Recovering

 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Recovering

Thank you, Jenny. I Love You

I can't sleep with my feet covered

Trying to wake up after surgery

Surgery Day is Tuesday, December 10. 2013      

  Today's Date Friday 13th, 2013 {Friday the 13th?}

Eric and I arrived at Mayo Hospital around 9:30 am. I forgot how much I despised the waiting area. I was getting increasingly agitated by Mr. Chezinksk; staring at him and watching his every move became my obsession. Eric asked why I was shaking my legs so hard; I told him Mr. Chezinsky was annoying me, taking papers in and out of his neatly prepared briefcase, slamming and turning each document page as if he was disgusted with what he read on them. The more he rearranged his briefcase and read through his papers, the faster my leg would shake. Finally, they called his family name, and he was off to annoy someone else. I was grateful to have my sister Kris and her husband John come and wait with Eric. My sister Sonya came a bit later; she had a tooth break and had to get it fixed--she didn't miss anything here; I love my sisters and have come to appreciate and love them more and more as we experience life together and understand each other's needs.

When they finally did announce my name, 2 hours had passed, and having gone through this before, I knew that was just about right. Once I got all my vitals done, got dressed, and spoke with the anesthesiologist, Eric returned to sit with me. The nurse said Dr. Barr's previous surgery ran longer than he expected. I think they rolled me into the OR around 3:00 and woke me up in recovery around midnight. I remember a few things about recovery; I asked if he got all cancer out. Then I remember the nurse saying 3 boys were waiting for me and that one of them wanted me to get a Turkey tattoo--{I think I thought I had just gotten my mastectomy} I said, "that was probably my son Blake" then I quietly said, "maybe it's Brian, he likes to hunt, maybe he wants me to get a tattoo of a bow and arrow with a turkey" they laughed and said "maybe, we'll check for you" I have no idea how much time passed. Still, when they returned, I said, "would it hurt your feelings if I don't get a tattoo?" "I think I would rather have Heather Lucas do it for me" then the guy said, "the PA for Dr. Kreymerman?" I said, "yes, do you know them?" they said, "of course, we all know them, but Dr. Kreymerman moved. He's not here anymore" "I know. However, I still don't want a tattoo," he said "don't worry, honey, we're not doing any tattoos tonight" Hopefully, you are laughing right now--I did once I realized this was just the medicine talking, I'm sure the recovery room nurses hear a lot of funny things.

Very Swollen, very shaved head

staples, plugs, and dumbo ear

When I got to my room, Eric and Jenny were there. My head was pounding with pain; the nurse gave me a shot of morphine intravenously, she ended up doing this 6 times, and nothing would help with the pain; large doses of Percocet and morphine were not helping; I seriously thought my head was going to explode, the pain on the left side was awful, and was now moving around to the back of my head. Finally, at about 3 am, they called Dr. Barr's, and I was given stronger pain medicine. This did help with the pounding on the surgery site, but not the left side; nothing could take it away--I didn't sleep at all. When we left the hospital, I told Eric the pain on the left side was horrible and had him feel it; he turned the car around and took me back to the hospital to see Dr. Barr's. The knot on the upper left side of my head was as big as a tennis ball and bright red. I thought for sure someone had dropped me on my head while I was out, but Dr. Barr's explained to me that my head was supported by a blown up donut looking pillow, he did not expect my surgery to be as long as it was, and with my head, in that position, it caused a hematoma. He then explained what he found during surgery. He was able to get the tumor out. However, it was terribly infected; he got out all he could but is still concerned about an area of dead skin; he is going to watch it and possibly have another surgery. I will be seeing him on Monday--he wants to take the plug out; I am getting tired now; I just wanted to blog the things I could remember while they were still on my mind--maybe Eric can help me to remember more later--