bwcakrysta
9-17-07 Surgery Day
Sep 19, 2007
We arrived at the hospital at 5:15 and registered at the ER desk. They sent us over the the surgery admitting desk, where a nurse took me into a little room and sent Mike to a waiting room. I got into a gown, peed in a cup so they could do a quick pregnancy test, got a heperin shot in my belly and then answered lots of questions. A respiratory therapist came in and showed me how to use a spirometer. At about 6:30, they took me to the surgery holding area. They covered me with warm blankets and then my husband came in to wait with me. As soon as I saw him I started to cry. The anesthesiologist came in to ask me some questions, Dr Schwartz stopped by, and did the OR nurse. Someone started an IV. I was feeling OK at this point, since I'd gotten out some nervous tears already.
Before I knew it it was about 7:15 and they were wheeling me to the OR. The anesthesiologist said he slipped me something in my IV to relax me...and Boy, did it ever! When we got to the OR, thee just inflated the mat that was under me and moved me to the OR table. I really don't remember much. Thee put an oxygen mask on my face and I was out.
When I woke up in recovery I was very groggy and really couldn't keep my eyes open. I wasn't feeling too much pain at this point. Surgery took 2 1/2 hours, and Dr. Schwartz left my gallbladder in. He said it looked good except for some cholesterol on it, so I will need to be very good about taking the Actigall for 6 months.
Not sure how long I was in recovery...maybe an hour? They moved me up to me room and I saw Mike and my folks. My sister was there too. Mike told me that Dr. Schwartz said it was obvious that I had stuck to the pre-op liquid diet, and that it made his job easier.
The nurses were great at St. Joe's. I was getting fluid and an antibiotic through the IV, and also dilaudid and Toradol (sp?). I had to pee a lot. My wonderful husband would get the bedpan situated for me, and then remove it when I was done. What a saint. I started taking sips of water every half hour for 4 hours, those went fine. Then I tried some diluted apple juice. Also fine.
I got up for the first time around 3 PM. Didn't make it too far, but it was better then nothing. Slept like crap that night, the heart rate moniter keep beeping and waking me up and it took them until about 3:30 AM to figure out that they needed to change the settings.
The next day the turned off the IV at 7 AM and I started taking pain meds orally. The dilaudid pills are really small, so they went down fine. Breakfast was diluted cranberry juice (tasted yummy). Dr. Schwartz came in and checked on me, said things went great. Had the dietician, physical therapist, pharmacist all come in throughout the morning.
For lunch they wanted me to try full liquids, but the wrong tray got sent up, so I had to wait until 2 to get the right tray. Had some blended chicken and rice soup that tasted wonderful. Was nervous about eating too much so I only took a few little bites. Tried some jello, but it was more like gel and it dodn't seem to go down, even with trying to let it melt in my mouth. I got up and walked around to see if I could get it to go down, and eventually it did. Took a shower, more pain meds, walked some more, and then said I was ready to go home. We got home about 8:30 on day 2. Now I am doing lots of sips and lots of shorts walks. So far so good!
Before I knew it it was about 7:15 and they were wheeling me to the OR. The anesthesiologist said he slipped me something in my IV to relax me...and Boy, did it ever! When we got to the OR, thee just inflated the mat that was under me and moved me to the OR table. I really don't remember much. Thee put an oxygen mask on my face and I was out.
When I woke up in recovery I was very groggy and really couldn't keep my eyes open. I wasn't feeling too much pain at this point. Surgery took 2 1/2 hours, and Dr. Schwartz left my gallbladder in. He said it looked good except for some cholesterol on it, so I will need to be very good about taking the Actigall for 6 months.
Not sure how long I was in recovery...maybe an hour? They moved me up to me room and I saw Mike and my folks. My sister was there too. Mike told me that Dr. Schwartz said it was obvious that I had stuck to the pre-op liquid diet, and that it made his job easier.
The nurses were great at St. Joe's. I was getting fluid and an antibiotic through the IV, and also dilaudid and Toradol (sp?). I had to pee a lot. My wonderful husband would get the bedpan situated for me, and then remove it when I was done. What a saint. I started taking sips of water every half hour for 4 hours, those went fine. Then I tried some diluted apple juice. Also fine.
I got up for the first time around 3 PM. Didn't make it too far, but it was better then nothing. Slept like crap that night, the heart rate moniter keep beeping and waking me up and it took them until about 3:30 AM to figure out that they needed to change the settings.
The next day the turned off the IV at 7 AM and I started taking pain meds orally. The dilaudid pills are really small, so they went down fine. Breakfast was diluted cranberry juice (tasted yummy). Dr. Schwartz came in and checked on me, said things went great. Had the dietician, physical therapist, pharmacist all come in throughout the morning.
For lunch they wanted me to try full liquids, but the wrong tray got sent up, so I had to wait until 2 to get the right tray. Had some blended chicken and rice soup that tasted wonderful. Was nervous about eating too much so I only took a few little bites. Tried some jello, but it was more like gel and it dodn't seem to go down, even with trying to let it melt in my mouth. I got up and walked around to see if I could get it to go down, and eventually it did. Took a shower, more pain meds, walked some more, and then said I was ready to go home. We got home about 8:30 on day 2. Now I am doing lots of sips and lots of shorts walks. So far so good!
