I was blessed with sleep through the night two nights in a row. That's something I wasn't even getting before surgery. I am not on any Rx pain medicine because I am small and it makes me super sick. Since I can't bend in the middle, we don't want that! I desperately want to crack my back but can't move to that position without pain. =) When still, I don't feel much other than a knot-like feeling behind my belly button. When I move...yeah...it hurts. I actually got up and took a shower yesterday! That was amazing. My CNA roomie offered to help but I was quite capable. I figured I would spare her although washing me might have been a treat compared to the people at the old folks home she tends to every day!
My belly is sticking out like I am 3 months pregnant or more. Apparently it had gotten larger the day before the surgery because multiple people at work asked if I was. (once was in the bathroom when I had buckled over in the hall at 1oam...) I figure if you ask, you must be pretty sure. I don't have many wounds from the surgery. Just some little, 1/4 inch marks from the scopes and a longer one that's hidden. They did some jabbing through my belly button too so that is all taped up. *shudder* Again, Laura, the CNA, was thrilled and wanted to find out what was under the gauze when we took it off yesterday. Kind of a let down... more tape.
I have been eating whatever I want which is great. I am enjoying my first cup of coffee since last week right now! Nick made broccoli and cheese soup. The Wedges brought me chop suey and cookies. Will claims he made them but I think it was Sis. =)
I have enjoyed leaving my dishes out on the counter and not picking up after myself. It would normally drive me crazy but since I totally can not get to the dish washer, I don't mind. Dudley keeps taking things and shredding them so the carpet is a mess. Again, I can't help it. He knows I can't chase him and is doing his best to drive me crazy. He is a good boy when I am in bed though. He will sleep with me all day! The kittens are fine too but have no reservations about pouncing onto my sore tummy.
I am waiting on a call back from my doctor today. She is going to give me a recovery timeline, expected time to be out of work, and guidelines for getting well. I also expect some physical therapy guidance which I will pass on to my husband. He will need to hold me to it because I don't enjoy deliberately moving in ways that make me hurt.
We shall see what the doc says... Thank you all for your kind words!
Xo- Alana
Monday, October 19, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
A Not So Mobile Post - recovery
Please excuse my mobile phone punctuation.
Thursday morning I woke up with some pain in my side. a few jabs that went away after a shower. I was late getting up which has been the trend for a while. Once I got to work, I found myself in more pain around 10. This time, I had trouble standing upright. Again, the pain subsided but I had twinges all afternoon. At 3, I doubled over and couldn't take a breath. I grabbed my phone and called my doctor who sent me to the ER at Maine Med. Nick picked me up at work and dropped me off at the front. I hobbled into the room and signed in. I only waited a half hour before I got called in. I was evaluated and got a room.
To my dismay, they hooked me up to and IV. The first time in my life! The doctor poked around and said I would probably need my appendix out. A blood sample showed my white blood cells were through the roof. They tested to be sure I wasn't preggo and then said I needed a cat scan. They also thought would be fun give be a pelvic exam. This is when Nick left for a coffee. hehe.... she examined me and poked my appendix which was the culprit for sure!
They brought in a nasty jug of red juice for me to drink within a half hour. Sister dropped in to get the keys so she could get Dudley for the night. The antibiotic junk they were shooting into my tubes made me woozy. I advised Nick to get me a bucket. The only thing we had was a bed pan but I had to have something fast! If I hadn't had that pan, I would have hit the over side of the room. I sat there, stunned, in pain and dipping as Nick mopped my mouth off. Finally they rolled me off for a cat scan at about 7. Going from the bed to the scan was horrible. During the scan, they injected me with die that surged through my veins and made me feel like I wet myself. If you have ever had this, you know how helpless I felt.
Back in the ER room, we waited for the results. I needed surgery ASAP. The wonderful Mike Farley was working in the ER and came to my room to pray for the best. They took me to a room to wait at 11. At tis point I had refused morphine about 6 times. They were very eager to due me out! It was after midnight when someone from the operating room came. I teared up for the first time when Nick pulled my wedding ring off. He kissed me and away I went.
I waited for a half hour while my surgical team came by and started me on aaother drip of something to relax me. I wasn't really nervous anyway. I truly had the peace of God and the verse Mike had left me with - be still and know that I am God. Julie used that when she was preparing for surgery. They rolled me down the hall and into the glaringly bright operating room. They attached all the monitoring devices and then gave me the mask. I took a deep breath and thought Be Still as I suddenly went out. That's where Julie conked out too.
I awoke in recovery where I am pretty sure I talked a lot about something... My surgeon said I was lucky because my appendix was ready to burst when they took it out. He said it had probably been inflamed for a month or more. They rolled me past the dark waiting room where Nick had been skeeping. He had been up for about 40 hours by then. He was standing there and I happily greeted him. I walked, somehow, from the stretcher to the hospital bed. Nick said goodnight at about 3. I teared up again. I didn't get any sleep as the lady in my room had a beeping IV that no one ever shut off. the door to our room was open all night.
At 6, the nurses came in to tell me I had to pee. Apparently they put in a catheder during the surgery and it mended with my ability to know when it was time to go. All I could think was thank God it was out! Breakfast was eggs, oatmeal and a dry muffin. The cna sat me up too quickly and I instantly got sick. Im with Brian on the egg idea now...no more. The smell was obviously sickening. I didn't eat anything but drank the ice water. It had been since noon the day before that I had eaten. My poor Imperial China met its match when the red juice came and went.
