Thank you all for the love and vibes while I was in the hospital.

[ThomCat]

:loveya:

They let me out today. It was that or let me starve. OMG, they gave me milk and cheese for every single meal. Either somebody is totally clueless or somebody really hates vegans. I am so very glad that friends brought me food. :9

The surgeon brought in a surgical team of residents, so I guess each of them took turns practicing on me. If I could get a good angle and enough light I should be looking to see if they carved their initials in there. :P

I got kudos from one of the guys on the surgical team for operating on myself. I'm apparently the talk of the resident's lounge.

Now I have to survive the recovery. I don't know if I can handle the pumps and the pain of the trip to work. :(

[lizziegrace]

1. I'm so glad you're home!

:hug:

[ThomCat]

5. Me too.

The nurses and aids were wonderful. But it's great to be in my own home, living under my own rules. :)

:hug:

The bureaucracy sucked. They really kept doing the same things over and over and over again because they couldn't get it right. :(

I discovered that a hospital is the WRONG place to have a migraine headache. They would not leave me alone. They could not provide me with any med for it, and it took them an hour to give me permission to take my own med. Once I took my own med, they still would not leave me alone. I wanted a quiet, dark room, and there is no such place in a hospital.

[LynzM]

37. Oh Thom, that sucks...

I was in the hospital while having Anja, sneaking taking care of my own diabetes... I feel for ya, dude... that sucks. :hug: I'm so glad you're home and recovering, and I hope the trip to work is as kind as it can be to you... let me know if there's anything I can do for you, ok? :loveya:

[MissMillie]

2. you've been through the wringer

:hug:

please let me know if I can do anything.....


I feel so, unhelpful

[ThomCat]

6. I feel like I'm half way through that wringer.

Which way do I go from here? :P

:hug:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. its not even that you are vegan but that you are allergic to milk

you think they would remember that

glad you are better

[ThomCat]

8. The nurses definitely remembered.

Every time my tray arrived they would look at my meal and get upset.

:hi:

I am really hoping the healing goes quickly from here. I would love to be well soon. :)

[TZ]

4. Glad you are home..

Wishing you a speedy recovery...:hug:

[ThomCat]

9. Thank you so much!

:hug:

I'm wishing us both health. We are both long past due. :)

[malta blue]

7. I am so glad to hear you are recovering nicely

:hug::hug::hug:

I was very worried about you, and am proud to call you my friend :hug:

[ThomCat]

11. I hope I really am recovering nicely.

:)

:hug:

I am very proud that you are my friend too. You are a very strong person.

[malta blue]

13. ...

:hug:

thank you Thom :loveya:

[lightningandsnow]

10. Glad to hear you're recovering!

:hug:

Keep us updated, k?

By the way, do people ever tell you you're awesome?

THOMCAT IS AWESOME!!!

[ThomCat]

12. Hi AspieGrrl!

:hug:

Thank you! I have actually heard that once or twice recently. :)

[supernova]

14. Welcome Home!

:hi:

:hug:

Hospitals almost never get diets right... unless you have to eat something specific for a test or surgery.

I'm not vegan, but when I was once in the hosp for something cardiac-related and with swollen ankles to boot, the cafe sent me sodium-laced HOT DOGS every day! x(

So, welcome home and all that vegan goodness.

[ThomCat]

30. I'm really enjoying just being able to get

fresh veggies that haven't been cooked to mush. It is amazing how important food is. :)

:hi:

I hope your hard is okay and you're healthy. :hug:

[Jamastiene]

15. They told you you had to wear pumps to work?

Those always kill my ankles. I'd ask them to reconsider and compromise with me. :P

I had to try to make a funny, because they say laughter is the best medicine. :P


Hope you get well soon. :hug:

[ThomCat]

31. Laughter is great medicine

but I'm trying not to laugh for the next week or so. Side-Splitting laughter" is only awesome when it's safely an analogy. :o

:hug:

I just chanced my bandages for the evening and took my antibiotics. All is well. I look forward to waking up to another day. :)

[lizziegrace]

38. ...

"I look forward to waking up to another day."

:hug:


:loveya:

[Sanity Claws]

16. The future surgeon has returned!

I'm glad you're doing better and are home. As Dorothy said, "there's no place like home."
Keep us up to date on your progress.
:hug:

[ThomCat]

33. OMG, that makes me sound important.

:P

She's right, there is no place like home. I could not sleep well when I was there, and I hate having to miss work (as crazy as that sounds).

:hi:

[mwooldri]

17. Good to hear you're out.

Seriously, home is better to recover than hospital.

But yep, that hospital obviously doesn't know what vegan is.

Methinks if you work for a large company it's FMLA time, but I don't know you well enough for that...

Just sending you my best, Mark.

