New Year's Post Surgery Update

Happy New Year to Everyone:

Our 2010 is beginning with Ed's being MUCH better overall. In the past couple of weeks, we have been getting out most days to see a movie and even to attend two performances of theater. Every day for the past few, we are walking the length of downtown Palo Alto and have even had lunch downtown a couple of times. And for the first time since his surgery on November 13, Ed slept through the entire night last night without being so uncomfortable that he had to get up 1-2 times per night for 30-60+ minutes of sitting up, walking around, etc. (Hopefully, more such nights will follow.)

However, like in most home redecoration projects, we just found out yesterday that the date we have been keeping in the visionary forefront of April 1 when all this would be over -- that day is too optimistic. We visited the doctor in SF yesterday; and he discovered that what was once "a hole" in the internal suture location (leading to the cavity and recurring abscess build-up) is now "a slit." What pleases the doctor is that the healing is occurring. There is now no sign of the abscess at all, and his/our hopes are that none will reappear (knock on wood). But, the period for enough healing to occur in order to schedule the next surgery is going to be at least another 1-2 months longer. That means that the surgery we thought originally would happen in the next couple of weeks will now likely not happen until the end of March/first of April. That puts his final recovery into mid-to-late May, if all goes well.

So, we are very pleased with his current condition and the signs of internal healing; and we are sorely disappointed (but not surprised) that the total time of this process is now longer than original estimates. (See, it sounds just like news from the general contractor, right?)

One thing the doctor did offer as a possibility: If the signs of healing continue and if there are no recurrences of abscess (and thus no need for reinserting another drainage tube), then Ed might be able to return to work sometime in February for a few weeks as he waits for final healing.

So, in case you're wondering (and did not see this on Facebook), here are our holiday/Oscar worthy movie-watching results, to-date:
- Most innovative, intriguing story telling: A Single Man, Precious, (500) Days of Summer, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
- Most Inspiring and Walk-Out-With-a-Smile Producing: Invictus, The Blind Side
- Most Beautifully Filmed: Young Victoria
- Most Fun to Watch but Most Disturbing after Thinking about It: An Education
- Most Fun and Sad at Same Time: Up in the Air
- Most Fun for Action and Fantasy but Not Much Else: Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, Inglourious Basterds
- Most Enjoyable Movies Made for Adults: It's Complicated, Broken Embraces

- Most "War is Hell" movie of the year: The Hurt Locker

Again, we cannot thank everyone enough for your continued cards, messages, visits, and other acts of kindness. They mean so much to both of us.

Love to all,
Eddie (& Ed)

PS: Many of you keep asking about me, which I appreciate. I have learned much through this process. Having always been in a life-partner relationship where there was much sharing of life's duties, I certainly have found it pretty over-whelming at times to do 'everything' plus the added duties of care-giving and client-maintenance. At the same time, spending this concentrated time with Ed in our home has been wonderful in many ways; and he is so appreciative of the every day, little things I do for him, that I have actually enjoyed (in some sort of perverted way) the process of doing and planning daily special surprises for him. I am tired a lot; but compared to what many care-givers face, this has really been a piece of cake. I also have loved sending these messages. It is like I am on the couch, and all of you are my therapists. So, thank you!