Home & resting

Chad was discharged Sunday afternoon. We waited for a wheelchair to take him downstairs, but no one ever came. So Chad just walked right out of the hospital. Don’t worry, we had permission.

We got home shortly before dinner time on Sunday. We had to fight traffic in Greensboro, so we were very ready to pull into our driveway as soon as we got into our city limits.

This surgery is a little different than Chad’s previous surgeries – as in, it wasn’t as invasive. Yes, they put a tube in his lungs, which is risky. But they didn’t open up his head at all. That meant less time on the table in the operating room, and a quicker recovery. Chad is doing really well, so tired and sore.
And, unfortunately, the headache is still there.
At this point, we have to give it some time. In a week, if the headache persists, we will be going back to Winston-Salem to have the shunt reset (again) and allow for more fluid drainage. If that still doesn’t help, Chad will be looking at another shunt surgery. We hope that’s not the case, but it is very likely. I don’t want anyone to be caught off guard when we announce another surgery is is forthcoming. We know the headache is a pressure/fluid issue and not a standard headache because the only thing that seems to help is steroids. Chad cannot be on steroids for the rest of his life; they have their own complications.
Again, I hope we are done with surgery for a while — but I don’t think we can ever count it out. If I’ve learned anything in the past two years, it’s that you should always expect the unexpected. You should always plan for it, too.

Chad has declared that he is not going back to work until the headache goes away. I understand, and I’m sure you do too. Currently, he doesn’t plan to go back until the end of the month. That could change. We just have to wait and see.

Thank you, as always, for your thoughts & prayers.