Sunday, Bloody Sunday
I woke up around 4. As an aside, at least they didn’t have to bed pan me. I managed to hold onto the dignity of going to the bathroom by myself, but of course couldn’t flush because they had to check it out. Whee! After a potty run and blood pressure I couldn’t get back to sleep. The only person I knew who had back surgery was a guy I almost dated a few months ago, so I lumped it and sent him a text message. Basically just a “Sorry to bother you, but I may be having back surgery tomorrow and I have some questions. If it isn’t too weird could you call my cell when you get this please? Thank you.”
Much to my surprise a sleepy Matt called back around 6:30 and was quite sweet. He told me what he could and asked me to keep him updated. I asked how he was doing and he gave me the standard “Hanging in there” so I told him to be a big brave dog and thanked him.
Shortly after the assistant came back in to talk to me about surgery. Make up your mind! I was on no food or water since midnight so I was at least still prepping. Aggravated I asked my CA Jenn if I could gripe for a moment and told her my frustration. She explained that ortho and neuro had differing opinions about surgery so there was usually a lot of back and forth. That at least explained a little. Then my admitting resident came up to check on me. She didn’t think I’d be having surgery, that Dr. Star would want to wait until Monday for a spinal consult. She said she’d let me have breakfast and popped out.
Jill called to ask if I needed anything and I asked her to bring my laptop over since now it seemed I wasn’t having surgery. Then the resident came back in to say Dr. Star was right down the hall so she’d hold food until he talked to me. While I waited Jill called and I told her now I might be having surgery after all. I was getting dizzy. The nice thing was that the resident really gave Dr. Star high marks, said he was one of the best anywhere and she really liked him. That gave me a better picture, so when he came in I apologized for being grumpy the night before. He didn’t remember grumpy, but I told him he looked tired so maybe that’s how he missed it. We talked about my situation: Improvement since admission but nothing since then. He still wanted me ready for surgery, so no food and I was to work on wiggling my toes. He’d check in on me later and make a final decision.
Jill arrived and I filled her in. Greg also popped in to see how I was. They both stayed as no news came about surgery. At one point a woman from St. Luke’s came in to ask if I wanted the Eucharist. I was starving and really wanted the cracker (mmm…sacrilicious!) but told her I was fasting for surgery and it wasn’t my faith, but thank you. She said she would remember me at mass. Then came housekeeping to wish me luck on my surgery. Did housekeeping know something I didn’t? Nope. Sigh. Nurse Jane came in to ask if I’d heard anything. Nope, just my tummy growling, which was especially funny since Bear-Bear was on it. She was wonderful and really pushed for a decision for me.
After 1 Dr. Star came back in, saw no progress and asked what I thought. I told him I had every confidence in his opinion, but I was thinking surgery. He agreed and said he’d take me down in 10 minutes! I quickly called Ardia to let her know I wouldn’t be in Monday. She told me not to think about work as I tried to fill her in on what was going on Monday. I told her I wanted to, it was better than other topics, then had Jill call Mom to fill her in. She had me yell, “love you, going for surgery” as Dr. Star pushed my bed out of the room. Unusual, eh?
So down I went, my resident was there, which made me very happy. Next thing I know I’m waking up talking about Audrey 4 then trying to explain what I do for a living. Then I mused that it must have gone well because I was craving McDonalds. I was in recovery a while because they didn’t have a lot of transport personnel on Sunday, but made it up to my room at about a 3 hour round trip. Greg was still there but Jill had been replaced by Dan. Greg stayed until I was settle, made calls to say I was okay then headed out. I was a little whoosey, but the pain in my legs and back was gone and I was HUNGRY! Luckily dinner had arrived while I was out.
I called mom to let her know I was okay then started on dinner while Dan and I had some very nice and interesting conversations. Lydia stopped by and relieved Dan then we made plans for my hopeful discharge the next day. I called Chuck to see if he could pick me up, he was happy to and said he and Julia and the baby would stop in for a visit. I let Lydia return to her family and then made some calls while waiting for the next wave of company. Surprised Connie when I called and told her I was out of surgery. We made plans for Lydia to take me to work then Connie would be sweet enough too bring me back to Chez Hoag. Jill is taking care of the kids until Thursday, then it seems like Greg will be taking over if I’m not back to my place by then. When Ralph heard that I wouldn’t be able to drive for two weeks he assumed I’d be with them all that time and was great with it. I am so lucky.
Chuck and Julia, along with Charlotte, arrived around nine and we caught up. They headed out around 10 with a tired baby and I settled in for the night. I took a perkiset just because I was a little stiff and iffy about the incision site, peed before bed meaning no catheter for me! They had to pull out my stent and put in another so they could start my antibiotic infusion (30 minutes every 8 hours). I had a drain in my back which was emptied after I peed. I was so happy to stand without pain. I still can’t really do anything with my right leg, but that will change with time and exercise. The night nurse, Lisa, was awesome. She was so nice, and seemed so happy I was mobile and said I looked really good. She asked if I needed pain meds, and was surprised at my request for half a perkiset. Apparently it’s a little unusual not to want more, but I really feel fine.
