Tuesday, February 06, 2007

BFF - Bionic Best Friend!

It's done! My BFF is now one step further toward becoming my BBF: Bionic Best Friend.
Thank you EVERYONE for your well wishes for her recovery. Becca read most of them on Sunday night and I'll be sure to forward any new ones to her. She was thrilled that you were all pulling for her!

She's one brave little toaster, lemme tell ya. She found a video of a THR surgery on Sunday night. She pressed play and then turned the computer toward Tory and I so that she couldn't see the screen.

Becca, looking at Troy and me: Should I watch this?

Me *staring dumbstruck at screen*: Wha?!

On screen: a woman, boobs to the wind, with her shoulders and arms strapped forward as she lies (lays? crap, grammar escapes me again) on her side on the operating table. Surgeon's voice describes need for stabilizing the patient's position.

Becca: Should I?

Video plays on; Sounds of bone saw coming from computer.
Troy: Wow. Probably not.

Me *wildly grabbing at computer to turn off the volume*: NO! NO! No, you should not watch this.

Troy *staring at computer, fascinated*: Cool - no, you shouldn't watch it.

Me: OH dear, is that a mallet?

Becca: Ok. I won't watch it. Tell me when it's over.

Troy: Yeah. Don't watch it - but it's pretty amazing.

Me: Yup. Amazing. *feeling vaguely faint and awestruck at the same time*


There were lots of phone calls on Sunday night from family and friends. After a beautiful turkey dinner at Troy's parents place, we put on our jammies and got cozy. Becca and I sat on the couch and talked to her mom and dad via webcam, ate chocolate dipped strawberries, laughed at the early birthday card Becca gave me, opened my present (a beautifully framed photo of Becca, Ralna and I at the wedding, some funny napkins and Easter Cream eggs) and made like it was a festive sleepover.
Troy ran damage control, holding her hand and rubbing her back when he sat next to her and hugging her after a sniffly private time on the phone with her parents, who prayed for her. He's a good man. He's very quietly calming and supportive. I'm so glad they found each other.

Becca's family all live out West now. Her sister is in California (she and her husband, Jon, called before the Superbowl) and her parents are in BC. It was her choice that they weren't there yesterday. She told them not to visit right now. Becca's parents would come at a moments notice, but Becca figured that she may need them later when she's home from the hospital and Troy is back at work. I told them that I was their representative yesterday - I hope I did the job well enough.

The surgery itself was a little under 2 hours long, but Becca was in the recesses of the hospital from just after 10am until 3:30pm. Troy and I spent the day staring at walls, doing jigsaw puzzles, reading, knitting, checking our watches and toasting Becca's new hip with Easter Cream Eggs.
When Becca was finally moved to her room in the orthopedic wing, her skin was a lovely shade of ecru but she was awake, smiling, cracking jokes, and thrilled that it was over.
It was hard to leave her to come home, but I know she's in good hands with Troy and his family and all her friends in Moncton.
I'll be sure to let you all know how she's doing.

8 comments:

  1. Hey Steph,

    Thanks for the update...I've been wondering how the surgery went. Do you happen to know how long she will be in hospital for? I'd like to give her a call and need to know where I can reach her (she's at the English hospital, right??).

    Probably a good idea that she didn't watch the video...I've seen firsthand some of the things that make her squeamish and I'm pretty sure watching a hip being "resurfaced" wouldn't be one of her better moments!

    Glad you made the trip okay!

    Julie

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  2. Go go Gadget Becca!!! Glad everything went great!

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  3. Happy to hear the surgery went well.
    Get some rest yourself and we'll see you soon!

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  4. Go Becca! Anyone who can kid around after being wheeled into their room after surgery is doing a kick-ass (which, I might add - she can do now really really well since she's equipped with a futuristic hip joint that will not tire) job of getting better.

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  5. ha ha i like the go go gadget becca!!!! HAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!
    I'm wishing her well!!!! And giggling too.....

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  6. I am doing a virtual hip replacement surgery online - it is DISGUSTING and it is a cartoon!!
    http://www.edheads.org/activities/hip/

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  7. YAY! I love it when a plan comes together. Healing thoughts to Becca.

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  8. Anonymous9:42 a.m.

    Sounds like your friend has a lot of good support. My Mom had hip replacement surgery twice(on the same hip... long story) anyway, she was up walking the next day - each time. Each day her walking got better & better. I wish Becca a good health, and a speedy recovery.

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