I survived another surgery. Queasily, grumpily, unhappily. But, survived.
I got really sick this time from the anesthesia and what should have been 2 hours in recovery became almost 5 hours in recovery because I was so nauseated. They gave me something to help, but all it did was knock me out. I have this vague memory of the nurse coming and telling me I had to wake up and then nothing. Later, when the nurse informed me how much longer than normal I had been taking up space, I began to feel guilty for being sick. I mean, come on...I just had an ORGAN REMOVED and I am feeling guilty for not wanting to get out of bed!! What is wrong with this picture?! I dozed off for what felt like hours and then buzzed the nurse to tell her I was ready to get dressed and leave. She stomped in, rolled her eyes, told me in a very exasperated tone that "it has only been 5 minutes since she hung a new fluid bag for me" and I needed to get at least half of it in before I left.
Sheesh - are you supposed to be a nurse if taking care of your patients is an inconvenience?
On top of that, the doctor never came in to tell Eric or me how the surgery went. I am assuming it went fine since I am still breathing, but there is that other thought train that makes me wonder if he is avoiding telling me that he accidentally took out my spleen.
We finally got home last night at 5 and I slept right up until 9 this morning. That was good and not so good. Here is a little tip for you...when you have surgery in your abdomen they pump your belly full of air. Side effect number 1 is really embarrassing burping and farting that you can't control. Side effect number 2 is that if you don't move around enough and work all that air out of your body it starts moving around inside you looking for a way out and it tends to pool up in your shoulders. When that happens you get really bad cramps and sharp pains in your neck and shoulders. Well...welcome to my latest hell. I woke up this morning literally screaming because I couldn't turn my head without excrutiating pain in my shoulder. It has gotten better as the day has gone on and heating pads really help.
Overall - not a good experience. My abdomen is so sore that my current greatest fear is sneezing. It makes my eyes water just thinking about it! I am going to be ok though. I better suck it up quick because pain or no pain I have a business trip next week and get on a plane at 9:15 Monday morning. Happy 9/11 traveling!
So - no more gallbladder blogging. I promise. I am as sick of my organs as I am sure the rest of you are. Next week I will blog about business travel, rental cars and returning to the city where your ex-husband and his new wife (your ex-roommate) live. Ahhh...memories.
Friday, September 8, 2006
Friday, September 1, 2006
Musings...or something kinda like that...
Ahhhh - Friday. Fridays are good days and I am really glad that this one decided to show up when it did cause I really needed one.
Eric and I tend to carpool together on Fridays so I get to work at about 6:45 am - WAY earlier than I normally do. I hate sitting in the office that early so I start my day downtown at the Dawsons - which for the record has the best coffee around - and then walk across the street and go up to the office.
This morning I came in and staked out a table, read my book for a while, drank my latte, ate my pastry and watched the world go by. At about 8 I started the little internal dialogue that always happens on Friday mornings - "Do I sit here til 9 when people actually expect me or do I go ahead and work? Do I just plug in here and work or do I try for respectability and go sit at my desk?" I finally decided to plug in at Dawson's and work from my cozy little table with an awesome view of the door. It is now about 2:15 and I am still here. It's been great - I have gotten a ton of work done since no one can walk in and ask me to do more stuff.
Here are some of the things I have experienced during my coffeehouse work day:
1. 6 old men at the table next to me talking about sports
2. A guy buying coffee that looks so much like Steve Buscemi that I almost asked for his autograph. He even had the funky teeth.
3. A couple making out in the corner
4. A line of patrons out the door that all looked very irritated and merely moments from lighting torches
5. A really cute guy wearing scrubs that winked at me while adding sugar to his coffee
6. A gaggle of really skinny blonde chicks that ordered 1 non-fat latte - no kidding - ONE LATTE for 5 anorexic blonde chicks
7. A short fat guy that went to the bathroom 4 times in half an hour
8. A really cute professional looking fellow hitting on the barista who was so completely oblivious that I wanted to scream FIRE just to put the poor guy out of his misery.
What a fun little viewpoint on the world. I tell you what - I LOVE having an office right downtown. It has been a constant education - I have expanded my worldview as I am now much more aware of the sheer volume of homeless people, punk skaters and bored, rich, skinny trophy wives with nothing to do but drink martinis at Red Feather.
Ahhhh - Life.
Eric and I tend to carpool together on Fridays so I get to work at about 6:45 am - WAY earlier than I normally do. I hate sitting in the office that early so I start my day downtown at the Dawsons - which for the record has the best coffee around - and then walk across the street and go up to the office.
This morning I came in and staked out a table, read my book for a while, drank my latte, ate my pastry and watched the world go by. At about 8 I started the little internal dialogue that always happens on Friday mornings - "Do I sit here til 9 when people actually expect me or do I go ahead and work? Do I just plug in here and work or do I try for respectability and go sit at my desk?" I finally decided to plug in at Dawson's and work from my cozy little table with an awesome view of the door. It is now about 2:15 and I am still here. It's been great - I have gotten a ton of work done since no one can walk in and ask me to do more stuff.
Here are some of the things I have experienced during my coffeehouse work day:
1. 6 old men at the table next to me talking about sports
2. A guy buying coffee that looks so much like Steve Buscemi that I almost asked for his autograph. He even had the funky teeth.
3. A couple making out in the corner
4. A line of patrons out the door that all looked very irritated and merely moments from lighting torches
5. A really cute guy wearing scrubs that winked at me while adding sugar to his coffee
6. A gaggle of really skinny blonde chicks that ordered 1 non-fat latte - no kidding - ONE LATTE for 5 anorexic blonde chicks
7. A short fat guy that went to the bathroom 4 times in half an hour
8. A really cute professional looking fellow hitting on the barista who was so completely oblivious that I wanted to scream FIRE just to put the poor guy out of his misery.
