I wanted to get this update done while I'm still able to decipher what happened in real life vs what I dreamed. If I launch into a story about my surgeon riding in to my pre-op room on a tiger, you'll know I switched to the dream version. Also I need a distraction from that ever annoying sign of healing...the incessant itch! David helpfully suggested taking a hot shower. When I started to shoot that idea down he continued, "No, really, you should take a shower!"
Good News: Both my covid test and pregnancy test were negative. Praise the Lord and Hallelujah! I accidentally scheduled my covid test for last Sunday at 2:10, thinking the AFC championship game started later. David said, "I'm sure the heck not driving you!". But it worked to my advantage because there was not another soul in line.
I figured out why I always have to bring my i.d. for surgery check ins. Because no makeup is allowed, no contacts, no hair products, etc. So I know they are just trying to make sure I'm the same patient they see in their office when I show up looking a fright the morning of surgery.
Thankfully, we made it safely through snowpocalypse. I-35 had one good lane open and we cruised right on through. We only started seeing cars having trouble once we made it to the main KU Med campus. And if David hadn't been on a mission to deliver me safely and on time for check in, he would have for sure been out there helping push people to safety.
We pulled into the parking garage and the ticket gate was already up to let people through. So we were't sure if we still needed to stop or what. We went ahead and got a ticket just in case and I reminded David to bring it in to get validated. "Oh, ok, we can just tape it to your arm and they can validate it during your procedure," he suggested.
David is the cutest right before my surgeries. He's still his jokey self but with an adorable sense of nervousness and uncertainty. He lamented the fact he hadn't brought a straw to use in his coffee thermos so he could just stick it up under his mask and guzzle it down. No one is allowed back in pre-op at this time which didn't sit well with him, "You mean this is it? I have to say goodbye to you here in the waiting room?". When they called my name he grabbed me into what I thought would be a quick hug, except he held on like he wasn't going to let them take me. Ever. Precious. Except I'd waited so long for this day to come I slithered out his grasp and headed on back.
I sure missed my pre-op buddy once back there though. Entertaining me and all the staff that pop in. Grey's Anatomy was on my TV. Which I found humorous as I looked out in to my real life OR area where no drama was ensuing whatsoever. Pretty boring, actually.
Everybody on my OR team popped their heads in. Nurses, doctors, assisting doctors, anesthesia team. I started feeling like a pretty big deal. And also a little guilty that all of them were assigned to little ol' me. I got marked up, drugged up, and literally signed my life away in case my procedure went south.
David kept texting to see if I'd gone back yet. After about 2 hours, they brought in my little surgical cap and I texted him that it was getting close and I was putting my phone away. He chose the worst, most ominous reply whatsoever, texting, "See you on the other side".
And I was out. Sometimes I make it to the OR room before I conk out. But this time I didn't even make it out into the hallway. Then I groggily heard my name being called by my post op nurse. She popped out to update David, then as she helped me get dressed, asked, "So, do you have a barn?'. I thought I'd heard wrong and assumed she meant, "How's your arm?". But it all came together when she said, "I told your husband you couldn't operate any heavy machinery and he said you had rented a forklift and planned to clear out your barn this weekend." My eyes were droopy but I was still able to roll them.
We headed home about 12 hours after we'd started out that morning. David is not good at sitting. Or waiting. Or being patient. So I asked him how in the world he had fared all day. He has decided they really need to institute a volunteer program for people like him waiting all day on their loved ones, "There was a piece of carpet that had pulled away from the wall in the waiting area...I could have been tacking that back down. A win win. They get projects done for free and I get to work out my restlessness."
So how did my procedure go? Sorry, I'm sure that's why you started reading in the first place. It went well. He put in 2 bypasses on my forearm so those are all stitched up. Then he moved some lymph nodes up my side and took out a bunch of scar tissue that was there from my last surgery, So perhaps this means I'll be able to reach both arms above my head at the same height again. I hopefully get my dreaded jp drain out tomorrow. My core muscles said, "Oh crud! She's completely depending on us to get her out of bed and out of the chair again!" which they weren't too happy about. But we came to an understanding and I'm getting up and at 'em quite a bit more easily. My soreness is easing up everyday. But I feel a bit narcoleptic, falling asleep sometimes mid sentence.
I had to sleep in this huge foam swiss cheesy looking thing the first night. Which will now become something David wants to throw out, but I'll want to keep for a future pinterest project I'll never do.
I'm currently still orange from the iodine solution they slather all over you to prevent infection during surgery. And my upper lip got busted from the breathing tube. So basically I look like a one armed oompa loompa who's been in a bar fight.
David had me do a test drive with him earlier to the store to see how I did since he's abandoning me going to Denver tomorrow. I passed. And didn't fall asleep at the wheel.
Time will tell on how well the procedure worked. And how much of the swelling will actually be able to be managed.
I'm off to take my post dinner nap. And contemplate showering. But not before I color in my left side on my little blank surgery person.
No comments:
Post a Comment