Surgery day

Well, here goes....I was called Friday and told that they had bumped up my surgery time and that I now needed to be there at 7:30 instead of 9. Wasn't thrilled about getting kids up before 6 as we needed to leave Candace's house by 7 and had 2 stops to make before we could even go to her house but I was happy about getting out of the hospital early. That didn't happen! Once I was checked into an outpatient room, I dozed off about 8:45 and woke up at 9:15. 9:30 they finally came and took me down to pre-op but I hadn't seen a doctor or anesthesia yet and still didn't have an IV so I knew there was no way I'd be in surgery by 9:45. I must say, though, that was the best IV experience I've ever had! Gave me a shot of lidocaine (sp?) before they put the IV in and I didn't feel the IV at all. I was bummed, though, that when I left the outpatient room to go to pre-op, they made me give my glasses to Jonathan so I sat in pre-op for over an hour without being able to see. While I was waiting, they brought down this woman who was crying and moaning and constantly repeating "Oh my God" and "Please kill me"....took 3 doses of pain meds to get her to shut-up. Definitely very interesting. They gave me some relaxing meds about 10:45 and finally headed toward the OR. I remember getting on the operating table, having special boots put around my legs that would periodically squeeze them to keep the blood flowing, and an oxygen mask put on my face. Last thing I remember was wondering why they snapped the oxygen mask to one side of my face but not the other. Was dreaming about Caleb, can't remember what, when I was woke up. My left calf was killing me which sent everyone in the recovery room into panic mode. They started paging everyone they could think of. Finally the doctor called back and said "She was in stirrups during the procedure so it's muscle strain, she's fine". It's nice to have such a varying opinion -- 1 panicked nurse and 1 panicked nursing student versus 1 "You guys are nuts" doctor. Wasn't really in terrible pain but was given something for that. Finally around 2 they got me back into an outpatient room with the game plan being get me out of the bed, into a chair, have me sit for an hour, and go to the bathroom before going home. That last part didn't go according to plan....took 2 IV bags of fluid, 1 glass of coke, 2 glasses of water, and 1 1/2 loops around the outpatient surgery floor before I was able to check that off my list. Finally got out the door and in the van around 4:45. 2 stops to pick up the kids who were at Candace's and Jonathan's parents (thanks, Shandi, for being our backup!), then a swing through McDonald's drive thru and we were home right around 6. Didn't really feel hungry but after I got over the initial it-hurts-to-swallow-food (I'm assuming from the tube they put down my throat during surgery?), I was able to eat some McNuggets. Doesn't really fit into the "light meals" I was told to eat for the 1st day but, hey, they were there and they tasted pretty daggone good! Took a vicodin and went to bed at 7 only to be up by 8:30 'cause the vicodin wasn't making me sleepy and I couldn't get comfortable. Watched the last hour of Biggest Loser and a few other things on t.v. before trying to go back to bed around 11. Up again at midnight 'cause I still couldn't sleep and Jonathan was having trouble getting Lydia settled. I stayed up until 1 getting her settled finally in the swing and taking a 2nd vicodin before going to bed. Thankfully Lydia slept until 6 and Jonathan got up with her. I slept until 7:30 when Timothy woke up while Jonathan was in the shower. I'm feeling some pain, mostly just an ache that's similar to a pulled muscle, right above my belly button more than the other 2 places I have the small incisions. Having extreme troubles bending over, going from sitting to standing/vice versa, and picking up Timothy but all is tolerable. Jonathan's just now leaving for work after helping me get the house in operating order. He's got to go to church tonight to teach RA's and will take the older 4 with him but since I'm having trouble picking up Timothy, Candace has lovingly agreed to come sit with me during church after she goes to potluck (the Stevens Clan will regretfully not be attending the poutluck but will be ordering in pizza). Orders are to remove the bandages after 2 days and then I can shower; otherwise, take it easy for 2 weeks, no strenuous activities or any exercising, not supposed to do any lifting, etc, and to make an appointment for 4-6 weeks from now. I think that's about it Thanks for all the prayers! Wasn't an easy decision to make and it still makes me sad to close the book on this phase of my life but I'll leave that for another blog....