Sunday, June 19, 2011

Surgery on a Saturday

What a day full of craziness! I finally managed to fall asleep around two or so this morning and woke up to the dreaded sound of my alarm clock ringing at 3:45. Not a great way to start the day at all! By 4am, we were headed out the door and on the way to the hospital. I had to finish up my registration and check in. By 545 I was in the triage area and being prepped to go to the OR area. Kev and Nic were allowed to sit with me, even though they aren't suppose to, which kept me so much more calmer. I needed them with me before undergoing another surgical procedure. My nerves were a wreck this morning. Once we headed to the OR triage/recovery area, they allowed Kevin and Nic to continue staying with me until taken back to the operating room.

While in the OR triage, the anesthesiologist placed a patch behind my ear and went ahead and started me on phenegran because I ALWAYS end up so sick and vomiting everywhere after surgery from the anesthesia. This doc was awesome with the way he cared for me. He also gave me a different type of anesthesia for this surgery to help with me getting sick. This surgery was the first one that I woke up in just pain and NOT sick! Amazing difference. It hurts like crazy to vomit following a surgical procedure. When I woke up, couldn't open my eyes yet, but I was calling out in pain and asking for something for the pain I was in. Over the next couple of hours I had three or four injections and a couple pain pills. The pain did let up some, finally, and I was able to home after a few hours. One of the things that stands out with this hospital, the nurses, and surgical team was their generosity and hospitality. Every time I got up to use the restroom, I was welcomed back to my bed with fresh, warm blankets. How cool is that? They took off my old ones. The RN's wanted to make sure that I wasn't cold before and after the procedure. I have never seen medical staff like that.

We were able to leave the hospital around lunch time and made it home shortly after. While at home, I was able to catch ten to twenty minute naps, but nothing to amount to anything. Over a few hours the pain started to grow entirely too intense, so I finally broke down and called a nurse to ask questions. She then told me I needed to proceed to the ER in order to get my pain in control (which is why this wasn't posted yesterday). She also informed me that they should have kept me overnight to monitor my vitals and pain management. We went to Beaumont since they can place this in my records, but the nurse there told us to expect a six hour wait. Yes, you read quickly! Six hours.... There was no possible way I could even think about sitting that long. Just won't happening. So, we headed to Providence and I was in my room in about twenty minutes,

At Providence we found out that my blood pressure was way too low, so they had to give me more meds. They think it's because I can't seem to overcome the anemia from last year's surgery   Then they pumped me full of some pain meds and phenegran. Let me just tell you... pain was gone and I was out from being so drugged up. haha. They sent me home with phenegran to help control my sickness and three forms of pain meds to take. Have to keep this all under control.

Now, I am home and still hurting like crazy. The ER doctor explained to me that this surgery is one of the worst ones on the spine and takes a very long recovery. They had to actually cut through the bone. Ouch!

Thank you for all the prayers, comments, calls, texts, and support through all of this. Each of you that have been here for me are awesome and amazing! I have been so blessed to have each of you in my life and truthfully do not know what I would do without all of you!

And a HUGE thank you to my wonderful husband, Kevin and to our kids! You four have helped so much already and have been more than I could ask for. I would be lost without you guys and could never thank you enough. I love you guys!

All my love,
Britt

No comments:

Post a Comment