Surgery

Well my surgery was Wednesday. I had to be there at 8:30 but my surgery got pushed back when I was in pre-op because of a couple of emergencies. Jeremy and my mom were able to stay with me until I went into pre-op. I know I was there for a long time but I think they must have put me asleep because I don't really remember the majority of it. I remember Dr A coming in to mark me for surgery and waking me up so he could see my back and I remember them moving me to the operating table and putting the mask on. I had an IV in my left elbow and two in my right wrist. I think I had another one too but they removed it before I woke up. The two in my wrist hurt so bad, I couldn't move my wrist.

I remember waking up in such pain that all I could saw was it hurts. They allowed my husband and party to come in and see me in recovery. There were a lot of people in and out during my surgery. By the time it was over it was around 5pm. Jeremy had asked to be let into recovery to see me and I know I asked for him when i woke up. I remember just saying his name over and over and then he was there. Transferring beds was so painful. They had to roll me to one side and stick the pull disc thing under me and then roll me back and repeat on the other bed. I remember that I was getting annoyed because everyone grabbed my wrist to help move me and I had to HUGE IVs stuck in so each time they grabbed them it hurt.

I know I was in and out the first day and was nauseous from the sleeping drugs. I tried to eat ice chips but they made me feel like I was going to throw up. I have no idea what time everyone left but when they were getting ready to leave they asked me if I wanted a popsicle which I did but was afraid I would throw it up so I passed.

The mass was a cyst and it was benign so that was good. It just kind of stinks that I needed to have this big of a surgery to figure out what it was. But it requires no additional treatment and It was removed before it got too big and affected something in my lungs. He was able to leave all my lung and none of it was removed. I'll have to ask him when I go for my follow up where it was attached.

They woke me up like once an hour that night to do my vitals and weigh/xray me. It was so annoying. I wanted to sleep but they would let me. The next nursing shift was in the morning and they helped me get comfortable and out of bed into a chair for a few minutes. It was hard to move because I had so much cords and IVs. I had a chest tube which by the way, are very painful. They hurt more than the surgery itself. The main folio was annoying because I still had the urge to go to the bathroom but I couldn't force anything out.

The first night I had a rash appear on my face. It was red and flaming hot. They gave me a little benedryll to help and it of course knocked me back out. The next day the rash was back. It was never ending and would disappear when the doctor would come to make his rounds.

My IVs were discontinued Thursday night and I begged them to take the one out my wrist which they refused because they needed two IV Access points. My main folio was taken out on Friday morning which was amazing. Those are annoying. When the doctor came around and looked at my rash which actually stuck around he said it was probably from the epidural so they were going to take out my chest tubes and epidural. By Friday evening I was free from tubes and could walk around by myself. It did hurt to walk around by myself and sometimes I would get a little dizzy. Once they removed the epidural it hurt to sleep because I couldn't give myself extra meds with my button before moving. I wasn't convinced it was working until they took it out and saw what it was like without it. It had been working...very well actually. It was hard to sleep or sit without it because I was in so much pain.

The PT came on Friday and Saturday to help me walk around and get up/down a flight of stairs. My feet are currently swollen because I am not moving around enough. Friday night I spent most of the night in my chair because it hurt way too much to lay down. Saturday morning they came and took me for an xray to see if my lungs were ok to go home. The xray was fine. Looked good. So then I had to wait on the doctor to come around and clear me to leave which he did around 2. It was so good to leave. I like being home even if it doesn't have all the easiness of the hospital. I will miss the room service at the hospital. You picked what you wanted off of the menu and they delivered it when it was ready.

I am home now, I slept about 4 hours in our bed and then woke up screaming in pain. It sucks that it takes that much to wake me up because I feel bad about being so loud. Our neighbors probably think he beats me up lol. I got up and sat in a chair for an hour or so and then made myself comfy on the couch. I slept there the rest of the night and was pretty comfy. My only issue is the mucus that I am coughing up. It gets stuck in my throat and I can't cough it up. I had Jeremy buy me one of the bulb syringes and I use that to suction out my throat when it feels like there is mucous in there.

Anyway hopefully in a few days I will feel good enough to have people come over. My husband is doing such a good job taking care of me. I'm so glad I have him to help me through this. I had to wake him up a couple of times last night to help me move which he was fine with and he makes sure I take my meds on time. Today I am allowed to take a shower and I can't wait to wash my hair! I am so tired of bathing out of the sink it is nuts.