Biking Manners

So today's post is not necessarily about anyone in my family, but one of my biking friends. Since I am training for my first Half Ironman distance triathlon (it's coming up in 2-1/2 weeks!) I have been having to swim, bike and run a lot lately... and since biking is my best sport, I seem to find time to do that one more than the others ;)

This morning, my 2 biking buddies (JB... no, not Justin Bieber, and RV... and no, he doesn't work at Camping World) left for our Wednesday ride to climb up and over SunCrest (a really challenging hill that for only 3 miles will kick your butt!). They are both training for LOTOJA (a 206-mile one day bike race from Logan, Utah, to Jackson Hole, Wyoming). Since I did it last year, and I have been their "consultant" helping them prepare. JB had an early morning meeting, so he just climbed to the top and turned back to get to work. RV and I rode up, taking some extra time to catch the scenery (code for "catch your breath"). RV is not a climber like JB, but he sure can downhill it... he has to wait for me at the bottom ;)

Getting to the top took a bit more out of RV than anticipated, so he really didn't want to go down the backside and then back up, so we altered the course by heading downhill and then turning to the west side of the valley towards Bluffdale and Herriman. We stopped to cross one of the busy highways at the light, and since it was 7:40am, traffic was starting to build. The light turned green and we started to cross, but the oncoming cars turning left apparently didn't see us as we were headed into the center of the intersection... can you tell what happened next?

I have a tendency to not be the first person in the group, so RV went forward and it all happened in slow motion... I could see the car turning right into RV and I know I started yelling at the driver of the car: "STOOOOOOPPPPP!" (say it realllllyyy slowwwwly in your head) But luckily for RV, he only hit the side of the car instead of the front hood. I really can't remember anything else except the next thing I knew, RV was in the middle of the intersection, lying on his back. His bike seemed OK, but he just lay there, saying, "Just give me a second... just give me a second". The driver (let's call him "Coach" since he was headed to a soccer tournament) had stopped after hitting RV and you could tell he was just beside himself. I have never felt so bad for 2 people at the same time because I have been in both those positions... neither a very fun place to be.

As chance would have it, another team rider was stopped across the intersection heading east as we were heading west (we were in the same team kits [jersey & shorts]). He ran over as fast as he could in his biking shoes (that's not easy!) and helped me move our bikes from the intersection and RV to the corner. The driver called 911 as the main dispatcher (who was on her way to work) stopped to help us out... She called the ambulance faster than Coach could on the 911 call! How fortunate could we have been????!!

Although this wasn't a funny situation, we all mused at how it could have been worse and grateful that it wasn't. RV called his wife to come pick him up, but apparently she was still in bed and had JB's wife come pick him up instead...Not sure if RV will give his wife any grief for that ;) RV ended up declining going in the ambulance because it seemed as though it was only a sprained wrist... but he went to the Dr. to just make sure.

After RV was picked up and Coach left with his citation in hand, I hopped back on my bike to finish the rest of the ride. I was a bit more aware of the traffic at that point. I can only say... that was the LONGEST 30 mile ride I've ever ridden! 

And RV: You are a true gentleman... I'm sure you had some choice words for Coach, but because I was there, you kept those to yourself. Or maybe, just maybe, you really are a gentleman :)

There's no place like home...

... especially after spending time in the hospital! We are all home now that Son Squeeze was released from the hospital this morning. Everything went well there with Dad Squeeze spending the night there (I did the first night). Note: I ever come into some money and I am looking to do some philanthropic work, I will donate just so they can get some comfy cots – I think the ones they have now are from the 60s since they look and smell like it... or maybe that's the disinfectant on the baby blue plastic mattress covers...

Son's last meal there was pancakes and sausage... something he's been looking forward to for a while (not necessarily pancakes and sausage, but that it's solid food after 4 days!) and he was chauffeured out in a "double-wide" wheelchair. Well, we were on the gastric floor of the hospital... many a "Jabba" if you speak Star Wars ;)

He is very aware of his bowel doing its thing and that's a good thing... reading a bunch of blogs on the internet about others and their issues after their surgeries, we are grateful we went to a specialist and not a general surgeon. A specialist makes sure to keep those nerves down in the nether region so that you know when it's time for #2... a general doesn't and therefore you end up leaking stomach acid often :( Hydrochloric acid leaking out the back end does not make one a happy camper... and so Son Squeeze is learning what ointments will help relieve that not-so-fresh feeling while his new colon is figuring just what the heck it's supposed to do when the real colon was removed from its job... permanently ;)

It's going to be an adventure... especially going back to school. Thank goodness we live close and he can drive, because there's definitely no place like home when your back end is on fire!
 

Holy Hole Batman! (or Ironman in our case...)

NOTE: The video in this blog is GRAPHIC, but cool... Push "play" at your own risk ;) We are not held responsible if you get queasy or lose your lunch (or whatever you just ate before reading this)

So when the doctor told us yesterday after the surgery that he would need to leave the hole where the stoma had been open on Son Squeeze, I thought "ok... no big deal". It has to be left open so that the chance for infection is decreased since that's where all his poop came out for 6 weeks. So when last night came to change the dressing, I didn't expect to see something out of a horror movie or off the battlefield of war. 

