Recuperation

Afternoon all, I just wanted to let everyone know that I am finally home from the hospital. *no, I'm not doing the happy dance yet, but hopefully in a few weeks I'll be able to at least swing the happy dance* Thank you everyone for your kind words, well wishes, and prayers. It just amazes me that people who have no idea of who I am are out there letting me know they've been where I am and it will all be OK and that they are praying for my speedy recovery. Thank you everyone!

There were some minor complications before and after the surgery. I was suppose to get a spinal tap instead of being put completely under. This would allow for total numbness in the area for a 24 hour period plus it would allow them to give me narcotics for pain and anxiety. They apparently couldn't get me numb enough for the needle and had to put me under. The procedure lasted three hours instead of two. The doctor was able to remove every last fibroid without complications, so that's the best news. The day after the surgery was not so good. My BP had drop low enough to throw everyone into a panic, like 97/42 low. They immediately took me off the morphine saying that this can be a side-effect of it. A friend of mine, who is a pharmacist said no-way it would have taken 24 hours, normally if morphine is going to affect someone like that it would be with in 15 minutes of the injection. I was pretty much in and out of sleep the first 24 hours, so I really didn't know what was going on. Then I was having a little difficulty breathing, taking deep breaths was causing me some pain. The O2 in my level in my blood had dropped and combine that with the chest pains I was complaining of and another panic began. They didn't think it was a heart attach or a blood clot, but they called in a respiratory specialist and she called for an EKG, CT scan and chest x-rays just to be sure and put me on oxygen. I just thought it was difficulty due to muscle pain in the abdomen from the surgery and the upper chest area from the strain of getting in and out of bed and using every other muscle to get me up BUT my abdomen. Wednesday morning I had my real panic attack though. I got up, went to the bathroom and went back to bed and couldn't catch my breath. It was maybe a total of 12 feet round distance. It was like I simply couldn't get enough air into my lungs. Now I was beginning to worry and was calling for the doctor. After the doc checked me, she told me all the tests from yesterday were clear - ruling out blood clot and putting the slightly collapsed lung issue back into play. There's a term for it, but I can't remember it. She said this isn't an uncommon occurrence after sedation and giving the location of the incision. She prescribed anti-anxiety meds to calm me down. She then wanted to make sure the nurses had me well medicated so that I felt no pain in order for me to work on my breathing. I was kicked out of my bed and told I needed to sit up in a chair all days and to walk around the hospital wing was much as I could in order to get air into the portion of my lungs that were slightly collapsed. She took me off the oxygen and really wanted me to work with the breathing tool. By 3PM, the respiratory specialist cleared me as I was maintaining a good oxygen blood level without the assistance of O2. She wants me to continue the breathing routine at home. At 4PM, my BP was up enough and had remained in that general range for the last 2 hours, so she felt good about sending me home. As of 5PM yesterday, I have been home, resting and doing my breathing routine.

So far my recovery orders are no driving till the doc says so, no heavy lifting or strenuous exercising for about the next 8 weeks, medication and lots of rest. Medication was holding the pain at bay a little touch-n-go today. Tomorrow, I will call the doc and see if I should still be feeling this much pain and if she could possibly give me something a little stronger. I don't want to push it, but at the same time I can't seem to find a comfortable position to sit-up in or lay down in. Not to mention that the pain meds say every 4-6 hours and at 3.5 I can feel them starting to wear off.

Mom has been a tremendous help. You just never realize how out of it you are going to be, till it happens. She's cooked me some deliciously health meals *I think my body is in shock will all the extra nutrition* and she went out to the store today to buy me a body pillow so that I could try and sleep a little more comfortably tonight. She even bought me pretty, pink, loose-fitting PJs so that I would have something nice to wear when people come visit me! *sorry friends, I just wasn't thinking of impressing visitors when I pulled out my loose fitting yoga pants and t-shirts. I was thinking - what is going to cut into my swollen belly the least!* She also cleaned the first floor of my house today! *Of course I thought it was clean before I went to the hospital, but now it has Mommy stamp of approval * I think she just needed something to keep her busy, but hey, I'm sure she cleaned the little cracks and crevices I don't get to in my normal cleaning routine. You know, those things you do when you do one of those "Ultimate Spring Cleaning" days.

I have my first home visit today! Thanks KozyKitty! She brought be these beautiful flowers and the new KnitScene magazine! I'll have to remember to bring my camera downstairs tomorrow and take pictures of the pretty flowers to share them with you! My gf Tracey came to visit me in the hospital on Monday and brought a huge "Get Well" balloon that Frisco is now enjoying and thinks is his new toy!

Anyhoo, meds are kicking in and the screen is getting blurry. I just wanted to update you all and say thank you again for the wishes, thoughts and prayers. Keep them coming!! *grin*