I took this picture after a horrible day that day, knowing I saved a life was probably the only thing making me happy at this point that day.
I remember going into the room on the transplant floor, it was Rhoads 4004. Funny, the first thing I noticed going into my new room was the my TV was def. a down grade. Now more flat screen and it was pretty high up on the wall. I checked the stations right away to make sure I had A&E and Comcast Sports Net so I could watch Duck Dynasty and the Phillies games. I guess this was really the first time I had thought about TV in a few days. My nurse came in and asked how everything was and I told her it was hot in the room and I wanted the AC turned on. She went and took care of that and came back in to let me know the room was at it's lowest temp from the thermostat but she had contacted maintenance and asked them to kick up the air for me. This was a good start for me in my new room (the little things really meant a lot). She came in about a half hour later to get my vitals, empty the drains in my side, and all that jazz, and told me I could now get the IV that was in my neck taken out, I was excited about that. Again, it was another step forward and was helpful for the comfort aspect to not have something hanging out of my neck anymore. My surgeon came in with his "team" a little while later, to check on me and tell me that I was doing good but he wanted me to start breathing more into this little plastic tube to make sure my lungs were filling up properly and to avoid getting pneumonia. So this and getting up and moving around sounded like it was the best 2 ways to get out of the hospital sooner, so right away I started doing what the doctor said. I was up walking laps around the floor right away, although there was some pain when doing that I still had the epidural in my back so that helped with the pain. So the first full day on the floor went well, my nurses were awesome and on point with everything which was a really good feeling. I was able to wash up, brush my teeth and I shaved. They changed all my clothes and I felt like a new man, haha like I said in the hospital its the little things that really mean a lot. The one thing was terrible was the food, every time they brought me food I had no interest in eating it at all. Little did I know my pain experience was about to change ALOT. The nurse came in after mom and my sister had left for the day and let me know that they wanted to take me off of the epidural and they were going to start giving me my pain medicine by mouth now. I wasn't to excited about hearing this but again, I knew this was a step forward. So just like they said they came in that night when I was just about sleeping and disconnected the "pain pump" and started giving me my meds for pain now. They also took the catheter out of me to which was nice and again another step forward. So I went to sleep that night a little worried about how the pain was going to feel when I wasn't able to control it is easily as before. I woke up that morning not feeling to good at all, the surgeon came in with his team and started checking on me with no having the epidural anymore. The team member started pushing down on my stomach and immediately I was not a happy camper. I felt like this was the first time I was rude to someone there, they head Doctor said to her not to push so hard and I let out a strong and utter "yeah what he said" to her right after he said that. The pain was horrible I felt it shooting down the side of my hip and into my leg. I remember thinking oh crap is this what the next few days are going to be like. After they left I decided that I was going to try and do a few laps around the floor like I had done the day before. I spoke to my nurse about getting washed up and new sheet/clothes and stuff after walking. I started walking around the corner and the pain was terrible, to the point where I was halfway around the floor and I was debating on which was was quicker to get back to my room because I couldn't take it anymore. Before I was able to hit the pump and the pain would go away, I did not have that option anymore. So after I crawled back to my room I got in bed and my nurse came in and was going to help me wash up, I really didn't even want to do that at this point but i knew that this would make me feel a tad bit better. I got washed up and crawled into bed and feel asleep right away. I stayed in bed for awhile and knew that I wasn't going to have any visitors for a little while. The nurse came in while I was sleeping and woke me to give me my meds and check my vitals. He told me that I had until 2:00pm to take a pee on my own since I hadn't done that yet. I wasn't to happy about this now either, so I did everything I could to try and make myself go....I was pacing back and forth in my room, running water, sticking my hand in warm water. It was to the point where nothing was working and I was going to start using google for ideas. The time was now 2 and I hadn't gone yet, so they did a bladder scan to see if my bladder was full, if it wasn't they were going to give me another 2 hours to try and go. But I knew that it was full I had been drinking everything in sight to try and get to go. Sure enough the nurse confirmed that I had a liter of fluid in my bladder. He then told me that they were going to use a "straight catheter" so they could drain my bladder. At this point I was very upset, I was in pain and now I was going to have something done that I'm sure nobody ever wants to have done. So after the awful procedure I just wanted to be left alone. The nurse gave me another dead line this time I had til 10:00pm to go again. Mom and Sis were here now I was trying to be some what nice but was in no mood really. We chit chatted for awhile and again I feel asleep. Justin came up to see me later that night and I kind of vented to him about my day and felt a little better. I think talking to a guy about having that done (knowing they could understand why I was not happy) made me feel a lot better. He convinced me to get up and walk around to, maybe that would help with going to the bathroom too. I actually did pretty good and did 3 laps around the floor again too. As soon as I went back to the room I went to PEE!! Woohoo (again the little things matter, haha) I told the nurse when she came in the good news with a ton of excitement. I thanked Justin before he left for talking and hanging out with me, it was def. the best part of my day that day. The nurse came back to my room gave me my meds and checked my vitals. I feel asleep pretty fast tonight, it was a long day. I got up to use the bathroom again early in the morning and had to let them know whenever I did so they could monitor how much fluid I was putting out. She came in after logged it and and then checked my bladder for fluid again...there was still 750mL in my bladder so now I was not emptying completely. :( She had to contact the doctor and came back in and said we are putting the catheter with the bag back in. Oh great, not again, this was really happening. I was very sad and pissed off at the same time. They came in and did what they had to do, again SUCKED!! This nurse was probably my favorite of my stay though, her name was Caitlin and she was awesome, she said a few nice things to me afterwards to try and make me feel better, got me comfortable in bed and off to sleep I went. I remember I did say a prayer that night before I dosed off asking god for a better day tomorrow and to watch over Eddie to and get him up on my floor. I was beginning to worry because he was not there yet, but I knew he was in a lot worse shape then I was going into this so it was going to take some time.
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