Surgery story--long
I took so pain meds tonight, so I am not sure how clear this will be. But, I will give it a shot.
On the 15th, I saw my PS. We went over so many details that I can't even begin to remember them all. In the end, we settled on a size of implant. Basically, I told her to use her best judgment. I wanted to be a fairly good size since I had been all of my life. So, we went with 400 cc medium profile silicone implants. I also took a ton of pictures of breasts I didn't like. When I asked if others usually brought in pictures, she said no. And, she didn't really like it because people would bring in a picture of the exact breast they wanted and she couldn't promise how a body would wear an implant. Basically, I just wanted to discuss what could go wrong, what she would be able to do if something went wrong and make sure we were on the same page as to what my goal was. But, I didn't want her to promise any one result. It was interesting to listen to her as she looked at the pictures and made comments. It made me feel more than ever that she knows her stuff.
On Wed., I showed up at the hospital all ready to go. The weirdest question they asked me was on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being pain free and 10 being the worst pain I could imagine, what level of pain could I function on. That was a hard one for me. I mean, if my kids needed me, then I could function at a higher level of pain than if I just needed to make myself a sandwich. I mean, what mother hasn't sucked it up for their kids?
An hour or so later, my surgeon comes in. This woman is so down to earth. Instead of walking in with that air of importance, she comes running in explaining she just came from aerobics class. She was dressed in the same clothes I would wear. She marked me up and was on her way. The usual stuff happened and I woke up hours later. I don't even remember waking up. And, since I had a mild panic attack when I woke up from my GBS, that is fine with me. In fact, this was so different than with my GBS. When I awoke from that, they woke me and made me ask for pain meds. With my PS, they gave me the pain meds before I woke up. DH says I was stoned out of my mind when he first saw me. This was so much better. I don't actually remember when I was awake enough to know what was going on around me. I know it was after I was in my hospital room. But, DH says I was babbling from the recovery room until I got to my room and had everyone laughing. He said I was blunt and speaking my mind. But, funny.
Once I was awake, I found out that my 5 hour surgery had actually take 5 1/2 hours. But, everything went well. My surgeon was just making sure everything was right. I also found out that I wouldn't be able to leave the hospital. But, I wasn't being admitted. They sent me to extended recovery. In short, that means that I won't be charged for being admitted for one night. A patient can be put in extended recovery for up to 23 hours after surgery. Then they have to be admitted and charged extra. I am not sure why she decided to send me to extended recovery except my oxygen levels were low. We expected this.
That night they promised to feed me. But, they never did. I had two protein bars with me and ate one. Dh stayed with me until 10 pm. The staff up until that point was great. When he left and the shift changed, the staff went to pot. They didn't want me out of bed. I didn't want a blood clot and refused to stay in bed. My IV pump was low on battery power and wasn't charging. So, every time I got up to take a lap, it started beeping. By 3 am, I wasn't in the best of moods. My nurse keep having to reset my monitor. He finally got nasty and insisted I not get out of bed that night. It itching started and I got really bad cotton mouth. I didn't have any ice or water near. So, I followed his orders and beeped him. They answered 10 minutes later and promised ice chips. 20 minutes passed and no one showed up. So, I unplugged and went looking for satisfaction. The nurse and I had words. The tech who should have brought my ice chips must have heard us and ran to get some. She got back to the room just as I got there and made some comment about bringing my chips in a tone what was all too friendly. I bit her head off and went to the bathroom and cried for 10 minutes. The morphine was really playing with my emotions. It also messes with my sleep. I can't sleep for more than a minute at a time. I would be walking or sitting or what ever and pass out. Then when I would start to fall, I would wake and catch myself. The next morning, one of the techs from the next shift said she followed me around ready to catch me. But, I was so out of it, I never knew she was there. Most of the time when I felt it coming on, I would lean against a wall. But, for the most part, I didn't sleep the whole time I was in the hospital.
