I'm starting to feel like the game Operation. I don't know why every year I end up with some kind of surgery. I just went into surgery for the same surgery for my 3rd time. The only difference this time it was done open. I also had a two part surgery. When I went to take another scan, I found out I had another hernia out and my Nissen Fundoplation wrap slipped again into my chest. I went to two surgeons, my gastric surgeon and got referred to a thoracic surgeon also. I really didn't under to much how the surgery was going to be. I knew the thoracic surgeon was going to do my surgery open through the chest. Which I was freaking out about the after scar.I knew my gastric surgeon was going to do his part laparascopic taking out scar tissue.
A week before I had to go for pretesting. At pretesting they mainly asked a bunch of questions and drew blood. They did go over my medicine list. They also only had one of my surgeons listed. They had to get both listed. The nurse thought I was going in for lung surgery. I said no. She told me I was going in for a thoracotomy. I said what is that. The nurse told me it's open surgery done by a thoracic surgeon. I was thinking "at least my surgeons are smart and know what I'm going in for".Then they give you a body wash to use each day 3 days before.That body wash smelled gross.
Day 1 wait in the waiting room at 6:30am. I go in I saw they had free Ipads "awesome". Though once I signed in my name got called. I went into the surgery area where they prep you. Had blood pressure done, and had the iv put into my arm. Then every doctor, nurse, and anestheia comes in to ask your medical history . They told me I was having a thoracotomy done.I asked my surgeon is that what I'm having. He said yes. I hate needles, but good thing the nurse got an iv in my arm first try. Anesthia told me sometimes they put an iv in the neck. I said you better not. Finally I'm taken to the operation room. It was scary and cold walking in there. I had an epidural put in "ouch" that does hurt. Next thing I know is I'm asleep. Apparently my surgery was 4-5 hours. After I never went into the recovery room.I went straight to ICU. Which I was so in daze and confused I had no idea where I was. I was so loopy I know my surgeons came in , but I had no idea what they were saying. My parents came in which I heard my mom open my eyes for a second and fall back asleep. I had no clue what was going on. I knew there was a snow storm starting and that my parents didn't want to get stuck at the hospital. Once I was in ICU room they were leaving. I was so out of it I didn't even ask for my phone. All I knew was I had a pain medicine button. I wasn't allowed anything to eat or drink. I had my own room which was good too.
Day 2 9am was suppose to go for an upper GI scan that never happened till 3pm. In between to cause me more pain they transferred me to another room. They had me slide over in pain. Then when the person came to take me for the scan they made me slide over again onto another stretcher. It would of been if I had to move once. I get down to do the scan and had to have a nasty drink. After the Dr. there was nice enough to give me water. I came back up to my room the nurse asked who gave me water? I said the Dr that did the scan. He said I can have it. The nurse didn't think I can have anything still. All I did after was sleep. I ended up on a clear liquid diet. I was given Ensure clear mixed berry drinks. They were really good. I also had soup broth. I had a roommate also but I barely even knew since I was sleeping so much. Today I actually realized I'm hooked up to so many wires. I had a chest tube and hooked up to a machine for that. I also had 2 more iv's that were were put in me during surgery. I had an iv in neck. I thought when anestheia told me sometimes they do iv's in the neck, I thought he was joking. Every time I tried moving my neck it hurt. I also had a catheter. I told the nurse they need to give me something to relax me. Right after I was so loopy and asleep again.
Day 3 when doctors come to see you at 7-8am you don't remember who saw you or what was said. I was given a clear liquid diet again. I got moved into my 3rd room because my room was getting painted. Though they put me in a room that was just painted room. I couldn't breathe. I complained to get moved again. I was told there's no more rooms on the surgery floor. I told my surgeon I need to get moved also. The floor manager then came back telling me I was getting moved from the second floor to the fourth floor. An hour to two past I still wasn't moved. I complained again I said when am I getting moved. I had called my mom. She also called to complain which they told her I'm getting moved to the fourth floor. The nurse manager came back your getting moved to the vip floor instead now. Within 5mins transport came to move me. I got up there right away the nurse was so nice and told me this is the best floor. I got free, TV free phone, a private room. Though with all the moving around the epidural fell out. I ended up getting my pain medicine switched. Worse pain ever now more. I got tyloene codiene liquid right after taking it I would fall straight to sleep. Food didn't even matter to me. I would have soup broth just.
Day 4 Finally out the chest tube out. I should of been knocked out during it. Pulling out the chest tube was the worst pain. After got stitch up. I thought the tube was thin and short. No it was long thick. After I got the catheter taken out me also. This mean now I had to get up to go to the bathroom and I can move. I got taken off iv fluids. I also given soft food and puree food. I had a little bit. After a few bits I was full. My kept trying to get me to get eat more. Even my surgeon told her she isn't going to handle a lot. It was also hard to get up. Just to walk my legs hurt. Some social worker mentioned they do dog therapy on the floor. Though she said my daughter is sleeping. Which I wanted. I had my cousin, aunt, uncle also visit me besides my parents. My cousin got me a cute sock monkey doll. I also got higher dose of my pain medicine. I kept complaining this medicine isn't working. I ended up taking 25mg of liquid tyolene exlior liquid.
