I'm a loser baby!
It's me...
I'm backkkkk...
I dunno if you know but they do this surgery with you almost standing. I had no clue at all. One of the anesthesia guys told us that. It is so your organs drop into their normal position so he can get at them. Cool, eh?
Everything went very, very uneventful.
Got to the hospital just after 6:00 am ish and waited about 15 minutes or so before being called back. Hubby and I went back to the pre-op area and I got changed into my lovely gown, non-skip slipper socks and hair net. Oo la la. Tres chic! The host of nurses, anesthesiologists, surgical assistances came through. Only concern was my blood sugar was 68 so they decided to give me some dextrose piggy backed off my other IV just to make sure all went well. The good Dr. C stopped by and was ready to go. I was given some relaxation juice in my IV and wheeled back into the OR. The place was bustling with folks and that's all she wrote. Mask over my face...goodbye and gone.
Woke up in recovery. Didn't have as scratchy a throat as I had with my back surgery 7 weeks ago so that was nice. Don't remember any breathing tubes coming out. I was told due to the drugs it would be a distant memory but nope...nothing. They apparently bring you out enough to help cough it up. But nada. I cannot say I was in alot of pain. Just a bit. I don't think my pain got higher than a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10 and that was when they messed with the JP drain. That smarted. Other than that...not too much.
They rolled me up to my room and I had to get out of bed to walk to the other bed with zillions of tubes but I was surprised it wasn't too bad. I basically slept the rest of the day. I was told to get out of bed but Rich headed home for a rest and I didn't want to walk without him. Should have - could have skipped a talking to by the good doctor. Saturday I was up and around. Got my catheter out and peed quite often and whenever I did I used it as an opportunity to walk. Nursing care was excellent.
Had a couple of visitors on Saturday...Jack had his surgery a few days before me with Dr. Anez and his friend Lynn who I had met at support groups stopped in. And Wanda came by. When in bed, I was pretty much out cold. Could be the fact that you get no friggin' rest. Every hour or half hour someone is drawing blood sugars, taking BPs and temps and 02 levels, changing an IV bag, emptying that drain...you name it. I just wanted some plain old rest.
Sunday the doctor came in and said I could head home. Told him I was walking. Even did 4 half laps around the floor after my 2:30 in the am trip to the rest room. I was told to sit up as much as I can...yadda yadda yadda. I really didn't. Did much more today. Took a couple of long walks (1/2 mile) already. I feel like I lost so much rest that I need to rest to get caught up. I feel okay. A bit sore on the left side where the drain was removed. That was a weird sensation for a second but boy was I glad it was gone.
I came home and slept. I walked around the house and slept some more. Had a nasty saliva runny nose duet going last night that was ugly but that seems better today.
Biggest problem is eating or lack therefore. I ate nada in the hospital. I was too wiped out. Today I took sips of protein drinks and water. I'm working harder on that. Haven't needed any pain meds at all. The gas is all trapped on the left side by my ribs and chest. Owie. But not the end of the world.
That's my saga. Got back Wednesday for staple removal.
Glad to be home.
Kathy
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