Home from the hospital

This will be long. I'm up at 3:52am on Saturday morning because I can't sleep. I hope I remember everything. lol

Jason and I left at 5:40am Thursday morning for the hospital. My mom came over to get Chloe to school and Lindsey to the babysitters. Mom's back went out while getting out of the car at our apartments and that made everything worse for her while dealing with the girls. I felt terrible. We checked in at the hospital and sat around waiting for my turn to be dealt with. There was a young child that was going to have surgery and I couldn't help but wonder how I would deal with things if it was my child going to have something done. I'd be a wreck. I finally got back and in my gown. From there things moved quickly. Within the hour I was in preop and waiting to go back to the OR. They were switching to a new computer system and were in their 2nd day of it so know one was really familiar with everything. I didn't start to freak out or panic till it was almost time for dh to leave. Then I had to switch to some deep breathing and trying to still the thought of wanting to hug my babies. I didn't do that before I left because they were sleeping and I didn't want to disturb them. I bawled for a few minutes and then was a little better.

I said goodbye to dh and they wheeled me into the OR. Dang, I forget how chilly it is in there. But I got on the table and they started giving me stuff. I remember it being 8:33 when I got in there and they put the oxygen on my mouth and then they said it would be less than a minute and I would be out. Next thing I remember is being in recovery and not being able to keep my eyes open for the life of me. I could hear everything but just not keep my eyes open long enough to see much. I guess I didn't get back to a room till nearly 3pm. That panicked Jason because Dr. Gray came out after noon and said she was done. They didn't have any beds available so I had to wait. They didn't tell him that though, so he thought something was really wrong.

I requested a private room if there were any, but there weren't and I was surprised that I was actually looking forward to a roommate. Weird how things change. I am happy to say that when I got to my room, I was the first one there so I got the side with the window. That helped with my small case of claustraphobia. Just being able to look out made things better. Things are kind of fuzzy for a while but I remember having an ice pack on my chest. I couldnt figure out why. Then the tight feeling in my chest brought it all back. Problem was, that I would have the ice on my chest and for some reason that made my stomach clench up and I couldn't relax. So I constantly had a stomachache. Then the hot flashes would start, so they put a ice pack on the back of my neck and I think a cold washrag on my head. Most attractive.

When my roommate came in, I was still kind of out of it. But I could hear everything. She was in her early 40s and it sounded like she never left the house without makeup and that was bothering her. She had a chest tube in and a machine to help suction it out. But I didn't know that at the time, I only heard chest tube. So the bubbling I heard I thought was relaxation pond or something that someone brought from home to help her feel better. It actually helped me relax and put me to sleep! I asked later and felt like an idiot when I was told what it was. She had plenty of visitors from family and that was fine. I listened a lot. (hee,hee,hee!!)

Afternoon was a blur but by dinnertime I was awake and I thought doing fine. So I drank some and actually attemped dinner. Not such a great idea. Remember the stomach clenching? I couldn't recognize that I was feeling sick till almost the last minute. The nurse was in the room and I told her I needed help. Then I needed it NOW!! My roomie had visitors and they handed me a get sick container and I barely made it in time. Then I needed a bigger one and a hand reached out from her side and handed me her other one. Then my roomie immediately got sick! She was feeling nauseated and since I had all her sick trays, she had to have a family member get something quick and she ended up using the brand spanking new commode tray. So the nurses had fun with us for a while cleaning us up since we spewed at the same time. I had to get my ice pack changed, my blankets, and cleaned my face up before I felt halfway decent again. I just thought it was hilarious that we both got sick at the same time. The rest of the night I was careful and had ice chips, water, and later on I had graham crackers. Made the potty trips with my IV pole and managed to knock or bang everything I could on the way there.

The rest of the night, my roomie and I got awake at the same times and either she or I would have to ring for the nurse for something. So every 3 hours it seemed we had our drinks changed, vitals checked, etc. I had to have help getting to the bathroom, because I had my IV pole, and those compression things on my lower legs. Every minute all night long they would come on, puff up and compress my legs, and then turn off. Every minute! Then on the IV pole, it would click every time the saline would drip. I was so used to it the first time I had surgery, that it didn't bother me and I slept okay despite it. It was just a pain trying to gather myself for the potty trips.

In the morning, my roomie wanted some sun, so she pulled the curtain back and we got to talk. Turns out Sandy has a 5 year old daughter too as did I and the nurse taking care of us. We had great talk and she seemed like a nice lady. I could tell she was a little more upper class than I, but when you're in the situation we were in, there's no being your usual self. I found out her mil was just diagnosed with colon cancer, and when she came in later, I got to talk to her for a few minutes.

I attempted breakfast and was also given my favorite hospital cocktail, cranberry juice and Sierra Mist. I had that when I was at the hospital with my csections and loved it. It was comforting to have it again. I drifted in and out and had visitors. I know that Shannon and Dad came the night before and Jason was with me most of the previous afternoon. He went home around 5:30pm and got the girls and spent time at my inlaws house. They had a nice dinner for him since it was his birthday, poor guy. Mom and Nanny came even with Mom's bad back. I was trying to talk to both Mom and Nanny, but I don't think Nanny heard me very much. I felt bad flipping back and forth between them. Jason came in later and he spent the rest of the day with me.

I was getting worried because Dr. Gray hadn't come to see me yet. In fact, I didn't end up seeing her till just before I left at 7pm or so. I could have had the nurses show me what to do, but I wanted to talk to her and so even though it was incredibly late, I waited. Got to have a lovely dinner of nasty mac & cheese, but the great nurses slipped me some yogurt and custard instead. I would talk on and off with Sandy every once in while, but mostly Jason and I had quiet time relaxing. He would help me get to the potty and back and we made a couple of trips around the ward in the afternoon when I felt up to it. The dang bra they put me in after surgery was really annoying and painful. The drains were hanging out underneath them, so it would rub up against the tightly attached bra and it was really hurting me. I was good with the pain meds though. I didn't take it as much as I thought but I also didn't let me get too much pain. It wasn't morphine either, so it didn't knock me on my butt immediately either.

I can't remembe much else now because the percoset if FINALLY starting to kick in. It's really hard not to curl up on my side. I want to desperately and I can't do it and that's making it hard to sleep. I can't believe I miss my hospital bed, but I do. I could get in any position to make it easier to sleep and at home I can't. It's either flat on my back in my bed or face the eastern sky and try to sleep in my recliner that I can't manuever very well with all my owies. I think I will try the bed again. Starting to feel a little sick too. I'm done for now, I'll try and write more later.