Day 4: Take a step back, take two forward

Ray threw up in the night -- twice, and considerably.  This had the nurses/doctors worried.  They took him off liquids and he rest for the morning.

Around 12:30, they had him get up and walk, which he did super-well.  He said he was not nauseated by the walking this time.  He was walking when his sister and her husband, Gayle and Rick, arrived.  They stayed for 30 minutes and then I could see your dad getting tired.  He had a great time talking with them and they brought a photo album with some lovely pictures from when Ray was much younger.  

Around 3:00, the doctor came in.  Ray said he had not been queasy since this morning, so he's been put back on a clear liquid diet, which means that he can have Ensure, or Italian Ice -- he actually had a mango icee when I had to leave.  

They are pleased with his intestinal noises, and when Dr. Schoenberg came, he thought Ray's belly felt good and said he might get something more like food tomorrow!  (Ray's a little nervous about that).  He slept a bit today, but not like yesterday.  

Another notable occurrence was that throughout the day, Ray's wound catheter has remained empty.  This means that he's healing very nicely inside his body.  He will probably keep the catheter in his belly until time to go, they said, regardless.  They did say that they will remove his IV once he's eating regularly.  

Also he is now saying that his pain is down to a 2, on the 1-10 scale.  That's incredible.  He hadn't pressed the button for pain medicine since noon (as of when I left at 8pm).  He said that it doesn't increase much at all, either, when he's walking around.

I THOUGHT they didn't do his physical therapy today because he was feeling sick this morning, but Ray is under the impression that they don't feel he needs it since he's moving around so well.

If he doesn't vomit tonight, then there's a possibility for loads of improvement tomorrow.  :)

God has been so good.  It has truly been miraculous watching him move and recover so well after surgery.  I know God has heard all the prayers from so many people and He is restoring Ray.  I'm really privileged to be able to see his progress first-hand.  It has also been an incredible relief after such anxiety before coming to JH, and how long the surgery day lasted.  God is good.