Ephesia's Hubby

[Ephesia 0]

aww, Elen, sooo damn happy that everything's going well & Brandon is on the mend....no lasagne for you for 2 years? What a wonderfully supportive gesture & I'm sure B appreciates you for being so awesome!

Lisa, admittedly it was a little hard at first. I also gave up soda along with him. After a few months, though, I stopped feeling like I was missing out.

Brandon has really been an inspiration. He's been doing a lot to feel better. He's started walking outta the house to get the mail every day. He walks really slow, but he's doing all he can. He even contributes to his own sponge bath now. He doesn't let me clean his arms and chest anymore. He does that. I just wash his hair, clean his back, and then his legs (because he still can't bend quite well yet). It's almost hard to believe he had this surgery just two weeks ago!

[Fandango 1,440]

aww, Elen, sooo damn happy that everything's going well & Brandon is on the mend....no lasagne for you for 2 years? What a wonderfully supportive gesture & I'm sure B appreciates you for being so awesome!

Lisa, admittedly it was a little hard at first. I also gave up soda along with him. After a few months, though, I stopped feeling like I was missing out.

Brandon has really been an inspiration. He's been doing a lot to feel better. He's started walking outta the house to get the mail every day. He walks really slow, but he's doing all he can. He even contributes to his own sponge bath now. He doesn't let me clean his arms and chest anymore. He does that. I just wash his hair, clean his back, and then his legs (because he still can't bend quite well yet). It's almost hard to believe he had this surgery just two weeks ago!

Every little bit helps, Elen.....when I had my brain surgery, they were wanting me to sit in a chair only 6 days later! But the more he does...the better he'll feel & the quicker he'll recover!

Modern medicine is truly a miracle, for serious

So what's his prognosis then?

[Ephesia 0]

Every little bit helps, Elen.....when I had my brain surgery, they were wanting me to sit in a chair only 6 days later! But the more he does...the better he'll feel & the quicker he'll recover!

Modern medicine is truly a miracle, for serious

So what's his prognosis then?

Nothing major in his prognosis. He is in the all-clear. It is very unlikely the disease will re-surface because they did 3 colonoscopies on him in the past 2 years and they all came back clean for his small intestine. The disease was mostly in the lower half of his colon and rectum, both of which he doesn't have anymore.

He's not allowed to drive for another 3 weeks. If not for his PC, he'd have been super bored by last week. In the next 2-3 months he will experience bouts of fatigue because his body will take time to adjust to the loss of a major organ. We are already seeing these fatigue episodes. After our family gathering yesterday, he desperately needed a nap. Although he had stayed in his recliner throughout the get-together, he simply felt worn out. After the next few months, though, he will feel more and more normal again.

He's already started eating stuff he couldn't eat for the past 2 years. His doctors told him he can eat anything he wants. He had this big grin on his face when he broke out the ketchup two days ago. They just want him to take it nice and easy in the first month, and then be discerning with the portions later on. Without the colon, almost anything he eats will get absorbed directly into his blood stream. So he will gain weight pretty fast. Not that we're complaining. He dropped to 132 lbs when he was at the hospital. As a 6-footer, that makes him pretty darn skinny atm.

The stitches on his bottom have to stay for another week at least. He's been ready for them to come out since 3 days ago, so he's going to push for them to schedule him in for this Fri to get them out.

His doctors are also very happy with how his hemoglobin count has been increasing. The disease had made him almost severely anemic at one point, but he's starting to show more normal numbers now. And finally, finally I can see some pink in his cheeks.

[Indo_mommy 0]

Elen, so happy to hear that Brandon is getting better and the recovery process is going well for you both. You're one special women my friend and we're insipired by your love and strength!

Big bear hugs!

Maureen & James

[MaryandMian 1]

Elen,

Thanks for the update on Brandon. You both have been in my thoughts and prayers and feel like from your update that he is on the mend nicely now.

Mary

[Ephesia 0]

I hope it is okay to dig up this thread to update all of you who so generously and sincerely kept Brandon and me in your thoughts and prayers.

Below is a picture taken two weeks ago. We threw Brandon a small belated birthday party for him. He turned 28 on Apr 26 but because it was a weekday, we felt having the party during the weekend would be more convenient. He was a little tired when this photo was taken, but Brandon has been strongly on the mend since then.

We have gone out for short stretches of time several times in the past 2 weeks. Today I drove us to lunch with his mom and sister. Brandon has been alert enough to get strict with me again about my driving (it's improving, I promise!), and he is definitely his usual smart-a$$ self again.

Thu night was also my last night on the couch in the living room (I had slept there for 3 weeks while Brandon was recovering). It felt really good to be next to him in bed again, and thank God I did not kick him at all. He said the only physical contact I had made in my sleep was placing my head right next to his.

Thank you, all of you, for the PMs, e-mails, and phone calls. We are deeply grateful for each of you. God bless you.

[Indo_mommy 0]

Awww...so good to hear the update from you Elen. Oh and tell Brandon "HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!" from us.

Take care girl!