I now know why I never went into medicine...I just don't have the stomach, or knees, to keep standing up. A great respect goes out to these doctors and nurses who deal with this... I applaud them and give them a virtual "high five" :)

Son Squeeze was a trooper and pulled off the gauze/bandage by himself with the nurse watching. He was a bit nervous, but then decided that he did want to do it by himself. Of course I was interested and thought that when it finally came off, it wasn't a big deal. OH BOY... I wasn't even ready for the next part. The gauze was STUFFED INSIDE the hole, about 1/2" deep! When that came out, I felt the blood leave my head, pass my stomach, and speed down into my feet! Thank goodness for the chair next to the bed... I did end up videoing the clip, along with Son Squeeze's help ;) He's been amazing during this whole ordeal...

Since leaving the surgery room, he hasn't had any additional meds like last time, and walked down the halls (about 5-7 min) only 1 hour after arriving in his room. He's happier and amazed at how he can move and bend without the "bag". He's feeling well and the doctor has progressed him from clear liquids to ALL liquids and will release him to come home tomorrow (Saturday – a day earlier than expected). I am amazed that we have to go through so much pain to know the joy... but it's a testament to me that we are given only that which God knows that we can handle. Each of us is given a different set of trials, of which we can either make the best of things or live in misery. Son Squeeze... you continue to amaze us and I'm sure the Lord has some special things in store for you...

And that hole that eventually will fill in and become a scar will be a constant reminder that you have made the best of some of life's lemons... 

No guts... lots of glory

We've been holding our breath for this week... Son Squeeze has been dealing with severe Ulcerative Colitis for the past 2 years. Steroids, pills daily up the wazoo (well, not UP that wazoo...), stomach cramps, blood transfusions, and lots of other unpleasantries that I won't mention (you're happy about that, aren't you?)... We were finally finally referred to a doctor that specializes in Colon & Rectal surgery (and he does it lapriscopically!)

After 2 years of trying everything on the market, and not wanting things to progress to the "C" word (hint: cancer), the doctor recommended having Son Squeeze's colon (ALL 5 feet of it... can you believe we have 5 feet of large intestine?!) removed. With it gone, the UC would also be gone... so why not? AND they can now make a new "bowel" out of the end of the small intestine so he could live without an ileostomy bag for the rest of his life :)

This procedure is done in 2 parts: Part 1 – removal of the colon, create the new colon ("pouch"), attach it to the back end, create a temporary ileostomy (stoma / bypass); Part 2 – reverse the temporary ileostomy, get ride of the bag and let nature take its course. Apparently part 2 is a little rougher recovery due to the hole/stitching in the abdominal wall.

Part 1 (on June 14) went well... at least the surgery. Recovery took a bit longer due to some complications since his leftover guts (small intestine) were swimming around since there was now a LOT more room for them to move around in, but we finally brought Son Squeeze home after a week and on a liquid diet. He lost 17 pounds in 7 days...

Prepping for the Lupogram

Skip to August 2... the Lupogram. This test would show if the new pouch is healing and holding so that the ileostomy reversal could happen. We were all literally holding our breath. I was allowed into the X-Ray room to watch the procedure. Talk about AMAZING! Watching the dye contrast appear on the monitor inside his light-colored abdomen... spooky!

I'm not sure if they noticed I was taking pictures of the monitors while the 2 nurses were doing the procedure but hey, this is for memory's sake! I'm sure this technology will be outdated by the time Son Squeeze has his own family... So, spoiler alert: IT WORKS! The new pouch works and so does his back end control (I'll keep it at that...) which the doctor is very pleased about... very important too :) With that, surgery happened today to reverse the ileostomy – no more bag! But I will say that Son Squeeze has been a trooper through the whole thing.

The constrast dye filling
the new "pouch" (kidney shape)

This morning Son Squeeze woke up excited about the procedure (completely opposite from last time... oh boy... that time was not so good, and especially since he has to be on a liquid diet the day before – hungry boys are NOT happy boys). We arrived early for check-in and then waited (and waited and waited) to get into surgery. 4-1/2 hours later he finally went in... Last time we were the first to go into surgery. We realized if you're not first, you wait (and wait a LONG time). 

Surgery took only 1-1/2 hours this time and the doctor is pleased! And we're now in the room... But the narcotics weren't as strong. No funny chattering... 

Sidenote: I have to tell you at least one funny experience while he was coming out of the drug-induced happy place: I realized he was still under the influence and I could ask him anything... really, anything! So I asked him if he liked any particular girl at school. The older Scottish nurse, who treated Son Squeeze like he was her grandson) was taking his vitals and doing some things while I was asking questions, and Son Squeeze answered, "Yesssss... So&so is smokin'." The nurse turned and said, "Oh, you shouldn't like someone that smokes!" I laughed and said, "Not a smoker! He meant she was hot!" :)

We are all looking forward to new things... including learning how to control the back end while his new "colon" learns how to do new things. So on to new and exciting adventures...