My surgery - or what I remember of it!

[Guest guest]

Ok I am 1 week and 1 day post-op. Here is my story of THE DAY.

My surgery was scheduled for 12:45 on July 8. I was asked to be at

the hospital at 10:15.

I arrived devoid of jewelry, make-up, nail polish and valuables and

was sent to a waiting room, within 10 minutes I was called to

admitting. I was asked a million questions and given my id bracelet.

I was also given the opportunity to fill out a living will and have

it witnessed. We reveiwed all of my insurance info and I received the

pleasant news that since this is considered out-patient surgery even

though I stayed overnight I will not even have a co-pay for the

surgery, it was fully covered.

Ok back to the waiting room. In a few more minutes I was called

again, to the pre-op area. I was asked another million questions some

of which I had already answered, but hey I have no objections to them

double checking! I was then given a beautiful and tremedously stylish

(!?) blue hospital gown and told to remove EVERYTHING and place it in

a plastic bag that had been labeled with my name.

At this point my boyfriend was allowed in to stay with me until I had

to go. We waited about 45 minutes (it felt like 10 to me) And I was

then given a ride to the surgical area and put in a waiting area with

about 10 beds. THe anesthesiologist came and we spoke for a few

minutes, he then put my IV in ( great job, no bruising). I was then

left to wait. The room was freezing I finally flagged down a nurse

and she brought 2 blankets form the blanket warmer (nice and snuggly

warm). During this period a few people came to introduce themselves

as surgical assistants and whatnot. My surgeon stopped by and asked

if I was ready. I told him " I will not be ready for this even when it

is over so let's go " .

My anesthisiologist returned with a nurse and he said, I'm going to

put something in your IV to relax you. By the time I was wheeled out

of the room the world was spinning.

That is the last I remember.

I woke up about 6 hrs later in the recovery room, with all the tubes

out except the catheter. I lifted my head and immediatly got naseous,

a nurse was there immediatly she asked if I was naseous and put

something in my IV. She asked if I wanted anything and I asked if I

could have visitors (I had to write it on a white board). She said no

but if I was ready I could go to my room. My catheter was removed

(didn't feel a thing). About an hour later I was taken to my room. my

boyfriend was there with flowers and balloons.

It was 8:30 by this time, my nurse came in and introduced herself,

she was an angel. I asked for water and she said she would get a

syringe, I said no and pulled out my zippie, she had never seen one.

I was given cold water smeared ointment on my lips and I was good to

go. The night in the hospital was not that bad because my nurse was

so great ( and I had a morphine clicker). She came in constantly, she

even put my nose drops in for me because I didn't want to (I'm such a

baby) My Ice was changed every 2 hours or so. When I was finally able

to get up and try to go to the bathroom I wasn't able to pee, but boy

did I get dizzy and naseous. I immedietly got something for naseau.

and that is how I spent the rest of the night dozing and going to the

bathroom.

About 3:00 am 2 residents who had assisted in my surgery came to see

me and take a look at things. They asked a few questions and removed

the oxygen ( had one of those little nose things that you can put on

and take off your self).

After they left an alarm kept going off and the nurse would come

running apparently I was too stuffy and swollen and not gettting

enough oxygen so the oxygen went back on, an hout later she took it

off and a few minutes later the monitor beeped again, ( damn thing

kept waking me up just because I wasn't breathing!) Any way by 5:00

am I was breathing fine on my own. I got a lot of visitors that

morning, the residents came back and put some bands on. I had a

splint wired in place already. My surgeon came and said everything

looked great, he needed some x-rays and I could go.

When the morphine was removed I was told that I had used it 10 times

in 12 hours. I was permitted a dosage every 8 minutes and I used it

every 1.25 hours. So that can give you and idea of my pain level.

I hope I didn't go on to long, but I know before my surgery I really

liked reading these accounts. so I hope this helps to relieve some

nerves.

All in all it was not nearly as bad as I expected.

Marsha