The next morning, my surgeon was supposed to be there by 10 am to release me. DH showed up 8:30. Sometime around 6 I did one of my pass out things. I must have gotten in a good 5 minutes of sleep because I woke really confused. I didn't know where I was. But, I knew I was thirsty. So, I grabbed some water and started drinking. Then I realized I was in the hospital. I thought I was waiting for my surgery and went into a panic that I wouldn't be able to have it because I had just drank some water. Around 7, I was moving some bedding and ripped my IV out most of the way. I knew it wasn't function, but it was in enough that I was dripping blood. I buzzed them. Waited. Finally they asked what the problem was. I told them and they said they would be right in. 10 minutes passes and nothing. I pulled the sucker the rest of the way out while I waited so the bleeding would stop. Then I had to go chase my nurse down. We had a few words. She didn't want to put another one in. I was firm that I didn't want to move to oral meds yet since I didn't know if they would make me throw up. We argued back and forth a while until she saw it my way. She, and most of the staff, knew nothing about GBS. When she finally came to put in the new IV, I asked if she would deaden the area. She said no and I should just go on oral meds. Stubborn woman. But, I was more stubborn. She blew the first attempt. But, while she made the second attempt, we made nice-nice. She promised to get someone else to do it if she missed again. And, she thought she had. But, thankfully, she got it.
At 8, they brought my breakfast. It was an all liquid all sugar meal. I couldn't eat a thing. They didn't even bring me fake sugar for my tea. And, they didn't seem to think that I should complain that the fruit juice was only 15% real fruit juice. That should be enough for anyone. Later in the day, I spoke with the woman taking lunch orders. I told her I was on a special no sugar diet. She asked if I was diabetic. No. Explanation followed from me. Blank look on her face came from her. Then she said she would have to look at my chart and be right back. She never came but lunch was another all sugar all liquid diet. DH and I expected this, so I ran down and grabbed some mashed potatoes and gravy from the cafeteria. It is usually my safe food. But, after two fork tips of it, I was gagging and trying to throw up. So, that was a no go and I decided food wasn't all that important anyway.
At some point my IV machine finally died completely. They found another. But, my nurse couldn't figure it out. I finally had to insist that she get someone to help her. I mean, morphine is good, but too much of a good thing... She, another nurse and the instruction book finally figured out how to set me up. 15 minutes later, the machine was beeping again. Being lazy at this point, I just buzzed. 15 minutes later, no one had answered. And, DH was really mad already at the way they had treated me over night. He buzzed in on the other bed's buzzer. They answered and he got nasty. Then they answered my buzzer. I guess it isn't like being on hold where they tell you that your call will be answered in the order it was received.
I should point out that I would much rather do for myself than sit around buzzing people. I only buzz when I am forced to do so. I don't really want to bother then with an ice chip request when someone is in another room buzzing because they are in major pain. So, in total, I think I only used the buzzer 4 times. 3 times was because they insisted that I contact them that way. The fourth and last was because I was angry and wanted them to do for me. I am also pretty easy going when I am in the hospital especially when they have me drugged up. They really have to push my buttons to get me going.
This pretty much tells you how the whole day went. By about 4, I was getting worried about being charged for an extra day. And, no one knew when my doc would arrive. But, the staff was a nicer staff. I spoke to one guy and told him I was a self pay and had no more money for this surgery. He was really nice and got things going. My doc showed up about 30 minutes later. I finally got to see my new body. I was so happy. She took the time to just sit and talk with us. She also looked at some stitches I had from mole removals the week before. On one place, the stitches has come off. It was torn open when I was in the hospital. So, she doctored it up and told me what to do with it. She also took out my other stitches and saved me the cost of going back in to have it done at my GP. A funny thing happened while we talked. I am usually a very shy person when it comes to my body. But, we spent about 15 minutes talking with my wearing nothing but a smile and some cheap disposable underwear they gave me since my period started hours after surgery. I was telling her how happy we are with her, her office staff and some of the hospital staff. Then she hugged me. Normally hugging anyone while topless would have freaked me out.
She told me to call before my appointment to have my bulb removed. She didn't want me to drive all that way if it was too early to remove it. She told me that I could come and see her before leaving town if I had any questions. But, I was free to leave town the next day if I wanted. She also told me to stop walking upright. My tummy is tight, but I hadn't had any trouble walking upright. In fact, I was concerned that she didn't tighten it enough since all of the stories I read say that they have trouble walking upright for weeks. She told me to bend a bit and give my skin some room to heal. (Now that swelling has set in, that isn't an issue any longer.) Finally, I asked her if I could go to the biker rally on Sunday. She laughed and said I could do what every I felt up to. But, she said she was concerned that if I got around a rowdy or drunk group, someone might fall into me. We are going tomorrow and I am sure that my father, my sons and my husband will be on the watch for anyone that might hurt me.
Pain hasn't really been an issue. I was really worried about getting off the morphine. But, they gave me a Percocet before coming off the morphine and then sent me on my way when I didn't throw up. We went shopping at Walgreen's after getting out. It was nice to be out and about. But, people did stare because of the way I was dressed, my sunken face and my really bad hairdo.
