So I’m going to describe what I remember…  This will be a long post…

I was given two antiseptic wash packets.  One for the night before and one for the morning of my surgery.  I showered the night before, 11/22/10, using one of the antiseptic wash packets.  I would have needed at least another one for it to be enough, but oh well.  I focused on my stomach, since that’s where my incisions would be.  Got my hospital bag together and went to bed just before midnight.  Set my alarm for 3:15am and did get up when it went off… for my other antiseptic shower.  Just as we were leaving, Damian (my 7 year old) woke up and cried because he wanted to come too.  He made me cry.  😦  Left him crying but my sis was there and she layed with him, and took him to school and picked him up as well.  We left around 4:40am. 

My surgery was scheduled for 7:15am.  We arrived at the hospital at 5:00am but couldn’t find the main entrance of the hospital’s new building.  By the time we figured it out and checked in it was 5:20am.  They called me back to sign some forms and then checked in again.  Then at around 5:30am, I was taken back to the pre-op room.  This is where I changed into my  hospital gown, had those inflatable stockings put on and some warm gripper slippers as well as my hair cap.  Then the nightmare started! 

They began to attempt to do my IV.  I warned them that my veins are rarely cooperative and they confirmed this with the numerous (and I mean NUMEROUS) times I was poked in search of a vein.  I was hoping my warning would help them in some way get a vein quickly, but no such luck.  An hour and a half later they were still trying.  I was poked at least 10 times before my mom and dad were even called in to say goodbye to me.  They even brought in an ultrasound machine to help locate a good vein.  It was used on my arms AND FEET!  Yes, my feet were also poked… several times.  I was panicking at this point, thinking the worst, what if they weren’t able to get an IV, what if I ended up not being sedated enough, what if I felt the surgery, etc 

As I was wheeled in to the OR (operating room) I asked if it was normal that my left inside ankle was hurting and I was feeling pressure there.  The dr said no, which made me worry more.  In the OR they tried several more foot and arm pokes and I remember shivering badly, from the pain and the cold.  My surgeon came in but I didn’t greet him with my usual hello and smile.  I wanted to be asleep already.  They finally gave up and put the mask on me and I immediately smelled and inhaled the medicine that would put me to sleep.  It happened quickly. 

Next thing I knew, I’d woken up in the recovery room 3 hours later, moaning from the stomach pain and nauseated and vomiting to top it off.  I asked about my surgery and was told It had taken a little over 2 hours, but mostly because they kept trying to get an IV into me after i’d been put to sleep.  They would not continue with surgery (ANY surgery) without one.  So I woke up with TWO IVs, one on each wrist!

My mom and dad were allowed to come in about an hour after that (a little after 11am).  She said my surgeon came out immediately after my surgery was over to let them know I was out of surgery and that everything had gone well.  He told them it went smooth as silk and that I have a very nice anatomy that allowed him to do his job easily.  LOL. 

I was in the recovery room until a little after 3pm.  At that time, they finally moved me to my room.  I was lucky enough to get my own room.  They put me in an isolation room, not because I needed to be but *most likely* because they felt it would be easier to care for someone like me (ie, FAT).  They had to put an inflatable mattress under me to move me to my bed.  Normally, one nurse alone would be able grab the blanket under the patient to move them over.  Not in my case.  They sat me up and got me comfortable and then BAM!  I projectile vomited brownish blood straight across the room, bed, blankets, floor, etc.  It hurt too.  My throat hurt too because of the tube they’d used during surgery.  The blood I was vomiting was from the tube used and also the actual surgery on my stomach. 

By 1am I couldn’t take the pain in my butt (literally) anymore from not moving.  I called the nurse in and asked if it was possible to get walk around or at least stand up for a little while.  She said we should not be trying anything heroic yet and to wait until morning.  She put pillows under my butt.  Didn’t ease the pain much. 

The pain pump I was hooked up to was giving me Dilaudid, at the press of a button.  I would vomit, which hurt, so I’d press the pump for the pain meds, but that would make me nauseous and vomit again.  Repeat, over and over again.  It was very frustrating. 

