More re my absence for the past few months

I am given to understand that there is a Chinese curse that goes, "May you live in interesting times!" Beth and I have been living in interesting times lately.

Beth went in for reconstructive surgery about a month ago. She nearly died on the operating table: apparently she had developed an allergy, previously unknown, to a antibiotic lavage which was used to lavage her peritoneal cavity during surgery (they were moving abdominal fat and its blood source to provide the material for the breast reconstruction). She very nearly went into terminal anaphylactic shock. Fortunately, the surgeons figured out what was going on, provided the proper prophylaxis, finished the breast reconstruction (leaving plastic surgery on the right breast until later), and closed up.

She was on a respirator for two days, and in the Intensive Care Unit for five days. When she came home, she had four drains in her, which were draining about 100 to 150 ccs of serosanquinous fluid per day each. The doctor removed one of them, but two of them accidentally pulled loose. So far, we've had her on antibiotics and have been using gauze wicks, gauze pads, and hand towels to drain out the fluids via capillary action, which is fortunate, because attempts to remove the fluids by hypodermic have been unsuccessful.

I've been at home taking care of Beth. It is fortunate that I have been able to telecommute and get my work done while she is sleeping (which unfortunately, is much of the time). Things are nonetheless a bit tight right now.

More later.