surgery day oct 24, 2013

The day is here, and my dad is early picking me up, get to the hospital at 0815hrs, surgery is booked for 1110hrs. Mom meets us at the admitting office, and we go up to the 5^th floor SDA (same day admit) unit. I get my sexy gown and TED stockings. I sat and chatted with Mom and Dad for almost 3 hour, no tears, then my limo arrived ( stretcher with warm blanket), The porter was gracious enough to let me parents follow me down to level 2 OR, and from there my friend from Day ward who also is a part time clerk at the Misercordia walked with me to the level 1 OR. I found out that I will not be having the female anesthesiologist, instead I had a younger guy who was ok, He didn’t listen to me when I said not to use my left hand for an IV, it’s got an “H” patterned vein that is not worth fighting with, but he tried, put freezing in both the sites that he tried, and man did that hurt. I kept myself busy by chatting with the OR nurse and questioning what kind of cocktail the anaesthesia was  going to give me, no sooner did I feel the nurses soft hands on my shoulders saying to SHHH!!! And be a patient not a nurse, breath in the O2 and see you on the other side. I don’t really remember what all I said in recovery room, but again I was SHHHed by the nurses, they put an alcohol swab under my nose, and I requested Gravol, then I traveled up to the unit. As I arrived in the room I remember saying “Dave I can smell you!!” I’m about 99% sure that I ate all my supper, then got up to bathroom, and not only was I a little wobbly, my first void was pure green…I found out later it was a dye so they could track my blood flow during the operation. Upon my return to bed I was a little nauseated, but nothing ever came up thank God, that would have hurt a lot. Most of that night I remember being incredibly itchy, and having my PCA ( patient controlled analgesia) of dilladid. I asked for lots of Benadryl, with no relief, and SCD’s on top of the stockings, and O2 on my nose, I remember being very irritated and asking many times to have the oxygen off, and being denied. I do remember having the hard time sleeping and getting my earphones so I could listen to nature sounds. It was an eventful day, and I was surprised at how much arm strength I have, and the sensation on my breasts is a little weird. With the tubes my breast it makes them look like they are raisins.