Writing You All From The Hospital

[Guest guest]

Hello to all! I am currently sitting in my hospital bed writing this

post thinking how cool it is that I can do this!?

I want everyone to know that my surgery went fine, the doctor removed my

screws and rods and reinforced an area that was loose near the L5-S1.

I was right!! I knew something wasn't right and even said that it feels

like something is loose. There was just too much shifting and popping

going on in the area of my fusion. I do have scoliosis as well and the

curve was pulling on the left side of the plate down in that area.

So, in order to feel good about removing the screws and rods, the doctor

had to calm his own worries and add the reinforcements. It wasn't all

that he planned but hey, I got the screws out and really think they were

a big part of my pain; constantly rubbing on my muscles and nerves.

BUT, and there is always a but with me. The surgery went off well,

however, I was not out of the woods yet! By the 12th hour after my

surgery, I started feeling not so good. I have never been nauseated by

anaesthesia before but, this time I was. I hit the call button for my

nurse and headed for the bathroom. Nothing happened because I wouldn't

let it, much to scared to throw up especially after back surgery, but

asked for some medicine to take it away.

About an hour or so later, I called them again because I felt feverish.

My temperature was 99.7. My back started feeling like it was on fire,

so I asked them to check it as well.

These two nurses took off my bandages and decided to remove my drain. I

questioned them about this decisions telling them I don't think it is

such a good idea considering it had only been less than 24 hours since

the surgery. They said I wasn't draining anything, the output was low

so. I told them I think that there was a clog in it and that it needed

to be irrigated. I was sure this is why my back was burning and felt

swollen. No fluid was able to escape.

Well, I must have upset them because they just went ahead with no words

and took it out. To my horror I felt a flood of very hot fluid running

down my back and sides. I asked them what the heck they were doing and

one replied that they took out the drain and now my back was draining

and they can't seem to get it to stop! They kept putting pressure

bandages on and they would fill up and have to be removed. They called

in the head floor nurse and the whispering started. Next thing I know I

have someone pressing very hard on my back for about 20 minutes then

they secured another bandage over it.

Apparently, they got the drainage to stop. Well, my back started

swelling even more and my fever started going up. I was SCARED! I

looked like I was 4 months pregnant IN MY BACK! When I said to the

nurse that was involved, my back looks like crap, she said, how did yo

see your back? I looked at her weird and said, in the mirror, I just

stood on my toes and parted the gown! She said, yea, it looks bad, we

know. Then the nurse that removed the drain came in the room and the on

nurse said, she saw her back. They both just looked at each other and

left.

The next morning, I could barely move. The pain was SO bad and I was so

feverish 101.7, I could barely stand it. I decided to call my surgeons'

office right from my bed. I couldn't trust that the nurses had called

him. I just had a feeling in my gut and well, I was sort of right. The

only thing he was informed of was that they had taken out the drain

tube.

He had no idea about the fever or the swelling. He was truly very

upset! He was in to see me about 1:00 pm and ordered a cat scan and

X-rays and put me on NPO (nothing by mouth). I ended up with a large

hematoma and needed emergency surgery.

So, by 8:00 pm, I was back in the operating room having my back

irrigated, debrieded (spelling) and having two new drain tubes put in.

Fever was gone, back swelling was down and I am on the road to

recovery. The doctor is very upset with the nurses that removed the

first tube with out his consent and the hospital is treating me like a

queen!! LOL what more can I ask for huh?

I was moved to a private room, their tab, literally am getting my feet

washed on a daily basis (can't figure that one out) and am always taken

care of immediately. The supervisor of this floor has come to talk to

me personally to see how I am doing and how I feel my care is, the

nurses constantly tell me how sorry they are about my rough start, the

list goes on! I don't know why all the fuss because I truly am okay,

but WOW I have to say, it does feel good.

So, I know just have to wait to see if the surgery has taken care of my

continued pain. But for now, I feel okay. Still have the muscle tics

but the doc did say that all the nerves were unimpinged so, this just

must be one of those things.

Thanks to all and I will keep you posted.

Sincerely,

Janeene