When we got back to the room, I couldn't find my pain meds. It was about 10 that night. DH said he would run out and get another prescription filled. But, I didn't want him to leave me. And, I didn't want to go out again. I was so tired that I couldn't see straight. Plus, my mind was foggy from 2 days of hard drugs. So, I said I would see how it went. I slept half the night sitting up in bed and the other half on my side laying down. I kept getting up and wandering around the room. And more than once he had to get me from the toilet. For some reason, toilets are my safe place when I am in the hospital. Even though I had a catheter the whole time I was in the hospital, I spent a lot of time sitting on the pot. I even made them come in there to talk to me or take my stats.
I still wasn't in pain the next day. But, we did find the meds when we were cleaning up the room. When we left the hotel, we went to another hospital to visit my uncle. Please say a prayer for him. He is having a really hard time and is touch and go. We spent an hour there then came home. When we got home, the boys all came running up to me and carefully welcomed me home. They are so good to me. They all help me carry things and grip at me because I don't ask for help. My 7 yo son helps me empty and record my bulb. My 5 yo son loves to carry things for me. My 9 yo sonmakes sure I have enough to drink. And, my 12 yo son worried about me in general.
I was tired after we went out to diner with the boys and my parents. But, we had to make a trip to Wal-Mart. I was hurting a bit there. It was mostly because I was swelling. But, I needed something to wear. I didn't buy bras ahead of time since I didn't know what size to buy. I figured I would just wear the one the doc gave me. But, it didn't seem to be all that supportive. My breasts felt like they would pop if anyone touched them. They were and still are very swollen. I took two pills when we got home. But, I still couldn't sleep. When I finally went to bed, I crawled down on the waterbed and hurt myself a little. I don't know what kind of pain other people have. But, mind doesn't seem to be the same as what they experience on the TV shows. I just have a sharp pain here and there when I move the wrong way.
Today we went to my boys' football games. I wasn't hurting after the first one which I mostly sat. The we went to lunch. I died at lunch. I wasn't in pain, but I was so tired. We had an hour before my next son's game, so I slept in the back of our SUV. DH came and got me when the game was ready to start. My son has always wanted to be a kicker. And, today he was going to get to do it. So, I had my chair set up and camera in hand. Then I realized they were kicking the other way. I had to get that picture. So, I grabbed my camera and my boobs and ran down the field. Not a good idea. It didn't hurt, but it didn't feel good either. But, I got the picture!
Both boys played great and won their games. But, I am pooped. It is now 2 am and I should be asleep. The little aches and pains started in, so I took two pain pills. That should be enough for anyone. But, here I sit typing. At least the sharp pain in my back stopped.
Tomorrow we are off to the biker rally. I am so excited. But, we are talking two cars incase it gets to be too much for me. Over all, I am doing great. The pain is minimal. The fatigue is the worst. The swelling sucks. I am taking the next four days off from work even though I know I could go back tomorrow. I think I have earned a vacation. I planned to take 2 weeks with one visit to the office to write paychecks. But, we need the money.
I am very happy I did this.
) 
OMG Hat!
I really should have read your posts in order (ha ha!).
Sorry about your hospital troubles---sounds very similar to my hubby's WLS experience--ugh! My WLS was like being at a medical spa--I did everything for myself that I could and had help if I needed it--the way it should be. Thankfully I will know what to expect with my PS team--same as my hubby's, and they were fantastic. He said it was as if he had his own private team of nurses all night hovering around him.
ON a side note--good for your boys! Glad they are good helpers to you. Congrats on their football wins, too. Have them check out my women's professional football team website sometime. I'm the center, and we play full tackle with helmets and pads. It's a blast!! www then indianaspeed.org. I'm #77, and I'm in a few pictures. I'm also in the mini-golf photo section with my husband--our team finished in 2nd place (I think we were called "team spoon"). Now they can tell their friends that their momma is friends with a pro football player!! Our team has a good chance of going all the way this year, but we're taking it one game at a time. We have some tough games in the next two weeks--we'll see how it goes.
It's funny--I was showing off my extra skin to some of the girls on the team. When I lifted my skin up, one of them said "Oh, my god, Deeno's stomach is so FLAT!! Check this out!!" And then another girl came over and asked if she could touch it (the extra skin)--I let her--it's just skin, and it is pretty weird. I know that if I didn't get to see it every day, I'd probably want to feel it, too. Then we all joked that I may have to be a tight end next year, and I thought to myself--heck, I'll have a "tight end" by the end of this year after surgery.
Have a good one, Hat, and take care of yourself.
Deeno
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