That night, my family visited me.  My mom and Damian were allowed to stay there with me!  The cushion on the visitors bench converted the bench into a bed and that’s where they slept. 

The next morning, I was scheduled to go down for an upper GI exam around 9am.  There were delays and I ended up going until around 1 or 2pm.  The guy that transported me downstairs for the procedure punctured my Foley Catheter Pouch on the wheelchair’s wheels, so that leaked the entire ride to and from my room. 

My surgeon came in sometime after I was back from this procedure.  I was asleep in my chair when he walked in.  The pain meds pretty much kept me asleep when I wasn’t vomiting. 

My catheter was later taken out (around 4pm-ish) and so was one of my IV’s, which was now infiltrated.  I’m still unsure what that means, but I assume it was no good.  The other IV was also infiltrated, but in order to remain in the room, I had to have an IV.  This is also the same reason I chose to go home.  I was told that I could stay another night, especially since I’d had so much nausea and vomiting, but I needed to have an IV in while I was there, which meant they needed to take both of them out (infiltrated, remember?) and put another (good one) in!  I was like HEEEEEELLLLL NOOOOO!  And just wanted out. 

I finally was discharged just after 6:30pm.  I was told by my nurse that my prescriptions for pain and nausea had been called in to my pharmacy.  I called my pharmacy to confirm and they had NOT!  He went to check on this and it turns out that they’d been called in to the hospital’s pharmacy downstairs.  This turned out better because it was the night before Thanksgiving, so I didn’t know (forgot to ask when I called) until what time my pharmacy was open.  Plus, it would have been another trip.  So this was good.  Another nurse got my wheelchair and wheeled me down to the pharmacy and then out to my awaiting family in the van. 

I did not sleep well the first two nights at home.  I still had pain everywhere: veins, stomach, throat, back, etc.  I didn’t feel like using my CPAP machine i’ve been using for over a year at night (to sleep) now because it would be another thing to make me uncomfortable, but in doing so, it made my sleep even worse. 

Today, 11/28/10, I am feeling MUCH better!  My veins still hurts.  I have major bruising left there.  My throat no longer hurts, nor do I have nausea and vomiting as severely.  My stomach is slightly sore, but hello… can you blame me.  Lol.  My incisions (5  of them across my belly) are not painful but are beginning to get itchy.  My stomach  has been doing some funky things now.  It hurts when I’m hungry instead of growling.  And it hurts while I eat too.  It feels like cramps, but in my actual stomach pouch.  I’m sure it’s just my new stomach getting used to processing food now.  But that hasn’t been tooooo bad.

My major problem right now is watching everyone else eat… like they normally do… and I can’t.  Not anywhere near normal for me, both in the quantity of what I eat (a few teaspoonfuls at a time) or what I actually eat (no solid food for a while… only liquids for now).  I am sooooo looking forward to being able to eat normal.  My NEW normal, that is.  I cringe at the idea of ever going back to eating plate after plate of food until I am sooo full my stomach hurts and/or I vomit.  How sad is that?? 

[EDIT]: Just want to say that the whole experience was not bad.  Except for the IV part of course.  And maybe the way I handled the anesthesia, with nausea annd vomiting.  The staff, all my nurses and doctors, were amazing though.  The nurses were very helpful and nice and I can’t say anythig bad about them for that.  I am very thankful for that as well. 

Today is Thursday… Thanksgiving Day!  And I am so thankful to be back home and doing well after my surgery.  I woke up from anesthesia/surgery Tuesday morning extremely sore, nauseas/vomiting and moaning (from the pain).  Had a tough hsopital recovery Tuesday and Wednesday, but am feeling a little better now.  Will post what I can remember from my hospial stay as soon as I feel up to it.  Right now, it’s back to rest (and pain and nausea meds)… 

Happy Thanksgiving all!!  Those of you who can, eat lots of stuffing for me!!  🙂