My Hospital Experience....LONG POST!!!

Day 1 (June 6): I arrived at the hospital around 7:00 a.m. because the hospital failed to do my blood work (pre admission) before the actulal surgery date. First, I had to sign some paperwork. Then, a lady came and got me and my mother so that I could start my bloodwork and EKG, etc... After all of that was over, I was led back to the waiting room. My mother and I sat there for a while conversing, before she dozed off. The lady came in, called my name, and we were then led to a back room. In the back, I was weighed (367-10 pounds down since my pre-op) and then we were placed in a single patient waiting room. The nursing assistant came back, went over some more paperwork with me (I'm self pay) and discussed whatever I wanted with her. She then told me to go ahead and put on my gown and they'll be back to check on me as well as to give me an IV. My mother and I waited for what seems like an eternity!! She'd fallen asleep, as had I...and my nerves had gotten the best of me. I had to urinate about 8 times from the time the lady left us, until the time another lady returned to give me an IV as well as a heprin(sp?) shot (which I later found out is used as a blood thinner to prevent clotting). Oh, and they gave my mother a FREE MEAL CARD, so that she could eat in their cafeteria that day (that was really thoughtful)!!


Finally, I was being wheeled out of the single patient room into the "recovery area" of the hospital. That was the last time I saw my mother until after my surgery. While in the recovery room, vibrating leg braces, for a lack of a better term, were placed on my legs (again this was something commonly done by this hospital to keep one's blood from clotting). Then, the anethesiologist came in to talk with me, as did my surgeon, and before long, I was taken to the OR. I remember seeing the interns prepping things for the doctor's use, and the other people in there were talking about my tattoos as they told me to breathe in and out this oxygen through a machine. Before I knew it, all I heard was....ROBIN, ROBIN, ROBIN, wake up, wake up, are you up??? I looked up....I kept feeling as if I had to burp and my mouth was EXTREMELY DRY....like desert DRY. I kept asking to burp and if they had something for my mouth! Then, I looked up to the ceiling and said, THANK YOU GOD I MADE  IT THROUGH!!


The rest of that day is a complete blur because I slept it off!


DAY 2 (June 7): The night before all I could remember was the constant in and out of the nurses, etc....I was feeling as if I were in the twilight zone. It seemed like as soon as I'd drift off, here came ANOTHER nurse, etc. Well, they finally started trying to get me to drink some water, OMG, I felt as if that was the hardest thing in the world to do. I kept getting nauseated, and the doctor decided to keep me another day so that I could have an xray as well as be watched over the night! Thank God for great doctors!! Again, I was poked and awakened, and poked some more ALL night long. However, I managed to get up and walk around the nurses station 10 times. I was determined to get OUT of that hospital. 


DAY 2 1/2 (June 8); I slept most of the day, but I was starting to get water down a lot better. The swallow test gave off the impression that I was okay. So, we knew that I'd be dismissed, it was just the AGONY of knowing WHEN would we be dismissed. So, determined to show my doctor that I was ready, I got up walked around the nurses station 10 more times, and tried to drink as much water as I could stomach (not much at all). Yet, time wasn't on our side. Finally, my doctor and his personal nurse came in, talked with me, and then told me that they'd let me leave because they felt confident that I was ready to go home. Oh, I was elated. However, they warned me that since I live a small distance (1 hour 30 min) from the hospital that I'd need to stop every 30 mins, walk around the car about 3-4 times to prevent clotting. 


Of course, I skipped alot because I'm a VERY wordy person, but I must say that I'm VERY pleased with my OVERALL services rendered. My mom slept in a BED right next to me the entire hospital stay (no cots, no chairs pushed together)! They checked on me constantly, and whatever I asked of them, they complied. I couldn't have chosen a BETTER hospital, surgeon , or staff to help make my stay comfortable!! Everyone was EXTRA nice, and if they didn't know something, they searched for the answer. 


I'm home, but I haven't STOPPED praying!  My surgeon said that if nothing has occurred after 30 days, that he usually doesn't look for anything to go wrong. So, I'll be praying consistently...........Please, keep PRAYING for me!!! 

The Day has COME & GONE!!!

Hello Everyone!!! If you're reading this, then you know that I'm ALIVE!!! LOL. I had my surgery on Monday, June 6, 2011, and I wasn't released from the hospital until Wednesday, June 8, 2011. The doctor wanted to run a "leak test" to make sure I was okay, because every time I drank water, I began to get nauseated.

My experience in the hospital was GREAT! The doctors, nurses, and staff were all pleasant, informative, and they actually seemed as if THEY enjoyed doing what they do!! Anyone going into a hospital for ANY length of time can definitely appreciate that!! I sure did!

I'm staying with my mom. She and my granny didn't feel as if I should be home alone, so I'm being held hostage at their home! I'm planning to escape tomorrow......there's definitely NO PLACE like HOME!

Later, when I feel up to  it, I plan to give you a detail by detail description of my hospital stay....ya'll know that I'm SCRUPULOUS!!!

Please, continue to KEEP me in your prayers!!!  The texts, phone calls, home visits, hospital visits, etc......have really made my days EASIER!! This was a life changing surgery, and it's good to know people out there still CARE!!!

Love you ALL!!!! God Bless You!!!