up and down...and up

Mason seemed to be doing well this morning until around 9:30.  Scott & Olivia arrived, and I headed off to grab a cup of coffee down the hall.  When I got back, Scott was holding the vomit bucket for Mason, who was complaining of an extreme headache.  His heart monitor alarm was blaring because of the pain and the vomiting elevated his heart rate, Olivia was in the corner trying to avoid eye contact with the vomit bucket, and Scott was left holding the bucket.

The infectious disease doctor happened upon all this, and asked if Mason had ever suffered migraines - he did when he was in elementary school, but hasn't had one in several years.  She said it could have been triggered from the stress of the situation. Mason didn't think it felt like a migraine, he thought he had a reaction to some medication.  He had just taken doses of 2 different antibiotics, cefazolin and clindamycin.  Since then he has had more of those same medications, and was fine.

At any rate, they took him off the morphine drip (goodbye for now) because that is known for headaches as a side effect.  After making sure he could keep it down, they gave him an oral vicodin (hello, old friend) and that seemed to do the trick - eventually.  He spent a good part of the day with an ice pack on his head or asleep.

However, he is now perked up considerably.  Could be because he got some afternoon visitors today, who came bearing gifts:

home made cookies

+ candy

= good living. Yay!!

Also, he has been given a reprieve from the land of IV!  He is currently, temporarily FREE of the IV and the heart monitor.  All he has tethering him is the wound vacuum, which continues to suck goo out of his arm. His pain level is good, his head quit hurting, all is well.

Mason can have nothing to eat or drink after midnight, in anticipation of an 8am surgery tomorrow.  We will know a lot more after the surgery.  Hopefully the last one for a while.