Gall Bladder

So it has been over a week since I finally had my gall bladder removed and I am finally feeling up to blogging a bit about it. My recovery has been pretty crappy so far.... bad nausea and lack of appetite (sound familiar) have plagued me since the Super Bowl and I have been pretty miserable. Today marks the first day I put on jeans and ventured out of the house (to the grocery store) in almost two weeks.

Back to last Wednesday, the 28th, when I had the actual surgery. I was supposed to be there at 9am with the surgery at 11am. Anytime I have surgery I have bad luck with timing. The night before they call me and tell me not to come in until 1:30pm due to back ups in the OR with a surgery at 2:45. Goody. Especially when you can't eat or drink after midnight! My mom flew in the night before and we had a nice dinner at Olive Garden together before heading home. Ryan surprised the heck out of both of us when he managed to get off work for my surgery. We were convinced the SDA meant it was impossible but I was glad he was able to be there. So we get to the hospital around 1:30pm and the wait begins.

We waited and waited and long story short I didn't get into the OR until almost 4:30 that afternoon. Sigh. I was pretty hungry and thirsty by that point. I sat in a room with my mom and Ryan and watched TV for a few hours as we waited and once it is go time it is GO TIME. I felt like we were waiting for ages and suddenly I was kissing them goodbye and getting wheeled up the hall. I vaguely remember seeing the OR and then... nothing. My next conscious (and quite embarrassing) memory is waking up in recovery sobbing. I mean full on sob fest. My throat was scratchy from the tube and obviously my midsection hurt and I just remember sobbing my heart out and apologizing to the recovery nurses for sobbing. 

Ugh.

I was supposed to have an outpatient surgery but because it started so late the surgery center closed and they wheeled me into the actual hospital for the rest of my recovery. We thought that meant a few hours but then they mentioned keeping me overnight and that was exactly what happened.

My goals were simple... drink, pee, walk and eat. I couldn't go home until all of those were done. I was horribly itchy and in pain so they had me on morphine, then percocet and benadryl as I drank a ton of water. Ryan eventually had to go home since he had to be at work at the crack of dawn but my mom stayed with me. Actually when Ryan left they hadn't mentioned keeping me all night yet and he was quite surprised when he woke up the next morning and I wasn't there.

I had a nice view of the sunrise from my bed at least? It was a long night. I hate hospitals and my poor mom was in a chair... they didn't offer her anything more comfortable until about four am and at that point she didn't want to bother. I did eventually walk and use the bathroom... and when I did I nearly fell over. Blood pouring out of your bellybutton will do that to you. Apparently that's normal after my surgery so a well placed bandaid stopped that problem. Ugh. I finally ate breakfast in the morning and to my surprise my husband walked in as I was eating oatmeal and jello. Work let him go since I was still in the hospital. We eventually got discharged and I was able to go home by 8am or so. We all basically went straight to bed and slept until midafternoon.

I spent the next day or two on pain meds on the couch watching Friends on Netflix while my mom cooked and cleaned and was awesome just helping us out.

The Dup was a little put out at having to share her couch at first but she quickly became my snuggle buddy.

 

 As you can see she just squirmed right in between my mom and I and made due. At 90lbs, give or take, this is no easy task for a Dup!

My view.... she is cute luckily!

And the Dup loves her Granny, my mom, so they snuggled a lot too.

Saturday, the night before my mom left I started feeling nauseous. Saturday we went to the store and I was eating normally but sore... Sunday the nausea was worse. I barely ate all day before taking her to the airport and I was feeling awful by the time I got home. I got on the couch with the Dup to watch the Super Bowl but she wasn't too interested....

By halftime Ryan was home and I felt awful. Before the third quarter started I was throwing up and Ryan was giving me medicine and dragging me into bed to go to sleep. The next four or five days were miserable. I was on anti nausea medicine like crazy and eating nothing but fruit and toast and light bland things and just trying to stay hydrated. I went back to my doctor and they basically said it had only been a week post op and to give it more time. Very frustrating. Finally today I am feeling a little better. Good enough to at least put on jeans and go to the grocery store. I am still taking it easy and watching what I eat, but here is to hoping I am finally on the up and up.

