I must say I am relieved the catheter has been replaced. I was to be “under” the entire time in the operating room but I partially woke up and could hear and feel a great deal of what was going on. It was close to the end of the procedure. I must have started to loose a good deal of blood because I could hear the tone of the people in the room start to rise and could feel the wetness and warmth of the blood. They had blood and platelets there just in case and I feel they did a great job. It was necessary to take a stitch, then two or three and I could feel pressure then the pain of the stitches taking place and finally the cutting of the “thread” they were using. It was a strange thing because I could not say anything but just lay there although I do know I was in pain and wrenched several times during this period of time. I think it was then put under a little deeper and I understand this because they did not need me wrenching around on the table. I really think Dr. Hudgens is a wonderful surgeon and do not feel the outcome would have been as good if he had not done it.

I am sore today and quite weak but I had to go to dialysis this morning and that always takes a toll on me. When the old dressing was changed, the floor nurse said it all looked good. I realize there was no other choice but to remove and replace the old catheter because once they become infected, they must go. I was glad they could use the same area as the old one because that meant less stress and trauma.

Tomorrow I go in for the esophageal echogram that Dr. Barbaro called for to make sure he has a good overall picture of what is going on before I see him.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. They mean so much to my family and to me.