WARNING: The content shared may be graphic and discuss bodily functions with or without images. Do not proceed if this will offend you or you are not interested.
The big day finally had arrived!!! I was so ready to get it over with.
Friday, August 2nd, 2019
My surgery was scheduled for 11 am, I was supposed to arrive by 9 am. We didn’t want to get stuck in traffic or construction at the hospital and parking so we left super early at 7:15 am and ended up arriving around 8 am, about 1 hour early.
We entered the hospital main entrance and followed signs to the women’s center which took us to the 4th floor. A guard was sitting at the desk and needed identification to allow us to proceed and get us started. We got our identification stickers and they checked us in. I had to enter an office to check-in where they asked me a few questions and had me sign a few things. They printed off my wrist band and sent us on our way. It was a super easy and fast process. They then sent us to the surgery waiting room.
After locating the waiting room, a very nice lady checked me in and provided me with my special patient number on a card and explained that my friends and family can watch my progress throughout the process on the TV monitor using my number.
The back of the card showed the colors and the corresponding meaning of each color.
After a very short few minutes wait and quickly seeing my doctor walk in, who was getting ready to start surgery for the patient prior to me, I was taken back to the surgery prep and recovery area to get ready. My boyfriend was not allowed to come back with me initially while I got ready, but was called back after awhile.
The nurse showed me to my surgery prep area where I had a bed waiting for me with purple hospital socks and a purple hospital gown. I was told to close the curtain, get undressed and put all my belonging into the bad, put on the hospital gown with the opening in the back and I could cover up with the warm blanket they provided.
By 8:30 am, I was all ready in the bed waiting for my next steps. I had several nurses and the anesthesiologist in and out getting me checked in, having me sign the paperwork, etc. over the next 30 minutes or so. I was waiting for an IV to get started before they would call back my boyfriend.
Shortly after 9:00 am, my mom had arrived and she and Diwiane were both allowed to come back with me even though my IV still had not yet been started.
Let me tell you what! They had a heating tube that plugged into my hospital robe to warm your body under the hospital gown. It was amazing but wasn’t enough for me at times so I did bring my own blanket which was super helpful to stay warm while I waited.
They gave me a nausea patch to go behind my right ear.
I normally don’t eat too much in the morning, but for some reason, I was so hungry this morning. I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink anything so when they gave me 2 pain pills and a few ounces of water to drink, I was beyond happy about it.
By about 10 am, shortly after, they got the IV needle set up into my right arm.
At 11:00 am the Dr. came in, introduced himself, and gave an overview of what we were doing. I think I had to sign some paperwork. He explained that it will be about 30 minutes until they were ready for me to take me back.
From the time I arrived until about 8 am until 12 noon, I got up to use the restroom probably close to 10 times. It was constant, nonstop. I had to unhook myself, uncover, make sure my butt wasn’t sticking out from my robe, open the bedroom curtain, hobble to the bathroom in my hospital socks, use the restroom, etc. Oh, they only had wipes in the bathroom as well so that was interesting. I probably used the entire package with how many times I had to go.
Around 12 pm noon, they came in and attached the IV to the bag and started telling me what the next steps were. They put a head cap on my head and they started to move the bed so I said my Love Yous and I don’t remember anything else until I was waking up in recovery.
My surgery lasted about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Although my surgery was completed around 2:30 pm, I was in recovery for 30 minutes to an hour before I started to actually wake up. I remember needing to go to the restroom, so I thought, so badly! The nice nurse explained to me that feeling the urge to use the restroom is normal after surgery due to have a catheter placed inside you during surgery. I was convinced that I need to go no matter what. I was in no shape to get up and walk around so they brought a bedpan and got me all setup. Still no luck. No luck!
By 3:30 pm or so, Diwaine and my mom were able to come back. My throat hurt so bad! They brought me some juice and graham crackers, but my mouth was so dry that it was so hard to even chew and swallow a graham cracker. I had a terrible taste in my mouth. I just wanted to keep drinking. I needed chapstick.
My pain started increasing so much! So much all at once. They gave me a new dose of pain meds. This happened nearly 3-4 times and then finally after the 3rd or 4th dose of pain meds, I was feeling somewhat relieved from the pain.
At one point, the nurse got me up slowly to try to use the restroom. The first visit was not successful. I tried again a few more times and finally had success.
I was able to sleep off and on in recovery, with a scowl on my face probably, giving away my true feelings of how I felt at the time.
By about 7 pm, I was cleared and ready to be discharged. They got me up and helped me get dressed. The hospital underwear they provide actually is pretty darn comfy. I did take my own pads that are thin and long with wings, BUT let me tell you that the pads the hospital supplies were best to use with the underwear they provide rather than the pads that I brought.
They got me up and in a wheelchair and carted me down to the discharge waiting lobby. Whoever decided to use tiling in a hospital where people are pushed by wheelchair after surgery obviously has not felt what it feels like to sit in a wheelchair after surgery and be wheeled over each of the little gaps between each tile.
And let’s not forget the feeling of being pushed onto and out of the elevator, or over door jams and through doorways. It hurt so bad as we entered the discharge waiting room that I was NOT going to allow the wheelchair to take me to my car. I was determined to walk no matter what! I was able to, with help of course and I moved like a snail.
Continue to Part 6: The Laparoscopic Surgery to Remove Endometrioma & Endometriosis