[ThomCat]

35. Unfortunately, I work for a very small consulting firm.

My clients are very large international companies, but we're not. :(

My boss is giving me as much time as I need, but I want to get back to work as quickly as I can anyway. If I stay home sick I end up having nothing to do, and I have to take care of all my medical issues by myself. If I go into the office I have stuff to do and I'm near all my doctors if I need them. So I might as well go into the office. :P

[Gormy Cuss]

18. So, how many of the residents were cute?

I thought I'd get to the heart of the matter right away.
Glad you've been sprung, Thomcat!

[ThomCat]

39. They were almost all very attractive.

I wasn't feeling well enough to lust after them though. Damn it, I could only appreciate them for their medical skills. :(

:P

[NewJeffCT]

19. Glad to see you're back - get well soon

good luck with everything.

[ThomCat]

40. Thank you.

:hug:

I am hoping for good luck. There is still room for complications and I really, truly don't have the time or energy for any more bad stuff right now.

[ghostsofgiants]

20. Glad you're back.

How are you feeling?

[ThomCat]

41. A little awkward, but well

It is weird how stuff immediately becomes normal, no matter how unusual and different it is, as soon as you wrap your head around it and just do it.
:shrug:

:hi:

[BlueIris]

21. Hey you. Welcome back. nt

[ThomCat]

42. Thank you.

:)

:hi:

[Midlodemocrat]

22. Glad you're back and on the mend, ThomCat!

:hug:

[ThomCat]

43. Hi Midlo!

:hi:

Thank you. Me too. One of the worst parts of being in the hospital was being cut off from everyone and not being able to communicate. I feel really happy being back.
:hug:

[LoveMyCali]

23. I'm so glad you're feeling better

can you take a little time off from work to recuperate?

I'm sure you can handle the recovery, anyone that can operate on himself is one tough guy! :-)

[ThomCat]

45. I probably could take some time off

but I'm really hoping to avoid it. I want to get back to work.

Yes, I know that's weird, but I don't like sitting at home. I like having stuff to do. :)

:hi:

[Callalily]

24. So glad that you're home

and can recuperate in comfort. As you have guessed, we were all worried about you.

Take care and get yourself some rest.

:hug:

[ThomCat]

46. I feel like I've rested so much I was taking root.

I have a list of stuff I want to get done at work tomorrow. I plan to take it easy and I'm definitely not going to move around very much, but I need to get back to work. :)

:hi:

:hug:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

25. If I would have been able, I would have flown to NYC...

I am so glad you are OK. I've been thinking about you. Sorry I didn't post.
Glad you are home! :hug:
Duckie

[ThomCat]

48. That would have been totally wonderful

if you were here in NYC. :hug:

I'm going to bed early tonight. I'm seeing my pain management doctor tomorrow. And then I'm going to try to build as close to a normal routine as I can. :)

[Haole Girl]

26. Glad you're out of there!!

That's terrible that they couldn't give you vegan meals. :-(

[ThomCat]

49. I'm glad that I anticipated that.

Before I went into the hospital I left messages with a bunch of people about it. It's just one of those things I'm going to have to arrange every time I get admitted.

:)

[skooooo]

27. glad you're okay, thomcat...

Surgery is never fun, but at least it's over!

:hi:

[ThomCat]

50. That is very true.

:hi:

I hope neither of us see the inside of a hospital for a long, long time. :)

[latebloomer]

28. I'm happy you're out of the hospital!

I know YOU are!

Keep getting better.

[ThomCat]

53. Thank you. I really hope I can follow your advice.

It's very good advice. :)

[femmocrat]

29. Thanks for the update, ThomCat!

Hope your recovery is a breeze! :hug:

[ThomCat]

54. Thank you, femmocrat

That would be wonderful if it was. :)

:hug:

[elshiva]

32. Thank goodness, dear Thomcat.

:hug: :pals:
You are such a sweetheart. I missed you so much.
I hope you heal soon.

[ThomCat]

55. Hi elshiva!

:hi:

I missed you too! :hug:

[elshiva]

56. Hi, Thomcat. Check your pm.

:hug:

:hi:

Do you like miso soup?

[FloridaJudy]

34. Virtual hot and sour soup on its way

Made with vegetable broth and straw mushrooms. I'm glad you're finally home and on the mend.

Now go buy one of those mosquito nets: Bill Gates has them.

[ThomCat]

57. Yum!

:9

I'm hoping I'll finally get some answers about why this keeps happening, and how to stop it from happening again. I doubt it's the mosquito. For some reason, I keep growing these things, and they need to figure out why. :(

I don't know that these doctors are going to find those answers though. So I'll have to be super-careful with my skin. :)

[Pierre.Suave]

36. I am glad you are home and on the mend

here is a :hug: to speed it along just a bit.

