Post Surgery Day 1

Good afternoon everyone - It's a good day for MC!  He's much better than last night and he knows he will feel better each passing day.  He managed through a phone call with daughter Madison and brother Pat for just a minute or so.  Tomorrow is Mike's 55th birthday and he is very nervous someone may show up to visit - I really need to caution everyone that he is NOT up for any visitors and the ICU caregivers won't let anyone in anyway.  :-)  Gatekeepers all around.  

Mike will be the first to say - this surgery really kicked his BUTT!  This was huge.  The pain level is down to a manageable 5-6 today.  They also moved Mike to his bed that has the egg carton foam - the one he had the 12 days before the surgery.  It seems to help a lot with pressure points.  He has had 2 more blood transfusions today added to the 3 he had yesterday.  His body is not bleeding so much anymore, but he is still oozing fluid into his various drains.  They seem to be hanging all over his body.  

Last night they did a quick EKG and X-Ray because Mike was complaining of left shoulder pain.  His heart is fine!  Mike felt that the pain was due to two reasons -1. he was laying on his broken clavicle during surgery for 7.5 hours and the Central Line "CVC" Click here to learn about the CVC .

MC's foot lives!  

This is the Cook Doppler doing it's job and giving us a report 

that the blood is flowing well into the flap.  

(I tried uploading a video, but can't seem to get the format right)

I rolled in bright and early this morning however missed Dr. Frome's 6am visit by just minutes.  However I was here when PA Craig Keller came in.  He had great things to say about the flap.  He also changed the dressing.  Mike gave me the thumbs up on sharing the photos.  SO, if you don't want to see them - log off and DON'T SCROLL DOWN!  Let this be your warning.  I'm sharing because this IS the reality of what MC is going through and most want to see the photos.  Apparently it all looks good according to Keller.  The swelling is expected and what it looks like today is not what it will look like in the future.  The black skin comes off in a week and a very, very large piece of Mike's skin will be harvested, attached to a mesh and stretched to fit over the flap.  Pretty amazing to be at the bottom of this foot. 

2ND WARNING - DON'T SCROLL DOWN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE PHOTOS FROM TODAY'S WOUND DRESSING.   REMEMBER EVERYTHING IS LOOKING PERFECT !

I WILL ALSO LEAVE THE MORE GRAPHIC PHOTOS SMALL

PA Craig Keller chatting with Mike about how he is feeling. 

Keller taking a close look before deciding he wanted to do a total dressing change. 

They keep a peek hole in the dressing so they can take a lookie-loo at any given moment. 

The dark part of (right side of the ankle / foot) is the muscle from Mike's back and is now known as his Free Flap and more importantly his new foot "to be".  There is a drain tube at the top.  The skin has a mesh on top of it which is why you see the weave.  Dr. Keller said they took as much muscle off Mike's back as he had available.  It's huge!!  Also very swollen.  The blood is normal and actually not that much.  (you can see his happy little toes)

Craig Keller and Kraig the Nurse got this foot all wrapped up and happy again. Mike also has a nerve block inserted just above his the back of his knee and this helps keep the vessels open.  I've never seen so many wires on one person.  

All in all, considering what Mike has been through in the past 30 hours, he is doing well.  He has so far to go and just sitting up in a day or two will be a big feat.  He hates that bed pan so he will be UP as soon as he is able to move a little.  Right now the foot MUST stay in the UP position and his back hurts so bad that he doesn't want to move much.  

So Big Birthday for MC and we are all celebrating his life and the fact that he is still with us.  Any birthday wishes here, online, his email mike_colligan@hotmail.com , or a text will be wonderful.  503-778-0190 - but please don't call - just a text.  He is keeping his phone off so he is not bothered.  I hope you all understand how sensitive he is right now regarding visitors and anything that feels a little taxing.   He sends big LOVE to everyone, we both do and we know you are out there sending prayers and good warm loving thoughts. 

SB & MC out for today - Have a wonderful weekend.  If you're in Portland you know how incredible our September weather is, so enjoy!!!  

PS -  right now 4 nurses are changing his sheets, doing a sponge bath -  OH MY what a production.  Bless him in the biggest way possible.  "Love you Mikey - how I wish I could make it better for you"

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