I'm back home and here is my story

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I am back home, unpacked, had supper, etc. and now sitting down to

get ready to work tomorrow morning. My surgery was on Wednesday,

10/04/00. Here are the details.

Attended clinic on Tuesday afternoon which was great. Had a nice

talk with Dr. R. Was told to be at DRH by 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday

morning. My husband and I gave and her mother a ride since

they were staying at the hotel too. We had to wait about an hour to

get registered in the outpatient area. Then I was told to go up to

the third floor and wait which we did for about 30 more minutes (by

this time it was about 9:00). Then we were taken to the fifth floor

where they didn't have beds for everyone (me included). We were went

to a waiting area where we waited until about 12:30 or so. Finally

went to a preop room with a bed, TV, etc. Was scheduled for surgery

at 2:00 but wasn't taken to the preop area until about 2:30. That is

where they started the IV, etc. Had a little trouble with my IV - it

hurt everytime they injected medication on the top side of my wrist

but didn't hurt when just maintenance fluids were running - go

figure! Anyway, Dr. R. came by at about 3:00 and was just starting

on the case prior to me. So - I laid there listening and watching

until about 3:40 when it was about to be my turn. The CRNA (nurse

anesthetist) and the anesthesiologist came by and did their little

talk. The nurse had given me my antibiotics (which by the way I

heard a nurse say was much more than necessary which I personally was

glad of). Then the anesthesiologist gave me Versed to make me

sleepy. Boy did it. I don't remember a single thing until about

8:00 p.m. when I was in a room on the fifth floor with my husband and

a nurse. I will be honest and tell you I was in pain. Dr. R. had

found a hiatal hernia with my stomach protruding through it and had

fixed this too and told my husband I would surely feel it. I got up

sometime later and took a walk, got nauseous (the only time) and dry

heaves. Went back to bed, got a shot of Phenergan and promptly went

back to sleep. I slept rather fitfully through the night, nurses

coming in, medications, etc. I found out later that my sweet husband

did a no-no and because I was moaning in my sleep every time I moved

he pushed my pump a couple of times during the night. I thanked him

profusely!!!! By the time I was discharged on Thursday at around

11:00 I still had only used 70 mg of Demerol and according to the

preop notes we can have as much as 250. That should give you an idea

of how the pain was. I went back to the hotel and took it easy. I

took a Vioxx Thursday night but more as a precaution than anything.

Just hung out the rest of the weekend. Had chicken soup broth at

Chic-Fil-A, minestrone broth at Fazoli's, tomato soup, crackers,

yogurt, etc. Am now back home with my kids, unpacked, etc. I have

had no medication other than Prevacid, Citrucel and Carafate since

Thursday. Tums too of course. Drinking a lot of juice and now that

I am home will get back to water too. One unpleasant side effect -

because of no hormones (birth control pills) promptly started my

period on Thursday which I could have done without. Will call my GYN

on Tuesday after the holiday to see what he says about starting them

again or waiting a while.

Some of you may have seen my post earlier in the week about my

eyesight. I am happy to report that once I took the patch off my

eyesight improved steadily and I am now sitting at the computer just

as before!

I am glad to be home, glad to be on the other side and looking

forward getting past the immediate adjustments that need to be made

and finding a " new normal " for me.

Hope everyone having surgery this week does well. You are in my

prayers!

on

MGB 10/04/00