The Vicodin haze has faded, I survived surgery

[CubsWinCubsWin 108]

I was wondering why I didn't see many people posting right after surgery. I am known for live-blogging my life as it happens particularly when I travel. This time around, I had no interest in telling anyone anything. What a weekend!!!

I arrived at St Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates (burb of Chicago) and found a very friendly staff and on my bed I found a bear named Bari. The room was green which I guess is calming but they were running late so I am not sure the paint had the right affect. Various doctors and nurses would stop by and I told them all my life story, if you looked official I talked. Finally I was taken back toward the operating room. The injecting the first part of anastesia to make me loopy and at that point everything was "awesome" and I had to point it out to everyone who would listen. Once in the OR they put the mask on me to shut me up. I have no idea if they ever asked me to count backwards from 10. The last thing I remember was when they blew up the bag I was laying on to make it easier for them to transfer me to the surgery table. Next thing you know I was somewhere else.

I don't remember much from the recovery room other than moving over to a recliner from the bed and also being in quite a bit of pain. After a couple hours in the recovery room they wheeled me over to my hospital room for the remainder of my stay.

I liked my room, there was a tree outside my window that was a gathering place for a couple hundred small birds tweeting away about their day. I found out that they leave the tree at sunrise (go to work, run errands, etc) and return right before sunset. It did not look like anyone worked from home. I really enjoyed the birds every evening and morning. I thought they'd might be a little annoying but at some point they collectively decided to all be quiet.

The first night was rough. I could not sleep for various reasons but mostly because it was quite loud, bells and whistles going off on random intervals waking me through the evening. The most annoying alarm was all my fault the first night. We discovered I have inherited a heart abnormality from my mother that drops my resting heart rate to below the alarm threshold. I'd doze off and that damn alarm would go off. The nurses were confused so they called the doctor on call and had the alarm threshold lowered. They were impressed with my resting heart rate, they said that will benefit me as I lose weight and get back into marathon running shape.

Day 2 and 3 were about the same, the 3rd day was better than the 2nd. The nurses were quite accommodating and I became a bit of a fixture due to me doing laps around the 2nd floor every few hours. I became progressively better as the hours went by and by Sunday afternoon I was ready to go home. My home sickness was not due to being away from familiar surroundings or even the cuddling power of my 2 cats, I wanted to go home because the cable channels were anemic. I got home Sunday night just in time to watch "Live from the Red Carpet" and then the Oscars. Was it funny, I'm not sure, I was pretty hopped up on pain meds so everything was funny to me that night.

[Danni-doinit4me 140]

Happy to hear you made it through and are home. I was reading your story and I had to laugh, it reminded me of when I was taken to the OR. I was transferring to the operating table and all of a sudden I had this instant high. I looked at the male nurse and he said he put a sedative in my IV. I said. "Well aren't you a sneaky little devil!" And then lights out. The next thing I remembered was being wheeled to my room.

[FinallySandy 22]

You were wondering why you didn't see more people posting, post-surgery? Your post was quite entertaining- I don't think the average person has that entertainment factor, or skill, and it would be quite boring. Had your post been longer, I'd still be reading! Haha! ( loved the birds)!

Congrats on your surgery, glad it went well! The first 3 weeks, especially the third week, is the hardest, in my opinion. I thought I'd never eat normal food again, felt like my best friend had left me. Five weeks later and 30 lbs down- an so very, very happy!

Look forward to more of your posts!

[MorganO87 33]

You're hilarious! Glad your surgery went well...looking forward to hearing more updates!

[BigGirlPanties 957]

Wow...a room with a view...they must have really liked you

[Abry 28]

cubswincubwin..... you are so funny You should take up writing you would be good at it...

I haven't had my surgery yet I find out the date next week....but the way you put it I can wait for the GOOFY JUICE!!!

[jdillon 355]

I just had gallbladder surgery Friday. They injected a dye into my iv wheeled me back to the operating room then transferred me to the operating table. The anastegiologist gave me something and instant panic set in. I felt like something was terribly wrong and I was going to die. I remember feeling it from the waist down first like a sudden wave of fire or lava running through my body. Then my left arm and my right. While I was still awake I remember him telling me is OK it'll pass soon. Then I accepted it as being normal. Horrible but normal. The next thing I knew I was awake and out of it. I've been in pain since then any time I move or try to get up or lay down. My tummy is so swollen. I've kept ice on it but it's still bloated. Before surgery I had lost 5lbs. Afterwards I was up 5lbs. 2lbs down today. I just wish the swelling would go away and the pain would not be so severe. I miss sleeping on my side. I am so afraid to proceed with the sleeve surgery. I want this so bad but I am terrified of the whole process now. You guys are so brave!

[BigGirlPanties 957]

@jdillon that sounds like a mini panic attack...which happens...

it's a shame that they couldn't do both at once for you

but you came out of it all ok... try sleeping on a recliner...that's what I did when I had my gallbladder removed, it was the most comfortable...

good luck! you've got this!

[jdillon 355]

@jdillon that sounds like a mini panic attack...which happens...

it's a shame that they couldn't do both at once for you

but you came out of it all ok... try sleeping on a recliner...that's what I did when I had my gallbladder removed, it was the most comfortable...

good luck! you've got this!

Thank you. Wish I would've known about the recliner. I sit in a rocking chair with pillows. Getting a different prescription to ease the pain.

[JacobsMommy 27]

This is a good read! I hope to have a smooth recovery also, but I do not think my story will be as good as yours LOL LOL

[MIMamaof2 30]

LOL. I realized a couple weeks ago that I don't remember ANYTHING btween being wheeled down the hall to surgery and then being wheeled into my room. NOTHING.