My surgery was scheduled for Wednesday, March 24th. This was a special day for me because it would have been my Mom's birthday. My wonderful Mom passed away in April of 2005 very unexpectedly and I still miss her so much!!!
That morning, we took the boys to school and headed for the hospital to be there at 8:00. I was really nervous and kinda sick to my stomach! I never do well in the mornings..just not a morning person! I often feel nauseaus! Anyway, we got there and they shortly took me back to a room and left my husband in the waiting room. They said he could come back soon...I didn't like that too much but I didn't make a fuss!
I went back into my room and they had me strip down and get the lovely hospital gown on...someone seriously needs to redesign those things!! Once I was dressed and in my hard bed...another thing that needs redoing....the nurse came in to check all my vitals and put my IV in. Nurses always have a time with me and needles and IV's because my veins like to roll and hide and since they were dehydrated, they especially did this! She stuck me the first time and it didn't work...I didn't even bleed when she pulled it out! Then she tried again on my other arm, this time in the hand...she was so sure she had it and then the IV would not drip! So, she said she would try one more time and if she didn't get it, she would send someone else in. I prayed and prayed and YES, she got it in...it was a little positional but she thought it would be fine since I wouldn't be under too long.
She got me all settled in and then went and got one of those wonderful heated blankets and put on me and went to find my husband....boy was I glad to see him!!! He always makes me feel safe when he is there..and just OK!!
We watched TV for awhile and talked and joked to pass the time....it seemed like a good while and they would check on me here and there. Soon, the anesthesiologist came in...He explained what they were gonna do and that I would be kinda out but not totally. He said if they needed to, he would be there to put me further under. He asked did I want something to relax me and I said a big "YES!!" So, the nurse came in and gave me an injection in the IV.
Before I knew it, they were coming to get me and wheeling me back down many halls into this really cold room! They had me scoot over on the operation table and then things kinda get fuzzy cause I was in and out....I remember lots of talking. I remember them swabbing my chest down and the liquid was cold and ran all down the back of my neck and into my hair! That was not a great feeling but I was out of it!!
I remember at some point them putting a heavy blue drape across me...the nurse said it was to protect me from the XRays....I hadn't a clue what she was really talking about at the time. Next thing I knew a nurse was buttoning my gown at my arms back up..."She said she needed to fix my party dress." I remember giggling. Then I was being scooted back on to a bed and being wheeled back down those long halls and back into my room.
I was pretty drowsy but not too out of it at this point. I was back in the room and soon my husband was there and all felt right in the world again. He had said I was in the OR almost an hour but of course to me, it had only seemed like minutes!
The pain wasn't bad at all at this point but I could feel something starting so I asked for pain medication and they soon brought me a shot of Demerol and Phenergan. The nurse asked did I want something to eat and drink and brought me a Sprite and a warm muffin! Best tasting muffin ever, especially when I was starving!!
About this time, I got to looking at my surgery area. There wasn't much to see, just two small stera strips. I was given lots of instructions like not taking a bath for 24 hours and to keep the strips on for ten days. Then they had my husband sign all the papers and wheeled me out to our van to go home. In total, we were there about 4 hours.
That afternoon was pretty much okay but then by that night I was in agony!! This surgery was so much more painful than the surgery to remove my lymph node! I just could not get relief. The only way I could bear it was to lie flat down and the bed and not move! When I did have to get up to go to the bathroom, pulling myself to a sitting position was so very painful!!
I had tons of swelling and bruising...it was like that for a couple of days and then Saturday seemed a little better. Then that afternoon, I started hurting when I took a big breath...it was not fun! I called the surgeon on call for the practice (he was not one I had ever dealt with). He never bothered to call me back! That really upset me but I didn't bother with it.
Finally, by Monday it started to ease!!! It has now been two weeks and for the most part I don't even know it's there! I can feel the port and tube some when I run my hand over it and I have about a one inch scar that is still healing up nicely! I am so thankful for the port because I have heard the alternative is not good...still, I wish I had known it could be so badly painful...maybe I would have been better prepared!
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