[ThomCat]

58. That's one of the best meds.

:)

:hug:

[applegrove]

44. Glad you are feeling better.

[ThomCat]

59. Hi Applegrove!

:hi:

Thank you. :)

[Dr. Strange]

47. Good luck with the recovery.

Good thing your auto-surgery went well. I hate to think about what the malpractice trial would have been like.

[ThomCat]

60. I wish the auto-surgery had been enough.

That would have saved me a hell of a lot of pain and hassles.

But things have worked out as well as they have. :shrug:

:)

[Danger Mouse]

51. Just keep hanging in there, you wonderful person.

:hug:

[ThomCat]

61. Me?

Thank you. :hug:

:loveya:

[Danger Mouse]

63. Anytime. I can always count on you and Peggy for kind words.

The very least I can do is the same for you.

[lizziegrace]

102. He's a keeper

:hug:

and one for you too... :hug:

:)

[elshiva]

66. Elrond Hubbard and Thomcat are two wonderful people.

:hug: :grouphug: :pals:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

52. My dear ThomCat!

I'm so glad you're home, and healing!

I hope that your recovery is uneventful, and that you have time to relax and be your own charming self...

Be well, sweetie!

:loveya: :hug:

[ThomCat]

62. Thank you very much.

:loveya:

I'm much more tired than I usually am, and that's saying something for someone with chronic fatigue. I'm going to bed shortly.

I hope tomorrow is a good day. :)

[Flaxbee]

64. Glad you are well! I was gone over the weekend,

dealing with a bit of a crisis, and missed the thread. Phew! That must have been really painful, ThomCat (I went back and read your posts). I am SO GLAD you are OK and home and not starved :)

:hug: :hug:

[ThomCat]

76. Starving was probably the biggest risk.

That hospital absolutely could not figure out what "Absolutely No Dairy" meant.

Next time I end up in the hospital I'm having my neighborhood restaurant deliver once per day. I was in there for dinner tonight and they already offered to do it. :)

In fact, they were chastising me for not calling them for food over the weekend. They would have run up a tab for me and, knowing them, they wouldn't have charged me full price.

The wound itches madly right now. I know that's a good thing but I wish it wasn't itching. It's driving me crazy.

[lildreamer316]

65. Hey..

:hug: :hug: :hug:

[ThomCat]

77. Hey, right back.

:hug:

I hope you're doing well. :)

I hope I catch up with you.

[Connonym]

67. Glad you're home

You'd think in NYC they'd be able to accommodate a vegan diet. Hope you heal up quickly. :hug:

[ThomCat]

78. You would think.

:shrug:

Certainly in NYC they should be able to find a dietician who knows what Vegan means.

Based on the amount of itching I am guessing that I'm healing very quickly. :)

[crim son]

68. There's nothing like a little drainage to perk up one's day.

Of course, I'm assuming that's the pump you refer to. So glad you're home and embarking on recovery! :hug: :loveya: :hug:

[ThomCat]

79. Oops.

That was an unfortunate typo. I meant the Bumps trying to get to work. It's not a smooth trip. Leave it to me to miss that. :)

The commute really did hurt today. It's not a friendly trip for the wounded. If I could walk I think it would be less painful on crutches.

There are drainage issues with this wound, but no pumps involved. Just sterile gauze sponges, saline, and bandage. I'm home alone so tonight I get to clean it and dress it without any help. Fun, fun, fun.

[FloridaJudy]

69. Glad to hear you're home

And on the mend. Virtual hot and sour soup with straw mushrooms is on its way.

Now go get yourself a mosquito net. I think Bill Gates has a few to spare.

[ThomCat]

82. Thank you!!

I'm glad to be home. I just wish I wasn't home alone. :(

But it's very, very nice to sleep all night and not be woken up repeatedly to have nurses checking this, taking that, and poking me with needles. :)

[Bullwinkle925]

70. Oh TC . . . . . . . . .

you've been sorely missed!

I'm happy that you're home - now I'm hoping that the recovery time will go by swiftly for you.





big, big, BIG hugs to you!

[ThomCat]

83. You are wonderful!

:loveya:

Thank you so much! :hug:

I am weirdly lightheaded, and I don't know why. It's the unexplained symptoms that get worrysome. But if all goes well I'll recover quickly and all will be reasonably well. :)

[yellowdogintexas]

71. I am so glad I stayed up long enough to find this thread. Glad you are back home

and I hope you continue to improve.

[ThomCat]

84. I'm glad too.

Now I hope you get a good night's rest. :)

I'll try to do the same so that I heal while I sleep.

[MissHoneychurch]

72. So glad to hear you are out of the hospital

and that you are feeling way better.