Adios Gall Bladder. You will so not be missed. Here is to hoping I can have my long awaited cheeseburger soon. Really soon.

One Year Later

It is hard to believe, well for me at any rate, that it has been exactly one year since my breast reduction surgery. I cannot believe it. Looking back a lot of it was pretty hazy but that may be from the pain medication! The recovery period was rough, I'm not going to lie, especially with the drainage tubes in that first week. I couldn't sleep on my side for six weeks, only my back, and not lift anything heavier than a book. I had a breathing apparatus to make sure my lungs functioned ok. I had to take drainage measurements... ok Ryan had to, I just didn't look. I had hundreds of stitches which mostly dissolved but some had to be removed. I was sore and tingly and numb for awhile.

But I recovered. Nearly all the feeling is back thank goodness. Only one or two spots still feel like when you have a shot at the dentist... you can feel it but not perfectly. I wore a bikini comfortably this past summer for the first time since middle school.



I have worn shirts in mediums and even *gasp* smalls. My back rarely bothers me anymore and I feel taller without the extra weight, literally! It was not a fun experience to go through that surgery and the first month or so after, but it was definitely worth it in the end.

Six weeks after my surgery I did a before and after post because that was when the majority of my swelling went down and I could notice a difference... and wear a real bra again!





Now it is a year later, and I am fully healed... and you can see even more of a difference!






And of course Rylie girl wanted in on the action! Putz.




My scars are fading and I am extremely happy with my 36Cs. Much better than 36DDDs! If anyone ever has any questions about the surgery, the approval process and TriCare or the recovery please feel free to ask. If you don't want to leave a comment you can email me at imyewneek@yahoo.com

I think it was totally worth it.

Surgery Story

Follow along with this journey here and here...

I know since my surgery I have been a pretty poor blogger, so hopefully this will change that! Welcome to the new followers too! I was pretty surprised when I saw how many people were there. Wow!

Ok, going back to February 23. Mind you some of this gets pretty hazy since I was heavily medicated :P

I woke up around eight or so and showered and got ready. I had to shower with antibacterial soap and could not wear any lotion, deodorant, or make up. The lack of deordorant makes me feel icky so I kid you not I pretended to put some on (with the cap on the container) so I could mentally trick myself! No eating, no drinking... not even water since midnight. So of course I am starving and would kill for a glass of water. But no matter. I can do it for a few hours.

We are about to head out the door around 9am to get my mom from the hotel when my phone rings. It's the hospital. They want to know if we can push my 12 noon surgery to 2pm. Ok. A couple extra hours. We go and get my mom and come back to the apartment to watch tv and wait it out. I have to get to the hospital at 12 now instead of ten so a few episodes of the Office later we're on our way.

Somehow we find a parking spot and I get into the check in area before noon. I register, which took all of ten minutes, then head to a waiting room. I sat in said waiting room for maybe an hour. Mind you it is close to one now, I have not had anything to eat or drink, and I am all jittery! I finally get called back for vitals and I have to say goodbye to my mom. Ryan comes back with me while I get changed into a gown and some rocking brown socks with funky bottoms so I don't slide.


Waiting pre-surgery

I was told that my wedding band had to come off because the way the do the cut for surgery involves an electrical charge (?!!). The ring was jammed on so the nurses actually had to get some lubricant for my finger to get it off! I gave it to the hubby for safe keeping. I get some tests done and Ryan and I just had to wait. Mind you in the mean time the pre-op nurses had some sort of party so all of them keep walking by with cookies! Ugh! I was so hungry at this point, as was Ryan. He had a piece or two of toast but he was trying to not tempt me. My nurses were great and really funny, they kept making fun of one another and they even sneaked Ryan two cookies, one for him for then and one for me later, post surgery.

