Post Op~ Day Three-

Today (yesterday by the time I post this) has been a bit rough. When we first saw Nick in his room he was noticeably swollen especially on one side of his face/head. You know me, I took a picture so I could see if there were any changes through-out the day. I mentioned it to the nurse who spoke to the doctor on the floor. He said it was normal. Nick was doing some light itching over the swollen areas and said that it was feeling itchy. When Steve and I got back from lunch I believed the swelling was more so I asked his nurse to take a look and took some more pictures. The nurse told us that she had actually asked the floor doctor to have a  look on Nick before he left for the day, he didn't. After some persistence the doctor on call came to see Nick and said the his swelling might peak by day four, and that the only thing that would help was time. He instructed him to have him sit at least to 30 degrees. We could also try ice. Nick was encouraged to take a walk around the unit and sit in a chair. He had some visitors and then got ready for a shower. Just before the shower as Nick was bending over and leaning forward, some fluid dripped from his nose. It was blotted onto a paper towel and a "halo" around the outer edge of the blood formed. This is represented as CSF fluid. It was 7:02 PM and nearly shift change. I went to find Nick's nurse. I found his HCA first and she ran off to find his nurse. In about a minute, both the early shift nurse, and the new nurse, along with the HCA, came through the door. I showed them the sample and they said the "halo" is there. They called the doctor and who was in surgery.  He said to have him sit up at 45 degrees and he would come. It's now about five hours later (midnight), we are here waiting not knowing what to do. Nick is totally miserable, being so swollen he can hardly open his eyes. Also, being so tired and unable to sleep for any real length of time. They have prescribed him pills for pain which make him sleepy but don't do a lot for the pain from this kind of surgery. They don't do anything for the pressure caused from swelling. I  don't like seeing him go through this now. He has been through so much already. This has been a difficult day... It picture above is a "IV gone wrong" ;) . The anesthesiologist (a great guy really) called it an IO instead of an IV and offered his apology.

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