What a fun little viewpoint on the world. I tell you what - I LOVE having an office right downtown. It has been a constant education - I have expanded my worldview as I am now much more aware of the sheer volume of homeless people, punk skaters and bored, rich, skinny trophy wives with nothing to do but drink martinis at Red Feather.
Ahhhh - Life.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Hernia? Gallbladder? Yeah - I can see how those get mixed up...
I am convinced that doctors are nothing but highly paid witch doctors that know a few big words. I also think I need to find a new one. My doctor confused a sick gallbladder with a hernia.
Hernia - Gallbladder
Hernia - Gallbladder
Those are close...right? One is a hole in the abdominal wall and the other is an actual organ commonly found in the human body. Yeah. Very close.
Regardless - the "hernia" is really my gallbladder and I have to have it removed next Thursday. That will be fun. Four incisions in my abdomen - I wonder if I could talk them into removing some fat along with the gallbladder. I mean...if one doctor can confuse it for a hernia then the surgeon is sure to be able to tell the insurance company that all the fat looked confusingly like my gallbladder and by the time they realized their mistake all my belly fat had already been removed.
That's realistic - right?! Anyway, I will let you know how it goes. I hope they don't accidentally confuse my gallbladder with something important and remove the wrong organ...
Hernia - Gallbladder
Hernia - Gallbladder
Those are close...right? One is a hole in the abdominal wall and the other is an actual organ commonly found in the human body. Yeah. Very close.
Regardless - the "hernia" is really my gallbladder and I have to have it removed next Thursday. That will be fun. Four incisions in my abdomen - I wonder if I could talk them into removing some fat along with the gallbladder. I mean...if one doctor can confuse it for a hernia then the surgeon is sure to be able to tell the insurance company that all the fat looked confusingly like my gallbladder and by the time they realized their mistake all my belly fat had already been removed.
That's realistic - right?! Anyway, I will let you know how it goes. I hope they don't accidentally confuse my gallbladder with something important and remove the wrong organ...
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Expired Warranty
Do you know how it is when you buy a new car and just after your warranty expires the whole thing falls apart? I think that is happening to my body...I really should have bought the extended warranty.
I hate going to the doctor and tend to put it off as long as possible. I save up all my health complaints and then go in with a list of questions and requests. I have been having this weird pain on my right side just under my ribcage and I ignored it since it started back in June. I have been working out with a trainer and even started a running program so, naturally, I began having problems with my knees. Any of you who know me know that I have really bad knees and I am not a stranger to knee surgery.
So, yesterday I visited my family doctor and left with a list of referrals. I had to go see the Gyno today - that is always a joyous, special occasion that luckily only happens once a year or so. I even managed to escape that one without my feet ever having touched a stirrup. Yea me!
On Monday I go to the surgeon because that odd little pain in my belly ended up being a hernia. A HERNIA PEOPLE. I am not entirely sure what I do that could cause a hernia, but I have one. If that doesn't make you feel old and decrepit nothing will.
On Tuesday I get to visit the orthopaedic specialist who, I am sure, will be thrilled to hack on my knees again. Ahhh - good times.
So, I know have 2, possibly 3, surgeries in my forseeable future. The upside is pain meds - the downside is everything else. To add insult to injury I am currently sitting in my recliner, watching cartoons with Drew and fighting a fever, nausea, pain in my side and a nasty case of sinus congestion. My warranty has definitely expired.
I should count myself lucky because there are far worse things I could be facing, but that doesn't bring a lot of comfort at the moment. I really just want a big dose of Advil, a warm bed, a good movie and a backrub. I need to be pampered because I feel really terrible and I am a big ole baby when I am sick. I am also starting to wonder if my hernia has exploded - or whatever hernias do - and I am now going to die. Say it with me now - PARANOID!!
I hate going to the doctor and tend to put it off as long as possible. I save up all my health complaints and then go in with a list of questions and requests. I have been having this weird pain on my right side just under my ribcage and I ignored it since it started back in June. I have been working out with a trainer and even started a running program so, naturally, I began having problems with my knees. Any of you who know me know that I have really bad knees and I am not a stranger to knee surgery.
So, yesterday I visited my family doctor and left with a list of referrals. I had to go see the Gyno today - that is always a joyous, special occasion that luckily only happens once a year or so. I even managed to escape that one without my feet ever having touched a stirrup. Yea me!
On Monday I go to the surgeon because that odd little pain in my belly ended up being a hernia. A HERNIA PEOPLE. I am not entirely sure what I do that could cause a hernia, but I have one. If that doesn't make you feel old and decrepit nothing will.
On Tuesday I get to visit the orthopaedic specialist who, I am sure, will be thrilled to hack on my knees again. Ahhh - good times.
So, I know have 2, possibly 3, surgeries in my forseeable future. The upside is pain meds - the downside is everything else. To add insult to injury I am currently sitting in my recliner, watching cartoons with Drew and fighting a fever, nausea, pain in my side and a nasty case of sinus congestion. My warranty has definitely expired.
I should count myself lucky because there are far worse things I could be facing, but that doesn't bring a lot of comfort at the moment. I really just want a big dose of Advil, a warm bed, a good movie and a backrub. I need to be pampered because I feel really terrible and I am a big ole baby when I am sick. I am also starting to wonder if my hernia has exploded - or whatever hernias do - and I am now going to die. Say it with me now - PARANOID!!
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