Released today!

First thought after waking up: PAIN PAIN What the H&$L happened! Where am I? Drugs! I need drugs! I think I woke up a bit too fast for them. I was in Recovery, but they hadn't had a chance to start the morphine yet. Then I was out again. They have to pump you up with gas, so there's a good deal of pain from that. I have a low tolerance for pain. 1 is no pain, 10 is the worst pain in my life. I would say, except for my first wake up, I started around a 6 and worked my way down. It would have been better if they'd been able to get a good vein on me for the IV. Eric was two pokes, then success in his arm. For me it was one miss in the left hand and wait for the anesthesiologist to do it. I was crying like a baby after they missed the first one because I knew that was their best shot. I have HORRIBLE veins. So, the anesthesiologist puts in an IV just below my first knuckle on my right hand. Horrible place for an IV, but it gets be out and into surgery. Well, by the end of the night.. maybe 5am.. they had to do another IV because that one was blown. So several nurses took a shot at getting blood with a butterfly needle, included at least two emergency room nurses. Then they turned off my first IV and called in a specialist - Anthony. Anthony is a tech that as one of his side wonders can hit a vein when no one else can. Well, Anthony hit not one, but two on me. Once for the new IV and once the next morning for blood test. When they came at be Thursday morning for another blood draw, I told the nurse she'd better find Anthony, or they weren't touching me. I didn't have any more blood taken once the situation was explained to the surgeon. There just wasn't anywhere you could get blood from! They pump a lot of fluids into us. We are still swollen, bruised (oh man, bruise easily), and have the staples in us. We feel bloated, both fluid and gas. They put gas into you for the surgery and then you got to get rid of it. It hurts every time you burp. All you want to do is fart. Because of Hurricane Jeanne, we are at my parents out instead of our apartment. We have to deal with the dog, instead of having a few days to adjust. And as a small conciliation, we have access to the Internet until we leave. So these are the first thoughts. I know it's going to get better. I also know I have a low.. low tolerance for pain. Eric's doing much better than I am. Although I did asked him on Thursday if he hated me for this and got a "yes". I knew it was only temporary. Once he got his drains out he was fine. Once I got my drains out, I was nauseous.

Poor things. I hope you both start feeling better soon. Nothing sucks more when your both unhappy and there isn't anyone to yell at. I hope the hurricane misses you all. Hopefully you both will get up and around in no time. Before you know it your hubby will be thanking you over and over again for having this surgery with him. Shannon