Saturday 9 October 2010

Surgery and my Hospital stay

Hey girls, wow what a hassle that all was, lol The day i had surgery i had to be there by 7.15am on Weds and sadly i wasn't seen until 3pm so i was cranky and annoyed by that point, ahead of me was injections guided by x-rays and bunions, but what i thought was bad was a diabetic being left until 2.30pm from 7.15am as well, i was proper worried about her as she was an old dear and shouldn't of gone so long without food and water. They promised to move her upwards when she told them she was a diabetic but it never happened. By the time i was seen i'd gone from the whole i'm scared to pls rip them out so i can eat and drink again!! I'm not pleasant without coffee, i need at least 3 in the morning just to function.
Once down in theatre i went into a kids theatre with Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse smiling insanely at me, the staff laughed and joked around to take my mind off everything, totally works every time and i soon slipped into deep sleep at 3.10pm (although it kills your hand at first, feels like it's being crushed when they inject it in!!)

I woke up fine in Recovery and i was so happy i didn't end up in HDU this time. I woke up so much better, not cold and scared like last time. As soon as i came round i saw that it was 5.40pm, thought surgery was only meant to be an hour?? Worried a little but no-one said anything? I was moved straight onto a ward with 2 knee replacements and 1 hip replacements, all old gals too. Nice bed mates but sadly 2 were quiet sick, and would throw up every time they saw or smelt food so that was hard to live with. The first night i had to stay in due to the latest of the surgery, so i was prepared for that too happen, and expected it once i saw the clock at 5.40pm. I sent a text to Rich to confirm where i was, and He and Jema popped up to see me on ward 3, They got to stay with me until 8pm which was lovely, such a difference from last time already. I felt fine just tired and weaker but ok. Where as last time i was proper shook up and wasn't good for visitors. I was given some toast and coffee for my tea and that was my first meal. I couldn't sleep sadly so didn't have a good night at all, as the other ladies were throwing up proper loads (in fact one really really worried me, she was so poorly) The pain hasn't been too bad, just been coping on Dihydrocodeine and Para's with a bit of Oramorph if still sore.
Crew came in at 6.00am to wake us all up and change the bed sheets and breakfast, i didn't have my bed changed as i was going to go home, so i figured i would just occupy myself until dinner time, and perhaps get some sleep before i go home, seen as the night didn't go well. I had some funny pains behind my knee, which i admit freaked me out a bit due to that being the location of the dvt last time, and the knee was pumping (or looked like it was breathing! Funny looking, until it dawned on me that the blood was struggling to get down the the lower leg. So i had to say something, it was quickly dismissed as nothing to worry about and everyone went about their day and jobs. About Dinner time it flared up again, which was annoying as other than this pain i was alright and coping well on the meds i was on. So i told the next nurse that came near me, while taking my blood pressure and stuff, i asked about going home and she said i think we are keeping you in. Gutted wasn't the word, but they said it was due to the knee's behaviour and the pain i was experiencing so in a way i was happy they decided to do this. The whole time the food has been vile, cold and too heavy and rich. The other ladies have been a mele of raspberry blowing, number 2's on bed pans and sickness, i really wanted to leave.
I did stay the next night and thankfully i no longer felt the pain nor has it twitched like it was beating, so first thing when they got us up at 6am again i told them i was going home, even if it meant discharging myself. I couldn't stay with sickness and poo smells any longer, i really felt for them and worried over them, but thankfully by Friday dinner time everyone started to look much much better, mainly due to anti-biotic's being stopped and blood transfusions being given (the difference was amazing to be honest). I was so pleased to be getting out of there, the noise the smells and the food.

But it's not all fun and light at home, sure i can eat hot food (thankfully) and drink coffee as often as i like, which is very very often! But the kids giggling and running around has made me very nervous, or they are fighting and screaming at each other, i think i was safer at Hospital. It felt so good to have my own bed though and to have tv again, but i miss being able to sleep during the day, and not having to talk (sometimes i just like quietness, where i don't have to talk) But the 16yr old never ever shuts up and constantly wants answers and interactions with me. Hate being mean, but not strong enough for all that yet. Glad i have Rich telling them to leave me alone for now. Just need to get my bearings back, took me a while to text as well, as i felt like i didn't have the head space for it.

My scars are glued together and i have the steri strips too to hold it shut and it's only partly the size of the 12 inch one, roughly about 6 inches, but the bikini one is the full 7 inches is open again. I feel ok and stable on the crutches and i've been told i can fully weight bear with them. I can do any exercises i want to do that don't invlove jumping twisting or impact for now anyways. So i'm optimistic for the future of the Leftie anyway and building it back up, i'm sure once the shock of surgery has settled down then i will really feel the benefit from having the metalwork out. Hope i can get a couple of years though before i have to think of Rightie , and i hope i can settle down this SI joint pain, i too have feared it's AS, may meant this in the post op appointment if the pain hasn't gone by then.

Really missed you guys while away, and now i'm home i can catch up on everyone's threads and posts xx

1 comment:

Bramley Cards and More said...

Glad all seems to have gone well. and good luck with your recovery, don't rush it, take it slowly!!!
Sue xx