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 AveD
Ensign
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Joined: Nov 16, 2009
Member#: 977
Posts: 43
Location: Syracuse, NY
    
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 Posted:
Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:31 am Post subject: Pete's health updates |
 
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Our good friend and AFM member PeteC had extensive amputation surgery of his right leg on February 18th. This post will serve as a place to update his progress whenever news from him arrives. I'll copy & paste from those communications so we have his writings & voice.
Feb. 25: The doctors are caravaning in and the consensus is that I am progressing in the right direction. They have removed two of the three drains. Progress. This is a definite sign of recovery for that phase of the surgery. The pathology on margins were all clear and the best that could be hoped for.'
and then short follow up: They just took the last tube out of my arm. We're moving to the rehabilitation section.
Feb 26th: I have really lucked out! IT TURNS OUT that was a woman, who I helped with her dog out on the streets works here and gotten two nurses and a private room!
March 1st: Had to go back in. Internal bleeding. Just out. Going through the elongated recovery process again. It will be many weeks yet.
March 2: I am taking it slow and steady. Had a good rest in my bed of choice: here. They finally swapped it out for me at ICU. I did get some needed sleep and feel like I can pick up the cross again. Thanks for contacting me, again. Feel free to update everyone. P |
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 irincou 
Vice Admiral (Moderator)
Joined: Feb 08, 2009
Member#: 436
Posts: 462
Location: Athens Greece
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Posted:
Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:39 am Post subject: |
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Thank you AveD,
Send our best wishes for his recovery once again!
_________________
The secret of not having worries, is to have ideas.
Eugene Delacroix
Last edited by irincou on Thu Mar 03, 2016 1:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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AtticusFinch
Cadet 2
Joined: Jan 28, 2009
Member#: 411
Posts: 7
Location: California
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Posted:
Thu Mar 03, 2016 11:52 am Post subject: |
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Thank you, Ave, for creating this resource! Pete, I wish you all the best! Amazing how your dog-handling adventures gained you some perks there at the hospital!  |
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bonnie
Cadet 2
Joined: Jun 28, 2011
Member#: 1629
Posts: 7
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Posted:
Thu Mar 03, 2016 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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Pete ~ we miss your wit & wisdom on AFM. No day goes by that you are not remembered & cheered on ~ bonnie
_________________
Nothing real can be threatened, nothing unreal exists. Herein liess the peace of God. |
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AveD
Ensign
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Joined: Nov 16, 2009
Member#: 977
Posts: 43
Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted:
Mon Mar 07, 2016 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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update from Pete, March 7th:
'I can tell you that in this cycle of ICU, Floor, Rehab: I am at the end of another Floor stay which has had as its highlight: two unpleasant catheter-related events. They could have been avoided if the Urologists were all on the same page and considering of all the data. It basically ended up with a lot of retained fluid and to a level high enough to very uncomfortable. Let's hope they learned their lesson as of last night.
As for realistic recovery expectations, I cannot see any prediction and especially with my dermal sensitivity at 6.25-12.5% on my remaining leg so far. A long road is THE ROAD I am on.
Sometime this week: I suspect I will be moved to Rehab again. We'll try it, again.
Miss you guys terribly.' |
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irincou
Vice Admiral (Moderator)
Joined: Feb 08, 2009
Member#: 436
Posts: 462
Location: Athens Greece
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Posted:
Tue Mar 08, 2016 1:42 am Post subject: |
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Do not let what seems like a vicious cycle turn you down Pete!
I wish there was a magic wand to fix all this in no time!!
Do your best and tell those doctors they better "do their math" well because we need you back in AFM ASAP!!!!
_________________
The secret of not having worries, is to have ideas.
Eugene Delacroix |
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AtticusFinch
Cadet 2
Joined: Jan 28, 2009
Member#: 411
Posts: 7
Location: California
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Posted:
Tue Mar 08, 2016 9:50 am Post subject: |
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We miss you, Pete! You WILL be back! |
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 beachboy
Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined: Aug 11, 2009
Member#: 763
Posts: 54
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Posted:
Tue Mar 08, 2016 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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good luck pete thinking off you |
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AveD
Ensign
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Joined: Nov 16, 2009
Member#: 977
Posts: 43
Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted:
Fri Mar 11, 2016 10:48 am Post subject: |
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update from Pete, March 11:
This week has been one of pain thresholds, medications and the searching for a stable regimen that can carry me through rehab. No success, yet. We are still on the hospital floor. The wounds are healing. The good leg is coming back but ever so slowly. Feeling in it is at around 12%. It is not at a level that is functional, though. However, I do PT despite it to keep trying to get stronger.
I have weights that I use to also develop upper body strength as this is where my new source is. I hope to find my way to rehab soon and to those routines and techniques that will see me out of the hospital and home. No idea when that might happen, though. Not yet.
Very best to you all.
P |
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beachboy
Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined: Aug 11, 2009
Member#: 763
Posts: 54
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Posted:
Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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admire yoyur bravery pete |
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 iceberg
Cadet 1
Joined: Nov 26, 2009
Member#: 994
Posts: 1
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Posted:
Sun Mar 13, 2016 5:11 am Post subject: |
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I pray for your healing |
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bonnie
Cadet 2
Joined: Jun 28, 2011
Member#: 1629
Posts: 7
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Posted:
Mon Mar 14, 2016 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Pete ~ friend of all you meet & teacher of many dogs, me, et. al. ~ KEEP AT IT ~ we are all rooting for you & praying for you. ~ bonnie
_________________
Nothing real can be threatened, nothing unreal exists. Herein liess the peace of God. |
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AveD
Ensign
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Joined: Nov 16, 2009
Member#: 977
Posts: 43
Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted:
Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:53 am Post subject: |
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Pete update, March 14:
POSSIBLE NEW DEVELOPMENT: Neurology has brainstormed and are proposing 3 options, two of which I remember. One is a nerve block and the other is a surgery to remove two specific nerves that might be contributing to the phantom pains. I will be in touch. Stitches are coming out. P |
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 Haino
Ensign
Joined: May 03, 2008
Member#: 124
Posts: 44
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Posted:
Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:49 am Post subject: |
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Hi Pete ! 
Opera-buddy from the first Adagio-hours here , you really made me overwhelmed !
Wish you a good recovery in a surrounding that stimulates you into fine thoughts.
I also wish your wife and children and of course your dog a good time, while they are
waiting to embrace you again from nearby. Seeing your energetic smile again.
I happened to read a book also containing a lot about phantom-pains and -itches.
The writer is a successfull high level neuro-psychological researcher and trainer.
Discriptions and successfull methods to train them off. He discovered that not all effects,
like the itches, were caused by the damaged body-nerves though also by the corresponding
brainparts itself as well. In case of signal-absence they tend to search signals at
nearby brainparts. ( For example arm-phantoms while shaving the neck. )
Prof. Dr. Vilayanur Ramachandran, a famous Neuro-Psychologist living in San Diego California,
researched and wrote these results down, also his treatments, in easy readable sentences.
Sandra Blakeslee is a famous sience-reporter, awarded by the New York Times.
It contains about 400 pages in total.
" Phantoms in the brain" , by Prof. Dr. V.S. Ramachandran & Sandra Blakeslee.
Wish you a good and quick recovery , soon to get back into your fine familysurroundings.
See you Pete !
Haino.
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AveD
Ensign
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Joined: Nov 16, 2009
Member#: 977
Posts: 43
Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted:
Sat Mar 19, 2016 8:34 am Post subject: |
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update from Pete, Sat. March 19:
I am in Inpatient Rehabilitation. This is the last stop before getting released and being discharged. To be here I needed to get off all IV pain medicine. Now, I was on such for a good while leading up to this, with my phantom pain interfering. The Pain Docs did come with a combo that could that get get me through BUT it was very constipating and that was NO fun. Even now I cringe thinking about it. It was a challenge but Pain Doc and Neurology came up with an idea for me called a Nerve Block.
In this procedure, sympathtic nerve endings would be targeted having to do with the amputated leg and with these chemicals, the hope was for the pain to be changed or removed. They WERE changed (muted) and this has allowed us to lower the dosage of the pain meds and that helps with that other issue etc.
So, here, we are at the inroads of rehab and let me tell you: it's tough. I am at it but it's tough. Simple things are so hard. Basic things, so tough. That is where I am but I am at it. I am not giving up.
I will be in touch.
P |
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