I surprising slept very well the night before the surgery but I was a bundle of nerves once I woke up. What to wear? I decided on a heavy sweatshirt and easy to pull on shorts as I could be sleeping in this for a while. We showed up on time <kind of>, registered and I go changed into the infamous Johnny Shirt..this time strings on the back. I met with the nurse who took my blood pressure and who asked a series of questions, all of which I responded no to. She looked at me suspiciously ..."So except for the cancer you are healthy". Seems like a contradiction of terms..but yup!
B and I were led upstairs to another waiting room and the floor still had the lights turned off .<Hello, anybody home?> Apparently the hospital is in a cut back rotation....great...all the staff is on board today for my surgery right? We then get the Ok- the doctors are ready- we are off again. At this point B and I have to separate and I continue down the hallway to a stretcher. ahhhh ....mommy.....
I am asked to lie there while they finish getting the operating room ready. I get comfy, get a hot blanket put over me and the next thing I know there is a line up of people beside me. I feel like the Dali Lama and I have just opened my door for visitors.
Visitor #1 is Dr. T. Are you happy? <excuse me> You're not feeling depressed or anything? ahhh I see where you are going. No I am not depressed but let's just say this surgery will not make it on my highlight reel. This is the stage when I ask for drugs...I want a prescription because I am a wimp with pain! I don't deny it...give me drugs!
Visitor 2: The resident...who will give me the drugs.
Visitor 3 & 4: The anesthesiologists....real and student...student seems a little nervous...I hope I am not his first pin cushion
Visitor 5: The nurse liaison who then makes me repeat what visitors 2-4 have talked about and what I am here for
Once I pass the test, I am then brought into the chilly room and introduced to people 6-10...I hope I don't have to repeat names. I lay on the table and then gently pull my johnny shirt around my arm as to not expose my breasts. Seriously people? I know the moment I am out this thing is being whipped down to my knees. Why be modest now?
I lay back..watch the nervous anesthesiologist get an iv in my left hand ..a mask goes over my face and I do not remember the count down......
<time laspe 2 hrs and 20 mins>
Blink Blink....I gradually wake up and look around to see a large room full of about 10 spots. A nurse immediately comes over and asks me from 1-10 how much pain I am in...I say 7...before I know what is going on she is jabbing something into the IV drip and things get fuzzy and distant...my eyes close
This routine goes on for a little while <about 1hr> until I say I am ok to go to the next room where I will be sat up. I then notice I have two drains. I expected this but was still surprised to see them. This means my sentinel nodes are gone as well and I have had an axillary mastectomy. I am not surprised as I knew with the size of my tumors (3.4cm and 4cm) this was a high possibility but I was always hopeful that they wouldn't have to come out.
Side note: The day before I had radioactive material inserted into my nipple so they could literally use a metal detector<technical term geicometer-spelling not so sure of> to find the sentinel nodes,,,,sounds scarier than it actually was.
I stagger my way to the chair and I am wheeled off. Not really sure where I wheeled to as I was still quite drugged but I was delivered to a much smaller room with old fashion lazy boys and moved from the wheel chair over. Nurse 1 comes over to offer me liquid....yes please. Nurse 1 and 2 attempt to have a chat with me but I am happier to just fade in and out. After a while I decide ..ok...time to go home. Nurse 2 goes to get B and Nurse 1 attempts to get me dressed...this is the first time I see the bandage...wait..is the room suppose to spin like that. Cold cloth please.
2nd attempt at getting dressed goes much better and I get into the wheel chair. Now I have B, Nurse 1 & 2 asking me if I am sure I am ready to leave...get me the hell out of here! I am wheeled down to the front doors ever so cautiously by Porter G who is worried about my stomach turnings..and rightly so.
I do hang on and the breeze threw the front door feels like I am on the front of a sailboat,,,was going to say the Titanic..but that went down. Get in the car and we are off.
I lay in bed, needing help to do everything as I can barely move my arm or body, I am nauseous but never throw up. I am definitely not looking my best. VON comes in that night to check on me and then it is lights out. I only have to wake up B once during the night but sleep through most of it. Part 1 down. I wonder what tomorrow brings.
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