So here I am one week after surgery. This whole experience has been a roller coaster ride.
Last Tuesday morning I checked onto the Forest Surgery in San Jose at 6:15 AM. My mom, sister and Ollie all made the trip with me. It was nice to have a support team at my side for what was pretty much the most scary thing I have ever had to face in my young life.
I had this grandiose fantasy that I would have my own hospital room with a flat screen TV and my family gathered around me. Pre-opp consisted of a curtained off space that just so happened to be right by the entry door. As more poeple were escorted in for pre-opp they would shuffle past my space and inadvertently look over. At first I was irritated but then, trying to keep myself in a good mood, decided to be silly and started waving and greeting people, "good morning." Oliver and the nursing staff were very amused by this.
My pre-opp nurse was a very beautiful Indian woman who laughed at my jokes and complemented me on my tattoos. One nurse in the area noticed my derby shirt and told me her sister was training to skate for Silicon Valley - I instantly felt cool as she scrambled around and told the other nurses.
Ever have a nerve block done? Talk about weird. The anesthesiologist who looked like Andy Dick cam in and seemed a little over-caffeinated. No matter to me because he shot me up with something that made me feel drunk without the dizziness - if the nurses thought I was funny before . . . I think I had become a full blown stand up comedian by this point.
So the nerve block - Dr. Andy Dick pulls out this device that reminded me of a metal detector to try and locate the nerve in my groin area. This was an awkward process that involved leg twitching and uncontrollable giggling. I'm not sure how he shot up the nerve but I still have an "x" on me. I didn't feel anything, but I saw the syringe and my mouth dropped open. It was big and scary looking. I told Oliver to leave before this - I could tell he was starting to get anxious and seeing a doctor digging around his lady's groin would probably turn him white.
I was on drugs at this point and everyone was my best friend. Even when he gave me the block it hurt, but I really did not care.
So the surgeons show up and they wheel me into surgery. I think I cheered as the wheeled me out of the pre-opp area and into the OR (Operating Room). I took one look at the operating room "This looks like the set of ER" I might have been slurring at this point. Andy Dick came over "I'm going to give you something to make you slee . . ." and that was it.
Next thing I know I was being wheeled out. It was like coming out of a fog. I was in a pretty good amount of pain right off the bat. The post surgical nurse pumped me full of more drugs and I remember Ollie being there and then my mom. As the nurse and my mom got me dressed they pulled back the blanket that was covering my legs to reveal a huge brace and hose that was connected to a little cooler.
The ride home was uncomfortable and the next couple days were worse. The anesthetic wore off the next day and the pain was sharp and massive. We finally got the ok from the doctor to double my meds and we finally got ahead of the pain.
I am very blessed to have my support team, because I could not have gotten through the last week without them. My mom getting me up and down to go to the bathroom, cooking, cleaning and letting me cry. My sister washing my hair, changing DVDs and picking out my clothes. Oliver constantly moving the furniture, going to the store twice a day to get ice for my machine and just being loving and supportive. And of course Frankie (the cat) - his loving nuzzles and cuddling were and are a huge comfort.
Other things that have helped: visits from friends, more flowers then I have vases, an amazing care package from the league and general support from all the people I love.
It all helps.
After going through this I have no idea why people voluntarily get plastic surgery - The body does not like being cut open and having foreign objects shoved inside. At least mine didn't.
well . . . that's about all my attention span can muster for today. Sorry if any of this post is incoherent - I'm still on a lot of pills.
I'll try to post more later.
