Brian D. Ropers-Huilman's Surgery Page
14 May

I Can Smile!

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Wow! What can I say! A lot has happened in the last day! I had a pretty good night, but still couldn't sleep (simply wasn't tired). I was able to lay on my side, a first, but I still needed to down a dose of the pain meds again, at 00:30, to knock me out. Dr. Philippe said yesterday I could take something like a Sudafed or Benedril and get the same effect. Just because I want to get off the meds, I think I'm going to get some of that today and use it, instead, if I really need to.

Well, like the link said, I can smile! Only half of my face does it, the other is still a little too numb, but I think you can see it's there.

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I'm smiling because it's a good day! I had Cream of Wheat for breakfast today (a few lumps and all). I can't chew yet, I've discovered as I tried to work on a lump, but I can swallow the stuff all day! I also had a glass of orange juice with it. Just for good measure, I topped it all off with a good ol' chocolate Ensure. Some of you may be thinking, "Hmm, I wonder how his weight is doing?" Good question! This mornings post-shower reading was: (drum-roll please)... 76.8! I've acutally gained a little weight! Dr. Philippe also mentioned yesterday that most patients are able to point to a day as the "defining" day where everything thereafter just keeps getting better. Indications are yesterday (or today) will be that day for me.

Becky is picking me up this afternoon and we're going to look at some pianos being sold through the music department here on campus. Maybe we'll find something good and Becky can sing / play me back to recovery! Afterwards, we're going to her doctoral student, Stephen's, graduation party. Stephen is the first student Becky has seen all the way through a doctoral program, beginning to end, as the sole advisor, so it's a big deal. Getting back out into society is also a big deal for me.

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