Paperwork, urine samples and bloodwork...OH MY!

Ok so I have totally neglected my blog for quite some time!  I have always had the best of intentions but things have been a bit crazy lately!  I have not only been recovering from a protruding disc causing sciatica but I have been having female problems too!  Today I went and got all of my preop paperwork and labs for my hysterectomy next Wednesday!  I will be having my  uterus, cervix and both ovaries removed after many years of pelvic pain from endometriosis and now a large fibroid and some cysts on my right ovary!  I have already had two exploratory laparoscopies to scrap that endo junk out so at almost 40 it is time to say goodbye to my child bearing years and parts!

I started off my day with a regular checkup with my primary care doctor for medication followup.  I then went on over to my gynecologist's office for some lovely paperwork and on to TMC for my preregistration, urine screening, blood tests and instructions for that day!  Good news is my labs were all pretty normal which is better than last time!  Also my surgery was moved up from 12:00 to 7:30 meaning I do not have to thirst to death nearly as long but my poor mom has to have me there at 5:30 in the morning!  She will happily take me but I know that was not the text she wanted to receive today!  I still have differing feelings about this hysterectomy thing on a daily and hourly basis.  I know it will be better for me and I can live pain-free in that area at least but the finality of losing my female parts and knowing that I will never have another child is a little heart breaking!  Nothing in my life has gone according to my teenage plans and dreams so I just have to thank the Lord above that unlike some women I at least got to know the pleasure of having one child.  I have not yet decided on the whole hormone treatment thing.  I still have some more reading and research to do on that subject.

I am amazed at how I have gotten such support and kind words from people that I barely know or do not even know outside of social media.  It feels great to have that support system in place with them and my boyfriend, my mom, my son, some of my close friends, etc.  This is a life changing event for me!  I turn 40 this year and I also say goodbye to major organs yet again!  Sometimes we get more support from those we barely know than those closest to us and I am just glad to have it no matter where or who it comes from because yes I am quite nervous and scared and every other emotion known to woman all in one!

I cannot wait to get away this weekend with my sweetheart to Austin and attend the Pink Zebra rally and let loose a little in preparation for this life event!  I hold everyone's prayers and kind words dear to my heart!  I also thank my family in Oklahoma City for my awesome slippers and my grabber that will help me grab things when I am oh so sore after surgery!!

Three Days Postoperative

Well here I am three days after my gallbladder surgery. The pain is getting better every day. It is mostly when moving and coughing and it's hard to get comfortable and sleep. I have not been eating much as I feel pretty nauseous. I had a malt the last two days and a pudding cup also yesterday. I'm mostly making sure I drink fluids for now! I took a shower yesterday which felt great but zapped all of my energy!

My son arrived yesterday so I am glad for that. We watched our favorite show together...Pretty Little Liars. We had two weeks of it and it was good but now waiting until October is the killer.

Today I'll be taking it easy while doing my normal walking around and may try to do a little of my contract work to prepare for working tomorrow night. Tonight we shall rent movies and I'm anxious to try some mashed potatoes in my diet. The furry boys are glad their Dylan is here but I have lost my nurse maids...they traded me in!

I will also say having this iPad mini at times like this has been much needed. I haven't felt like doing much but I have played the occasional game or two!

 

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Surgery Done and Gallbladder Gone

Well my surgery went well yesterday. The time had gotten changed to 9:30 so it ran a little later than we thought. I was very impressed with the care I received there at the old Wilson and Jones now owned by Presbyterian. I was taken in a nice little day surgery room to hang out in before. We had a TV and a nice recliner for my mom.

I called my son on FaceTime (video chat) and talked to him as he got dressed for school and brushed his teeth. I wanted to see his handsome face before my surgery. Just as I was hanging up the nurse came in for my lively IV and thought it was so cute that we were video chatting. She was very nice and another lady came in to draw blood and she was great too. An anesthesiologist came in to discuss things with us and he was very friendly.

