25 August 2020
As I was walking to the Post Office to mail some checks I got a phone call from Dr. Suh. She isn't in the system yet, she laughed, when I told her I looked for her after Joyce told me she'd met with her.
She took over for Dr. Cook this week and wanted to give me an update.
Joyce is now off the antibiotics, she told me. And very little pain medication.
The wound is healing and Dr. Tong feels Joyce can go home, returning twice a week for the sponge replacement in surgery. Those surgeries would be scheduled, however, not add-on.
'Is there someone who could drive her here?' Dr. Suh asked.
To the extent surgeries are scheduled.
"Is there someone who could drive her here?" Dr. Suh asked.
I volunteered.
I thought, I told Dr. Suh, that outpatient was only an option when the sponge replacement could be done bedside. The wound is too deep for bedside and will be for a while, Dr. Suh explained.
But Dr. Tong was willing to try it this way, so Joyce can get out of there.
She would have an in-home nurse twice a week. But she doesn't need physical therapy any more. She had a session yesterday in which they did stairs and she was fine.
She can take care of herself, Dr. Suh said, as far as bathing goes.
She will have a small Wound VAC to carry around when she moves around. And if things are too difficult Dr. Tong can always arrange for her to return to the hospital.
"So when would this happen?" I asked.
At first Dr. Suh suggested Wednesday, the day before her next sponge replacement. But after thinking about it, she thought today would be possible too.
She'll call me back to let me know.