Banded! I'm OTR now!! (over the rainbow). Day 2

Apr 09, 2009

Well I'm back from Coos Bay and I'm BANDED!  This post is a little bit of a struggle to write as I have to fight my eyes crossing and me nodding off due to the hydrocodone. lolol

Robert (my darling husband) and I arrived around 8:40am (we left Portland just after 4am since the drive from Portland to Dr. Tersigni's practice and the hospital in Coos Bay is around 4 1/2 hrs) and went straight over to the Red Lion Hotel (who gave us a teriffic discount bc we were using the hospital) where we were fortunate enough to be allowed to have our hotel early so we went and unloaded some of our stuff and his golf clubs (that he never ended up getting to use, poor guy) then headed over to the specialist's clinic to sign some consent forms, etc.

After that we headed over to Bay Area Hospital and they checked me in straight away.  The only sucky thing was the waiting.  We got there about 10:45am and I was in my gown and bed and had signed papers and had all my stats done by 11:15am I'd guess.  Because of the liquid diet I was a bit dehydrated which made inserting an iv a nightmare for them.  The poor nurse stuck me on the left hand and then tried on my right, to now avail.  Finally they called in my anesthesiologist who reminded me of a short version of the wonderful actor, John Turturro.  He was from Romania so had a very thick accent but I understood him most of the time. lol  He was very kind and very skilled but had difficulty getting a vein too so he brought back a small ultrasound unit and managed to find a vein that way.  It was in the inner part of my right elbow crease so not the most comfortable spot in the world but at least that part was done!

So I was scheduled for a 12:30pm surgery but didn't end up getting in until about 3pm.  Poor Robert had been trying to stay away but he kept nodding off as well as me.  I kept telling him to go back to the hotel and get something to eat and a bit of a sleep but he refused.

When I was finally wheeled into the operating theater I was suprised that the operating bed was sooooo narrow.  Expecially given the fact that quite a few patients of my dr would be even bigger than me.  Anyway, I remember getting on that bed and then my arm with the iv was laid out straight on an arm rest thing and a mask was put on my face (just resting, not attached at that point and then I was suddenly aware I couldn't breathe.  I yelped twice to let them know "I can't breathe, I can't breathe" and that was the last of my memory.  The next thing I remember (barely) is being in recovery then finally being wheeled to my room.

I was supposed to get my own private room but I guess some gastric bypass patiens were using them up.  I was a bit annoyed since mine was a self-pay and I was told I'd get getting it but at the end of the day, what can you do? Not worth getting your knickers in a knot over, that's for sure.  However my neighbor was an old, very frail lady was in for bowel obstruction; this was her NINTH surgery, poor, poor lady. I felt so bad for her.  I know they would get her on this chair potty thing by her bed as she kept getting bad diarrhea.  This of course didn't phase me most of the tima ss I was out of it but when it was about an hour to my check up and Robert and I were talking and she was squirting from behind the curtain and passing the squeakies flatulence for ever and ever, it was hard to stomach.  Good think our queasy friend J wasn't there, he would have passed out. lol


Robert had waited until the surgery was done and my doc came out briefly to let him know it all went home then my beautiful boy went to a steakhouse (he said an Indian man owned it and it was so slow the owner and the cook were playing cribbage.  apparently the day cook had made some kind of curry/potato soup up and the man being Indian didn't think it would be that good but it turned out excellent so R had some of that which he said made up for the not-so-good steak).  R said he just chit-chatted with the guy and relaxed then headed back to the hotel for a nap.  He then came back over to the hospital (close by) and was sweet enough to dish me ice-chips which was all I could take that first day.

The second day thankfully, I could also sip water and I also had 3 oz of a protein drink which was so nice after not having anything but water. lol

I had to have a "swallow study" (an x-ray where they have you swallow this nasty fluid so they can make sure it's all going down properly, no leaks etc).  Upon getting up out of my wheelchair I guess I didn't have quite as much morphine in my system that I needed as I nearly doubled over from the pulling pain sensation on my left side where the port is.  I persevered (and got the great news from the specialist reviewing the film that everything looked great) and then as soon as I got back to my bed believe you me, I pressed that nurse buzzer and let my nurse know, "NEEDZ MORE MORPHINE NOE" lol

That second hit of morphine made the difference.  I still hurt but it was a bearable pain.  They also gave me some right before I was discharged bc it was such a long drive and I had to stop once and take some of my oral pain medication on the way home as I got really sore again and then had two more doses last night (made sure not to follow the dosage instructions tho).  So overall am doing ok but noticed last night I'm having a bit of trouble peeing.  Like my brain is having trouble telling my bladder to empty itself. weird, i know.  I'll call my pharmacist this morning to discuss but my guess is if it persists they may take me off it.   I'd rather persevere tho since they want to wean me off it starting tomorrow (replacing with extra-strength Tylenol).

Lastly, one thing that shocked me was when my dr. visited he told me bc of my BMI he wanted to be very sure I didn't get a blood clot so he was going to have me take home some medicine that I'd have to INJECT myself with. WTF??  He sent my nurse in with swabs, needles and an orange to practice on and she showed me then had me do it on myself (on the hip).  Firstly, navigating to find my hip then being able to pinch it when I'm this heavy is not the simplest of tasks.  I did it however and was shocked at the almost complete lack of pain when giving the shot.  I have to do this twice a day for five days so I'm sure it'll get old soon enough. I also have to keep a medical journal so I know what I had and where I gave it.

So anyway, we got home last night and I was suffering with the driest mouth I've ever experienced in life, from any surgeries.  I suspect it has something to do with the liquid diet I've been on too but again, what can you do? I just made darn sure my water bottle was always in reach as I've been swigging that thing like crazy as my mouth felt gross and puckered. lolol

We watched a wee bit of telly last night but found I was drifting off so I snoozed on the couch for a little bit whilst R watched a dvd and then had some more hydrodone and my other meds and went to sleep.  I know I should be using my C-Pap machine but they didn't end up pulling it out at the hospital so I thought stuff it, I don't want to use it at home but I made sure my pillows were really fluffed up so I was sitting more upright than laying down. I also asked R to sleep in our master with me in the king last night (bc of my snoring (from the apnea) he normally sleeps in the spare room which sucks).  He was great last night, very attentive any time I got up and brought me some more medicine about 5am when I needed pain relief.  I can't say enough good things about him.

I got up around 3 or 4am and talked to my sis which was great.  I must have sounded like an old woman to her tho with my croaky voice.  I did confess to her that the initial pain was a lot worse than I had expected and she said yeah, which is why I didn't want to tell you that bc we both knew we needed to get it done so it was a matter of having to suck it up and the heavy pain doesn't last that long.  I also talked to Mum which was great.  It'd been awhile since we'd last spoke so it was nice to catch up.

Today I've had my 3 oz protein drink and water altho R's gone up to Starbux to treat us with a coffee each (which I'm allowed to have - yay).  The diff is now I can only have a tall cup (am thinking of moving to small if they have it) and I can't drink all of it as they don't want more than 6-8 oz an hour. But GAWD it was great to have a latte yesterday and I'm so eagerly awaiting the one R just went up the street to get.

Later, I get to have runny oatmeal. I never thought that porridge would excite me so much. lolol

Thanks everyone so much for your well wishes.  You have no idea how much it means to me. :o)

p.s. I've fallen asleep for about ten or so secs at least 4 times while writing this blog. lol

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