I'm Home! (Long)

Well ladies, I'm home, feeling better, and ready to tell "my story"!

My experience really began on June 4, the day before surgery. I had arranged the day off work, just because I knew I would be pretty out of it mentally, and to try to get some of the last minute chores done (like doing all the windows in my house, washing and waxing all the floors, shampooing the rugs etc.) I also had to begin the bowel prep the Dr. had ordered. Well, I didn't get the windows done, (or the floors or rugs LOL!), and surprisingly, I didn't feel all that nervous either.

At 7 pm on the dot, I drank the 6 oz bottle of Fleet phospho-soda (sp?). I had bought a bottle of clear soda pop to mix it with. I only put a little in, as I wanted to be able to "down" it in one try, but I immediately had a second glass to wash the awful taste out. I can only describe it as an oil filled with salt. YUCK. For a few minutes I panicked because I thought I would bring it back up, and have to drive all the way to town to get more, but I managed to keep it in and settled down for ....well you know.

The next morning I still felt that incredible calm. I had a last bath and we left for the castle at about 9:10 am (we live 35 miles from the nearest castle). I got there at 10, checked in with admitting, given my pending princess bracelet and sent to the 5th floor. There, I was given my princess gown (a lovely periwinkle blue) and the magic princess potion was started in my hand. I had about a two hour wait, and my dh was allowed to stay with me for that time. Our castle was in the middle of training new attendants, and a lovely young woman asked if I minded if she watched my ceremony. I told her that I would be honored.

Finally my chariot arrived, I kissed my dh goodbye and was wisked off to the special chamber. We parked for a time just outside the chamber and various attendants arrived to ask questions. I met the A woman, who asked me what I was there for. I was tempted to ask why SHE didn't know, but instead I gave her the full medical terminology for my procedure and she seemed impressed. Finally I entered the chamber, was asked to slide over to another bed, the A woman said "something to make you sleep" and I was.

I remember very little about the recovery room, except a nurse asking me to rate my pain on a scale of 1 to 10. At that moment I could not imagine much worse pain, so I said 8. The next I knew I could feel myself being wisked along a hallway, and my dh saying "oh she looks good!" (I wonder what he thought I was going to look like? LOL) My mother was there as well, as the nurses got me into my bed and hooked up to the various machines which tell them that the new princess will survive. I was on oxygen as well as the IV pump and blood pressure/heart beat/oxygen machine. A lovely nurse brought another needle full of the life giving medicine. I was on demoral, with a little gravol mixed in, and I felt no nausea at all, just blessed relief.

My Dr. made a brief visit, just long enough to tell me that the surgery went well and the cyst was benign. HOORAY! (The new attendant visited several hours later and told me that the operating room staff had cheered when the word came that it was all clear!)

My mother and dh left at some time, although I cannot remember it right now! LOL. The next thing I remember is a nurse bending over me in the dark, doing things. Now, this would not be unusual, except this was a MALE nurse! LOL I have to tell you ladies, I may have been embarassed at first, but that man was the most compassionate nurse I had for my entire hospital stay. I can't say that any of the ladies failed in their job in any way either, but he was the only one who seemed to truly care if I was in pain. The others came when I called, he came before I had to call.

I stayed on the demoral until the evening of the 6th, when the nurse brought me a medicine called indocid. This is an anti-inflamatory, which is often used to relieve the pain of gout. And boy did it work wonders! An hour after taking these pills, I would be up and wandering around the halls. The only pain it did not relieve was the gas. I could feel every little bit of air make every twist and turn on its way out of my gut. A nurse brought a warm blanket to put on my stomach, but walking was the only thing that really helped.

My worst problem in the hospital was trying to sleep. I had requested a private room, but got a semi-private, which was located right across from the nurses' station. This was on a surgical floor, and there was always action going on, alarms going off, and people rushing from one end of the hall to the other. Sleep was drugged induced on the first night, but broken by the periodic checks of my vital signs. On the second night, it was my room-mates turn to have her surgery, and I was disturbed each time too. The third night was just terrible, and made worse by the fact that I had turned wrong and seemed to pull something in one side which gave me a pain un-relieved by medication.