I called work and got Sally who already heard from Ken and everyone at Hannies on facebook that I had gotten rid of a useless organ. I was In much less pain but was not enjoying the wound feeling in my gut. I must have been still woozy because I said I would probably see her Monday. riiiiiiiight. I can't even sit up! I made and took some more calls and was excited to see Jill at noon! I was ready to get home to my bed. If the lady in the room hadn't had so many loud machines, I probably would have stayed another day. My surgeon came by and said I could go if I really wanted to. and *beep* I *beep* really *beep* wanted *beep* to *beep.* When the noise finally drove Jill out, Nick came to take me home. Of course I had on a fancy outfit when I got to the hospital so I left in style... with my pants unbuttoned.
I was wheeled to the jeep and off we went. We picked up Dudley and headed home. I have been in bed since. I can't really sit myself up or anything. Pretty much an inanimate object surrounded by my two kittens and dogger.
I am guessing it will be a week before I can sit or stand for more than an hour or two. We shall see! I may be torturing myself as I haven't been on any pain med this entire episode. Im going to try ibuprofen and tylenol together later.
Im looking forward Grace visiting this afternoon! She is bringing a picture she colored. :) It will be nice to see Julie too and Mike, my ER angel!
Thursday morning I woke up with some pain in my side. a few jabs that went away after a shower. I was late getting up which has been the trend for a while. Once I got to work, I found myself in more pain around 10. This time, I had trouble standing upright. Again, the pain subsided but I had twinges all afternoon. At 3, I doubled over and couldn't take a breath. I grabbed my phone and called my doctor who sent me to the ER at Maine Med. Nick picked me up at work and dropped me off at the front. I hobbled into the room and signed in. I only waited a half hour before I got called in. I was evaluated and got a room.
To my dismay, they hooked me up to and IV. The first time in my life! The doctor poked around and said I would probably need my appendix out. A blood sample showed my white blood cells were through the roof. They tested to be sure I wasn't preggo and then said I needed a cat scan. They also thought would be fun give be a pelvic exam. This is when Nick left for a coffee. hehe.... she examined me and poked my appendix which was the culprit for sure!
They brought in a nasty jug of red juice for me to drink within a half hour. Sister dropped in to get the keys so she could get Dudley for the night. The antibiotic junk they were shooting into my tubes made me woozy. I advised Nick to get me a bucket. The only thing we had was a bed pan but I had to have something fast! If I hadn't had that pan, I would have hit the over side of the room. I sat there, stunned, in pain and dipping as Nick mopped my mouth off. Finally they rolled me off for a cat scan at about 7. Going from the bed to the scan was horrible. During the scan, they injected me with die that surged through my veins and made me feel like I wet myself. If you have ever had this, you know how helpless I felt.
Back in the ER room, we waited for the results. I needed surgery ASAP. The wonderful Mike Farley was working in the ER and came to my room to pray for the best. They took me to a room to wait at 11. At tis point I had refused morphine about 6 times. They were very eager to due me out! It was after midnight when someone from the operating room came. I teared up for the first time when Nick pulled my wedding ring off. He kissed me and away I went.
I waited for a half hour while my surgical team came by and started me on aaother drip of something to relax me. I wasn't really nervous anyway. I truly had the peace of God and the verse Mike had left me with - be still and know that I am God. Julie used that when she was preparing for surgery. They rolled me down the hall and into the glaringly bright operating room. They attached all the monitoring devices and then gave me the mask. I took a deep breath and thought Be Still as I suddenly went out. That's where Julie conked out too.
I awoke in recovery where I am pretty sure I talked a lot about something... My surgeon said I was lucky because my appendix was ready to burst when they took it out. He said it had probably been inflamed for a month or more. They rolled me past the dark waiting room where Nick had been skeeping. He had been up for about 40 hours by then. He was standing there and I happily greeted him. I walked, somehow, from the stretcher to the hospital bed. Nick said goodnight at about 3. I teared up again. I didn't get any sleep as the lady in my room had a beeping IV that no one ever shut off. the door to our room was open all night.
At 6, the nurses came in to tell me I had to pee. Apparently they put in a catheder during the surgery and it mended with my ability to know when it was time to go. All I could think was thank God it was out! Breakfast was eggs, oatmeal and a dry muffin. The cna sat me up too quickly and I instantly got sick. Im with Brian on the egg idea now...no more. The smell was obviously sickening. I didn't eat anything but drank the ice water. It had been since noon the day before that I had eaten. My poor Imperial China met its match when the red juice came and went.
I called work and got Sally who already heard from Ken and everyone at Hannies on facebook that I had gotten rid of a useless organ. I was In much less pain but was not enjoying the wound feeling in my gut. I must have been still woozy because I said I would probably see her Monday. riiiiiiiight. I can't even sit up! I made and took some more calls and was excited to see Jill at noon! I was ready to get home to my bed. If the lady in the room hadn't had so many loud machines, I probably would have stayed another day. My surgeon came by and said I could go if I really wanted to. and *beep* I *beep* really *beep* wanted *beep* to *beep.* When the noise finally drove Jill out, Nick came to take me home. Of course I had on a fancy outfit when I got to the hospital so I left in style... with my pants unbuttoned.
I was wheeled to the jeep and off we went. We picked up Dudley and headed home. I have been in bed since. I can't really sit myself up or anything. Pretty much an inanimate object surrounded by my two kittens and dogger.
I am guessing it will be a week before I can sit or stand for more than an hour or two. We shall see! I may be torturing myself as I haven't been on any pain med this entire episode. Im going to try ibuprofen and tylenol together later.
Im looking forward Grace visiting this afternoon! She is bringing a picture she colored. :) It will be nice to see Julie too and Mike, my ER angel!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
