Well I am happy to say that I survived
. The pain has been a bit unbearable, but getting better each day with a little help from my friend, percocet .
Dx was correct when he told me that this surgery would be easier in many ways. When I was brought over to the short procedure unit to get undressed, there was a regular sized gurney and a regular size hospital gown. My "fat" brain thought that it would never fit, but it went on and snapped at the back with no problem.
I was wheeled over to the prep room where they take you before going to the OR. I could overhear a lady on the phone asking where Patrick K was. She turned out to be one of my anesthesiologists and was told, i guess, to be on the lookout for the "big" man. When I heard her say, "I don't see anyone like that here", I waved in her direction and said "over here".
She came over and took a look and said, "You look skinny, no wonder I couldn't find you" It was a miracle that they could fit my head through the doorway after that compliment.
Anyway, the procedure was over in about an hour and half. I was asleep before the breathing tube was placed and when I woke up in recovery it has already been removed, the foley was already out and they took the oxygen from under my nose cause I was saturating at 100% on my own! I was also happy to see that the Doc had not used any drains either. The pain was harsh, but they quickly administered the wonder drugs. The worst part of my stay, was that I had to remain in the recovery room for nearly 9 hours while they waited for a bed to free up on the floor I was to be moved to.
Finally got moved to my room around 7pm ( I reported to admissions at 5:45am)
They let me sleep and promised that I would be getting up and about in a few hours. This I was not looking forward to.
It was some much easier to move around in the bed, using the urinal while lying in bed is no longer an event sans a big belly
and when it came time to get up for the first time, it was 100 times easier to pull myself up and out of the bed. I did well enough that the Dr. let me go home Friday afternoon. So now I am enjoying my deck,patio and front porch in this nice weather that we are finally having and trying to forget about work, relax and heal.
Thanks for all the kind words and support.
Patrick