2/19/01 I am feeling really great today! I had my first post-op BM last night succesfully avoiding the dreaded enema. An enema in and of itself is not all that bad, however, in my current state I would not be able to administer it myself...I'm sure you get the picture!! I am amazed that it has already been 5 days since my surgery. Looking back on the whole experience, it couldn't have been better.
Wanda and I pulled into the Emergency Room parking lot of Pomerado Hospital at 12:45 am Valentine's Day morning. As I pulled my duffle bag and two pillows from her truck I felt as though I was heading off for summer camp. I voiced my thought to Wanda and she said this is definately NOT summer camp! I got checked in and Wanda and I were settled in my room in our pj's by 2:00 am. The nurse asked me if I wanted somthing to help me sleep, which I accepted, but as it turns out I was already asleep when she returned so it wasn't needed. As I was falling asleep that night I was surprised to find that I was still not feeling nervous.
I was awoken at 4:00 am to receive a heperin shot in my tummy...it did not hurt at all! I was expecting it to at least sting but I really didn't feel a thing. Next came the CNA to check my vitals, blood pressure and temperature. Lastly I got a visit from a lab tech who drew a blood sample. Wanda left to go to work at around 6:30 am and I went back to sleep for a couple of hours. Kelly, my surgeon's nurse came to visit shortly after and then my Hubby showed up around 9:00 am bearing the best Valentine! He brought a video of our daughter that I was able to watch on the screen of our cam corder, it was very sweet. He then recorded a message from me to her and then he crawled into bed with me and we "spooned" while we watched TV until the pre-op nurse came to take me away at around 10:30 am. She got a good laugh when she saw us in bed together and kindly asked him to get out! Then I was off!
They took me, bed and all out of my room and down the hall to the elevators. I had this dumb grin on my face and I realized that I still did not feel nervous! We were cracking jokes along the way, everyone seemed very relaxed. They brought to the pre-op prep room on the ground floor or maybe one floor below that. When we arrived we had to wait in the hall outside because the room was full of patients in gurnies. When they had a spot for me we made our way in. I felt like I was an airplane coming in for a landing and being preped for take-off again...kinda strange I know but it really felt like, "Ladies and Gentlemen we are number 4 in line for take off. please stay in your seats with your seatbelts fastened and the Captain will update you shortly." My anesthisiologists name was Dr. Romero (I think) and he was great. He had the hardest time getting my IV started and I felt bad for him. He started on my left hand...no luck. He moved to the under side of my left forearm, again no luck. Next he tried my right hand with the same results. Finally he found paydirt in the crook of my left arm. Luckily he uses a little shot of local anestetic before attempting to thread the IV so the pain was minimal. Again we were joking the whole time, and I think we put each other at ease. They put my hair under a paperhat and we were headed for the surgery room! It was happening so fast, but that was OK!
The surgery room was nothing special, the first thing I noticed was that anticeptic smell. They wheeled right up next to another, slimmer bed and had me scoot over onto it. The room was soooo cold! Everyone was scurrying about. They had me place My arm with the IV out on a board with a cushion for my wrist and they secured it there. Dr. Romero came over and put somthing in my IV. I asked him if it was going to make me loopy to which I think he simply replied "Yes." A nurse brought over these amazingly warm blankets and covered me with them and that is my last memory of the operating room.
"Amber, we are going to remove the breathing tube from your mouth, OK?" I couldn't open my eyes but I tried to open my mouth. I could feel them removing the tube but I could not feel any pain at all. Someone came over and moistened my mouth with these spongy swabbs. I remember trying to suck all the water out of them...my mouth was so dry and already my throat was sore. I have no memory of the ride back to my room. I felt peaceful and just wanted to sleep.
As I was wheeled into my room I saw my husband. I gave him the thumbs-up sign and a weak smile. He blew me a kiss and was on his way. He had to get home to our daughter. I slept. It was about 4:00 pm. My friend Nanci walked into my room shortly after that and I think I slept through most of her visit. She was still there when the nurse came to get me up for my first walk around 6:00 pm. It was very difficult getting out of bed that first time. They really had to help me. I still felt very weak from the anestesia. We walked down the hall and back stopping frequently so I could have a few ice chips along the way. When I woke up again Nanci was gone and Wanda was just coming in from work, it was about 8:00 pm. At some point Dr. Callery and Kelly came in to visit. He got a binder for me that covered and supportrd my incision. I walked two more times that night, each time a little further. Morphine was my friend.
Each moring would start out the same way, check vitals and draw blood. I had the best nurses! Each evening I got another shot of heperin in my tummy to discourage blood clots from forming. Thursday afternoon they started bringing me a variety of clear liquids to try, yum, yum! Every two hours I was getting up and walking and it was actually getting easier. My friend Dee, who had the surgery on the same day as me, was on the floor above mine. We took turns walking to each other's rooms to visit. I got my catheter out that afternoon. I have to say, the tongs truly came in handy! On thursday night I decided to stop pushing the morphine pump and I tried the Loritab oral medication instead and was very happy with it. I stuck with that the rest of my stay. Several friends came to visit and on Thursday night I had a "Survivor" party in my room. We watched the popular reality game show and had fun. I felt almost like I was at home.
Friday morning I got to take a shower, heaven. Kelly came and checked on me and said I could go home! She was going to have my paperwork done by 11:00 am. My Hubby came and got me at that time and I've never looked back!
I talked to Kelly on the phone today (Monday) and she cleared me to add cream soups to my diet...so excited! My first check up is this Thursday night, I can't wait!! I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. For now I'm just relaxing, sleeping quite a bit and making sure I'm moving! I've been climbing the stairs to my apartment 2 - 3 times a day since my first day home and I have not found it painful at all. I also have been walking the treadmill at a slow pace for a few minutes at a time about 2 - 3 times a day as well. So far, so good! |
