Surgery!

I'm home from the hospital, safe and sound (I came home Wednesday afternoon).  I'm healing well and I have almost no pain.  So, I thought I'd catch everyone up on what all happened this last week.

 

My surgery was scheduled for 8:00AM on Monday and I was told to be at the hospital at 6:00AM.  So on Sunday night, I got everything all ready to go, laid out my clothes, and set the alarm clock for 4:00PM.  Yes, PM.  (Any reference to "the best laid plans of mice and men" would be appropriate here.)

 

A hospital rep called on Monday morning at 6:15, asking where I was.  The correct answer here would be "in a panic."

 

Dan and I threw on clothes, grabbed the bags, and ran out the door.  We had to stop running at the door though, because there was freezing rain and we had to move carefully to get to the car safely on the layer of ice that had accumulated.  Yay!  We're two hours late, in rush hour traffic, AND it's pouring down freezing rain.  Awesome.  Dan drove while I cried and beat myself up and we arrived safely at the hospital at 7:40. 

 

Those wonderful, dear people at Mt. Carmel hospital calmly checked me in, prepped me for surgery, and moved ahead without recriminations.  The surgery started at about 8:30.   I'm not sure what time they finished, but sometime later I woke up in recovery, feeling very little pain, but weak as a kitten.  I never have had much pain, but that first day I was so weak that I found it difficult to do anything for myself.  I even had to ask others to feed me ice chips, since I found it hard to hold the cup and spoon by myself.

 

Speaking of ice chips, I never realized before Monday that they are actually ambrosia from the gods and that they would become the most wonderful things I've ever eaten!  I was so dry and so thirsty, but all that I could have on Monday were ice chips.  They tasted sweet and refreshing, and they made me feel more alive every time I ate a few.

 

My hospital room was very nice.  The nurses told me that it was the biggest one on the floor, and that become obvious as I walked the hallways later.  From the glimpses that I got of the other rooms, it appeared that my bathroom alone (which was ginormeous!) was bigger than most of the other rooms. 

 

I was supposed to walk on Monday evening, but I immediately became very nauseated when I stood up, so after that passed, they put me in a chair for a while.  When I stood up again, the dry heaves started again, only more violently, and it became clear that I wasn't going to do any walking that day.  I actually vomited on Tuesday when they helped me stand up, so then I got smart and started asking for nausea medicine shortly before each walking session.  That made all the difference and I was able to start walking later on Tuesday without being sick.  I have to say that the dry heaves and vomiting were far worse than any other pain that I've experienced from the surgery.  Walking was (and is) wonderful though!  I feel so much better after every walk; it's amazing!  I feel more energized and clear headed after each walk and actually feel pretty normal then.  I am highly incented to keep up the walking!

 

Speaking of feeling normal, I keep thinking that I should feel different somehow, now that my insides have been rearranged, but I don't.  I feel just the same as I did before, except for the fact that I don't get hungry. Now I have to watch the clock to know when to eat, since my stomach doesn't remind me.  I do feel light headed if I forget to eat though, so I guess that is my new way of experiencing hunger.

 

I had nothing but clear liquids on Tuesday, then they moved me to "full liquids" on Wednesday.  Full liquids are thick like protein shakes, pudding, Cream of Wheat cereal and cream soups.  I'll be on these for about three weeks, then I'll move to slightly more substantial foods.  Right now I'm supposed to eat 6 meals a day, each about 1/4 cup in size.  Yesterday I managed to have 5 meals, so I did pretty good.  I've got to work harder on my water consumption though.  I'm supposed to have 64 ounces a day and I only had about half of that.  I have a 64 ounce container of water by my chair that I use to fill my glass, so I'll know when I've had my daily amount.

 

Well, Dan just got home with groceries for me, so I'm going to go make some cream of chicken soup for lunch.  BTW - Dan has been so wonderful!  I don't know how I'd do this without him.  He is taking such good care of me. 

 

Hugs,

Sandra