What great news to be home a day early! After the surgery today it became apparent that there was no medical reason to stay in the hospital another night so here we are. Jeff and I brought Todd home around 5:00 today to a very surprised family. We had yet another yummy dinner provided by generous friends and now everyone in the Ridenour clan, plus a few are watching American Idol....hmmmmm?
The results of the surgery earned a "C" grade, but the treatment is as we expected. Dr. Grossman found a very small patch of more dead tissue, nurse Barbara put it "electrical burns are the gift that keeps on giving." He will wear the VAC until monday when he will return to the GBC to see if the VAC has stimulated any tissue growth and to make a plan about what kind of grafting surgery will take place. The expectation is that Todd will have hair over his wound at some point, but the immediate goal is just to get the wound healed to avoid infection. Speaking of infection, he does NOT have a Staff "infection" He has Staff "colonies" present (many of us would if our noses were swabbed...eew) but not an infection and those are very different things.
Though they haven't cultured him in days (and don't plan to unless signs of infection are present visibly) the doctors think that the Staff has probably washed off by now as there was only a very small amount present in one neck wound...I feel better. Todd's fingers will get some attention on Friday; they seem to be about five days behind in the healing process I think because they just weren't noticed at first.
Speaking of FRIDAY, now that we are home we thought it would be fun to have an open house/come say hi to Todd afternoon from 5-7pm. You are all invited! We will have snacks, the volleyball net up, lots of laughs and some happy tears, I'm sure, knowing my sweet husband. How dear all of you are to us...even those we don't really know or haven't seen in years. Your love has overwhelmed our hearts...it's hard to absorb how beautiful these past couple of weeks have been....Todd will share with you later.
Isn't God good to give us each other? Thank you, Lord for being perfect...though we don't always understand we trust you. Nite, Nite Heather