Had my pre-op stuff today...

Talk about a LONG day!!!  *sigh*  My appointment was for 8:30am - since I was to do fasting blood work.  Ummm...well then, why didn't  they send me to blood work FIRST??? Or at least second?  Nope...didn't get to the lab for blood stuff until about 11:30!!  By that time I was very shakey.  So I asked if there was any way I could get it taken care of right away because I was really shakey and was doing a fasting test.  They said nope, go sit and wait.  *#*@#*$!   Everything before that was pretty uneventful, but just lots of waiting!!!  I had forgotten my book - but thankfully had Sudoku on my phone, so I played that a bit.  Shelley was coming to visit Jill, so she stopped by and said hi to me while I was waiting...THANK YOU SHELLEY!! I saw the nurse to have vitals done.  I thought the blood pressure cuff was gonna kill me - and my blood pressure was 180 over something.  It was pinching my arm really bad.  So then she used the larger cuff on my other arm.  Then it was 130 over something.   Then I had to go wait some more!  Then I met with the Anesthesiologist...he was a very little man - short and skinny.  Very nice guy.  We talked a bit.  He said if I had a little bit of a cough that was dry and no fever, then they wouldn't cancel my surgery - but if there was a very wet cough or I had had a fever, they would have to.  I asked about it since I have two little boys who are sick right now.  Though I plan to keep them as far away from other kids as possible from now until surgery! After the Anesthesiologist - I met with a Nurse again (oh...after waiting quite a while too).  We talked, she gave me papers that had instructions.  NOTHING 8 hours prior to surgery (not even a SIP of water).  That's gonna be HARD!!!  Well hopefully it will be early in the morning and I can just wake up and go.  She gave me my wipe things that I have to use on my tummy before the night before and the next morning. Then I went out to wait wait wait some more...for the EKG.  So...when I got called for that - I saw the same nurse who did my vitals earlier - why didn't she do the EKG then???  Wouldn't that have been more productive??  *ugh* anyway!  That was over really quickly.  And I was on my way to the lab for blood work... After waiting some more - and talking to this really nice lady who said to me, "I didn't know they did that surgery on people so young." I asked her how old she thought I was - she said 23! Oh Bless her!!  I told her I am 29, and she looked VERY surprised! The blood draw was bad.  BAD BAD BAD.  The lady I got poked my arm and started to dig.  BUT then thankfully she stopped *whew*.  Then she decided to try the other arm.  When she couldn't find a good vein there (no pokes thankfully) then she decided to do it on my hand.  OUCH!!  And I did cry out a little when the needle went it.  She asked if it was really that bad...I said YES!  I think I'll have a bruise there! After that was done, I stopped at the snack bar area and had some sushi YUMMMM and some Teriyaki Chicken mmmmmmmmm.  When I was feeling a bit better, I went to Admissions and got that paper work done (and YES, more waiting!).   Then I went up to visit Jill (around 1pm) and got to walk with her a little bit.  Gotta tell you...that was the highlight of my visit to Madigan today!  She's doing GREAT!  She looks great!  She doesn't look like she had surgery just yesterday!   Well that's it for now...just wanted to update a little...

I'm so excited for you, you are getting sooo close. I get to have all that stuff done next week and haven't even met with the surgeon yet. I', even scheduled for an ultra sound next Fri. EKG and labs on Tues.  I hope I wont have to repeat all this with Madigan... and my Mental eval is the following Tues. It would be nice if it could all be the same day.   Glad to hear Jill is doing so well.

Well, i was told the labs - except prego test are good for 30 days...so you might have to do all that stuff again at Madigan.  EKG good for 6 months I think?? Of course, I did have a bunch of labs done when I went to get the referral - cuz they want a bunch of stuff before hand too...so maybe that's what they're doing for you? Anyway...good luck with that on Tuesday! ~Annie

Oh, Annie, I'm sorry that you had to go through such an ordeal, but at least you have it all over with now!  And in 2 weeks you'll be recovering just like Jill is now!  That's great that you were able to spend a little time with her as well.  Glad to hear she's doing so good.  Take care...

Well...ALMOST over now LOL. I have to go back in next Thursday for the pregnancy test and another one that's only good for 8 days.  Though hopefully only getting one vial of blood is easier than the seven or so they had to do today! UGH!

Sorry to hear it's not totally over with yet!  Hopefully next time it won't be a fasting blood draw - it can be much harder to get a good vein when you haven't been able to drink.  So if you are able to drink before the next one, drink up!  That will plump up those veins so the "stick" will be easier!!  Hang in there - you're on the home stretch now!!

Annie just load up on water before bloodwork and it is so much easier for them to get. Sorry they screwed you on fasting blood work.  I spoke to pre admit and they  let me come over before my appt with the surgeon so I didn't have to fast so long. Surprised they wouldn't let you.

Annie.. As someone who works for a hospital/clinic... I hate it when I hear that you had to wait around so much!  Not that we are not much better at times.... but at least I would hope we would have let you get your blood drown first!!! I am so excited for you!!!! Helen

Thanks, Helen! Yeah...I thought they were pretty rude about the whole thing too.  What would have have done had I passed out there? LOL...not that I think I would have...but man!  I was really shakey.  Maybe they should have three number things - they have one for basic people, then another I think for well...not sure who the other one was for, but it didn't apply to me - I'm thinking people on duty to get them back to work quicker.  But they should have a separate number draw for people doing fasting blood work, know what I mean?  I think that at least knowing that those people are being expedited would have helped.  Oh well...now I know. ~Annie

I am so happy for you! You are well on your way!!