On day three, I woke up around five-thirty. Someone came in to do my bloodwork, but only took one sample. A nurse also quickly hooked me up to an IV again. I asked her why. She told me that my heart rate was around 120 at rest. She listened to my heart and lungs and asked if I had any chest pain. I told her I didn't, and she requested that I inform her if that changed.
It did change. While I was eating breakfast, I felt quite a bit of chest pain - as if someone were sitting on me. My oxygen levels also dropped, so I put my oxygen tubes back on and that helped a little bit.
One of Dr. Peter's assistants came in and explained things to me. He told me that my blood levels should be around forty, but that during surgery I lost a lot of blood and was now at thirty. He said that blood transfusions are given at <25, and he didn't want to give me a trnsfusion, so the fluids in my IV would hopefully compnsate for the lost blood, and that that should bring down my heart rate.
Because chest pain was added to the equation, a cardiologist came and gave me an EKG. More blood samples were drawn as well. In fact, on the third day, blood was drawn on four different occassions to check and see if anything was wrong. All of the tests came back negative, which is good. I was put back on oxygen, at least for while sleeping, since that's when I have the hardest time breathing.
My epidural was taken out yesterday morning, and in the afternoon, I walked! I first walked to the wall and back. But later, I was able to walk to the bathroom and back. They also removed my catheter, so now I actually have to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, but I am able to do that without too much trouble.
Today my grandparents (on my dad's side) visited me, as did my cousin Koltn and his girlfriend and another cousin, Adrianna. Later, Ethan came and visited me as well.
It was a very full day. A good one, but a very full one nonetheless.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Day Two in the Hospital
Around 5:45 this morning a phlebotomist came to do blood work. He only took two samples. When he came in, he said good morning, and I returned the greeting. He asked how I was doing, and I said, "I'm great! How are you?" he said he was good. He asked for my name, which I gave him. And then before he could ask for it, I gave him my date of birth. He commented, "You have this down,". We continued to talk while he drew my blood. He said that I was way too perky for this early in the morning. He brought the syringe over and I pulled up my sleeve so he could draw. He said, "Wow, you're so proactive." I guess I am. But he's right. I do have this down. And I don't see the sense in not being perky and happy.
The surgeon's assistant came in to check on me around 6:30. He asked how I was feeling and said he thinks I'll recover from this surgery very similarly to the last one, and it's likely that I'll recover more successfully since my body won't view it as being so traumatic, seeing as I have already done this once before, and that's good news.
My physical therapists had me sit up completely straight today. I lay in the hospital bed and they moved the bed so that it became a chair. She stopped every so often so that I could get used to things, and recover from any lightheadedness. The first time I sat up straight, I made it 28 minutes before I began to feel severely dizzy. My physical therapists came in later and we repeated the process. This time, I was able to sit up without feeling too dizzy, and what dizziness was there, dissipated quickly. I ended up sitting up like that for over an hour, and only went back to my reclined position, because
Ethan came to visit me and I wanted to be really comfortable.
Ethan is pretty awesome. He drove up from Farmington, NM to keep me company while I'm in the hospital and is staying with family. He and I have a long list of movies that we plan to watch when I get home from the hospital, before I start school and work again, so we typed out that list. We also listened to music and talked. We talk about basically everything and it's really nice to have him here.
My aunt and uncle came to visit this evening as well. They brought lemon pound cake, which was delicious. It was good to see them again.
Mom and Dad washed my hair tonight. It felt amazing. It's remarkable how feeling clean helps me feel healthier and just better as a whole. We lay my bed down and I used the trapeze (equipment that helps me pull myself up and down in bed) to pull myself to the top of the bed so that my head hung off of it and into the wash basin. Dad held my neck while Mom washed my hair.
I went to bed around 2:30 a.m., simply because I had trouble sleeping. From that point, I was in and out of sleep.
The surgeon's assistant came in to check on me around 6:30. He asked how I was feeling and said he thinks I'll recover from this surgery very similarly to the last one, and it's likely that I'll recover more successfully since my body won't view it as being so traumatic, seeing as I have already done this once before, and that's good news.
My physical therapists had me sit up completely straight today. I lay in the hospital bed and they moved the bed so that it became a chair. She stopped every so often so that I could get used to things, and recover from any lightheadedness. The first time I sat up straight, I made it 28 minutes before I began to feel severely dizzy. My physical therapists came in later and we repeated the process. This time, I was able to sit up without feeling too dizzy, and what dizziness was there, dissipated quickly. I ended up sitting up like that for over an hour, and only went back to my reclined position, because
Ethan came to visit me and I wanted to be really comfortable.
Ethan is pretty awesome. He drove up from Farmington, NM to keep me company while I'm in the hospital and is staying with family. He and I have a long list of movies that we plan to watch when I get home from the hospital, before I start school and work again, so we typed out that list. We also listened to music and talked. We talk about basically everything and it's really nice to have him here.
My aunt and uncle came to visit this evening as well. They brought lemon pound cake, which was delicious. It was good to see them again.
