Within a weeks time all the testing was complete and it was time for surgery. What a helpless feeling. Knowing this could be great or not so great. Sitting in a waiting room for hours while my love was being put through things I could not imagine. Several hours went by before Dr. H called to tell me everything went well. I went to see him and was again placed in a waiting room. Finally a nurse came out to tell me that it was ok for me to go in and see him. I was really nervous to see him. He was moved to the
Neuro-Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. When I entered the room he was laying in his bed. His face was very swollen and he had marks on his face that kind of looked like he was smacked around. He was still weak and sleepy from the anesthesia and his throat was sore from the tube that was placed there during surgery to help him breath. He was very happy to see me but in a lot of pain. The nurse was nice enough to allow me to stay in the room with him as long as he wanted me there. He slept restlessly most of the night and I sat by his side trying to make him as comfortable as possible, that wasn't an easy job. Nothing seemed to help, again I was helpless. I spent the night and in the morning the doctors did their rounds. They partially removed his wound (incision from surgery) dressing and said it looked good. This would not be his last surgery, in fact it would be the first of approximately 20 surgeries over the next
2 1/2 years.
Over the next week Joey had 2 more surgeries to move his spine back into place and stabilize it with titanium rods. He spent a few weeks at the hospital in Philly and then was sent back to the Allentown area and placed in a local rehab facility to learn how to do basic, daily things we all take for granted such as getting dressed, moving from one seat to another (transferring) and getting out of bed. He was in the rehab facility for about a month and a half. After his surgery Dr. H had a special brace made for him to help assist in the stabilization of his spine. Joey is unable to sit up more then 30 degrees with out it. Learning how to put the brace on Joey and helping him transfer in and out of bed would be the thing I needed to learn during his stay in the rehab facility. The transferring was more of a positional thing, I didn't find that very difficult but I did find it a little scary. He is unable to hold himself up and if I don't have just the right positioning, he could easily fall and there would be no way to get him up with out the assistance of a medic to ensure no damage was done (not much pressure, right ;) ). I did however, find learning how to position the brace to be very difficult. I will never for get that day. We practiced transferring him to a huge elevated blue mat. The physical Therapist showed Joey's father and I how to remove and put on his brace. His father did fine with it, I however, had some trouble. I remember kneeling next to him trying so hard not to hurt him and use all of my strength at the same time to pull the damn brace under him to center it to provide him with the most support possible. I couldn't take it! I couldn't handle that I was having trouble doing something so important to my husbands well being and began to sob in the middle of my training. I was so embarrassed by my outburst and had to walk away. I felt so weak in that moment. It of course became easier as I practiced and now I'm a pro (lucky for Joey).
Joey came home from the rehab hospital in September of 2008 (just in time for our 5th wedding anniversary). When he saw our house for the first time in months he was finally able to feel some type of comfort. I will never forget his face, and the peace that seemed to come over him. He spent about an hours just looking around and touching things he had not seen since May.
My grandmothers health took a turn for the worse over the next few months. Every Saturday I would wake up and the first thing I would do is call my Grandma who lived in Ohio. On Saturday November 15, 2008 my Great Aunt answered the phone and informed me that my Grandmother was taken to the hospital. I called around to find out where she was taken and finally found her. I was unable to talk to her, but knew she was with family. I was scheduled to leave on Friday November 21, 2008 to visit with my family in Ohio to celebrate and early Thanksgiving with them. On Sunday November 16, 2008 I got to talk to my Grandma. She didn't sound well but said she was ok
I headed home on Thanksgiving day and arrived just in time for Thanksgiving with Joey and his family. I noticed right away that Joey didn't look right. He appeared to be more hunched over then he should be. When we got back to our house I noticed the suture wound on his back didn't seem to look much betters. Over the next few weeks The surgeons in Philly requested Joey have some tests done and was admitted to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem in early December 2008, exactly 3 moths to the week of his return home to me. On December 11, 2008 we learned that Joey had somehow broken T4 and would need to be sent back to Jefferson University Hospital in Philly and undergo the same set of surgeries he just had. Joey and I were devastated, but had not other option and had to push through.
Neuro-Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. When I entered the room he was laying in his bed. His face was very swollen and he had marks on his face that kind of looked like he was smacked around. He was still weak and sleepy from the anesthesia and his throat was sore from the tube that was placed there during surgery to help him breath. He was very happy to see me but in a lot of pain. The nurse was nice enough to allow me to stay in the room with him as long as he wanted me there. He slept restlessly most of the night and I sat by his side trying to make him as comfortable as possible, that wasn't an easy job. Nothing seemed to help, again I was helpless. I spent the night and in the morning the doctors did their rounds. They partially removed his wound (incision from surgery) dressing and said it looked good. This would not be his last surgery, in fact it would be the first of approximately 20 surgeries over the next
2 1/2 years.
Over the next week Joey had 2 more surgeries to move his spine back into place and stabilize it with titanium rods. He spent a few weeks at the hospital in Philly and then was sent back to the Allentown area and placed in a local rehab facility to learn how to do basic, daily things we all take for granted such as getting dressed, moving from one seat to another (transferring) and getting out of bed. He was in the rehab facility for about a month and a half. After his surgery Dr. H had a special brace made for him to help assist in the stabilization of his spine. Joey is unable to sit up more then 30 degrees with out it. Learning how to put the brace on Joey and helping him transfer in and out of bed would be the thing I needed to learn during his stay in the rehab facility. The transferring was more of a positional thing, I didn't find that very difficult but I did find it a little scary. He is unable to hold himself up and if I don't have just the right positioning, he could easily fall and there would be no way to get him up with out the assistance of a medic to ensure no damage was done (not much pressure, right ;) ). I did however, find learning how to position the brace to be very difficult. I will never for get that day. We practiced transferring him to a huge elevated blue mat. The physical Therapist showed Joey's father and I how to remove and put on his brace. His father did fine with it, I however, had some trouble. I remember kneeling next to him trying so hard not to hurt him and use all of my strength at the same time to pull the damn brace under him to center it to provide him with the most support possible. I couldn't take it! I couldn't handle that I was having trouble doing something so important to my husbands well being and began to sob in the middle of my training. I was so embarrassed by my outburst and had to walk away. I felt so weak in that moment. It of course became easier as I practiced and now I'm a pro (lucky for Joey).
Joey came home from the rehab hospital in September of 2008 (just in time for our 5th wedding anniversary). When he saw our house for the first time in months he was finally able to feel some type of comfort. I will never forget his face, and the peace that seemed to come over him. He spent about an hours just looking around and touching things he had not seen since May.
My grandmothers health took a turn for the worse over the next few months. Every Saturday I would wake up and the first thing I would do is call my Grandma who lived in Ohio. On Saturday November 15, 2008 my Great Aunt answered the phone and informed me that my Grandmother was taken to the hospital. I called around to find out where she was taken and finally found her. I was unable to talk to her, but knew she was with family. I was scheduled to leave on Friday November 21, 2008 to visit with my family in Ohio to celebrate and early Thanksgiving with them. On Sunday November 16, 2008 I got to talk to my Grandma. She didn't sound well but said she was ok
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