Re: I am still alive... B-LOOOONG

[Guest guest]

,

Glad to hear from you. Been thinking about you. Sorry you had such a hard

time. Just focus on resting and getting your strength back. At leaast

you're on the Other Side and it is getting better. Now you're in healing

mode!!

Rest... feel better....

Carin

>

>Reply-To: orthognathicsurgerysupport

>To: orthognathicsurgerysupport

>Subject: [Orthognathic Surgery Support ] I am still alive...

>B-LOOOONG

>Date: Tue, 06 Aug 2002 00:42:30 -0000

>

>Well, I am back fro surgery and very weak. I fell into the extremely

>difficult recovery area. I will foreworn anyone not read this if they

>are easily discouraged by tales of trauma.

>

>I arrived at the hospital at 9:00. I was knocked out and was wheeled

>into surgery by 10:00. I was in surgery from 10:00 am until 9:30

>pm. I had a very difficult surgery and the problems were severe.

>When I finally woke up and was in recovery I half breathing on my own

>and half by machine. I had been under for so long that the

>anesthesiologist made the call to leave me intubated through the nose

>through the night and into the next day. Intubation has been the most

>horrifying experience of my life. I woke up and began to cough and

>cough bucking the vent. I sat up and was just trying to get the fluid

>out of my throat. The nurses rushed in and threw me back onto the bed

>and restrained me so that I could not move. They suctioned me out and

>sedated me. I kept waking up and the tube was bothering me so much.

>They kept telling me they couldn't sedate me anymore because they

>were going to take the tube out and needed to make sure I could

>breath on my own. So, I was trying not to panick and try to control

>my breathing. Finally, at about 9:00 in the morning the

>anestesiologist and several residents came in to take the tube out.

>They untaped the tube from my head and instructed me to take a deep

>breath and cough. At that instant, they pulled the tube from my

>nasal passage and I was gagging on blood and saliva. I couldn't cough

>it up so the anesthetist suctioned out my throught through the nose.

>

>It was so horrible.

>

>I spent the day and night in ICU again. The next day around three I

>was transferred out to the floors. I was not doing well. My throat

>was so swollen I could not swallow anything. All I can say is thank

>god for the suction. It was my best friend. My surgeon kept saying oh

>we'll be able to send you home today but I was very scared to and I

>told him that although I wanted to go home I didn't feel right about

>it because I was still having such trouble swallowing. I ended up

>spending 4 days in the hospital. I was so glad to get out of there

>and get home.

>

>My surgeon was funny, well his residents were pretty amused with me.

>My surgeon comes in the day after my surgery and asks me if I am

>ready to give him hug... I looked at him, rolled my eyes, and told

>him to ask again in six months. I have been dubbed the residents'

>favorite patient.

>

>Of course my parents asked me if I regretted doing this and of course

>two hours after you've had a breathing tube ripped from your throat

>you say that you do. But, I'm now five days post op and I feel much

>better. I just had a hellish recovery in the hospital.

>

>My head was the size of a watermelon and my dad thought picture

>wouldn't be a good idea. He said that if I ever showed them to anyone

>that they wouldn't go through with the surgery. The swelling has gone

>down considerably. My vision was actually blurred the first few days

>from the swelling.

>

>The thing I find the hardest to deal with is getting all my medicines

>down. I swear I spend all day just trying to make sure I am

>medicated and eating whatever I can. Whatever I eat, half ends up on

>my shirt and half in my mouth. It took me forever to find the best

>way to feed myself and finally determined that one of those child

>booger grabbers works best for me.

>

>Thank god my parents are here because I have really needed round the

>clock care. My mom sleeps with me and then she gets me anything I

>need at night. I am very weak and just want to sleep all day. I went

>to the Drs this morning and it just drained me.

>

>Oh and I actually needed my blood back that I donated.

>

>Sorry if my post is kind of rambling... I swear I have lost all

>coherence of language what so ever.

>

>I'll post more later but that's where I am at now.

>

>Thanks

>

> B

>

>

>

>

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