My Stay at the Castle (long post!)

Hi All Ladies in Waiting -

I thought I would post my stay at the castle in hopes in will alleviate some of your fears. I had a TAH on Tuesday Aug. 14th.

We left for the castle at 10:15 am. I felt OK - pretty calm. Remember, I had known about my date for a month.
My surgery was at a surgery center - where lots of people are walking in & out. I carried a small bag to put my clothes in. When the recepitonist went to put the wrist band on I started to cry. We sat down & soon the nurse came to get me. She took me into the back where she told me take off all my clothes off & put on the gown & then a matching robe. She gave me slippers & a little hat - "put that in your pocket honey, as you won't need it just yet." I told her I was on my period, she gave me this old fashioned pad & a belt. She had to help me with it as I had never used one before.

Then she took me into a small room & put me in a reclining chair & put this plastic blanket on me - she hooked this up to a hose that pumped warm air in the blanket - just like a sauna. Then she went & got my DH. He came & sat with me until I left for the surgery.

The nurse asked me lots of questions & then the ansethesiologist came in. Very nice - "can you open your mouth really wide - now bend your head back - good!" Next the nurse put on these long TED hose - like tight stockings. On top of these she put "presssure hose" plastic hose that hook up to a machine that constricts every 90 seconds to pump the blood back into your body as in surgery they give you a muscle relaxant. I am really nervoyus now - but they said I didn't need anything before surgery. My hubby said I looked like an aliean.

Next - my came in & we all talked for a while. My Dr. said that due to the adhesions she felt the procedure could take 3-4 hours. I told hubby to come back later - as waiting for that long could be hard. The nurse took all his numbers & then said "O.K. honey lets kiss him good by & walk into surgery." WALK - YES - so I kissed him & turned & walked like a duck into the operating room. I got on the table & the nurses all introduced themselves. The anesthesiologist then put in the IV & said you're going to feel like you had a lot or margarita's. That's all I remember!! It was straight up 12 noon. . . .

I woke up at 4:30 pm in recovery to my docotor talking quietly to me. I didn't feel any pain, just uncomfortable. Soon the nurses came & took me to my suite. There was my DH with flowers. I slept most of the evening off an on. I had oxygen as I was on Morphine. I had an IV in my right hand - with a morphine pump, antibiotics and a saline solution. I had a catheter and those pressure hose. All I could do was lay there & moan. The nurses were TERRIFIC!! They came in every hour or so with cold wash clothes for my head & ice chips. I remember being awake at 12 midnight, 2 am & 3 am - then the nurse said she thought a shot would help me so she gave me a shot of demerol & I fell to sleep until 6 am. That was nice.

At 7 am the nurse came in and said lets get you up HUH

I just laid there & let the 2 of them do whatever. They took out the catherter (no pain) took off those pressure hose - YEAH! Then sat the bed up & told me to swing my legs over the edge - I said I can't do that - "yes you can sweety" & I did. They told me hold my pillow on my tummy & that really helped!! I sat on the edge of the bed for about 5 minutes. I was very shaky!! Then my DH came in - more flowers. They put me in the chair next to my bed while they changed my sheets. Then the nurse said I should take a shower!! WHAT! I haven't even been out of surgery for 24 hours yet!! You can do it!! DH helped bag the IV on my hand & put plastic wrap on my incision. The shower felt wonderful. I put on my HYSTER SISTERS COVER UP & went right back to bed. I slept most of the morning, drinking clear liquids - broth, 7-up, water, juice, etc. Later the nurse asked how my pain was & I told her I felt fine. She said they were goiing to remove the morphine pump & put me on Vicodine pills. To go home my doctor said I had to eat solid food, pass gas, be on pain pills (no shots) & pee.

Well, they took out the pump & I got up & went to the bathroom. I sat there for a while & then I peed!! Yeah!

Then back to bed. I really didn't feel much pain. I was up & walking in my room with my IV - then back to bed.

Early on Wednesday afternoon the IV started to hurt so I asked the nurse to take it out. She did I was was totally un-tethered!! Now I was up & walking - as I had not passed gas yet. I felt very gasey - but nothing came out.

