Jasonm11
Surgery.....
Mar 11, 2011
As I'm sitting here two days post op writing these blogs, I forget how easily tired these loritabs make me....and having to remember to stop and sip in between too.....but I will get these blogs up to date in the next day or two....We scheduled the surgery for Wednesday March 9, 2011. We live about 6-7 hours away from the surgeon and hospital so we left on Monday to get there for the pre-op stuff on Tuesday and surgery on Wednesday. Tuesday breezed by without issue and before I knew it, it was Wednesday morning. I can honestly say I was only nervous for a very short period on Tuesday night. Other than that, I was never nervous. Anxious, excited, yes. Nervous no. I attribute that to a few things. I am a Christian and prayer is a huge part of my life. I knew God was listening all along and had plenty of friends and loved ones praying for me. I also had done my research and had complete confidence in the abilities of Dr. Stewart and the surgery I chose.
On Wednesday morning, we arrived at the hospital at 6:00 am for my 7:30 surgery. My wife was allowed to come back to pre-op with me. I met with the nurses, Dr. Stewart stopped by, a respitory specialist, and the anethesiologist. They had one heck of a time trying to get an IV started. It took a few tries before finally the anesthesiologist was able to get it stabbed in my left wrist. They tried using lydocane to numb the skin but honestly that hurt more than the needle. About that time they told us it was time to go and I kissed my wife good bye and they wheeled my into the OR.
It, as expected, was busy in the OR. They moved me to the table and started to buckle me in. I started praying and honestly don't remember much past that. I don't even remember them telling me the medicine was coming but I wasn't paying much attention at that point anyway. So I'm asleep and being cut up and yadda yadda. I remember seeing the clock was 7:38 the last time I looked.
The next thing I remember was complaining about chest pain at 9:37. People were everywhere around me going frantic. I was trying to explain that my stomach felt like it was on fire but all I could get out was chest pain right here(pointing to just right of my sternum). Apparently complaining of chest pain in the OR/recovery room is like screaming bomb on an airplane. I ended up being required to have oxygen for the next 24 hours as a precaution. Everything showed my heart was great but better to be safe than sorry I guess. I drifted in and out for the next two hours in recovery asking for more morphine, before finally at about 10:30 the anethesiaologist told the nurse to go ahead and give me the rest of the morphine, something about 4 shots. From there it was all a lil fuzzy until shortly before noon when my wife and mom met me in my room. I do remember asking who my roomy was and them telling me I was in a private room. Other than that it was pretty foggy....
I didn't get anymore morphine after that because I frankly just hate being groggy. I have a very high pain tolerance and would prefer a slight pain over being out of it. I just hate that feeling. I was dying for ice chips but they told me none for 6 hours after I was out of surgery. That came to about 3:15 pm so I guess I got out at 9:15 am. They brought me a cup and told me I could have two ounces an hour at 3:00 pm. Talk about a gift sent from heaven! I never knew ice could be so great. It was like I just won the lottery!
After getting my ice, I asked when I could get up and walk around and they replied, whenever you want. So needless to say, I was skipping to my lou around the hospital by about 3:15 pm. I couldn't take being in the bed any longer so I walked most of the night. The pain was minimal thanks to the toridal(sp?) and eventually loritab elixir.
In my next blog, I'll go over my first day post op. Should be coming up soon as I'm not too tired yet. Splitting the 7.5/500 loritabs in half is working great...minimal pain and no where near the grogginess. I'm going to continue trying that. See ya soon!
