[scduggan]

Dear Tom,
I am so happy you were able to get things worked out with TBI. I had a couple pieces of advice. First, if you are flying make sure you get wheelchair assistance for the trip home. Your wife will probably be walking well but will tire very easily. Also, there is a Holiday Inn Express across the parking lot from the facility. My husband and I stayed there for my surgery last month. It is convenient and the beds are really comfortable. They offer a discount to TBI patients. My surgery was on a Thursday morning, and we flew home on the next Monday after a post-op check with Dr. Zigler. I was really worried about the trip home but it ended up not being that bad. My surgery was only one level so your wife will have different issues. It is so AWESOME she will only have one incision. This is huge! They will take such great care of her. Because it is a specialty hospital the nurses are very well versed in spine patients. There is a recliner type chair in the hospital rooms. I could only guess you would be more comfortable sleeping in the hotel. Everything you might need is close-by like restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies.

One final thing (and I know you already know this....I just have to say it), make sure you wake her up in the middle of the night for her meds. I made the mistake of sleeping through the night once that first week....it was ugly!!!:nono :

Please send me a PM if you have more questions! Your wife is is great hands! Just getting a date on the books offers a lot of much-needed peace.
CD