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July 10, 2004
op
I woke up yesterday at 4:45am and we got to the hospital by 6:00. Got into my gown and sat around for an hour and waited for the nurse. Shelly fed Ruth and we talked about life until my nurse showed. Once the nurse showed she was down to business putting in my IV, asking me hundreds of medical history background questions and shaving my stomach. The most amusing part of the prep was the x they put on my stomach with a black sharpie. This was to make sure they operated on the right person in the right place. Pity the poor person who was the mistake that caused this safety precaution.
After the prep i was taken to the operating area. They parked me outside OR#4 to wait. There I was greeted by half a dozen different people, a few nurses, the anesthesiologist, the assistant anesthesiologist. Each of these people greeted me asking me for my name and date of birth. After being assured of who i was they wheeled me into the OR and moved me to the operating table. Strapped my arms and legs down, waited for the Dr. to say good morning to me and then they gave me a shot, covered my mouth with a mask and I was out.
I woke up sometime later in the recovery area. Wow, it has been a long time since I have had some good strong pain. I rated it a 7-8, I am sure there is worse pain but i needed something to take the edge off. I struggled my best to wake up and appear alert so they would take me back to my room to see Shelly & Ruth. Well my efforts paid off shortly and I was on my way. It occurred to me as I was being wheeled through the main hall of the hospital how silly some of the current privacy laws are. They tell me they are protecting my privacy but they wheel me down the main corridor of the hospital past the main lobby and address me by my name and date of birth at every stop. Doesn't seem very private. I have no beef against the Hospital, just the silly law they have to obey even if unpractical.
Finally arrived back at my room where I got to see my wonderful wife and baby. I instantly felt better and more at ease. Spent the next few hours recovering until I got the OK to go home. YEAH!
My doctor stopped in for a chat before we left. She informed me that my operation went well. That actually the repair to my hernia was worse of a job than having my gall bladder out. Apparently my hernia had been around for awhile and had scarred itself into place and due to the fact that she removed my gallbladder at the same time she could not use mesh to repair the muscle. So she could only use stitches. Due to that I need to be even more careful for a longer period of time.
So she gave me my orders. Liquid diet and soft foods over the next 2 days. Then watch my diet (no fatty foods, perhaps i will talk about this later) Lots of rest for the next 5-7 days, no car for the next week. So no lifting anything greater than 20lbs for 2 months and then nothing heavier than 40lbs. till Christmas. Hopefully this will give me enough time to heal.
Got wheeled out to the curb of the hospital in a wheelchair and hopped into the suburban for a painful ride home. Every bump in the road made my condition worse till I had tears in my eyes. Finally we arrived and i slowly made my way inside to my recliner.
My mom who had been watching my three eldest children dropped by. What a blessing she was to us. She watched the kids overnight and all day, brought supper with her for Shelly and a few groceries including Peanut Butter Paradise Low Carb Ice Cream for me.(thanks mom!)
Even though I am in pain it was good to know my ordeal was over and my whole family was under one roof again. ok, now you have been informed and it is time for me to rest.
Posted by smitty at July 10, 2004 1:37 PM
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