omma24
Break on through to the other side!!!
Aug 15, 2010
Break on through to the other side...yep that's just what I did! Sorry I have taken a few days to update my blog. Let's catch up! :0)I arrived at the university at 5:15 am on the 11th. Found our way to the sugery check in desk and was immediately called back to begin prepping for surgery. Hubby and all four kids were along for the ride! Everyone was suprised that the kids were along...but since they were so well behaved everyone was very accomodating to them.
After wiping down again with the antiseptic wipes and changing into my gown, the nurse came by to go over all the information and to do the vitals and such. She drew blood for a type and cross. Then I (we) waited for anesthesia to come by and go over their part of the process. The anesthesia nurse ran my iv. Then they told me it would be about 15 more minutes before they wheeled me off to the surgical suite. Alas, 7:15 had arrived and I said my goodbyes to the hubby and kids. The ride through the hospital to the surgical suite was interesting. And even up to this point I still had no real concerns or nervousness at all. I still can't believe how remarkably calm I have remained throughout all the preperation starting in May up until they put the mask on my face. In fact I even cracked a few jokes in the surgical suite, before going under! My first one being that the suite seemed much smaller than I had expected. The PA who was the only person in the room that I knew, as he meets with me at all my appts, asked if I thought it was going to be an arena. I laughed and said , "Yeah, I was thinking it would be complete with stadium seating!" LOL They were all very busy prepping me and moving to the table and such. Then the PA asked me as I was breathing through the mask, if I had any other questions. I of course could only think of another joke and cracked up the entire surgical team by asking, "Yes, one last question, Is it too late to order breakfast?" LOL The PA laughingly said he would put in a nice order for an ounce of water...but not until the first morning after the sugery! Such a nice guy!!!! :0) Then that's it....nothing after that.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, the surgeon calls my husband at 10:30 am and tells him that I made it through an uneventful surgery and he could see me as soon I got out of recovery and up to my room.
Back to me, I woke up in recovery at 11am. My very first words were, "OW! That hurts...moan..." Then the nurse said she would give me some pain meds. I said to her, "Well, it's not really pain...just pressure under my rib cage." She asked if I was naseous (sp?) and I said no, not at all.
So she gave the pain med. Anyway...I was mostly awake and alert and ready to see my family.
Here is where the problem started!!! No problem with me or the surgery...just a problem with my room being available. I ended up waiting in recovery for SIX HOURS!!! They kept apologizing to me that they couldn't take me up...and there were some unruly patients who made the time entertaining. They were going to sneak my family into recovery to see me had it not been for the man screaming obscenities at everyone who would listen to him. They were afraid that would be too traumatic for my kiddos. So instead they called my husband and allowed me talk to everyone on the phone.
Fast forward almost 6 hours...the doctors on my floor came to find me in recovery...again apologizing...and telling me that I was already doing so well that they expected I would be going home early. :0)
So finally at 5:15 pm, the previous patient was gone, the room was cleaned and I ARRIVED to my private room!!!!! The nurse said I could try to stand up in a couple hours if I was ready. I said, "CAN I GO FOR A WALK NOW?" She was shocked and said yes I could try. I was so ready to get out of that bed! I went three laps and was gone for about 10 or 15 minutes. Yay!!! That felt good to get up. Then I sent my hubby and kids back to the hotel. I am sure they were extremely exhausted!!
So, to make a long story just a bit longer....I ended up doing extremely well...used the pca button three times the first night and had one pain pill orally the next day at noon. Walked, drank..did great. Was told I was ready to be released at 5 pm the day after surgery. And left the hospital at 6:30pm on Friday the 13th. Since hubby had already paid for the hotel room, and the kids wanted to spend one more night playing on the 100ft. pool slide, we spent Friday night at the hotel. Then Saturday morning we took our time getting ready to leave for home. We only live an hour away from the hospital but with the kids there for the duration the hotel stay for three nights was a very good investment. We headed for home...but stopped 1/2 way so that I could get out and walk. They want you to not sit at a 90 degree angle for more than 30 minutes to help prevent blood clots. So, we stopped at Walmart...of course the store I love and hate at the same time! I walked around there for a little more than a half hour and was then ready to head on home. Let me just say that the entire store smelled bad to me....It was weird. I have never noticed it before...but the freezer section smelled like freezer burn and the dairy section smelled like soured milk...and the usually nice smelling Subway bread smell at the front of the store just didn't have the same appeal at all. Strange....very strange....
Well, that's the story of my surgery.... tomorrow I am going for my first post op appt. I hope I have lost some weight! And more than anything, I hope they remove this useless drain that clogged internally shortly after arriving home. Since the morning of day three I have been changing the pads, as all the drainage is seeping out around the drain..rather than into the drain. Yay, rah...NOT!!! My only complaint about the entire surgery...oh well. I will update tomorrow.... and talk more about the eating aspects so far...
