SI_Mike
Day 1 Post Op
Mar 28, 2011
Well….I made it through the surgery and hospital stay. This is going to be a long post, but I hope it helps others. So here goes it…
I was lucky to get scheduled for the first surgery of the day, 8am. I had to be at the hospital for 6:30am for pre-op prep. Of course it snowed the night into the morning to add to the pre-op drama. I don’t like needles….that will become more prevalent as the story goes. I started off in a tiny little exam room where I dressed up in my hospital gown, hat, and booties. The anesthesiologist met with me to go over what he was going to do. At this point, they put in the intravenous port in my hand. At this moment is when the reality of everything including the needle overwhelmed me and I passed out. I came to and calmed down and waited for my time. I met with the surgeon for a few brief minutes and then off to the start of my new life. I had to walk myself to the operating room and climb up onto the table. The only two things after that I remember was saying that the table wasn’t comfortable and who was the guy (anesthesiologist) pushing a needle through the intravenous port.
Day 1 Post Op
My surgery was about three hours. The surgeon told my wife it was a complicated surgery, but everything went according to plan. I woke up in the recovery sometime later that afternoon. I don’t remember much of the first few hours of recovery. Early that evening it was time to get me up and walking, for which I was ready and willing. Well all that happened too fast and midway through my walk I knew I was going to pass out. A nurse’s aid was with me and I was able to get to a chair before I blacked out. I do remember the nurse’s aid walking away from me as I blacked out. When I came to I was alone. Another nurse was walking by and asked if I was ok because I was sitting there drenched in sweat and white as a ghost. I made a big stink about being left alone. Don’t be afraid to question or voice discomfort over the level of care you are receiving. The rest of the evening was uneventful.
