Fri 19 Feb - A male and a female physio helped me out of bed to walk out of the Ward and back. That was a massive effort with so many tubes and dangly bits hanging off me. Jack was misinformed and arrived 30 min before visiting started, so got thrown out by the staff nurse. He came back at 2:30PM promptly everyday and stayed till 8:00PM when the matron threw him out. Prescribed antihistamine for severe itching from use of morphine. Discovered the number of ab muscles one uses to sneeze and/or cough (and the post-op brochure instructs to cough as much as possible to rid mucus retained in lungs!).
Sat 20th Feb - Made BIG mistake of having a piece of toast for breakfast - ouch! Father-in-law visited. Mother-in-law stayed home with her cough. Plucked up enough courage to lift the sheets to look at my wounds. Discover that I have had to have a stoma. Depressed with and embarrassed by my stoma's behavior - making loud spitting and oozing sounds when you least expect it. Even more depressed with accident of stoma bag exploding under the sheets! Observed how quickly my 2-litre (urine) bag gets filled up. Experimented further with the morphine injector. Only 33 shots used in total.
2/27/2010
2/26/2010
I’m Home :)
I don't think I have ever spent so much time glued to a bed as I have in the last 10 days. The following is an attempt to recall what had happened:
Wed 17 Feb – Branson (my stuffed toy companion) and I were officially checked in at The RD&E Wonford at 6:15PM. The nurses were real sweet and gave Branson an identity wristband. Jack and I prayed together in the chapel.
Thurs 18 Feb - Before I could say, "I need a pee", a surgery staff dawned on me - putting on compression socks (hey! I can do that myself if you leave them on my bed!), registering my blood pressure (low as ever), temperature (normal), etc. A smiley-faced lady measured and made markings on my belly. Then a very matronly lady nurse walked me towards the operating theatre. As I looked totally able, I was asked to haull myself onto the steel-operating table. I let out a scream when my flesh touched the cold surface of the table! The anesthetist who I met a few minutes earlier at my bedside, held my right hand out for a somewhat sheepish-looking girl to stick a needle in. She succeeded on her 4th attempt and I remember nothing thereafter. After 4 hrs of surgery and another 6 hrs in the recovery room, I was finally wheeled to the Lyme Ward. Jack had to take Branson home 'cause the nurses were concerned about being able to access my tubes and arms quickly in case of an emergency.
…sorry, I have to stop now and I will update tomorrow.
Wed 17 Feb – Branson (my stuffed toy companion) and I were officially checked in at The RD&E Wonford at 6:15PM. The nurses were real sweet and gave Branson an identity wristband. Jack and I prayed together in the chapel.
Thurs 18 Feb - Before I could say, "I need a pee", a surgery staff dawned on me - putting on compression socks (hey! I can do that myself if you leave them on my bed!), registering my blood pressure (low as ever), temperature (normal), etc. A smiley-faced lady measured and made markings on my belly. Then a very matronly lady nurse walked me towards the operating theatre. As I looked totally able, I was asked to haull myself onto the steel-operating table. I let out a scream when my flesh touched the cold surface of the table! The anesthetist who I met a few minutes earlier at my bedside, held my right hand out for a somewhat sheepish-looking girl to stick a needle in. She succeeded on her 4th attempt and I remember nothing thereafter. After 4 hrs of surgery and another 6 hrs in the recovery room, I was finally wheeled to the Lyme Ward. Jack had to take Branson home 'cause the nurses were concerned about being able to access my tubes and arms quickly in case of an emergency.
…sorry, I have to stop now and I will update tomorrow.
2/06/2010
Speedy Gonzales
Everything is moving VERY quickly now - its go Go GO!
I received a call from The Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford) at 6:20 PM last night, with the good news confirming my surgery date for Thursday, 18th February (correct! 5th day of Chinese New Year!) Your continued prayers are much needed and very much appreciated. I am pleasantly surprised at the number of friends in distant places (who have somewhat lost touched over the last 3 years) who have recently written to me with encouragement and words of wisdom. Please pray especially for Jack as he has a lot to cope with his upcoming work appraisal, maintaining his workload, office move next weekend, and my situation. He's been down with the shakes and temperature all week now and hasn’t been able to get rid of it :(
The exact time of my surgery is not known but I know I will be checking in to the Hospital the night before. And so my next update could be before or after the surgery.
Thank you once again for all your kind thoughts and friendship.
I received a call from The Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford) at 6:20 PM last night, with the good news confirming my surgery date for Thursday, 18th February (correct! 5th day of Chinese New Year!) Your continued prayers are much needed and very much appreciated. I am pleasantly surprised at the number of friends in distant places (who have somewhat lost touched over the last 3 years) who have recently written to me with encouragement and words of wisdom. Please pray especially for Jack as he has a lot to cope with his upcoming work appraisal, maintaining his workload, office move next weekend, and my situation. He's been down with the shakes and temperature all week now and hasn’t been able to get rid of it :(
The exact time of my surgery is not known but I know I will be checking in to the Hospital the night before. And so my next update could be before or after the surgery.
Thank you once again for all your kind thoughts and friendship.
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