 

We were moved to the surgical area some time before and mom got to come with me. Everyone in there was great as well. My anesthesiologist got changed but equally as nice. One of the nurses walked me to pee as I covered up my bare hiney. Gotta love the hospital gowns lol! They started my antibiotics and then he gave me my first shot of "margarita". I said I prefers daiquiris so he said it could be whatever I wanted...haha! They wheeled me to OR so I said bye to mom. Now my son had been concerned about the location of my incisions and the fact that there might be men in there who would see my boobs. Boy I have to tell him next time we talk that they were all men even the OR nurse I met before I went night night!

I woke up in recovery to two nurses talking to me and I could only half see them. She asked about my pain which at that point was throat from anesthesia, abdomen of course and back and shoulder about a 15 out of 10. She gave me a shot of pain medication and then another. I was in a lot of pain!

I was wheeled back to my day patient room when I got more stable. Mom met me in there. They asked about a drink and of course I was thirsty and my throat so dry and hurting so Sprite was a life saver. After a while I was asked to pee which as always I had no problem with that! They took my IV out and we went over my discharge instructions, medications and all of that. I was wheeled out to mom's car and getting in sucked a big one but laying don had been worse so I had already decided I would set up camp in the recliner for comfort and it would also help keep the furry boys away from my abdomen. We went through and got us a drink at McDonalds and I don't remember the drive home or even McDonald's just that I got a Sprite and I think I updated Facebook and my texts on the way.

I settled in at home after we dropped my prescriptions off. I settled in with some ice on my abdomen and messes around on the iPad while waiting for mom to get back with my Sonic happy hour Sprite, pudding and pain meds. I was half asleep when she arrived so I took my pain pills as she left and settled in for sleep. I was knocked out for about six hours. I woke up told mom I was okay, iced my abdomen, played on Facebook while watching TV, peed, let the dogs out, ate one banana pudding cup and took my pills and I was out again. This has been my routine. I am staying up a but longer this time trying to wait until mom gets back to town as I thought I had drinks but only one 7up is what my son and friends left me. I don't normally have that here but his fiends bought some for a cookout we had here. I thought I was set until I pulled this out and realized that was the only one...what turds!

 

My dogs have been good boys and have not gotten on my "boo boos". I showed them to them and keep doing it to help. They have been laying on my legs, feet and pelvic area and especially Bandit. They know something's is wrong and I'm sick so they are being protective.

 

My pain is still pretty bad and getting up and down, turning or moving when resting is still very painful. I'm using a pillow to help protect when I get up and down. It really hurts to cough but they said to try to cough a lot so you don't get pneumonia. My throat still really hurts and is dry which they said is from anesthesia. I know each day it will get better. It is not a lot better today but a little bit and I tried to walk a but more today like it said. I'm just glad to have it done and hopefully be able to eat better now! That will make it all worth it and my son comes tomorrow to Monday. I cannot wait! We have to watch the last two weeks of Pretty Little Liars. He is so sweet last night he said he wished he was here to help take care of me. I sure love him!

 

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Tomorrow We Say Farewell to the Sounds of Kenny Chesney

