Day#1
post-op
Dr. Schembri saw me first thing in the am along with
the general surgery residents. He was very happy with the results, my bruising
was normal, and the drains are Blake’s, so no surprise “wide noodle” when they
get pulled out over the next two weeks. I felt like a million bucks, up to the
bathroom by myself, got rid of the SCD’s, TEDS, and the PCA all at once.
Started on Tylenol 3 and it seems like I was going to be going home sooner than
later. I walked down the halls and found a cheese sandwich for breakfast
because they gave me eggs and I hate eggs with a passion. Mom and Dave showed
up and we all hung out together, and my dressing was done in the afternoon, and
then shit hit the fan really quick, got Torodol/ketorolac IV push post dressing
change due to the large amount of pain on my left side. I still managed to go
outside for a nice long walk, but slowly as the evening went on, and the guests
started coming I had more and more pain…till I was crying in front of everyone,
and then progressed into a full out panic attack, thank God for Dave and Ativan
I calmed down and feel asleep with the pillows piled high on my sides, and woke
up needing some more pain killers, but I managed to do ok through the night.
Day#2-post
op
So the night was a little rough, but I made it
through, Dr. Schembri came and emptied about 50cc of fluid from each breast,
relief at last, also one area on my right breast above the nipple was a little
purple so didn’t want it to be compromised. I had my first and only dose of
morphine…I was so high that my arms couldn’t even lift to butter my muffin, so
when Dave got there he had to feel me because I was so out of it, it was very
funny, I have a few pictures of my stoned face. I was also very itchy. I had an
extendable scratching stick and I took some skin off of my legs because of how
itch it was. A shower was in order so once my high was a little less
debilitating, Dave dressed up in his swim suit and we headed to the shower
room. He did such a good job of washing me, so tender and loving, I’m so lucky
to have him. With my mom being out of town for a funeral it was mainly him and
Lucja my step mom who works on the adjacent unit. My dressing change today was
much more tolerable, and I napped a little bit as well during the day. But I
started getting anxious when Dave left, so I asked for another Ativan, and
instead of calming me it made me so hyper I was angry, sad, and energised for
no reason. I began texting madly to everyone I knew, telling them how I’m as
hyper as that squirrel from “Over the Hedge” (animated children’s movie)
everything around me felt like it was going 1000 miles/hr. and yet I was still
breathing regularly and my heart was at a steady beat. Still itchy I asked for
50mg of Benadryl. Then after what seemed like an eternity of waiting my mom
stopped in after returning from the funeral at about 2100hrs. She listened to
my desperate drug induced plea to stay with me, and if I was my nurse I’d let
her stay…no sooner do I remember her start to rub my hand and I’m off to lala land woke up at 0600 to pee,
but the whole night was great sleep.
Day#3-postop/Home
Time
It’s now Sunday, and I’m feeling like a million
bucks well spent. Seen by Dr. Steward the general surgery resident, and Dr.
Schembri, got my first dose of laxatives, which is now 3 days to late…grr my
belly looks like I’m 3 months Prego…I’m literally full of sh**t, but the
promise of going home is proposed, and I’m ready to rock and roll. Dressed
myself with some difficulty with my socks and shoes but Dave again was my man
for the job to help me. He started loading my botanical garden of beautiful
flowers to the car, and my overnight bag. Last piece of cargo is me, I’m
carrying my teddy bear like it weighs 50lbs, and slowly walk out of the
hospital. On a bench outside a group of ladies call out and wish me congrats on
my twins…my first thought is “thank you,” as I clutch my breasts and say, they
are a different kind of twins that I’m taking home. The joke was not understood
by the group of women but I was laughing so hard. Even though the car ride was
hard holding the seatbelt chest strap away from my incision I was laughing.