Since Georgetown University Hospital is a teaching hospital I had a student doctor in training come ask me lots of questions too. Not bad. Eventually my doctor came in with yet another student and began to draw. With blue permanent marker he marked all over my chest. I was a little embarassed standing there topless with two male doctors but luckily my husband was right behind me holding my hand the entire time. Then I was waiting more. 2pm passes, then 3pm... at this point I am waiting for the anesthesiologist to come talk to me. Waiting waiting. Eventually the nurses needed to have a pow wow so they move my bed/stretcher thing to another bay where I wait some more. Ryan and I begin to play checkers on his phone to pass the time. Then an anesthesiologist in training (yes another student) comes and starts an IV for me. I was just getting some much needed fluids at that point but awaiting the drug that would "calm me and make me loopy" before going in... her words not mine!

Finally the darn anesthesiologist shows up and signs my paper and suddenly I am getting wheeled to the Operating Room at 4 fricken pm. PANIC! I am squeezing Ryan's hand and wondering where my darn loopy shot is! They let Ryan walk with me right about to the OR door. I got to kiss him goodbye, say I love you, and then I was in the OR. Wide awake. Oh my god. I had to force myself not to look around as they had me transfer myself onto the table. I remember looking at a green wall, no one said anything at all to me, and suddenly it is a lot later.

I wake up feeling hazy. I remember thinking, "Wow I am not in that much pain. And I am pretty alert. Not bad! I hope my boobs are small." Hah. According to Ryan I was as high as a kite. I kept asking him trivial questions like if they went to eat during my four hour surgery. Duh. I remember him and my mom coming in, getting my wedding ring back, asking if they looked different, and feeling the need to assure them I was ok. I think I said, "I feel great, but I am pretty tired so I may need to take a nap now." Then I conked out and woke up much much later in my real room. I was still hooked to an IV. I was in and out for a long time. Anytime I woke up someone asked me if I was in pain... I'd say yes and they'd put a shot in my IV. It burned like HELL in my hand and then I conked out again. I remember seeing my mom and Ryan eating dinner at one point and then saying goodbye to my mom, insisting I was fine with Ryan driving her home.

At some point I woke up and was alert. Around 10pm I think. I met my nurses and told them I really had to pee. I was hooked up to some leg decompressors (to prevent blood clots) and had to be unhooked to go to the bathroom. Of course I was very confused as to why my toilet had a bucket in it, but they needed to track my out going liquids apparently. I get back in bed, re-attached to my leg things, and start to feel my chest is pretty darn sore. and I have drains coming out of my sides into these little grenades.

Every hour or so someone would come in and wake me up, ask if I was in pain, give me a burning shot, then I'd conk out again. Ryan was sleeping in a chair/bed next to me the entire time. Around 11pm I started to watch TV and ate some graham crackers which were AMAZING to me at that point. I was still semi out of it though, evident in the text messages I sent. My friend Dell asked if I was ok and I replied "Sore, on drugs, and watching Laverne and Shirley. I have noooo recollection of watching Laverne and Shirley. At all.


Right before check out

Around 5am they had the student doctor and a few other people come in and check on me. Looking down at my stitches made me freak out a bit but otherwise I was alright. At 7:00am I got the best breakfast. French toast (my favorite) bacon and some grapes. I got more burning shots (I later found out the burning shot was morphine, damn that stuff is powerful!)and was told I could check out when I was ready. Around 11am we checked out and I got wheeled to the car. We picked up my mom and then I got plonked on the couch.

We started watching The Office and I passed out again. Percocet became my best friend and I spent most of the day in and out on the couch. I woke up and ate a chicken sandwich at one point. With cucumber salad. And potato wedges. I was hungry. That night they got me into bed and I slept pretty well. I woke up a few times, took more drugs, and passed out. Ryan slept on the couch because he was worried he'd roll over and knock my drains or something. I fought it at first but I was too out of it to really fight back. He set up the portable DVD player for me so I could sleep bnetter (I can't sleep alone in the room unless the TV is on).

