Tuesday, August 30, 2005

post surgery

its been an amazing 24 hours, seeing i didnt have to be at the hospital til 130, i took the opportunity to do stuff that will require two arms and i then went to the post office and finally to the hosptial. i was light headed but i walked to the slope for something to do..
by the time i got there, my clothes were wet with sweat and i was sticky. I
was glad to check in and get out of my clothes-
they were still wet at 830 when i got them back. ( there is nothing worse than a sticky damp bra and shorts)

the nurses were surprised that i was smiling and in good spirits, that was until i found out that that i wouldnt be seen til 330pm-

the nurses put me in room with at TV til this nurse came in and asked if i was Okay.. i was tired and bored and she put me in a room with a recliner, she put me in a recovery room and i was afraid they would forget me. I checked with her periodically and she had a killer sense of humor so i could joke with her. my hot flashes and hers were a topic of discussion and how stress elevates them..

but actually, i watched Oprah til they called me... I watched CNN and the hurricaine most of 48 hours, and the devastation and destruction is beyond what i can imagine.. so as i waited and waited with my lack of coffee headache..by the time i was called, i was anxious to get it over it..

i waited for my chariot or carriage pulled by snow white horses to take me to the OR... as i could walk..i walked over the OR...I asked my Russian attendant if he could yell" dead man walking" but he didnt have a sense of humor.. I met with my doctor and the anestiologist and i was good to go... my anxiety was relieved at this time
my doctor looks like IRwin corey, the absent minded professor or like einstein but he is sooo good at his craft.. the other staff were great and they led me to the Operating room. at cabrini i was out by the time, they wheeled me in.. at methodist, i walked in...and put my arm out to be smeared with yellow antiseptic..

i remember talking about the needle sticks and the anestiologist told me about the drug addicts who scream when the IV is being inserted..I saw my xrays and was really awake in the operating room.... they woke me up to show me the hardware, and to give me some morphine..and off to recovery.. ( i know i dreamed and i was out in a fitful sleep)

i overheard the woman across the dorm room being told that she had both ovaries removed in her exploratory surgery due to Ovarian Cancer.. all i could muster was "im sorry" from my dull state..It didnt matter to her that i was sorry and it shouldnt...

i never slept and actually didnt sleep last night..i came in at 930 after stopping at the store to get a sprite and diet ice tea..i stayed up and watched TV most of the night, snippets of Iron Chef, battle Eggplant, and CNN...aaron brown late night....and more destruction from the hurricaine..and aftermath- i dozed off and got up and checkd my email and ate everything i could get my hands on... and napped more..

the morphine and the local in my arm has worn off andnow i have a swollen wing that needs to be in a sling....i have some strong pain killers and plan to zonk out later.. til then its tylenol..PM

i have been up most of the day, i am groggy and tired and napped for about an hour. i went to the store a few times and moved my car for alternate side of street parking. I tried to go for a walk but my body refuses to do what my head wants to do.. its hot and sticky and muggy and i want to sleep again but my mind wont give in..

i have to take sponge baths and i smell pretty badly.. a friend recently talk with me about the smell of perspiration based on hormones..i really smell pretty badly. i want to do so many things and cant get my butt off the couch... i cant really read the paper..

i dont want to think about work...

my arm is swollen and hurts..i dont want to wear the sling around the house but the doctor told me to wear it.. maybe there was a reason.. i guess i should elevate my arm..and kepp it in the sling..

i am dehydrated and puffy... but the operation was successful and the hardware is out



i consider myself fortunate..