Mom and Dad washed my hair tonight. It felt amazing. It's remarkable how feeling clean helps me feel healthier and just better as a whole. We lay my bed down and I used the trapeze (equipment that helps me pull myself up and down in bed) to pull myself to the top of the bed so that my head hung off of it and into the wash basin. Dad held my neck while Mom washed my hair.
I went to bed around 2:30 a.m., simply because I had trouble sleeping. From that point, I was in and out of sleep.
Friday, June 7, 2013
The Pre-Op, Surgery and First Day
Story time.
My pre-op was on Wednesday and was much like a pre-op for any surgery. I had to provide a urine sample, four blood samples and the answers to many questions about my medical history. I was also given a special antibiotic soap to wash my body, especially my right hip. To top it all off, in the cute little brown paper bag containing the soap, there was also an enema which I was required to give myself, and did later that night. As it is with most surgeries, I was not permitted to eat after midnight, nor was I allowed to drink water up to four hours prior to surgery.
I reported at the hospital at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 6. My surgery was scheduled for 8 a.m.. I changed clothes in the exam room. I donned a hospital gown, special "tights" that help prevent blood clots, and hospital socks. Then my parents came into the exam room where we waited for everything to start happening. Nurses, anesthesiologists and the surgeon and his assistant all came in. The anesthesiologist started an IV with a solution similar to an isotonic solution, except that it had extra sodium, potassium and calcium. The nurse put a bear blanket on me. This is a "blanket" that blows up and heats the body when attached to a tube...which is then attached to a machine. I was also given celebrex, lyrica and oxycodon (medication for infection, nerve pain and a narcotic). A little cap was put around my hair, and my right hip was initialed so that the surgeon wouldn't cut into the wrong hip. The anesthesiologist put something else into my IV to help me relax shortly before taking me back into the OR. When he wheeled me away, Mom kissed my cheek and Dad kissed my forehead. They told me they love me. I was already pretty relaxed, thanks to the medication that was already in my system, but that fluid added to my IV worked quickly. It worked so quickly, that when he gave me my epidural, I didn't even feel the needle go into my back.
After that, I was given general anesthetic. Immediately afterwards, they put an oxygen mask on my face. That's the last thing I remember.
I woke up in the recovery room around 11:30 a.m., with relatively acute hip pain. The nurse standing beside my bed told me that everything had gone really well. As I did last time, I cried. I didn't sob like I did last time, but I did cry from relief.
My throat was terribly dry, but the nurse had ice for me to suck on, and that helped. Because of the epidural, I was (and still am) numb from the waist down. I was unable to move either leg at the time, and desperately wanted to move my left leg. So I asked my nurse if he would do me a favor. I asked him to move my leg back and forth at the knee. He looked at me a little funny. He must have been thinking, "Dang, this girl is high". And I was. But he did what I asked and then propped my leg with a pillow, which helped me tremendously. I sat in the recovery room for a while, and eventually headed up to my room. And here's an interesting little something. I have been assigned the exact same room that I had last time. Crazy, right? And awesome. I have a beautiful view, especially at night, because the hospital is on a hill and overlooks the city.
My parents spent about half an hour in my room with me and then left. They told me that they would be here as I wanted them to be, which I greatly appreciate. I asked them to come back around dinner time and they said that they would.
My oxygen levels dropped, so I was put on oxygen, which I am still on. I have a catheter and a PCA, which is pain medication that enters my body through an IV when I push a button. I call it my happy button. Originally, they didn't order one for me, but in the recovery room I asked where it was. They told me that because I struggled with nausea so badly last time they didn't plan to give me one and would be giving me oral medication instead. The nurse asked if I would rather have the PCA. I told her yes. I wanted to be able to control my pain and medication intake. I also told her that I would rather be nauseous and have a PCA than not.
I was in and out of sleep. One of my best friends, Ethan, came to see me. He is from New Mexico, just like I am, and planned on coming to Salt Lake City to see his family sometime over the summer, and so he arranged to come the week of my surgery so that he could keep me company in the hospital. This really means a lot to me. Ethan had been driving all day and was tired, so he didn't stay too long, and thatwas perfectly fine. He'll be here again sometime today.
My parents came around dinner time. We talked for a little bit. I brought them up to speed by telling them that Ethan had come by, and that my surgeon had come by too to tell me that everything went really well. A physical therapist also came in. He helped me sit up a little bit. We worked up to sixty-five degrees. He also put my leg in a CPN. A CPN moves the leg back and forth. Mine is set to move thirty degrees, very slowly. After catching them up, and attempting to eat, my parents and I played a few games of Skip Bo and Farkle. During our last game of Farkle, I started nodding off between each of my turns. So my parents left for the evening to let me get some rest.
My pain level on a 1-10 scale was 8 most of yesterday. This morning (the day after surgery), it's about a four. Hopefully this is maintained all day. I threw up eleven times yesterday. I couldn't even keep water down. I'm doing much better this morning.