Day two home was not that good. I was on some strong antibiotics and I got violently ill. I could barely keep water down. After a paniked call to the resident on duty I was perscribed Zofran which is a miracle pill. Seriously. Thank you makers of Zofran.

Ryan and my Mom watched a LOT of the Office and kept me company while I lied on the couch. Ryan was a trooper and cleaned my drains and bandages daily for me and recorded the outtake, I could barely look when he did! Saturday morning my best friend Sam drove down to hang out and visit with me. We watched a lot more tv, at lots of take out, and caught up. Mom and Sam helped me clean up and wash my hair, which was wonderful. Sunday the two of them took a trip to Georgetown Cupcakes and came back with SEVEN DOZEN. Their order accidentally got doubled and they left me a dozen of magical healing cupcakes. Man I love them.






Sunday Mom and Sam helped Ryan deep clean the ENTIRE apartment. I felt awful watching my best friend and my mom clean while I sat around but it wasn't like I could help. Sunday night Mom and Sam drove home and I started to wean myself off percocet. As you saw from the Damn Drains entry I did, it did not work to my advantage.

Flowers from work, they're gorgeous!




Flowers from Mom, they smelled great.





Now the surgery story is done! I will write more of the aftermath later, but I am very happy. This entry is long enough! Thanks if you read it all and thank you to all my guest bloggers for helping me out. (Ryan was a tad put out that he didn't get more comments on his entry but I told him a few of you emailed me!) Stitches come out tomorrow (:

Damn Drains

On Monday Ryan and I got ready for my first venture out of the house. I had to go back to the hospital to get my drains removed. You kind of saw them in the brief picture I posted. They were little bulbs that hung down near my waist from long, clear tubing that went into my chest on either side. The drains had to be pinned to my shorts or tucked into my pockets of zip up hoodies from the moment I left the hospital.

They sucked and were more painful at times than my inscisions and stitches.

Twice a day Ryan diligently emptied them into measured cups given to us by the hospital and he recorded how much fluid came out on each side. God bless my husband. I couldn't even watch when he did it. Or look at the actual place the tubing went in to me. Luckily I could not see them unless I tuned sideways in a mirror. I never did.

It is my first time out of the house since returning from the hospital on Thursday and it is pouring rain. Tornado warnings. Windy. At least it was semi-warm. But we went out into the rain and journeyed back to the hospital.

We didn't bother to try the parking garage and opted for valet. We made our way inside and found the clinic and got up into the original office where I had my consultation. I was tired, but I stopped taking my percocet the night before in effort to ween myself off the pain killers. Mistake One.

The nurse comes in and changed my sterile tape over my stitches. Looking at them freaked me out quite a bit, but it wasn't too bad. After I get cleaned up she tells me my drains are coming out. I ask if they are going to give me a shot or something or just go for it.

We're just going for it.

Damn.

Of course I had my percocet in my purse but it would take forty mintues to be any good so I didn't bother.

So Ryan takes my hand and the woman tells me to breath slowly and deeply to keep my muscles relaxed. I squeeze the hell out of my husband's hand and keep my chest relaxed. I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth and the nurse counts to three. One... two... three.

Worst pain I have ever felt in my life. No dramatics. Honest truth.

Apparently there was still a clear suture holding the tube inside me still that the nurse was unaware of. I had to bite down hard to stop from screaming. Bless my husband for holding my hand, talking to me, kissing my forehead, everything calming and helpful. He only told me much later that the tube was about a foot and a half long inside me. Ugh. The second side hurt too but nothing like the first, she knew to look for the suture.

Honestly so glad that is done. I had to lie there for awhile before I could make myself move again. Then it was back out into the rain and waiting for the car. We went to grab lunch and I was pretty tired and sick to my stomach so it wasn't too great. I went home and just laid down the rest of the night.

I'll write about everything else later. This story just had to go out first for my own insane reasons. But I will say I am much more comfortable without the drains and can move so much easier. I didn't realize how in the way they were until I was gone. I am healing. Still sore and pretty sick to my stomach, but healing.