what an ordeal

June 20, 2008

Happy hello to all. I have just arrived home and let me say I am just happy

to be alive. What an ordeal to have gone trhough. I arrived at the hospital

yesterday at 7:30am. I was called back to pre-op at 8:00 and things moved rather

quickly, too quickly! I kept the faith, remaining positive and confident until

the anesthesiologist came in to chat. After getting a quick history, looking

me over and deciding my mouth didnt open very wide nor did my neck hyperextend

very far she said to me, " oh wow, we dont have much to work with. " That along

with a few other negative comments. Ath this point fear took over, the panic

was hit and I said, dear god please!!!! Within minutes I was knocked and off

to the OR. Next thing I hear is in recovery and that is the surgery was

cancelled. Did not know why but later learned the anesthesiologist and her

assistants

had tried for over an hour to intubate me via nasal and oral means. My

surgeon who was witnessing this said its time to stop, she cannot take any more.

Thank god he did. As a result of the repeated attempts I had some bleeding that

escaped into my lungs and created the fluid on my lungs. I was admitted by the

pulmonologist and monitored and treated. I was released from the hospital a

few hours ago and let me say I cannot believe how I feel or how I look. When I

questioned what happened to me in OR all I got was, you dont want to know. My

face, jaw , arms and neck are swollen and bruised. I can barely move and the

pain also runs down my strernum and ito my thighs. I am still spitting blood and

overall feel pretty darn rough. Unreal! The most angering of it all was the

anesthesiologist told my family she had never seen arthritis this bad on anyone

and had never worked on anyone who had it as a child. She claimed she had not

worked on anyone who had had RA for more than a few years. I am frustrated

and scared by this entire incident. Not only do I get to stress over it again

but even more stress inducing will be worrying even more. I wanted to drop a

quick line to update but I must go rest and sleep.....as always hangin tight and

hangin tough

Donna

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