Surgery went Well, Recovery Not so Good

Monday morning I had surgery, it wasn’t planned too well to have surgery during the July Ultimate Blog Challenge because it got in the way of my blogging! I’ve managed to post every day and visit and comment on at least some of the other blogs. But I doing my best to keep up! So here is my story for today. My gallbladder surgery is over and I’m home recuperating. Surgery went well, recovery not so good. I’ll give you a little run down as best as I can remember. Now most of you know I have a bit of a sense of humor so I’ve added that too.

Rich and I arrived at the hospital at 8:00AM, went to the pre-op room to get ready. I had my main pre-op nurse, the anesthesia team, a surgical nurse and the surgeon come visit me. With each one, I had to answer the same questions, do I smoke, drink, have all my teeth, etc. I felt like I should have said, “I already told everyone that.” LOL But everyone was so pleasant.

While in prep, they gave me a beautiful cap and gown and the IV was placed in my hand. The anesthesiologist came in and injected green dye in it to show the gallbladder. Everyone explained what they were doing. When it got time to wheel me to the surgical unit, they told me as I go down the hallway it will get colder and colder. By the time I got to the last hallway, I felt like I was in a deep freezer.

As I got to the surgical unit door, there were four attendants in blue scrubs waiting, I waved to them all and they laughed as I asked if they were my welcoming committee. Once in the room there were at least six more people, I looked around as saw huge bright lights, about two feet around filled with tiny lights all around the inside. The anesthesiologist told me again he would be putting the oxygen mask on and once I was asleep they would start the IV and put a tube down my throat. I don’t remember anything after the mask was put on. Surgery lasted an hour and ten minutes then I was off to the surgical recovery room.

Now I had already noted on my chart that I’m hard to wake up from anesthesia but after two hours the recovery nurses kept trying to wake me up. It wasn’t happening, I wanted to sleep. I heard one say, “give her another 30 minutes and she’ll be awake.” Well that didn’t happen, I was sleeping like a baby.

Four nurses kept asking me my name, squeeze my hand, wiggle my toes, open my eyes. See I could hear everything I just couldn’t respond except in my head. I answered everything but nothing came out of my mouth. The next thing to happen was I started having spasms in my arms and legs. The nurses started yelling at me now and asked what was wrong, was I cold. No I wasn’t cold and don’t know why the spasms, but they still didn’t hear me. I heard one nurse mention maybe I was having a stroke and they should admit me. NO, NO, I yelled but they still didn’t hear me!! At this point the nurse went out and told Rich I was having a hard time waking up and they would keep him updated.

Finally one nurse pressed super hard on my chest right under my throat. It was so painful and again I yelled but wasn’t heard. Three hours later I finally opened my eyes and could communicate.

After checking everything I was on my way to the post op nursing station where Rich was waiting for me. A little more resting, doing a few more vitals and instructions I was ready to head home. They did tell me I’d have gas pain from the anesthesia and have to pee every 20 minutes. We left the hospital about 3:15PM.

Well part way home I told Rich I need to stop at the McD we were almost at. He told me people would think I was drunk but I didn’t care. The bathroom is right by the side door and he found a parking spot right next to the door, hanging on to him I was able to shuffle in and he got me to the restroom door. I managed to get in and there was a cleaning lady who asked if I was okay. I gave her a quick update that I’m on the way home from surgery so she helped me in the stall, waited for me and made sure I got be in the arms of Rich safely.

Rich got me some jello when I arrived home and I fell asleep but just like the nurses said, I was up every 20 minutes to visit the bathroom. My stomach was so full of gas, I felt like I was eight months pregnant. By around 2AM my bladder was partially empty and now I was only looking three months pregnant.

Tuesday I didn’t do much except take pain and gas meds. Rich is such a great nurse, running upstairs checking on me, bringing me water, food and meds. He also made me a fruit smoothie, that felt so good on my throat from the tube being in it. I’ve been walking….slowly but the meds make me so sleepy. When I woke up Wednesday I was almost more tired than Tuesday! But I’m getting there. I was told the third day would be the worse but I’m getting there.

But I’m home, without my gallbladder, moving slowly and can’t lift anything over five pounds for four to six weeks! Can’t do any heavy lifting until six to eight weeks. So much for me going to climb Mt. Everest this summer! LOL

On a good note, I’m slowly feeling better. But yesterday afternoon I felt the best ever!! Alex and Lia stopped over to check up on me! Lia had made me a card, Alex brought over Krispy Kreme donuts but I told Rich and Lia to eat them.

Oh one my thing, as Rich and I were getting ready to leave the hospital, he told the nurse that I won’t be coming in for gallbladder surgery again. She looks at him and said, “Sir, she only has one gallbladder.” DUH he knows that, he was being humorous like I am! I didn’t realize Rich had taken pictures, but we all need a good laugh! Thanks for all the thoughts, prayers and well wishes!