The full story

OK. Here we go. It’s time for the full story since I’m up and dressed.

Thursday January 22, 2009

I woke up at 3:00 AM because I was nervous. I lay in bed wide awake until 5AM when I got up and took a shower with the ever fun "antibacterial soap" which totally dries out my skin. We dropped the boys off across the street at the early time of 6:00AM. Kenny and Evan were both confused and rather still half asleep. Though Kenny did manage to eat breakfast at home before we left. We got to the hospital and went to the wrong entrance. The outpatient place was about 2 blocks away down a long hallway. Thankfully, there were tons of signs to get us there.  We got there and it’s a suprisingly cozy waiting room with lots and lots of chairs and several new magazines and a big t.v. with the patient’s first name and last inital up on it. It was a tracking system so those waiting for the patients could tell where they’re people were. Pretty cool if you ask me.  Everything was running at normal speed. We were on time. I only waited about 10 minutes before being taken back to a private room. I had an upset stomach only once, but it about killed my hemroids (tmi?).  About 30 minutes after being told to strip and put on the lovely "gown," and several visits from several different nurses for different paperwork, I was visited by the i.v. nurse who is now my hero. Nurse Betty (her real name) asked me where I’d like my i.v.  I grinned at her and said I would very much like it to be in my arm and not my hand because it hurts like hell when it’s in my hand.  It still hurt, but she did manage to get it in a side vein in my arm.  It hurt for about 15 minutes and then I got used to it.  Not bad at all. Then I got visited by several other nurses, the anesthesiologist and my surgery team. Then, it was "go time." They wheeled me through a couple of hallways, the recovery room (which I commented was very blue), through a room that looked strangely like a locker room, and then into the surgery suite. Not at all what I thought it would be. There was a table in there and a bunch of surgical equipment, but it wasn’t nearly as well lit as the C-Section room in the Maternity Ward, nor was it as big. The anesthesiologist gave me a dose of who knows what, but it made my mouth taste funny and the room spin. I said this outloud and in a tone that was a bid rude said, "Well close your eyes then." I did and that is the last thing I remember until I woke up. I woke up once in the recovery room to a very friendly nurse saying, "Hello, Keepsake. How are you feeling?" I didn’t respond (to my knowledge) and was asleep again. Later (not sure how much later) I woke up and the same voice asked the same question. I said I was feeling OK. I asked for a drink and they brought over ice chips. At this point, she wiped off my face because something was on it but I can’t remember what she said it was, but I think it was something sticky from the sheet they put over my face in surgery. I was in recovery for a bit while she fed me ice chips until I was aware enough to do it on my own. A guy two beds down from me asked if he was all done over and over and over again. The guy in the bed next to him was combative and they had to resedate him a bit and restrain him to his bed. He hit a nurse. Poor guy was completely freaked out. Not sure what they did to him. After a bit, they wheeled me into recovery and then brought Nathan in. I was glad to see him. They allowed him to carry my i.v. bag so that I could go to the bathroom. It took me 3 trips before I could actually "go." Stupid anesthesia. Happens every time. I had to pee so bad it hurt, but nothing was coming out. I almost asked the nurse to get a catheder it hurt so bad. I got a bit out and felt a little better. After 2 and a half popcicle later, my i.v. was removed and I was given care instructions and Nathan went to get the car and we came home.  I went straight upstairs and was finally able to have a bit of a better pee. Still not everything, but I didn’t hurt anymore. Nathan went to get my drugs and I passed out in bed for a while. I really wasn’t very painful at all and I could still talk. It was weird. We crushed up my pain meds and I took them with yogurt which did NOTHING to hide the flavor, but I was able to get it down.

Friday January 23, 2009

I’m actually still feeling pretty decent. Not too bad at all. I think I’m one of the lucky ones. Starting to lose the use of my voice and sleeping lots, but feeling OK. My throat is uncomfortable but not really painful yet. Not really able to swallow to eat, so I stick to a yogurt and my gatorade drink. Spend the entire day in bed. Optimistic about going to see "Legally Blonde" at the Fox on Saturday.

Saturday January 24, 2009

Woke up feeling pretty damn good – which makes me entirely suspicious. I take a shower and proceed to vomit/dry heave while I’m in there. There was no blood, but OHMYGOD did that hurt. Hurt so bad. Hurt BAD. Worse than anything EVER. Immediately take 2 pain pills 1 hour early and crash into bed. Do not get to see Legally Blonde at the theater. My mom and sister get to use the tickets. Really miserable most of the day because my throat really hurts from the strain of the vomiting. Do not vomit again. Do not eat anything this day. Stick to water/gatorade drink.

Sunday January 25, 2009

Still feel like absolute crap, but the pain killers are working. Stay in bed the entire day. I ate a yogurt and several frozen popcicles.

Monday January 26, 2009

More of the same from Sunday. Now starting to feel really sick and week.

Tuesday January 27, 2009

Have breakdown of epic proportions because I’m starving, don’t feel good,and my throat STILL hurts. Eat half a pack of Turkey lunchmeat. Feel better in the evening – probably because of the Turkey.

Wednesday January 28, 2009

Actually get out of bed and into living room this day. Ate the rest of the turkey for breakfast. Feel better for most of the day. TRY to eat dinner with family, but couldn’t really get anything down. It hurt and I was upset because I was hungry again.

Thursday January 29,2009

I actually get DRESSED and get out of the house. I made some cupcakes which I can eat if they don’t have icing on them. YAYAYYYY! FOOD. Also, don’t need to take a pain pill until 2:00 after having one at 8:00AM. Starting to really feel better. Go to Hobby Lobby and by a nice wooden loom for knitting to celebrate being back on my feet.

Friday January 30, 2009

Up and writing this entry before noon. 🙂 WOOH! AND here she is getting ready to go out to lunch either with friend C (if she manages to call me back before lunch) or with her husband. 🙂 YAY! My throat still hurts, but I’m drinking lots of water. I still can’t talk much either. I’ve given up all dairy products right now. No yogurt, cheese, milk, or ice creme. Salty Dog was right, they really just make my throat hurt MORE. Stupid dairy and the reaction it causes in throat. When my throat is more healed they will be reintroduced in a big way because that’s how I plan on putting back on the weight I’ve lost. As of right now, I’m down 10 pounds. I hope not to lose any more, but honestly my eating i

s still at about 1/3 of where I used to be. I can only handle so much before it really starts to hurt to swallow (doesn’t matter what I’m eating). So, I’ve been trying to snack all day. No really big meals. Just eating almost constantly, but small stuff and with a bit of time in between. I’m trying to do this with high protein foods like lunch meat, eggs, and well cupcakes (high calorie at least).

So that’s it. It’s not as horrible as I thought it would be, but I wasn’t in the fast to heal group either. I hope it’s all worth it in the end. There may be more to write to this story later. My "scabs" have not started to come off yet. When they do come off, there is a 20% chance of "bad bleeding" where I’d have to go to the emergancy room and have another surgery to cauterize the vessels. I’ve been told that’s like going back to square one. Goodness I hope that doesn’t happen at all. I’ve been drinking so much water to try to avoid that. I pee like every 45 minutes and it’s a big pee and practically clear. I even wake in the middle of the night to pee. It’s supposed to help keep the scabs moist and small so that when they come off there is only minimal "acceptable bleeding." Yikes. I hope it happens this weekend. I really don’t want that to happen while I’m at work.