Well tomorrow is the day I say goodbye to my gallbladder.  Yep that is right it has been a good 39 years but we must part ways.  It developed stones and started hurting me terribly so I must let it go.  To anyone who has never had this or known someone who has it is one of the worst pains ever when you have an “attack”.  As for me I have had what are two serious attacks that made me double over, curl up in a ball and wish for it to stop or to put me out of my misery.  It has left me nauseous pretty much constantly for the last few weeks and I have had a few minor to moderate attacks.  The severe ones feel like chest pain that radiates to your back and even shoulder and I do not wish it on anyone.  The others are similar but not nearly as bad just different levels of pain.  I have had a bloated feeling, gas and heartburn type pains as well.  I have not had a surgery in some time and now that I am older I am a little scared but I know it is something that must be done.  As long as I get to talk to my son on Facetime and see his handsome face in the morning I will be just fine I know. 
My doctor will play music of your choice if you like so I request country and preferably Kenny Chesney and Old Blue Chair as that is my favorite “go to” relaxation song.  I would love to go under to something relaxing like that and not the voices of doctors and nurses.  Maybe I will even hallucinate that he is there with me…bahahaha! 
I went for my preoperative paperwork, testing, and all of that good stuff yesterday.  They do this by appointment now at my hospital so I had my appointment for 10:30 which did not end up making sense because they seemed to still be calling people by the order they got there.  I guess it still helps control things but whatever!  So as I sat there tired as could be since I had been up all night working I just kept getting more and more irritated.  I was doing a lot of people watching.  I found a lady across from me who thought her bright orange lipstick was cool and I assure you it was not.  Bless her heart to each their own but it was not flattering and I just kept being drawn back to it for some reason I guess because it was so bright for her complexion and way out of style.  Anyway there were a lot of older couples and a few other singles.  One woman walked in with her overnight bag and my only thought was at least I was not the only one seemingly dealing with a medical issue without a spouse or significant other attached to their hip.
When I finally was pulled back there of course the first order of business was the money.  Well yes I just paid for an ultrasound let me plop out that $1500 that my insurance does not cover right here and now…How do you wanna take care of that?  Well I want you to set up payments!  Do I look like I carry that amount of money with me?  I mean my insurance is paying most of it and I just shelled out money for that ultrasound so really now.  We set up payments way high for me to make right now but I do what I gotta do and I will pay what I can.  Good thing is my deductible and my yearly tap have both been met so other than copays anything else I need will be taken care of no out of pocket.  Time to get the whole body done I say!  Thank goodness for my medical savings account although I did not want to spend it all right now as I have other medical issues going on like my teeth. 
The nurse that stuck me for blood was super nice and we talked about dogs which is one of my favorite things to talk about.  She had me take a pregnancy test to which I laughed at and said that unless a ghost came in the night there was no chance of that…hahaha!  I am all set to arrive at day surgery tomorrow morning at 7 and surgery at 8:30.  I will pack my overnight bag tonight just in case as they told me.  Got to make sure I have my phone and iPad chargers along with toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and all the other necessities.  My son got his phone back so I shall call him before my surgery to say good morning and see his handsome face on Facetime and I told him he can see my cute hospital gown.  He is thrilled to death about that…hahaha!  If I survive work tonight with nothing to drink after midnight I will be good to go.  When I get home begins another journey of keeping the furry boys off of me while I heal especially Mr. Bandit who thinks he weights a pound but really he weighs way more.  Farewell my gallbladder…it has been real!

They Are Cutting Me Open

Ok so I have not had surgery in probably at least 10 years or so.  I have had two colonoscopies but no cutting involved there.  I have also had one cystoscopy no cutting there either.  I was under anesthesia.  I have had two exploratory laparoscopies for my endometriosis and that is the surgery I refer to being around 10 years ago.
Now I had been having terrible bouts of chest, abdominal, radiating to back pain that left me doubled over and rolling in pain.  I had and am having continued nausea with small bouts of heartburn type pain here and there.  I was diagnosed with gallstones after having an ultrasound.  I visited with the surgeon last week who went over the surgical procedure of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder).  I know laparoscopic is a way better choice than open and I know it is no big deal but still I am having some serious anxiety about this.  I type these kinds of reports and I have no idea if that is part of the issue or not but I keep picturing them cutting into me (even though the incisions will be small unless they convert to open).  I also fear the anesthesia.  I have anxiety so it is not a huge surprise but I do not know if it is my typing these reports about the incisions and all on a regular basis or if it is the fact that I am older now and have multiple medical problems and medications.  It is probably a combination of both.  I keep trying not to think about it but it is really freaking me out.  I mean one of my medications the doctor said to be sure to tell them I am on and I have read it can cause complications so I plan to stop taking it a few days before but still tell them I take it.  I don’t want anything to happen to me.  My son needs me and my furry boys do too.  They said they will play music for me in the operating room so I think some Kenny Chesney and “Old Blue Chair” is in order and some anxiety medication per IV.  I am a hot anxiety ridden mess and other things going on in my life are not helping me. 
I know I am a worry wart but it is part of the whole anxiety thing.  You image everything that can go wrong and picture everything happening and it is just not good.  I may need extra anxiety meds in my IV for reals!!!!