaps I could investigate, there being any number of interesting Mexican groceries on Lake Street...) but there have been popsicles.

From Klages

[(Anonymous)]

Yay! Elise has SHINY-NESS inside now!

Much hugs and kisses and good thoughts.

(Fine chocolates and toys to follow, as needed.)

Love,

Ellen

I'm glad for her and wishing all the best

[(Anonymous)]

for her recovery.

For what it's worth, my father-in-law had his second hip replacement last August. when he had his first one the amount of pain from the surgery and replacement was less than the hip's actual pain, and the second one was too. He told us he'd dreaded the surgery (who doesn't?), but when he woke up with less pain he was really happy.

I'm praying to my goddess for the Lionesses good and easy recovery.
dragonet@kc.rr.com

Hugs gentle

[(Anonymous)]

I send gentle hugs. I know (from new knee) that it takes several weeks before you begin to say, "I'm glad I did it!" and can answer your own question, "Why the hell did I put myself through all this." But meantime, lots of gentle hugs, good wishes, etc.

I eat a scone in your honor, Elise.

xxxJane

Jane Yolen

welcome to the cyborg club!

[(Anonymous)]

Am so very glad to hear that surgery went well, and that pain management is (finally!) getting under control. Swearing profusely got me through a lot of PT. Well, swearing AND drugs. Huge wishes for the smoothest and least trying recovery possible, and good sleep too.
--katie (heyokish)

[bam]

I hope Elise is doing better this morning. The first couple days of joint replacement are a bitch.

[athenais]

I'm so happy to read this, and hope for more information today. Thank you for the updates.