[almaty 19]

I hope it is okay to dig up this thread to update all of you who so generously and sincerely kept Brandon and me in your thoughts and prayers.

Below is a picture taken two weeks ago. We threw Brandon a small belated birthday party for him. He turned 28 on Apr 26 but because it was a weekday, we felt having the party during the weekend would be more convenient. He was a little tired when this photo was taken, but Brandon has been strongly on the mend since then.

We have gone out for short stretches of time several times in the past 2 weeks. Today I drove us to lunch with his mom and sister. Brandon has been alert enough to get strict with me again about my driving (it's improving, I promise!), and he is definitely his usual smart-a$$ self again.

Thu night was also my last night on the couch in the living room (I had slept there for 3 weeks while Brandon was recovering). It felt really good to be next to him in bed again, and thank God I did not kick him at all. He said the only physical contact I had made in my sleep was placing my head right next to his.

Thank you, all of you, for the PMs, e-mails, and phone calls. We are deeply grateful for each of you. God bless you.

hey brandon looks cool with those snazzy hot pepper trousers.. i glad he is getting better sister...and also a late birthday greeting to him.. brandon and you are good people in my book.///dean

[Ephesia 0]

hey brandon looks cool with those snazzy hot pepper trousers.. i glad he is getting better sister...and also a late birthday greeting to him.. brandon and you are good people in my book.///dean

LOL brother Dean, thanks. I bought those from Wal-Mart. Wait till you see the SpongeBob Squarepants jammies. I deliberately bought three of the ugliest pairs of pyjamas I could find. I am sure he has buried the SpongeBob ones in the deepest corner of a drawer somewhere by now.

[almaty 19]

hey brandon looks cool with those snazzy hot pepper trousers.. i glad he is getting better sister...and also a late birthday greeting to him.. brandon and you are good people in my book.///dean

LOL brother Dean, thanks. I bought those from Wal-Mart. Wait till you see the SpongeBob Squarepants jammies. I deliberately bought three of the ugliest pairs of pyjamas I could find. I am sure he has buried the SpongeBob ones in the deepest corner of a drawer somewhere by now.

i got several pairs of scooby doo and a couple shrek and eeyore...sister sanita thought it was a good birthday gifts last year..

[rob&ana 0]

Elen...

I come late to this thread, I did not know what you were going thru. But it's inspiring to see how strong you are, and how much you love your husband. My heart goes to you... And a quick recovery for Brandron...

Ana

[rebeccajo 14]

Ah yeah I'm loving those PJs!!!!

[TracyTN 237]

I am also late to this thread, Eph. Sorry I missed it, but I am SO glad to hear your dear hubby is doing well.

[Ephesia 0]

lol Becca. He wore them SpongeBob Squarepants TWICE last week because he had no choice. I deliberately left his other dirty jammies in the hamper until the weekend before they got washed.

And thank you, Ana and Tracy, for your sweet thoughts. Don't apologize for being late. A kind thought is a kind thought regardless.

Brandon continues to do well. We took our first real grocery shopping trip at Wal-Mart last Sat in almost 2 years. Previously, he'd never be able to walk around with me because he'd have to use the restroom every 5-10 mins. On Sat we walked along EVERY single aisle, and he was so goofy looking at everything. By the time we reached the last aisle, he had filled the cart with too much junk food.

Brandon also took his car out that evening - his first drive in a month since the surgery. We opened the sunroof, blasted the stereo, and sang at the top of our voices like we were drunk jocks.

He can now take his own showers, and change his osteomy bag all by himself (I don't even know anymore when he's actually changing it, lol).

He still has some soreness in his bottom, so he avoids sitting at his desk for extended periods of time. Overall, though, normalcy is returning to our household. He put on 3 lbs in 2 weeks earlier this month, and his face is definitely looking a little more fleshy now.

[almaty 19]

lol Becca. He wore them SpongeBob Squarepants TWICE last week because he had no choice. I deliberately left his other dirty jammies in the hamper until the weekend before they got washed.

And thank you, Ana and Tracy, for your sweet thoughts. Don't apologize for being late. A kind thought is a kind thought regardless.

Brandon continues to do well. We took our first real grocery shopping trip at Wal-Mart last Sat in almost 2 years. Previously, he'd never be able to walk around with me because he'd have to use the restroom every 5-10 mins. On Sat we walked along EVERY single aisle, and he was so goofy looking at everything. By the time we reached the last aisle, he had filled the cart with too much junk food.

Brandon also took his car out that evening - his first drive in a month since the surgery. We opened the sunroof, blasted the stereo, and sang at the top of our voices like we were drunk jocks.

He can now take his own showers, and change his osteomy bag all by himself (I don't even know anymore when he's actually changing it, lol).

He still has some soreness in his bottom, so he avoids sitting at his desk for extended periods of time. Overall, though, normalcy is returning to our household. He put on 3 lbs in 2 weeks earlier this month, and his face is definitely looking a little more fleshy now.

sister that is good news..brandon sounds like he is getting better ...