Northeast Medical Hospital
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I will try to start at the beginning. Well, you all know that insurance did not approve me until about 10am on Wed Oct 2nd and I had to rush to make it down to Concord for my meeting with Anesthesia at 1:30. Surgery was the next day. I was to be there at 5:45 am and there were about 5 others waiting for surgery too. We were all taken to the recovery/prep room and each put in a section with a curtain around us. It was here where they first put your wonderful (ugh) stockings on to ready you for surgery. I also got my IV put into my left hand. I could tell when it went in that it had gone in wrong. My skin was lifted way up and taped down like that. After a little while they give you meds so you just drift off. I don't recall anything else until I woke up in recovery literally screaming my head off in pain. I was told it was probably gas but I couldn't walk until I got into a room. At around 10am my husband was told that I was in recovery.........I was still there til around 4pm and in major pain. I just remember passing out and coming to and looking around and screaming at ANYONE who was in my sights and all I kept hearing was that I had to wait for a room. Well I got my room FINALLY and they hooked me up to the Med pump and I was free to attempt to rid myself of the pain. I have to be honest, during that time I was wondering what the hell I had done to myself and wished that I hadn't had the surgery. I was also hooked up to the machine which would pump up my stockings. I had them taken off so I could walk not long after I felt the pain ease. I have 6 ports which are stitched. One has a drain coming from it. As you walk around you do feel better but when you try to get yourself up in the first place you need to be ready to want to lay back down because your stomach is going to be screaming at you. Well, I was told by a few nurses that I was a wonderful patient because I would walk around and get myself up rather than have them try to force me. Yes, my husband and kids were there and I honestly don't see that anything different would have happened had my husband stayed in the room rather than going to the hotel when it was late. There was no set time for them to visit so they were there a lot.
I was started on water and carafate and then they brought an Ensure drink which you have to try to get down with water a little at a time. I am diabetic and on pills and didn't want to end up on insulin so that was a major factor with this surgery. As it turned out my sugars, after drinking only water, were upwards of 350. I was told it might be because of the stress. So I was given insulin shots a few times a day. They pushed a drink called Glucerna which is for diabetics and that would NOT stay down and when I saw Dr. B I told him so. He said that he wasn't surprised but nothing else. This was on Thursday evening. I was only given water from then until I got out on Sunday at 1pm. I asked for chicken broth which was clearly written on a packet that I was given afterwards with what to expect and do from now on. I was told that the Dr on call didn't know anything about it so water it was. I think it was on Friday that my left hand was about the size of a softball and I asked the nurses to cut the band off my wrist because it was turning blue. When they did I had cut marks around my wrist where the ID band had dug into me. My hand is still black and blue and in a good amount of pain. They did take the IV out of that hand and attempted to put it in various placed on my right arm and were unsuccessful until try 4. I felt like a pin cushion. There was usually only 2 nurses - one which I called the real one cause she was needed for any decisions to be made as to pain, checking IVs, checking water and anything else. The second one was there to clean up the room, empty your blood bulb that has drained from you and that was about it. I was also unlucky enough to be rooming next to a 'con' who was being watched at all times and kept ringing his bell so the nurses chose to walk away from the station and let the bells ring. I know this because I would get up and walk around and no one would be there for a good long while. Phones would be ringing and it was amazing that I got any rest at all but with the meds it helped some. They took the med pump off either Friday evening or Sat morning and I have to admit that I felt pain afterwards though I hear that some people don't. I was told that if I felt it coming on I should buzz the nurse but with them not being there too often I wandered in pain. They gave me 2 pain pills when I did catch them but they took up to an hour to kick in so here they came with a shot in the butt to help tide me over. I ran a fever a little over 101 I think so they kept me an extra day............that was really bad because I wanted OUT. My stomach pouch hurt when I would sip on the cold water or had an ice cube melt and I couldn't have anything else so I just needed to deal with it. I was up on Sunday at 6am and dressed soon after and was ready to go. The 'real' nurse came in to tell me that the docs usually make rounds between 8-9:30 so I was ready. She came back in later to say that seeing that it was the weekend, we weren't sure when they would show up. Well, I saw a Dr. around 11am and he said I could go once the nurse got the papers done and took my IV out. My husband went to search for the nurse and when he found her she said that it would be 30 mins. Well, I didn't get out until 1pm and I was just SOOOOOOOOO relieved to get out in one piece you would not believe. It was also great to get some warm chicken broth into my stomach after all that cold water. I only saw Dr. B two times and for about less than 5 minutes each time while I was in there. He just asked me a couple of questions and would leave. He didn't check the incisions or anything. He was off on those days and had his daughters with him the second time so I am sure he was just trying to be courteous. I just DON'T understand how that hospital can perform these surgeries over and over and yet not know that we can have more than just water. I feel that Dr.B should make this understood seeing that he is not there to take care of matters at the time. I will sure be telling him that when I go in on Friday to have my stitches taken out. I also was told I could NOT take a shower until after I see him again. My husband has been sponging me down but I recall can't wait to shower again. The paper packet that I got when I left the hospital said that I could shower the second day so it is one contradiction after another. I will keep you in my prayers that your time is NOTHING like mine was while I was in there. I am feeling better (still in some pain), walking around and can't wait to start losing now. I have to find out what to do with my blood sugars as they are still high and I was told NOT to take my diabetes meds..........lol. I have bruises all over and not sure how I got them and have taken pictures for future reference. Good luck with yours and keep us posted.
Barely on the other side,
Enid
Courteous Service and Help was always available when needed, and it was always with a smile. And as a patient it makes your day to be treated well, and in a timely manner.