My "Test" Run

My lap and Hysteroscopy were done on March 1st. I am having my surgery on April 3rd. I wanted to tell you how my Test run at the hospital went. I feel like it was a "test run" because I got to "practice" for the REAL THING....

I did my bowel Prep (just in case something went wrong and they had to do an emergency Hyst.) at 6:00 pm, lesson learned? Do it around 12 noon...and then drink WATER, WATER, WATER, WATER. I'll tell you why in a second.

I arrived at 6:45 am, nervous and worried that it would be for naught, that the idiots at the insurance co. would not come to their senses. I had asked Dr. B. at my Pre Op Appt if she wanted me to continue to battle the insurance folks, or if she wanted to pick up the mantle. She told me to let her deal with them.

I had been up all night on the toilet...it was horrific, and makes me pretty sure that I will do it differently next time. I was a little rumbly in my tummy...but no longer having to run to the bathroom.

They got me into Pre op around 7:00, and after three tries, one blown vien and another stinging disaster, they stuck one in my hand, without deadening it, but it stuck and I was no longer ready to kill the nice nurses who kept stabbing me with needles....Evidently bowel prep dehydrates you severely...your veins go flat...and it makes it hard to get an IV in...Moral of this story? do bowel prep early, clear liquid diet day before, and drink water till midnight....then nothing. I'll let you know how that goes.

I got to talk with anesthesiologist, we discussed my problem with nausea after surgery. He said that a patch would work best for me, but that it takes 4 hours to work, and while it may help me later, it wouldn't help me right away, so he would order the patch, and put it on after I got in the OR, and give me a shot. Patch didn't have enough time to work- I was sick twice, but later in the day, it worked fine, I had no issues once I got home.

When I got out of surgery, the nice nurse asked me if I remembered anything from the surgery. Makes me wonder what I did? Did I sing for them? Perform a strip tease? Did I try to escape? My right ankle hurts...maybe I jumped off the table? She cleaned me up, they cut my lip when they intubated me...on both sides...I think I may have been refusing them enterance. I looked like I got beat up.

When they brought DBF in, he took the hair net off of me and told me how pretty I look with fat lips, and then sat down to read his book because I was in and out. Then the nurse came in and asked if I was in pain, I told her yes, she said, from 1-10? I said 9, even though I probably meant 7. She gave me a HUGE shot of dilaudid which put me right back OUT. I threw up once before the dilaudid, then after they said I could go home, threw up in a Red Hazard bag in the hallway, where everyone could see my misery. I vaguely remember thinking how silly I must look, with my shoes untied, in a wheel chair, fat lips and puking.

I got home then slept for two days. I am sore, but OK. I came back to work today and actually started learning how to ride my new purple motorcycle yesterday. I have stopping and going down to a science.

I am ready now for the REAL SHOW. I am going to have Dr. prescribe a nausea patch that I can apply BEFORE I go to the Hospital. I am going to do liquids only the day of the 2nd and I am going to do my bowel prep around noon, so that I am done early, and I will drink a ton of water from noon to midnight to rehydrate myself. I may even do gatorade, I'll ask the doctor.

So I think I am prepared, after my test run to meet the real thing.

T.

T,
Welcome back! I was just wondering how your lap went! So what did she find????

Thank you so much for your good info about the prep stuff! Hugs Raymo

They found what she has always said, Fibroids, endo and thickening of my endometrial lining- she doesn't want to call it Hyperplasia, biopsy said no cancer. So, we have nothing more than we thought, but some really cool pictures of what is there. Fibroids are funny looking things... My ovaries are fine, so we will keep them.

I am glad I experienced the LAP, I really feel that it will help prepare me for the real thing. I almost wish she had just done the Hyst on Weds, but she wanted to go by the book, so we have three weeks and then Off with their heads...The mutinous uterus and her motley band of fibroids. I will take pleasure in what I have to do to prepare for the end of them forever.

Thanks. T

Back!! I was wondering how you were doing with the lap and hysteroscopy. Did she think that the thickening was adenomyosis or just a thickening due to everything else? Just curious. The pictures are cool, I loved seeing mine and actually plan on having a copy of them made. I am taking the camera in on Wednesday with me as well.
Your bowel prep directions are WAY better than the doctors!! He hasn't said a word about it so I am asking today when I go in for blood work. Would be a good thing to look into I think.
I am so glad that you are able to proceed. Did your ins get figured out? I hope so, you don't need the additional stress!!!
Never fret about barfing somewhere or what you look like. I did it in the parking lot, around the corner and in the room last time.....and I didn't even get a standing ovation!! Darn my DH, he is slipping!! Seriously, best of luck with the anesthesia I have similar issues and they stink!!!
Glad to have you back online!!
angie

Oriole fan,
I came in to work this morning to 84 emails- the world does not stop when I am not at work.... One of those emails was from my benefits counselor informing me that the insurance had "processed my appeal" and that they had approved services. That email was sent Friday. My Dr. was Irritated beyond belief that the insurance company was being so difficult, she said she had never experienced anything like it, and was bound and determined I would have this surgery. She felt bad that I had to go through the Lap, but we knew that was the only thing that would make the Insurance idiots happy. I am writing a letter expressing my point of view. I won't send till after they pay off on the hysterectomy.

I am relieved. I am in the process of setting up a "home office" my computer is residing in my trunk, but I will be back online at home in the next week or so, I will be able to keep in touch.

T.

Glad things went well!

Do talk to your dr about your bowel prep--it is very important not to adjust your dr's instructions about the prep, but she needs to know about the IV situation. And just maybe, you won't even have to have the prep as you just had a lap, so she may know she won't be touching your bowels so you can skip it. That is what happened for me.

Another thing about your veins, were you cold? If I am cold and/or dehydrated, it is very difficult to get an IV in me. You may want to try to warm up more before the IV--ask for extra warm blankets.

Best wishes for your upcoming surgery!

The nurse who was with me in pre op put my arm in a baggie with a hot towel wrapped around it. She called the charge nurse to put in my IV, my veins were hidden so deep and flat due to dehydration. I will discuss with my dr the best way to deal with this. I would prefer only one poke next time. I can take two, but three is pushing it, and I think we will skip the deadening part, it doesn't help and if they find the right place, it doesn't hurt that bad anyway.

Thanks. T