Error Correction

The correct address for my fishing blog is tomgoesfishing.blogspot.com

Last Post from Tom on this site

This will be my last post (knock on wood) about my medical adventures on this blog. From now on, if you want to learn more about my recovery go to

www.tomrambles.blogspot.com

where I will be commenting on whatever is on my mind. Also don't forget the other two blogs:

www.tomremembers.blogspot.com

and

www. tomfishes.blogspot.com

Things seem to be going well, it is wonderful to be wearing normal clothes again.

Thanks for following my misadventure, and lets hope future posts will be about more exciting things!

Tom

I'm Home

As Samwise Gamgee said when returning after saying goodby to Frodo at the Gray Havens:

"I'm Home"

And so am I. This last and hopefully final episode is over. Time to heal, time to get stronger, time to rejoin my life.

I had a great visit with John, who came up from Colorado yesterday, and helped us make our escape this afternoon.

I love all of you. Thanks for your support.

Tom

  If all goes well tonite and tomorrow I will be homeward bound in the afternoon. The docs have removed the cath and the drain today and are watching the results. Thank you for your prayers and support, the visits, calls, cards, and kindnesses. The world is better because of you--- especially for me. I'll update by the weekend and sign off now!  Tom

Well, here are we on day 29. Tom has become re-ensconced in the Huntsman after leaving the 3rd floor of U of U med center yesterday afternoon. They tend to shift cancer patients back to the H when they can. He had a good night's rest after visits Sunday---talking and smiling. His vitals are strong and he's responding well to the high-powered antibiotics. Today they want him to start back on the Huntsman highway and get back to pedestrian and carnivorous ways. He's had an inflammation on his left lower arm where the arterial line was, but it's better this morning. Some reoccuring pain in the belly lingers. Up above the valley air pollution, the sun shines brightly into the room and hope springs eternal that this too shall pass!  But chances are, he'll be here for a bit.

Tom's recovery

Tom returned home Jan. 5 in a snowstorm. He was making progress toward having the cath and abdominal drain removed this week on Jan. 15. Now he's back in the hospital with sepsis in the surgical ICU at U. of U. Med Center. He's being treated with Vancomycin, Pepperacillin, and Zosyn. Dr. Stephenson yesterday said it could have been the cath removal possibly that began it or something else. Please pray for him. He said the pain from this infection which centers in his abdomen is worse than anything so far. Thanks for the visits from family----they help us all a great deal!

ruth ann davenport
@ wasatch elementary 801-402-2650
3rd grade teacher
Please note my new email address:
rdavenport@dsdmail.net

Leg Bag

Tom here:

I finally got around to putting on the leg bag that came home with me from the hospital. I hadn't bothered with it, thinking I was tethered to the toilet anyway, and any clothes that I wear would probably get wet, since the diaper sometimes leaks where the catheter tube comes out of the side.

Well, I was wrong. I hadn't realized the value of even 45 minutes of unfettered freedom! Instead of being stuck in the bathrobe and pajamas I have been wearing (altered in the front so the tube could get out) I was able to dress in sweat pants and a sweat shirt, put on and hat and a vest and go for a good walk on a bright, sunny winter afternoon. Coming back, I picked up my newspaper and emptied my mailbox... what freedom!

Life is good.

Tom