Taking the Scenic Route

We seem to have survived the day.  The valium kicked in, helping relieve his anxiety,  the appointment went faster than we thought, Zach had 22 shots in his mouth (ouch!!!!) and is still oozing some blood this evening.  He made it through his presentation tonight.  It helped that it was in a room he has taught in a lot and was very well prepared so that he could almost go on auto pilot.  He felt like it went well.  It was the last class he will ever attend as a student, unless he pursues a PhD and they require classes.  He still has to teach one more class before the final and then the semester is over except for the grading. 

We are a tired family tonight.  Glad the day is over and all went as smoothly as possible.  It was a bit hairy when we first came home because the bleeding was freaking him out a bit (blood mixed with saliva makes it look really horrible).  He couldn’t feel his mouth and couldn’t control his swallow so taking pain meds turned into a big ordeal.  I finally pulled out the children’s motrin and he, essentially, slammed down a swallow’s worth at a time until we had it up to the dosage.  It took a while.  Then I ground up his percocet and mixed it into a protein drink he likes and he did the same thing.  It probalby took over half an hour to get the medicine in him.  He was hurting so bad.  He has seen me hurt after surgeries many times, but this is the first time I have seen him in so much pain.  It was a really helpless feeling to be on the other side of that.  By the time he was ready for the second round of meds he had enough feeling to take it normally.  Under meds, he still has some pain, but it is more of a dull ache and he said it was very tolerable.  He has chipmunk cheeks, and probably will for a while, but he is doing a lot better now than he was earlier.

I can’t believe he actually made it through the presentation.  He said he had to mic himself to be heard because he was having a hard time talking, but somehow he managed.  Pure determination and force of will.  I am amazed and impressed.