TAH - Cinifini's advice guaranteed to get you out FAST - Hystersisters Hysterectomy Article

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TAH - Cinifini's advice guaranteed to get you out FAST

TAH - Cinifini's advice guaranteed to get you out FAST

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A BAD ROOMMATE!!!

will get to HER shortly,

I am now almost three weeks post-op (TAH on 09/13/00) and finally feeling well enough to sit here for a few more minutes to relate my trip to the castle.

I arrived at the hospital with DH, Jon, at 6:00am...the usual stuff, sign in, get your new bracelets, get undressed, betadine douche, IV hook up, take the trip on the gurney to the surgery holding area, talk to the anestesiologist (SP?), and kiss goodbye, see ya later, head into surgery (whew).

I decided on the spinal thing, even though I was a little afraid of being awake...NOT TO WORRY! When I got into surgery I remember sitting on the edge of the table to he could administer the stuff, but he had put something in my IV and that was all I remember until recovery. Thank goodness! No headache, no heavy dopey feeling...in fact I was feeling pretty good.

By 9:30 I was in my room and actually feeling pretty good. I started drinking water right away, chatted with Jon (boy was he looking relieved) called my parents (boy were they surprised to hear from me) and by noon I was being served my first meal. I had creamed soup, juices, rasberry sorbet, tasted pretty good! The nurse said it was looking like I would have the room to myself and that suited me just fine. I had a couple of doses of pain meds (directly into my IV) and that kept me pretty comfortable all day.

Then, about 5 or 6 that evening EVERYTHING CHANGED!

They brought in my dinner (clear broth, jello, clear juices) and I asked why I was on clear stuff when I had had the good lunch? Oops,they said, that was a mistake...I said not to me, that was pretty good

And then, a few minutes later, as Jon and were sitting there, watching a little TV together, enjoying each others company...it happened...in came...THE ROOMMATE!

Poor thing, I really did feel for her, 5 feet tall, 362 pounds, she had fallen backwards off some stairs and crushed her leg...would be having surgery in two days, couldn't do it right away because they had to stabalize her diabetes and blood pressure, etc., etc., etc.

As they moved her from the gurney to the bed, she began the VERY loud moaning...she was in alot of pain. Then THEY CAME...the family...6 daughters, and 2 sons, youngest probably about 25 or so, and 4 grandchildren, youngest 4 years old. (REASON 1 TO GET OUT OF THERE)

Jon and I sat there as they talked to nurses, the surgeon, the anestesiologist...everyone of them with questions, comments on how they thought it should be done, etc., etc., etc. Meanwhile, there were so many of them, I had to pull my stuff way over so they could all fit in the room, they took all the chairs from my side (thank goodness Jon wouldn't give up his chair) and they just sat. They hooked her up to the morphine pump, and all the daughters had to fiddle with it, pump it every 15 min, and complain to the nurse that she was still in pain...until the system shut down because she had so much in her by then.

About 8pm, Jon decided to go home and let me get some rest...WHAT A LAUGH! After he left, they took his chair too and they all stayed until about 11pm, (I thought they would never leave). The oldest daughter decided to stay, I could understand that, she was concerned. Then the two of them finally settled in and went to sleep...MAN, I thought I SNORED! Between them snoring, and my blood pressure monitor going off every 30 min. I must have gotten 45 minutes of sleep that night! Boy, is that great for the recouperation! (REASON 2 TO GET OUT OF THERE)

Next morning, I was in quite a bit of pain and when Jon came to see me he figured I would be there a couple of days, just from the way I looked. They brought in my breakfast while he was there, oatmeal? That's what they said it was, more like slime, if you ask me.

(REASON 3 TO GET OUT OF THERE) Jon left soon after, and then the nurse came in and disconnected me from all the tubes, catheter, IV, BP monitor, etc. As soon as they had me undone I was able to take a shower...HEAVEN ON EARTH...they put a chair in there for me so I could sit and let the water just pour over me for as long as I wanted.

After the shower, I started walking...and walked, and walked and walked. My roommates gang started showing up about 9am, filling the room again so I just wanted to walk to get out of there...five daughters, three grandkids this morning...all camped out for the day... REASON 4 TO GET OUT OF THERE.

So, I kept walking...the nurse kept saying, what do you want to do go home? DUH, is this a serious question?

Jon came back about 5pm and found me out in the halls, walking...what a surprise for him, when he had left earlier I looked horrible, now I was feeling pretty chipper! Besides I had to get out of the room...the roommate needed to use the bed pan and it was a small room (REASON 5 TO GET OUT OF THERE).

When the doctor showed up about 6:30pm, he told me that the nurses had told him I was ready to go if I wanted to, and if he would release me...he had to ask the nurse if that was really a TAH he had performed only the day before...

. He asked me are you sure you want to go home? Who ME? You mean where I can sleep, where there are not 500 people surrounding me 20 hours a day? ARE YOU KIDDING? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! So he said okay, just watch the temp, don't do anything, and call if I have any problems...no sweat doc!

As Jon and I waited a little bit to get processed out, they brought in dinner. I really wasn't hungry, just wanted to go. They brought the ROOMMATES dinner at the same time...good thing I wasn't hungry...she ate about three bites before everything came back up for her, and her whole family ran to my side of the room trying not to lose it themselves, and listening to her throwing up everywhere... I must have gone pale, because Jon picked up my bag and the papers, and said let's go. (REASON 6 WAS ENOUGH FOR ME)

We went to the nurses station, she gave me a couple of pain pills, got a wheelchair, and WE WERE OUT OF THERE. We must have laughed all the way home (good thing I had my tummy pillow)

So, that is my story of how I recovered so fast in the hospital, and how motivated I became to get out of there in less than 48 hours.

Since I have been home, I rest well, have just a few visitors (when I want them, ha!) and just get a little irritated that I can't do a little more.

Good luck to all in your recovery! I already look back and think it couldn't have been all that bad, yeah, right. At least I had a memorable stay!

Cinifini - still laughing

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Alison Clarke DeSouza, M.D. 3100 Coral Hills Dr. # 207 Coral Springs FL 33065 954-341-9777	Jennifer Schnee, M.D. 3001 Coral Hills Dr., Suite 300 Coral Springs FL 33065 954-341-2916	Betty Gingold Acker, M.D. 2900 E. 29th St Suite 300 Bryan TX 77802 979-776-5602
Anthony Trabue, M.D. 2201 Murphy Ave. #104 Nashville TN 37203 615-342-7425	Arnold Advincula, M.D. Florida Hospital Celebration Health 400 Celebration Plac Celebration FL 34747 407-303-4190	Nadia Mileo, M.D. 3001 Coral Hills Dr., Suite 300 Coral Springs FL 33065 954-341-2916
Nisseth Urribarri, M.D. 3001 Coral Hills Dr., Suite 300 Coral Springs FL 33065 954-341-2916	Danielle J Jimenez-Flores, M.D. 4324 N McColl McAllen TX 78504 956-630-0240	Terri B. Pustilnik, M.D. 501 Medical Center Blvd. Deke Slayton Cancer Center Clear Lake TX 77598 713-665-0404

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