The big reveal...

The Apligraf application went well... it was pretty cool. I really feel this is the road to recovery. It HAS to be! Sadly, I still have to have to VAC on but the pressure was turned down to 125 mmHg. On Friday (2 days after application) I did develop a blockage in my wound vac. So poor Jacob came by (while on vacation) to cut out the suction disc and tape in a new one. So come tomorrow (Monday) will be the first day to see my wound since the Apligraf application and Jacob will be doing the wound vac change. The vac isn't changed near as much because you need the graft to remain as undisturbed as possible. In between the wound/graft and the foam for the vac is a mesh overlay which protects the graft. I then won't be evaluated on progress officially by a doctor until Thursday. I hope it "takes!" They made it sound as if they will be doing another application on Thursday as well.

Mom and dad have both been very sick with some sort of upper respiratory infection that comes on out of nowhere. Kind of starts off as allergies with maybe a small sniffle and some tickle in your throat to in the blink of an eye, full out bronchitis-like symptoms. Thank God for nebulizer. Even THEY use it when they get very ill with a cough. Especially my dad, he smokes too much and has had several bouts of pneumonia himself. They seem to both be getting better... dad's cough is sticking around longer than mom's but mom also don't smoke as much, AND conveniently had her annual doc appointment during her sickness so she was able to get a Z-pak. It really sucks when BOTH of your caregivers are very sick. Not only because you feel bad for them, but also because of the fear of catching it. We don't normally go to extreme lengths as far as wearing masks, but this time around we did. I cannot get sick a 3rd time for this year--on top of nursing this wound. So any time mom and dad had to interact with me, they wore their lovely face masks. I HAVE  been having some allergy-like symptoms over the last couple of days, but I started using (what I call my second level nose spray) which is Atrovent to help stop any post nasal drip before it gets to my lungs. Seems to be working. My throat is just a TAD scratchy and every now and then I feel a little tickle. But I will NOT get this!!!

Over the weekend I have done a whole lot of nothin!!! Sometimes I kind of like it that way!

I would like to end this blog entry with a great story written about THSD and them finding more service dogs in shelters! BTW... Me and Intrepid--our video--is now on the front page of their website! :) www.servicedogs.org

Click below to see news story:
News Story about Texas Hearing and Service Dogs