Best wishes for a fast recovery :hug:

:loveya:

[ThomCat]

85. Thank you!

:hug:

I'm taking advantage of this to let some other issues sort of slide. I can get away with putting them off until after I've healed a bit. So I have more space to breathe and I'm under a bit less stress. In a week or two, after I've healed, then I can get busy again dealing with crazy stressful life again. :)

I hope you're doing well, and I hope your life is much, much less stressful. :hug:

[CreekDog]

73. Welcome back and welcome home

Wishing you a speedy recovery. :hug:

[ThomCat]

86. Hi CreekDog!

Thank you! :hug:

:hi:

[raccoon]

74. Glad you're out of the hospital! Best wishes to you, ThomCat.

:hug: :loveya: :toast:

[ThomCat]

87. Thank you very much, Racoon!

:loveya:

I appreciate all the good wishes. I'm collecting them. :P

I hope you're doing well. :hug:

[Zuiderelle]

75. I'm so glad you're back!

:hug:

[ThomCat]

88. I can't seem to stay gone.

No matter what happens. :P

:hi:

[madrchsod]

80. you are lucky you did`t kill yourself....lol

the main reason i want out patient surgery...i hate hospital food. i`m on pain killers,i hurt,and i can`t move and i`m supposed to eat a full course meal? i do`t think so..

good to hear everything turned out ok....

[ThomCat]

89. The worst that could happen

is that I end up in the hospital. I think I did a pretty good job, and I ended up in that damned place anyway. It's no fair. :P

[madrchsod]

93. i`m so tired of going to the hospital...

sometimes i think i`m falling apart piece by piece...next up--torn rotator surgery! three months of rehab!

[ThomCat]

94. I wish you a lot of patience and endurance for rehab.

:hug:

That is definitely not going to be fun, but I hope you come through it well.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

81. Great that you're out Thomcat

My continuing thoughts, prayers and best wishes for your recovery

[ThomCat]

91. Thank you!

They're very appreciated. :hug:

:hi:

[otherlander]

90. Good luck with the recovery.

:hug:

[ThomCat]

92. It would be very nice to have some occasional good luck.

:hug:

[GardeningGal]

95. This is one of those times that I wished I lived closer to NYC.

I'd be happy to try to keep track of things for you. I wish you all the best and a speedy recovery!

[ThomCat]

98. Thank you!

If you lived closer to NYC I would have been happy to accept the help. :)

:hug:

[flvegan]

96. Wait...aren't you deathly allergic to dairy?

The hospital did this?

I think lionesspriyanka is behind that. :P

[ThomCat]

97. I'll bet my insurance company put her up to it.

They're sick of paying out for my medical expenses, so they're looking for a cheep way to cut their losses. Priyanka convinced them that for the price of a pre-packaged cheese blintz their worries might be over. :rofl:

[In_The_Wind]

99. Welcome back to the world of the living.

I haven't been on DU so I didn't know of your plight I'm glad you survived! :loveya::hug:

[ThomCat]

100. Hi Joanie,

It has been quite a little adventure. :)

Life doesn't seem to slow down. I'm still strapped to the hood, and it's still driving at 60 mph. :P

[boilerbabe]

101. You must be one of the most violent vegans on record!

Glad to hear that you are recovering. I would love to be a vegan, but I am way too fussy, and only like certain foods (am a vegetarian of sorts, but do like cheese).

I also starve when travelling, or in hospitals. Last time I was in a hospital was for a punctured lung. No amount of morphine or whatever killed the pain of having a vacuum pump slammed into my side. Yay, whatever, this is not about me, right?

I was interested in how you managed to survive the menu in the hospital, since, even though I am extremely fussy, you are a vegan. I would give anything to be able to get rid of my cheese and dairy fixation, but then that would mean that I don't eat-period!

We would both definitely perish on that disgusting Atkins diet.

Glad to see that your are recovering by the way!!

[ThomCat]

103. Wow.

That image of a vaccum pump slammed into your side... :(

I'm glad you recovered. I hope that pump wasn't in there for long. And I hope it was a LOT of morphine. :hug:

I didn't eat what the hospital brought me. I drank the apple juice and sent everything else back. Friends brought me raw food from the supermarket and mixed cooked food from the Whole Foods salad bar down the street. :)

I was so medicated though that I often simply wasn't hungry. Twice I went over 24 hours without eating because vegan food wasn't easily available and it wasn't any big deal. The meds messed with how I was feeling so I couldn't really feel how hungry I was. Once I started eating I immediately realized I was ravenously hungry, but as long as I didn't eat it was easy to keep fasting.

I agree with you about the Adkins diet. There doesn't appear to be much food on that diet.

Thank you. I stayed home and slept all day, so I guess I went back to work a bit prematurely yesterday. But I'm recovering. :)

:hug: