The frustrating part

In general, the frustrating part is that there is a limited amount I can do to help. I mean, I know I'm helping a lot, but it's within a pretty limited scope. It's particularly limited now, because we're still so soon post-op, barely 12 hours. To some extent I can help keep Ronnie calm, but there's only a certain level of company I can keep at this point, and aside from that, my most important function was being a more articulate call button (though they do really answer those, at least here in the ICU- it's not like on an airplane), doesn't come into play yet, because it's still too complicated. I can get water and say her back hurts or move a pillow, but I'm not able to say something like "she needs 5ml more propofol," though we could all probably use that every once in a while. I know I could.

So at this point it's literally hand-holding. Which I don't mind at all until my knees get sore from standing. When I can sit bedside it'll be better. We're in a different ICU this time, just routine for a second surgery, and the rooms are smaller and the place is busier. I'm still taking the stairs everywhere- I've finally made it up to going straight from the 2nd floor (cafeteria) to the 9th, where my room is. No, I will not be getting a stairmaster when I get home. Using stairs to get someplace is one thing. Pretending to climb stairs is something else entirely. If I'm going to pretend to do something, let it at least be something I enjoy, like biking.

So we'll see how the day goes. She's doing well so far. It's raining so I don't think I'll do laundry, but I do need some supplies because I planned for up to 10 days and it's now day 9.