By Saturday, I was ready to leave. The Dr. was very concerned that I hadn't yet had a bowel movement. I kept assuring him that I would not hesitate to do something at home. Finally he agreed, and wrote me my prescriptions so I could leave. (He didn't know that I have a mother-in-law that believes in natural medicines. This time I agree with her. Prunes Ladies! Prunes!)

The ride home was tiring and I laid down on the sofa when I got here. Actually, I haven't much gotten up off the sofa either.

My incision extends from my belly button down into the top of my pubic hair (which they didn't shave???) Getting up and down from a prone position, turning on my sides and just walking, all put pressure on the incision. The staples came out after 7 days, and that gave me some relief, but I still have the pain on the right side from the second night in the hospital. The Dr. says it is just healing. I don't know, but there is not much I can do about it either.

I am still using some Tylenol #3's during the day, and alot of extra strength Tylenol too. Yesterday my dh took me to the local store for groceries. I walked the isles saying "one of those, one of those, and two of those". I was so tired after that I slept for 4 hours. Today I walked down to a small creek on our property. This may have been a bad thing. The ground was very uneven, and although I moved slowly, I may have "jiggled" too much! I am paying for it now.

I also was given Premarin .625. The Dr. gave me a shot in the hospital which was supposed to last approximately 6 weeks, but he recommended that I take these too. I am glad I did. I get some small hot flashes in the afternoons, and some sweating at night, but nothing unbearable either.

I am 8 days post-op, and I would have to say I can see and feel improvement every day. It is slow, and I have to remind myself when I am feeling good to not over-do. But I am looking forward to getting back into my routine soon.

To the LIW who are reading this, I add my voice to the thousands before me. Waiting truly is the worst part. The fear of pain is worse than the pain itself. The instant you become aware of yourself after the surgery, you know that you are on the mend. It can only get better. I will not pretend that this is not painful. It is. Some minutes are better than others! But everything is up-hill from that point on. I am already bored with my restrictions and ready to take on the world again. (and then I will nap okay?)

So I rejoice in my princess status, and I hope that all you LIW have an uncomplicated surgery and recovery. I look forward to welcoming you to the other side too!

Lynn,

Congratulations and welcome back! Good to see you in good spirits. Seems as though you a had a nice visit to the castle. I too had a male nurse for a brief period of time (slept through most of his shift) but I do remember that he was wonderful and very caring. Wish he would have been around more often. Funny, isn't it, that a male nursre would be so much more caring than the females. I wish my castle stay would have been so nice. Long story, but I woke up in the orthapedics ward with the nurses asking me what I had had done!

You ARE absolutely right, the waiting and anticipation of surgery is the worst part. My surgery date was 6-4-02 so we are probably feeling much of the same things right now. I have had some really good days since I returned home, but also some really bad days. The hardest part is knowing that I still have to take it easy even when I feel like I could jog the block. It's amazing that today I am only 9 days post-op and feeling absolutely wonderful other that it's not so easy to get off the couch anymore.

I had very light bleeding the day after surgery, not even bleeding but a light pink color when wiping (sorry to be so graphic) That all disappeard and DR said I should never bleed again unless I somehow injure myself. Looking very forward to having no more monthlies and only 33 years old. YEAH! Although this evening I noticed a little more of the pinkish only a little darker this time, don't know if I have overdone it or if this is some sort of residue from healing internal sutures, will keep an eye on it and call DR if neccessary.

Again....Welcome back and keep posting on how you are doing, nice to compare healing progress with some one so close to my date, helps me to figure out if I am NORMAL. lol

Take care of yourself
Dawn33

Yes I forgot to mention the bleeding. I had some bleeding every day until yesterday when it stopped. It was bright red spots at first, then turned to a darkish brown. I noticed a question on the boards from someone else about why there would be any bleeding once the vagina had been closed off at the top. I actually asked my Dr. that question, but he didn't give me a satisfactory answer. Just said "there can be some drainage from up there!"

Glad you're home from the castle. Your new crown sure looks nice!!! Sounds like you had a pretty positive castle stay. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Now be a good princess and don't overdo it. No vacuuming or mowing the lawn. Just lots of , lots of water, take short walks, and then rest some more.

s and prayers for an uneventful and speedy recovery,

Lisa