Surgery and the first 10 days of recovery........

The day of surgery I had to be at the hospital two hours before surgery was scheduled to begin, which for me was 9:30 so my anticipated arrival at the hospital was 7:30. Seeing as though it was a normal work day we needed to factor in traffic on the beltway, so although the drive would only take 20-25 minutes we left the house an additional hour, 6:30.

I was calm, cool and collected for the most part. My mother and husband were there keeping the mood and aura up with jokes. But when I was called back for the pre-op procedures by myself, I broke abit. I made it all the way thru the countless questions and instructions and changing in the gown. It took the pre-op nurse explaining all that would take place they bought the tears on. Thankfully it wasn’t full out right crying, and I sucked it up abit when my mother and husband were allowed to come back. But I broke down again, and when my mother asked what I was crying for and her subsequent chuckle led me to suck it up and forget about my nerves.

The anesthesiologist finally came and put in the first of two doses and that was all she wrote for me. I can’t recall much else, I did a little scoot or two to get on the surgery table but I woke up in my assigned room with my mother and husband walking thru the door.

The nurses were very attentive, every 30 minutes I had to have my blood pressure and temperature. By the time I left I grew very tired of that. The day after the surgery I was forced to get up, brush my teeth, do some walking and sit in a chair for abit.

Day 2 I woke up with a fat hand, where the IV was. So they took the IV out and put a hot pack on it. My stepmother came thru to visit for a few and later on my mother and mother in law came thru to visit.

Day 3 was preparation for discharging. I was determined to get moving about and around. So I did some walking around and the time went by quickly and before I knew it I was taking the bumpy ride home. Damn the state and their failure to handle potholes.

Day 4 (Thursday) I woke up pretty early to some pain, so I got up to eat and take my meds. I’d read somewhere that moving around helped with recovery and healing, so I decided to spend the day downstairs sitting up on the living room couch. I had to make several trips up the steps to use the bathroom and well, let’s just say I was worn out by the time I went to bed.

So day 5 was be spent in bed for majority of the day………damn what I read, my body is saying differently.

Day 6 – additional bed rest was in order, I started watching the countless DVD’s I’d borrowed from the library

Day 7 – it’s my birthday but more rest in preparation for going to the doctor for the first post op visit, more DVD watching and homework due

Day 8 (Monday) – doctor’s appointment where I was told my fibroid weigh a hefty 324 grams, um yeah that’s huge considering the normal non-pregnant uterus is 60-100 grams; mother and I had lunch and went to Target to pick up a few more supplies I needed for my recovery. And back I went.

Day 9 – guess what, I was tired and beat down so bed rest was in order

Day 10 – Since hubby had to work on my birthday and the stores closed early, we ventured out today to get my birthday gift. Not at all like I expected, but I got it anyway……..then back home.

So there you have it my first 10 days of recovery. It’s slowly coming along. The incision site stings and the numbing has begun to wear off so I’m still on the meds.

Peace, Blessings and Laughs