I walked & walked. The doctor called me several times on Wednesday & then on Thursday morning she said as soon as I passed gas I could go home. It was like waiting for a baby!! I was the only patient left on the unit - so I had 2 nurses wating for me to fart too.
FINALLY at 12:25 on Thursday afteroon the big one came!! YEAH. They brought me a tray of solid food - which I devoured!

The doctor came at 6:00 pm & took out the staples & I got to come home!!


I hope this helps all of you waiting.
My surgery was great!!

Good luck!

I just wanted to reply with the same thing. I am 9 days post op, and yes the wait is much harder then the surgery.

My surgery was almost exactly like Linda's, except I was put in a bed waiting for surgery, and wheeled into the surgery room. Also the anesthisiologist gave me two valiums about 15 min before I was taken into surgery room.

Same thing as far as the leg pumps, and the I.V.'s with antibiotics.

I woke up in the recovery and slept most of the day. I had to get up and walk and shower also the next day. and then the same as far as passing gas .

Then I was allowed to come home. yeaa.... I am home resting, and being spoiled. So see the wait truly is the worst. For all the LIW
it will be ok. I to had the oxygen, the bp machine, etc. etc. but again the worst was the waiting.....


God bless all in waiting, and you will all do well.

Hello All Ladies in Waiting:

I remember those days - it's only been 5 days since my surgery but it seems like a lifetime ago.
If you have any questions, please ask. I found this site SOOO helpful & still do.

Thank you very much, ladies, for letting us know the details of your experiences. I will be setting my surgery date very soon and knowing what to expect really eases my anxiety. My biggest fear is that I will wake up from surgery and be in pain. I hope this doesn't happen!

Hi Tambi:

That was my biggest fear too - that & being nauseated from the anesthesia. I had neither. I was very groggy & don't remember much of the recovery room. I vaguely recall being wheeled to my room & then sleep.

Talk these fears over with your I did & she was there for me.
Good luck!

Thanks so much for sharing your castle stories.

It really helps a lot to know in advance what to expect. I've never been in the hospital, never had general anesthesia, never had an IV, so ALL of the details are very interesting to me.

Any other princesses out there who would be kind enough to tell us LIW's your story?

Thanks!

Thanks so very much for these stories. I had a horrible day and for the first time felt really depressed about this whole thing. My surgery date isn't until 3 October and I knew I had to snap out of the blues. I have been on my period for over a week and still have cramps and each time I think it is over it starts back up again! Will be so glad to get "on the other side" as you all say.

I went for a bike ride with my DH and that changed my whole outlook. Need to keep busy, busy, busy I think.

It is great to hear real life stories from those of you who have been through this. It really helps so much. I am really so thankful for this web site and all of your good information!

Thanks,
Betty

Thank you so much for thinking about all of us still waiting. You definitely took the edge off of the fear. I have had adominal sugery before but it doesn't make the wait easier.
Also its nice to know that you both were able to get out of bed and walk around. I'm not going to be able to have someone with me 24 hours a day when I get home from the castle. But my place is not very big and i won't do anything like shower alone. But it sounds like I will be able to go to the bathroom and the kitchen.

Thanks again for your support! Get better quick!
Rosalind

Linda,

Thank you for clarifying something for me. I, too, was put in a holding room, but wheeled to operation room. What I didn't know I must have been conscious in the actual operation room. I thought I was knocked out in that room and wheeled somewhere else for operation. I think if I knew that was the actual surgery room I would have been even more scared. The room was bigger than what I thought an operating room would be. I didn't see the overhanging lights or any knives out.

The anesthesiologist gave me anesthia. The last thing I remember saying is, "I feel dizzy." and the doctor said, "That is the anesthesia working."

Next I remember being in recovery room. I must have been moaning really loud because a female voice said, "Mary, not so loud. You're not the only one in here."

Thank you ladies for posting such positive outcomes. Tomorrow is my big day and I am glad I read your posts. Be blessed. Ned15