Surgery News

We arrived at the hospital at 8:30 am yesterday, Jan 16, to find my first visitor was already waiting for me (my mother-in-law). As I was checking in my Dad also arrived. The nurse asked the funniest questions. I supposed it's all part of making sure the right patient is geting the right surgery. What was my name, why was I there, who was my doctor, what way my birthdate. All this info was right in from of them so was funny to me. They took my temp and blood pressure which was high at 147.98. Even higher than it was when for my pre-op on Monday. But to be expected I suppose. She asked which side of my thyroid was to be removed. I said the left. Then she told me to point to my left side. I laughed at this point and said my left or yours. She said my left, and again requested I point to my left side. I did and she wrote YES on the left side of my neck. How strange!

I was taken into my room to wait and was told I could leave my clothes on until it was time. I was happy not be hanging out in a hospital gown. Not 2 minutes after I went to my room I was told that my 10am surgery wouldn't start until 11:30 or 12:00 because my doctor was assisting in another surgery. So we waited and waited.

My sister and her fiance came and my sister was having fun exploring the room and the equipment. She wanted to write NO on the right side of my neck. Then Paul Reid and Cari Downie came in. Cari was an accomplice to attempting to write NO on my neck. She provided the pen but Waylan put a stop everything. My foster mom friend Heather came to see me and brought a sweet gift. Thank you Heather.

At 12:45 the nurse said it was time to get my gown on. Waylan had to help tie it because I wasn't smart enough to figure it out. From there I was wheeled back to the holding room. We said our goodbyes before I was taken to the other side of the double doors. On the other side of those double doors was the Holding Room. I wasn't aware of the holding room. There were 20+ people all lined up in their beds ready for surgery too. I felt like I had been wheeled into the morgue. Kind of creepy. My spot was right next to the nurses desks so I could hear all the conversations taking place. I could have done without that but it kept me entertained at least. There was a Code Red in 3rd floor OR broadcast that took place while I was there. A doctor called the nurse to see if he had to come help evacuate patients. Again, I could have done without hearing that. Turned to be a test. Thank goodness. My guess is a Code Red means there is a fire. Not really sure though.

So anyway, I waited in the holding room for another hour. Then a nurse came in who would be in my surgery and said was going to get the room ready. Then the doctor assisting came in to introduce himself. Then the anesthesiologist came in as well as my doctor. I made sure to tell the anesthesiologist that I can't even take Aleve on an empty stomach or I'll get nauseous. He said there were 4 meds to help with that and would give me all 4. I was happy with that. He explained the process. Said he would give me ladicane where my IV would be then insert my IV. After that I would get a med to make me feel whoozy. Apparently whoozy = spinning room. I had to close my eyese and that's the last I remember. My next memory is very faint. I remember someone told me to breathe. After that I was taken back to my room and remember my family all being out in the hall as I made my grand entrance. I could barely keep my eyes open at that point.

The nurse brought me crackers and juice. I drank some juice (ouch) and ate a small bite of a cracker (ouch) that just seemed to turn into cotton in my mouth. Swallowing was a chore. It didn't take long for that to all come up. So much fun throwing up with an audience...NOT. That happened 3 times. So the nurse gave me something to help with that and it put me back to sleep. I woke up from that feeling pretty good and ready to go to the bathroom (a requirment in order to be discharged). So I went and they must of heard me from the nurses station because as I came out of the bathroom the nurse walked in with discharge papers. Waylan went down to pull the car up and the nurse came in with a wheelchair for me. I was smart enough to bring a pillow to lay down on for the drive home. I'm so glad I did that. After getting home Marla brought Justine home. I drank chicken noodle soup so that I could take my pain medicine.

My biggest source of pain is from my neck muscles. I never knew how many muscles were in my neck but I could probably count them right now. It hurts up into the base of my skull. I'm not getting much pain from the incision itself. Just some occasional burning but it doesn't last long. My collar bones hurt where they come together at my neck. There must have been a clamp or something resting on it to make it sore there. Today my incision looks better. It's not as red or bruised as it was last night. It is swollen. My stitches are on the inside and I have a layer of glue on the outside that will be there for about a week. I have an appointment with the doctor next Thursday and she will remove any glue still there. I can't drive for a week and can't lift anything heavy. Hard with a 2 year old. I've been sitting in my reliner all day today. Thankful for a laptop!


Here some before and after pics and the third is a picture from just a couple of hours ago.