Much to my surprise a sleepy Matt called back around 6:30 and was quite sweet. He told me what he could and asked me to keep him updated. I asked how he was doing and he gave me the standard “Hanging in there” so I told him to be a big brave dog and thanked him.
Shortly after the assistant came back in to talk to me about surgery. Make up your mind! I was on no food or water since midnight so I was at least still prepping. Aggravated I asked my CA Jenn if I could gripe for a moment and told her my frustration. She explained that ortho and neuro had differing opinions about surgery so there was usually a lot of back and forth. That at least explained a little. Then my admitting resident came up to check on me. She didn’t think I’d be having surgery, that Dr. Star would want to wait until Monday for a spinal consult. She said she’d let me have breakfast and popped out.
Jill called to ask if I needed anything and I asked her to bring my laptop over since now it seemed I wasn’t having surgery. Then the resident came back in to say Dr. Star was right down the hall so she’d hold food until he talked to me. While I waited Jill called and I told her now I might be having surgery after all. I was getting dizzy. The nice thing was that the resident really gave Dr. Star high marks, said he was one of the best anywhere and she really liked him. That gave me a better picture, so when he came in I apologized for being grumpy the night before. He didn’t remember grumpy, but I told him he looked tired so maybe that’s how he missed it. We talked about my situation: Improvement since admission but nothing since then. He still wanted me ready for surgery, so no food and I was to work on wiggling my toes. He’d check in on me later and make a final decision.
Jill arrived and I filled her in. Greg also popped in to see how I was. They both stayed as no news came about surgery. At one point a woman from St. Luke’s came in to ask if I wanted the Eucharist. I was starving and really wanted the cracker (mmm…sacrilicious!) but told her I was fasting for surgery and it wasn’t my faith, but thank you. She said she would remember me at mass. Then came housekeeping to wish me luck on my surgery. Did housekeeping know something I didn’t? Nope. Sigh. Nurse Jane came in to ask if I’d heard anything. Nope, just my tummy growling, which was especially funny since Bear-Bear was on it. She was wonderful and really pushed for a decision for me.
After 1 Dr. Star came back in, saw no progress and asked what I thought. I told him I had every confidence in his opinion, but I was thinking surgery. He agreed and said he’d take me down in 10 minutes! I quickly called Ardia to let her know I wouldn’t be in Monday. She told me not to think about work as I tried to fill her in on what was going on Monday. I told her I wanted to, it was better than other topics, then had Jill call Mom to fill her in. She had me yell, “love you, going for surgery” as Dr. Star pushed my bed out of the room. Unusual, eh?
So down I went, my resident was there, which made me very happy. Next thing I know I’m waking up talking about Audrey 4 then trying to explain what I do for a living. Then I mused that it must have gone well because I was craving McDonalds. I was in recovery a while because they didn’t have a lot of transport personnel on Sunday, but made it up to my room at about a 3 hour round trip. Greg was still there but Jill had been replaced by Dan. Greg stayed until I was settle, made calls to say I was okay then headed out. I was a little whoosey, but the pain in my legs and back was gone and I was HUNGRY! Luckily dinner had arrived while I was out.
I called mom to let her know I was okay then started on dinner while Dan and I had some very nice and interesting conversations. Lydia stopped by and relieved Dan then we made plans for my hopeful discharge the next day. I called Chuck to see if he could pick me up, he was happy to and said he and Julia and the baby would stop in for a visit. I let Lydia return to her family and then made some calls while waiting for the next wave of company. Surprised Connie when I called and told her I was out of surgery. We made plans for Lydia to take me to work then Connie would be sweet enough too bring me back to Chez Hoag. Jill is taking care of the kids until Thursday, then it seems like Greg will be taking over if I’m not back to my place by then. When Ralph heard that I wouldn’t be able to drive for two weeks he assumed I’d be with them all that time and was great with it. I am so lucky.
Chuck and Julia, along with Charlotte, arrived around nine and we caught up. They headed out around 10 with a tired baby and I settled in for the night. I took a perkiset just because I was a little stiff and iffy about the incision site, peed before bed meaning no catheter for me! They had to pull out my stent and put in another so they could start my antibiotic infusion (30 minutes every 8 hours). I had a drain in my back which was emptied after I peed. I was so happy to stand without pain. I still can’t really do anything with my right leg, but that will change with time and exercise. The night nurse, Lisa, was awesome. She was so nice, and seemed so happy I was mobile and said I looked really good. She asked if I needed pain meds, and was surprised at my request for half a perkiset. Apparently it’s a little unusual not to want more, but I really feel fine.
posted by Liz @ 7:22 PM
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