We got home, Dave unloaded the truck and I settled
onto the couch, and then it was my idea to get my prescription ASAP, we made it
back in to the truck and I figured a way to rest on the cart while Dave wrapped
around me as a human bumper. As well walked through the store I saw a very
familiar face…a lady that I had taken care of in general surgery, she
remembered me too, and told me that I was her favorite nurse, and that I was brave
for doing what I did. That was a really wonderful assurance of both my career
and my decisions for health. Unfortunately shortly after that encounter I began
feeling very dizzy and lots of pain, so I hobbled to the pharmacy to pay for my
prescription, I was in such pan that I couldn’t even make it to the desk to pay
with the debit machine, so the pharmacist Tec, whom I know very well took my
card and punched in the info, and I tried my first 2 tab dose of Tramacet. Now
this stuff is good, I feel the effects almost instantly. Getting into the truck
I leave my prescription bag in the cart, it wasn’t until we got home that we
realized that it was still left in the cart, Dave got me out of the car into
the house and then sped off to the store, I was so emotional and sore, I
couldn’t close the front door with my arms, so I used my head to hold the door
closed and locked the door. Moments later Dave arrives I’m still crying that
“I’m sorry” then the door gets stuck, so teary eyed I go and open the door, pills
were found right where I left them, and Dave laughed at me saying I looked so
funny crying and stoned. From there I\ decided 1 tab was more than enough.
I got sushi dinner from my dad, and soup and other
delicious things from Dave’s Mom and Dad, I was so happy to feel good and eat
such good food. I’m so loved, and sleeping in my own bed was amazing. Dave
didn’t appreciate the 0400 wake up alarm that I set to get pain killer…another
agreement, if I wake up from pain then I take it, if not sleep is more important.
Woke up energized, but the constipation was too
much, this is now 4 days no BM, and my belly is so painful I think its pulling
on my sutures. So I called in a favor from my step mom to come and give me a
fleet enema, not the greatest feeling, but holy did that make the difference,
that first bathroom visit was at least 2 days’ worth, and later in the day a
suppository gave me another days’ worth of relief.
Spent the day doing mainly lounging around; sitting
on couch watching TV, walking 3 ½ laps around the block. During the walk I did
notice how tough the walking is on the incisions, so I sent mom to find me a
front closing exercise bra. She ended up finding some bathing suit tops at La
vie en Rose, and a zipper front bra at Wal-Mart along with some band o bra’s
with straps. Very good results from all these items, glad to have a few more
options.
Supper tonight was awesome, KD with hot dogs and
grill cheese…had a craving for a long time when we left the hospital. It was
great to feel like a kid.
Note: What I discovered is that comfy night clothes
such as your boyfriends “wife beater” shirt is delightful, as well as loose
flannel or silk pj pants. A fluffy housecoat is great especially because it’s
soft and keeps you at nice warm not to sweaty temperature, and if you wear it
backwards in bed it is easy to keep your arms away from the drain tubes so you
don’t get caught on them. It’s worth it. Lots of sweat pants and zip up hoodies,
you will thank me, and I found that pinning the drains to a lanyard when
showing is great, but for resting they are better off on your pants, just don’t
forget when you go to the bathroom that they are there, only need to pull them
once and you’ll remember
Day#5-
Home alone
So here is the real test, and it was a trying
morning, sever nausea lead to vomiting, I popped a gravol and slept a bit more,
then toast with butter after my pills lead to another vomit…luckily I didn’t
see pills in my emesis, so they must have absorbed. I slept so much
today…basically at 1200 when mom came for lunch was the only time I really was
out of bed. Lunch stayed down had a nice quinoa protein salad and couple bites
of lasagna, and desert was home-made slice of pumpkin pie. Delicious. I spent
the rest of the time watching Bones on Netflix, and Dave came home, and it was
dress up for my walk…3 laps around the block with my new bra allowed me to go
much faster today. Had my hair washed again today, feels so good to be clean.
Supper was a delicious
soup that Dave’s Mom had cooked up for us. I did really well today.
My dad is going to visit me tonight, I’m so happy that
he and I are back to our old selves. I was so scared that I would lose him
again. I have him back instead, thank you God for what you’ve done for me. When
he left it is yet again time to say night night to another day.
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