Two Pilots & an LSW: Home

Well, I'm home. As of now, doing okay. My throat is sore, from the breathing tube during General Anesthesia. My arm is bruised up. The one nurse tried the IV on the inside of my arm, and it immediately blew into a bruise. She didn't try again, she called someone else in, and that lady did it in the top of my hand, which honestly is my least favorite place, it creeps me out a little, but she was masterful with it, and I hardly felt a thing, unlike the last one. But it bruised up really big as well. They were both surprised by that. But I'm anemic, and one of the side effects of being anemic is "bruises easily". So...I'm not too surprised.

The whole process was really professional, and smooth, though. My check-in was fast because I'd done most of it online. They took me back and had me prepped by 11 am, and I was scheduled for the procedure at noon. They wheeled me into the OR at 11:57 am. The nurses, anesthesiologist, and doctor, were all clear, professional, non-rushed, thorough, and easy to talk to. Everything was well-scripted and just went super smooth, after that first IV, and she kept apologizing for that. I was okay, I mean, stuff happens and I'm not any other member of my family who would have completely...not been happy that it wasn't over with. lol

I had warm blankets and kind professionals. I only had trouble once. They transferred me to the OR bed, and started prepping me for the surgery, and first they put this sealable mask over my nose and mouth and told me to breathe the oxygen. The only problem was, the mask covered everything and it was hard to move the air. It didn't move very fast or much air. I started feeling like I couldn't breathe, and I can't do stuff on my face, let alone nose and mouth. I'm closing my eyes and trying to concentrate on something else, and they pull my arms out and tie them down to the table. That was it for me. I shook my head and said through the mask "I'm claustrophobic...I can't breathe." I could hear my pulse rate on the machine going up and up. The anesthesiologist was so kind, he immediately removed the face mask and said "You just let me know! You just let us know, we want to make sure you're okay." He injected something in the IV, and then in a really short time, a matter of seconds, I saw the lights overhead blur, and that was it. I was gone.

When I woke up, I was back in my recovery room, and they gave me some meds for nausea and pain. I needed both. The nausea was rising quickly and I think they caught it about in time. The pain dimmed a little but stayed up there past uncomfortable. I texted Steve, and right after that he came walking in. He'd assumed it was close to time and come on over, and was in the parking lot right when I texted him. Perfect timing. :)

I was a little loopy for awhile, but not completely out of it. I remember everything, at least while I was conscious. They gave me a script for Tylenol 3, which Steve went to pick up after he took me home. I tried just using Motrin to start with, but it didn't cut it, so I took one of the prescription pills. I took a little bit of a nap, and finally started feeling a little better. Steve said he could tell when I was still a little out of it because my face didn't have its normal expression on it. He said I looked "sweet". :D He also said he can tell when I'm queasy, based on previous hospital stays 20 years ago where I threw up quite a bit from pain. His memory of my face when I wasn't feeling well is kind of funny, and apparently a little scarring for him. ;) Fortunately this time they caught the nausea before I lost it.

Tomorrow I had a MBros flight, which I will obviously not be taking. So Steve is doing it along with John R in a Bonanza, with Dustin, who needs to get to W. Virginia for a mandatory bid meeting. Now that I took an opioid, even if I wanted to go tomorrow, which I don't, I legally couldn't for I believe it's 3 days. From here on out I'll try to stick with Motrin if I can, and save the good stuff in case I need it sometime.

During the prep, they took my initial blood pressure, and it was like 107/57. I hadn't been able to eat or drink anything since about 10 pm the night before, and my BP is low anyway, but if I don't eat or drink, it can get really low. I'm surprised the upper number was that high, actually. I think maybe because she was making me talk and asking me questions while she was taking it. Then they wanted a urine sample for something--I forgot to ask what--and I said "That'll be a trick. I haven't had any food or fluids in like 15 hours." She said "If you can just produce anything, they can get what they need even with just a couple drops." So I managed that.

When I left the hospital, they gave me a cotton ball soaked in peppermint and something, sealed in a little plastic container, as an anti-nausea device, since the pain pill can also cause nausea, I had it open by my couch while I napped, and I think maybe it helped. Seems a different kind of thing to give to surgery patients, but I have no problem with it. :)

So the next day or two, I'll be home recuperating and taking it a little easy and hoping for no complications and a quick recovery, and a final solving of the problem that sent me there in the first place. Here's hoping. :)

Before they took my phone and stuff away, I took a few photos. I'm sparing you the close-up of my IV. Only because I Don't know anybody who isn't bothered by it.