Surgery Story (long....pics posted below story...kind of gross!)

Dave and I spent the night before my surgery at The Holiday Inn, a stone's throw from the Wang center where I was to have my surgery the next morning at 6:00 am. My daughter gave me her little sock monkey to hold and I clutched it all night, at times rocking back and forth with it. I think Dave was nervous too, but he didn't let on. I woke up on my own at 5:00 am and showered. We left for the surgical center and waited an hour to be called into the back where I would be set-up for surgery and get my lovely shower cap on. This was where I kissed Dave good-bye and started crying. The anesthesiologist held me and consoled me. He told me Dr. Burke was the very best and that he had worked alongside him for 22 years. My IV was put in and I was given a "cocktail" to calm me down. This cocktail was not enough..........I was put onto the operating table compeltely alert, but not freaking out because the drugs began to take the edge off. I was given a very large dose of the meds. I remember stroking the anesthesiologists hand and kept asking Dr. Burke if everything was going well. I also remember asking them to give me my hip bones in a cup after (which they never did by the way......I don't know why I said that because that is the last thing I want to see). They must have cranked up the meds because that is when I fell asleep. I woke up to one of the nurses holding out a group residents picture of Paul Appleton (the one I dated way back when) and they were all talking about how great Paul was to work with (all the docs knew Paul well). If you have read my previous posts, Paul is a trauma orthopedic surgeon at Beth Israel in Boston. He was the one who told me Dr. Burke is the best and to go to him. Paul was my first "love". He is still my next door neighbor at my lakehouse in Vermont and he has 4 kids and a lovely wife too. We speak often at the lakehouse and I'm grateful to have such a caring friend still in my life after all these years.

I remember laughing as they wheeled me out and saying "YEAH!!!! I made it"..........

Then it hit me, I was in the recovery room. That was when I realized I could not feel a thing from my waist to my toes. Not a thing. How scary is that??????? I had spinals with my babies, but this was a true spinal....a 6 hour puppy. I had to wait until I could wiggle my toes to leave that room and go to my real room. That took from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. I was flailing around because I couldn't move my feet. I didn't believe the nurses. I thought they were all lying to me about my legs and that something must have happened during surgery. Slowly...inch by inch...my sensation did come back and enough to just slightly wiggle my toes. My operated leg took much longer as they had me on my side during surgery. I was wheeled through the cold halls with my warm blankies on :) Up, up, up and way to the 22nd floor to Phillips House. It's affectionately called the Penthouse rooms because it is luxury up there. I thought for sure they had the wrong person....that they were going to come in and say they screwed up and that room wasn't really mine! It had a flat screen plasma TV with Dish Network. It had it's own fridge and vanity. It was a large room with a large couch/futon. Everything was mahogony and real wood floors. I had the most amazing views of the Charles River. You couldn't get this if you asked for it. I shit you not about all that....see my photos below. No one would tell me why I got that room....but I wasn't going to argue. Insurance covers it because they didn't have any doubles left, so the choice wasn't mine. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. You don't slap a gift horse in the mouth (is that the saying?). Anywho..............I was given a PCA which I got to push the button for my meds. I first got dilauded which they all said was stronger than morphine. It didn't touch my pain. So, I asked for morphine and then I slept like a baby. I had no idea where I was and was floating around my room....LOL. Friends called and were actually concerned about me because I slurred every word. This lasted a day and then I was switched to dilauded pills which again did nothing for me. The pain management team came because I was a tough case and they prescribed morphine tablets to go home with. They work great by the way...LOL! I will be weaning off them slowly over the next few weeks.

The food was good........not great. They give you small amounts of lots of things and side dishes. You got the next two meals menus with your breakfast. It's like, "I don't want to think about what I'm eating in 10 hours"! I have to hand it to them though because everything was always hot and served on time. I got a newspaper handed to me every morning. Kuddos. All the nurses were fabulous except one male nurse who gave me the creeps. He was lurking in my room as I lay half naked on my bed at 2:00 am. He was slowing getting the blood pressure cuff out, but he should have been on the other side of my bed and I had no idea how long he'd been there. He then said he needed "blood". That was when I asked him to get the head nurse and she excused him. I told her I preferred "female" nurses....but truth be told....it was this strange man that I didn't want in there who didn't give me warm fuzzies. I felt kind of mean...but when you are laying there vulnerable, you don't need to feel nervous about the people who help you. I think that it's important to speak up and be your own advocate. I had to speak up on numerous occasions about getting my meds on time or getting a wash basin, getting my constant ginger ales, etc. You can't always expect them to do it all or know what you're thinking. I know by the end of my stay....the nurses couldn't wait for that door to hit the backside of my wheelchair....LOL.

Sadly, during my stay.........our wonderful Olde English Bulldogge Buddy died suddenly and unexpectedly. My husband was shattered by this and he is still grieving. It was not the news I needed to hear while lying in bed feeling like shit. Buddy was Dave's best friend and did everything with him. When I say he would've picked the dog over me, he would pick the dog. Ok, maybe not....but darn close to that. I didn't get a lot of visitors as Boston is 1.5 hours away from home. All my relatives live in Jersey. My parents, kids and husband came. Lots of friends called which was nice. You find out who your true family and friends are when you go through something like that.

Well........overall, it was a great experience and I am walking with crutches around my house. I have to sit or lay down most of the time. I have a visiting nurse and OT and PT therapists coming to my house a couple times a week for about a month. For those that have followed my story.....this is how it all went down. For those who are just reading it now, I hope it will help you to know the details of what happens from start to finish. Everyone's story will be different, but this one is mine :) A success story I hope.