I'm Home!

Finally...home sweet home.


The surgery went well. We got off to a late start on Thursday, due to an added procedure. They had to put a stent in my ureter (the tube that runs from the kidney to the bladder). The surgeon wanted this done because the swollen lymph nodes were very close to it, and she wanted to be able to "feel" it so it didn't get damaged. It was to be inserted and removed before I woke up. This set the surgery back 2 hours. 


While we were waiting, I met the surgeon who was to remove my gall bladder. I had not met with her prior to the day, being I have several people very close to me who have had the procedure done and I really didn't have any questions about it. The surgeon was very explicit about risks, etc., and voiced concern that we didn't have a smoking gun that was showing the gall bladder was bad. I had scheduled the test that she suggested would give us the smoking gun just prior to the discovery of my tumor, but it was cancelled for obvious reasons. She almost convinced me to not have it removed. I stuck to my guns, keeping in mind the pain I was having and my family history.


I was wheeled into the OR at 3pm, and remember nothing until 9:50pm when they brought me to my room. It was hard to breathe, because my core muscles had been so traumatized, and I felt like my bladder was going to EXPLODE! It turned out they (accidentally?) left the stent in, and it was irritating the nerve that tells you your bladder is full. Oh, it was so uncomfortable.


My parents left shortly after I was settled in, Ron left about an hour later. By that time, they were getting my pain under control. By 2am, they had me standing up. It wasn't fun getting up the first time, but I listened to the nurses instructions on how to get up without using my core muscles, and we did it! After that, they put the  air stockings on to keep clots from forming. I found myself drifting to sleep, thinking the dogs were at my feet (the stockings felt like them snuggling up to me). This was a very comforting feeling, and I felt my spirit start to come back. Puppy power!


Friday morning, they finally realized the stent wasn't supposed to be there, so they removed it along with the catheter. Ohhhhhhh....so much better! And, holy crap that stent was long! It was a fine straw-like device, about 2 feet long. No wonder it was uncomfortable!!! I was getting up and walking ok, and this made me have to walk. I was also given an upgrade to my diet, clear liquids. Water tasted so good.


The surgeon visited me that day and said the surgery went well. Everything was done by laparoscopy. The tumor came out easier than she had anticipated, as there was no adhesion to my abdominal cavity (she had anticipated some). She said my gall bladder was "sticky" when they removed it, so there was definitely something going on with it. Thank God I stuck to my guns and had it removed. She was very pleased with my progress.


I had my first shower on Saturday, and got to see the "damage" for the first time. I have five 1/2" incisions and one 5" one that runs vertically down the center of my abdomen (this is the hole the tumor was pulled through). It ain't pretty.


My biggest accomplishment on Saturday was having a bowel movement. This was the indicator that everything was working again. My diet was bumped up to "full liquids"...soups, puddings, etc. 


And then the gas started...good ol' flatulence. A very good sign in the colo-rectal world...but ouchie in my world. 


Sunday, I was put on a  "low fiber" diet. Real food! I had mashed potatoes and crappy mac-n-cheese. The potatoes tasted great, but I also discovered that solid food creates more gas. Food fear is my friend again...temporarily. 


I was given the green light to leave the hospital Sunday, but I didn't feel confident enough and decided to stay one more day. Ron brought me outside for the first time that day, and I burst into tears when the sun hit my face. It was my realization that this hurdle is cleared. It feels so good to say that.


We left the hospital at about 9am this morning. I have been a sobbing mess...happy tears, mind you. The dogs were happy to see me, and I was so happy to see them. It feels so good to sleep in my own bed, to use my own shower, to not have to tell anybody I peed.


As for pain, it is being managed well. I wear this "gramma girdle" that supports my core, and it helps a lot. My inside incisions will continue to heal, and the gas pain will subside. 


Game plan: cheeseburger by Friday! :-)