Day 5 I'm going to get discharge. We'll that didn't go as planned. I ended up with an infection and dehydrated. I couldn't handle water or food. I gagging everything. I was given a bucket. I said you need to put me back on iv fluids. This was another bad day. It was a pain every time having to get unplugged with the iv just to go to the bathroom also. I was so annoyed. My surgeon said I think she getting sick because she is taking higher doses of pain medicine. That I cant take as much as the nurse is giving me. They said they were going to change the pain medicine and upper the nausea medicine which they didn't.
Day 6 still in major pain. Pain management came to see me also. They changed the medicine to percocet
pills. The percocet worked great. Just once it hit every 4 hours the pain
came back so badly.They also gave me a pain patch for at night. One of my friend came in the evening to visit me. It was great we cracked up with stories. It was better then having my parents there. All they did was fight over the TV. Even my grandma like whats going on there. I'm like there fighting over the TV. She goes tell them it's your TV. I said I don't care . All I care about is my ipad. I couldn't even talk I had no voice from tubing down my throat. I never answered calls.
Day 7 it's a week now. I'm still in major pain. I had physical therapy come walk with me. That went real well. I'm walking and almost fell. My mom starts screaming my name like a loony. She goes I came up with a friend. As I'm thinking what friend. I gave her strict orders I didn't want to see anyone. So I didn't want to walk anymore. I saw my surgeon by the desk he told me your mom looking for you. I said I just saw her. I get back to the room. My legs hurt so much I can't walk. I said I'm trying to walk and you had to scream and look for me since I wasn't in the room. She said she was in the elevator with my surgeon. Then said we came in the room you weren't there. I said so wait in the room obviously I'll be back. I got yelled at to go walking by the surgeon team. Finally when I got help it got ruined. Once I was back my surgeon came in also. We talked about discharge for later on or the next day. I said still in pain and I can't even walk. Someone needs to come back later to help me. As I told my parents leave. I had a nice nurse that got me a walker. She helped me walk around. We had a long talk. As she told me Jennifer Lopez was here once, and she seen Billy Joel on this floor. She said it is a lot of rich people on this floor that want private rooms. I asked anyone here now. She told me I can look around , but she wasn't to sure. I tried having food again, only liquids I could handle.
Day 8 by the afternoon I was getting discharged. Got my iv out. Since got pain medicines and slept a lot. They told me take my time. Pain management ordered me a walker to take home. The walker came in the evening. Plus we had to wait for my parents to come. My mom went downstairs to get me a smoothie. While my dad ate my hospital food. My mom went to get my medicines filled downstairs. During that time I was given more pain medicine. Eventually it got later and later got a wheelchair transport. I was able to leave. I got home late. The first thing my dogs came over to greet me. Once jumped up on me. I'm like "ouch". My mom like Cocoa no. I'm like no it was JR. It felt so different to be home. I'm like wait "this is my room". It had been a while. This night was so hard. I was used to sleeping the other way. I couldn't sleep well. I had so much pain every 4 hours I was waking up for pain medicines. I was still getting so loopy. My mom gave me a writing pad and had me write down what medicine I was taking at what time .
Day 9 still hard to do much all I was doing was sleep. I was getting tummy aches after drinking or having jello every day on. My mom kept asking if I was hungry. All I want is sleep.
Day 10 I wake up got told my grandma and uncle will be over in a half in hour. I ended up passing out from the pain medicine. Like 15 mins before they were about to leave I woke up. I finally made it downstairs. I walked around a little. other days after I lost balance. One night I almost fall down the stairs. I was hard. I was still on liquids.
Day 11 party in my room. I had a few friends over. It was a blast. I had a little mac and cheese also. It was also hard to shower during this time period. I had slipped in the shower also. I kept getting very sleepy dizzy.
Day 12-14 still had pain been mainly watching movies and TV shows.Plus the snow outside is horrible.I feel like I did the surgery perfect timing. I can say can't do much and the snow keeping me in also. My thoracic surgeon office canceled my appointment also because o the snow.
Day 15 my thoracic surgeon office called back up to come in. This was my first day out. It was very hard with the snow walking. Plus I was walking to the car and office on pain killers. I got there I was mainly talking to the nurse. I finally got my stitches out. My surgeon told me it can take 8-12weeks to recover. He said I had a major and the worse surgery recovery operation ever. He also told me not to do physical therapy yet. After I was able to handle panera bread mac and cheese.
5 days later I was back out again at my gastric surgeon. I was told I can try to have puree foods more too. It is hard to stand and walk for more then a few mins.
I still have a lot of pain.It is hard to do a lot. My stomach did slip into my chest, but the wrap never came undone. The hernia was fix and the stomach was pulled back down. Scar tissue was taken out. It is hard having two surgeries at once. I have 7 incision scars. My stomach ones are already fading though the left side one does hurt a lot. I have a 5-7 inches scar from my back toward chest that kills.I have a chest tube scar also. It isn't easy at all. More updates will come soon...
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