Overall, I seem to be doing better with this surgery than the last one. I think it's because I wasn't really nervous this time. I knew what was going to happen. I haven't been as loopy either, for the record, and that's really nice. I feel a little like I'm living in a bubble and can't touch reality, but not nearly as badly as last time.
My pre-op was on Wednesday and was much like a pre-op for any surgery. I had to provide a urine sample, four blood samples and the answers to many questions about my medical history. I was also given a special antibiotic soap to wash my body, especially my right hip. To top it all off, in the cute little brown paper bag containing the soap, there was also an enema which I was required to give myself, and did later that night. As it is with most surgeries, I was not permitted to eat after midnight, nor was I allowed to drink water up to four hours prior to surgery.
I reported at the hospital at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 6. My surgery was scheduled for 8 a.m.. I changed clothes in the exam room. I donned a hospital gown, special "tights" that help prevent blood clots, and hospital socks. Then my parents came into the exam room where we waited for everything to start happening. Nurses, anesthesiologists and the surgeon and his assistant all came in. The anesthesiologist started an IV with a solution similar to an isotonic solution, except that it had extra sodium, potassium and calcium. The nurse put a bear blanket on me. This is a "blanket" that blows up and heats the body when attached to a tube...which is then attached to a machine. I was also given celebrex, lyrica and oxycodon (medication for infection, nerve pain and a narcotic). A little cap was put around my hair, and my right hip was initialed so that the surgeon wouldn't cut into the wrong hip. The anesthesiologist put something else into my IV to help me relax shortly before taking me back into the OR. When he wheeled me away, Mom kissed my cheek and Dad kissed my forehead. They told me they love me. I was already pretty relaxed, thanks to the medication that was already in my system, but that fluid added to my IV worked quickly. It worked so quickly, that when he gave me my epidural, I didn't even feel the needle go into my back.
After that, I was given general anesthetic. Immediately afterwards, they put an oxygen mask on my face. That's the last thing I remember.
I woke up in the recovery room around 11:30 a.m., with relatively acute hip pain. The nurse standing beside my bed told me that everything had gone really well. As I did last time, I cried. I didn't sob like I did last time, but I did cry from relief.
My throat was terribly dry, but the nurse had ice for me to suck on, and that helped. Because of the epidural, I was (and still am) numb from the waist down. I was unable to move either leg at the time, and desperately wanted to move my left leg. So I asked my nurse if he would do me a favor. I asked him to move my leg back and forth at the knee. He looked at me a little funny. He must have been thinking, "Dang, this girl is high". And I was. But he did what I asked and then propped my leg with a pillow, which helped me tremendously. I sat in the recovery room for a while, and eventually headed up to my room. And here's an interesting little something. I have been assigned the exact same room that I had last time. Crazy, right? And awesome. I have a beautiful view, especially at night, because the hospital is on a hill and overlooks the city.
My parents spent about half an hour in my room with me and then left. They told me that they would be here as I wanted them to be, which I greatly appreciate. I asked them to come back around dinner time and they said that they would.
My oxygen levels dropped, so I was put on oxygen, which I am still on. I have a catheter and a PCA, which is pain medication that enters my body through an IV when I push a button. I call it my happy button. Originally, they didn't order one for me, but in the recovery room I asked where it was. They told me that because I struggled with nausea so badly last time they didn't plan to give me one and would be giving me oral medication instead. The nurse asked if I would rather have the PCA. I told her yes. I wanted to be able to control my pain and medication intake. I also told her that I would rather be nauseous and have a PCA than not.
I was in and out of sleep. One of my best friends, Ethan, came to see me. He is from New Mexico, just like I am, and planned on coming to Salt Lake City to see his family sometime over the summer, and so he arranged to come the week of my surgery so that he could keep me company in the hospital. This really means a lot to me. Ethan had been driving all day and was tired, so he didn't stay too long, and thatwas perfectly fine. He'll be here again sometime today.
My parents came around dinner time. We talked for a little bit. I brought them up to speed by telling them that Ethan had come by, and that my surgeon had come by too to tell me that everything went really well. A physical therapist also came in. He helped me sit up a little bit. We worked up to sixty-five degrees. He also put my leg in a CPN. A CPN moves the leg back and forth. Mine is set to move thirty degrees, very slowly. After catching them up, and attempting to eat, my parents and I played a few games of Skip Bo and Farkle. During our last game of Farkle, I started nodding off between each of my turns. So my parents left for the evening to let me get some rest.
My pain level on a 1-10 scale was 8 most of yesterday. This morning (the day after surgery), it's about a four. Hopefully this is maintained all day. I threw up eleven times yesterday. I couldn't even keep water down. I'm doing much better this morning.
Overall, I seem to be doing better with this surgery than the last one. I think it's because I wasn't really nervous this time. I knew what was going to happen. I haven't been as loopy either, for the record, and that's really nice. I feel a little like I'm living in a bubble and can't touch reality, but not nearly as badly as last time.
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