Pain: Part Two

So the next morning we found out exactly what time my surgery was going to be at (10AM) and I called Josh and he left my parents house immediately to make it on time (it's an hour drive).

I was pretty nervous. They were telling me what was going to happen and then they said something about a breathing tube being placed down my throat and then I can say that at that point I started to freak out inside. I asked multiple times if I was going to be asleep for the breathing tube part. I did not want to be awake when it went in or when it came out! They assured me I would be out and very few people actually remember it being taken out even though you are starting to wake up when they do remove it. I still wasn't too excited about it. Most people may be nervous that their stomach is going to be cut in to, that complications may arise, or so on... I was nervous about a tube in my throat!

They took me down to prep me for surgery and Josh still hadn't arrived. The anesthesiologist went to look for him a couple of times and some of the nurses but no one ever found him. It turned out that he was there, but they had put him in the wrong waiting room so he didn't know when I was going in or when I was done. Anyway, so I was in the prep room and I was nervous so they gave me something to relax me and it made me fall asleep before I even got to the surgical room. Therefore, I don't remember anything about the surgery at all, even being put to sleep, so when I woke up almost three hours later I at first thought I didn't have the surgery yet. Then the cold hard truth hit me in the face, well, more like the stomach, as I felt all sorts of pain in my abdomen. And, I itched, everywhere!

It turns out I was allergic to something in the anesthesia and it was making me itchy. As in I kinda wanted to rip my skin off! They quickly gave me more pain meds and some Benadryl in my IV. I fell asleep again and my doctor came by to explain to me how the surgery went. He told me I probably wouldn't remember much of what he said and he couldn't find Josh yet (since he had been in the wrong waiting room). From what I remember, he told me it went well, something or other about another surgery the next morning being possible, and then I asked if I could see my gallbladder... he said no.

The next thing I remember is when I woke up in my room and Josh was finally there. I pretty much slept the rest of the day it seemed like. Every time I woke up I still was itchy and begged for more Benadryl and then fell back asleep.

The next day they drew blood, in the morning and tests came back that my liver was going back to normal so I didn't need to have another surgery. My kids came to visit me that morning. I was so excited to see them! They were a little overwhelmed by the whole hospital thing but it was so wonderful that they were there! We read books together and watched cartoons. I started to get really tired so Josh took the kids down to the gift shop to pick something out for me. They came back with a little curious george for me, it was so cute! The boys went home with my mom and Josh stayed with me in hopes that I would be able to go home.

I finally was able to get up and about and take a shower that day and my friend Melissa came to visit me from school. We were supposed to have our final exam that night, there was no way I was going to be able to make it though. I was so thankful for visitors!

I finally got to go home that night after I was able to hold down regular food without any pain. For the next few days at home I slept all the time. If I took pain meds, which I needed, I was usually out within 30 minutes of taking them. I was lucky to have stretches of being up for more then 2 hours. To me, it felt absolutely ridiculous. But at the same time I couldn't help it.

I thought my troubles were over. I had been home for three and a half days and things were getting better... or so I thought. And then Sunday afternoon came along...