Monday, August 17, 2015

Surgery Day!!!

I'm 6 days post op but I want to write about the day of surgery before it all becomes a blur.  I want something to remember and maybe encourage others.

Tim and I had to be at the hospital by 6am.  I was the first on the schedule! That was a huge answer to prayer! My surgery was scheduled for 7:15am.  I was checked in on the 7th floor, rushed to the back, changed into my gown and there was a lot of hustle and bustle. IV inserted, blood thinner given, nurse giving me the upcoming events.  Meet with the surgeon.  He prepares me for what is next and what he expects.  He was in a great mood and that helped relieve my anxiety some.  Anesthesiologist met with me.  Tim came back for a few minutes before I was rushed off to the OR.  Tim kissed me and before I knew it I was in the OR.

It was cold and there were people everywhere! I was moved to operating table and lots of warm blankets were put on me.  They immediately put a mask on me that was filling my lungs with oxygen. There was one nurse who was so sweet and awesome.  She grabbed my hand and said "Ok so what are we going to dream about?  Should we go somewhere tropical" it made me smile real big.  She held my hand and kept talking to me as they administered the first drug that would relax me and make me sleepy.  I closed my eyes and I was out....

The next thing I remember is waking up in recovery.  I had extreme pain right in the middle of my upper abdomen.  I mean constant throbbing pain.  I remember saying to the nurse who was trying to get me to wake up that I needed meds.  She had a morphine pump and she would push the meds for me.  I remember saying it a few times that I was in pain.  Once the pain meds kicked in I was extremely nauseous and she started giving me meds immediately.  Once I was more comfortable they got me up and put me in a chair.  I was so exhausted.  It took everything in me to open my eyes.  I remember them saying my husband was waiting to see me that he was really anxious which was not Tim at all.  That was when I asked if they had done the surgery laparoscopic or open.  The nurse kinda laughed and said "Oh honey it was laparoscopic" I smiled real big! another answer to prayer! I remember Tim came back and held my hand.  Asked me how I was doing and it was so tired I could barely answer him! I remember the nurse came back and said that they had a room for me so they needed me to walk the hall and then I could sit down in the wheel chair.  I was so nauseous when I opened my eyes or stood up.  So I walked and then sat down and they wheeled me to my room.  Once I was in my bed (which felt like heaven) and comfy I slept....

The nurses would come in and check on me and I would try to wake up as much as possible but I was just so tired.  My parents came around 2:30 and my mom really made me feel so good.  She reassured me that I really looked good.  I struggled to keep my eyes open while they were there but they were understanding.  I just listened to the conversation as my eyes were closed.

My monitor kept going off.  Apparently I wasn't taking deep enough breaths.  It was going off so much I asked the nurse to turn the sound down since I couldn't sleep lol.  In all reality it was good that it was waking me up because then I would start breathing deeper lol. The anesthesia really did a number on me.  My parents left an hour later and then my Mother in Law who works right down the street came to visit after she got off work.  I still could barely keep my eyes open but I was glad she came to visit.

I slept the rest of the afternoon on and off and it wasn't until about 9pm that I finally felt more like myself.  Around 10pm I was getting sleepy and asked Tim if he was ready to head to his parents house for the night.  Poor guy had been up with me and had cat napped through out the day.

I just have to stop right here and praise the Lord for giving me such an amazing husband.  He literally hasn't complained one bit about helping me this past week.  He was there every time I needed help getting up and or adjusting in bed.  He would randomly grab my hand and tell me he loved me.  He's just the most loving man I could ask for.  Thank you Tim for being true to the vows we made 14 years ago.  I love you!

Tim headed home and though my first night alone in the hospital wasn't horrible it was pretty tough at times.  losing your call button when you gotta go potty is not a good thing lol.  By the next morning once I was rested I felt soooo much better!

A friend of ours, Stacy, came to visit. She had the sleeve 2 years ago and she looks amazing! She also works at the hospital that I had the surgery.  So she came and chatted with me until I headed to have the swallow test done.  Let me just say, it was not nearly as bad as I had read about but it wasn't pleasant either lol.  The gas you experience after this surgery is just so painful.  You are trying to move and get it it out and it just seems to not want to budge.  I burped and burped and burped and burped and I would feel a little better and then there would be more pain.  So when I had my swallow test I had passed the first part of the test no problem.  I then waited 30 minutes so they could make sure the lower connection to the bowels was not leaking.  They couldn't see after 30 minutes so she said I needed to walk for another 30 minutes to try and move the gas around.  So that is exactly what I did....I walked for 40 minutes and then took another picture.  I passed my swallow test and was finally sent back upstairs to my room.

It was lunch time at this point and Tim went down to grab so lunch while I waited for my nurse to bring me my first cup of water! I was so excited to start my water challenge.  Oh my goodness....to drink water...my mouth was so dry! I had been sucking on ice chips but you could only have so much lol.  So she brought in my first big cup of water and said I had 6 hours to finish one liter of water.  I was game.  I started sipping like crazy.  I'd get up and walk and walk and walk and then go back to my room and sip and sip and sip.  I'd walk and walk and walk and sip and sip and sip.  I was burping up a storm but I didn't care.  I was getting this water in! I finished my cup by 4pm.  I was so excited.  Until the nurse came in and gave me another big cup half filled and said "I know you thought you were done but this last cup will equal a liter" oh kill me now lol.  So I got up and walked and walked and walk and sipped and sipped and sipped.  I was so tired and just wanted to sleep.  I had hit my pain button a couple of times just because the pain from the gas was so bad.  Well the pain meds would make me so tired! By 7pm I finished my water challenge and was finally told I would be discharged!

It took another 3 hours for that to happen due to issues and orders and what ever. I was finally home and in my bed by midnight :)

I would say my surgery went perfectly.  My stay at the hospital was great and I have the greatest husband in the world.

I blog more on the last week tomorrow. I'm tired and need to go nap lol

What an experience....

Love,
Ann Marie

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