Charting progress with a different measure

I came home from the hospital looking like a human pincushion and quilt, with tubes and other inserts and bandages in seven places on my body.  I've come to realize that my progress should not be charted on a time line--it should be charted by when each tube/insert/bandage comes out or off.  So, here's the scorecard:

My trach hole has healed on the inside, and is about 90% healed on the outside.  So, I've gone from having a tube to having a small bandage there.  I can talk clearly, but not for long without getting voice fatigue.

The skin graft site bandage is off for good and that place is healing nicely.

The donor site on my left leg is healing nicely, but still needs a new bandage daily--no estimate on how long that will take to heal fully.

Both surgical drains have been taken out, so I have more mobility, and a little less work for Nurse Terry each day.

The nasal feeding tube is still in place and has caused some minor emergencies.  The oral surgeon said yesterday that he's "hopeful" it can come out this Monday.

The PICC line for IVs is still in, for at least another two weeks.

So, three things are out, two places are healing well, and two tubes left in for at least a week. Each time a tube/insert comes out or a site heals it takes a little less out of the long daily routine and gives me more mobility.

Oh, and I got the stitches out of my jaw area.  The plastics docs did a nice job, and the scar will hardly be noticeable.  And, we think they tightened up my age-sagging under-chin area a bit.

It appears that a nerve in my left foot got damaged during the operation and I have no dorsi-flexion there (raising the toes up).  I can walk around the house,  but it has limited my long-distance walking.  It's been an adventure to find a brace to help that area, but we think we have a solution.  If that works, I can get on track for my Peachtree 10K training.

Special thanks  to Dr. Jim and Janet for their visit this past weekend.  Jim was Doc-on-the-spot during a minor emergency with my feeding tube and helped Terry with a temp fix that kept me from going to the ER that evening.  Jim and Janet were great company and provided Terry with several take-out meals that reduced that load for her.  Jim gave me a "Boston Strong" cap that I took to my appt with the oral surgeon yesterday.  Dr. Roser is from Boston and got a big kick out of seeing the cap.

So, progress is now being measured with the removal of tubes and the healing of other sites.  By all's opinion, I am making great progress and have my fingers crossed that the feeding tube can come out on Monday--so please send good vibes for that.

Mike