Cynthia777
big-cheese
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Just checking in to see how you're doing my friend. I pray you're resting well and taking it easy. Hugs! 
THR Working out this recovery thing finally!
- Thread starter Wrknitout
- Start date
- Status
OP
OP
Wrknitout
member
Hi everyone, I will give you a quick run down of how the last few days have gone.
The alarm went off at 4:00 am on Wednesday the 3rd. I laid there praying and thinking of what was to come. I finally got out of bed took my shower with special soap, brushed my teeth being careful not to swallow any water. I threw a few remaining items in a bag to take to the hospital and made a half hearted attempt at making my hair somewhat presentable while my husband was finishing up caring for the dogs and getting his shower etc. It is now that I realize we are running late and so I add this this to my frustration factor and carry on. I come up with a few scenarios off my surgery being cancelled because,I am late but, decide I better show up anyways.
We arrive at the hospital 15 minutes late and no one seems to notice and we still ended up waiting a few minutes. Another patient shows up after myself and then we are all escorted to the pre surgical area and go our separate ways.
I am given a room hubby comes too. I change into the gown answer all the questions get weighed etc. While I am waiting I get a nice surprise my Dad and step mom show up unexpectedly from Spokane which is 7 or 8 hours away. I am so glad they came.
Before long IV's are getting put in and everyone leaves the room. I am getting much, much more relaxed and then they start wheeling me away as I wave good bye to my family. I vaguely remember being moved to another bed and a quick poking in my back. I think the order is right on all of this but, I could be off a bit.
The next thing I remember is waking up while still in the operating room. I was asked to wiggle my toes. I was trying so hard to wiggle theme and I did but, it was not easy. I remember going to the recovery room. I was very alert . I was told I would not remember any of it but, I said I would. Later the nurse recanted what she said about my not being able to remember and agreed I probably would because, I was so alert and cognitive. That is just great that I was so awake and not ill but, the bad part of it all is that my spinal wore off quickly and my pain was pretty bad for quite sometime . It took quite awhile to get things levelled off. I was up and took a walk by the late afternoon though. It looked like I may be heading home the following day after PT. I was as comfortable as could be expected the rest of the afternoon. By nighttime it was a different story and the nurses were not helping much. I asked for more pain meds and a hot blanket and 45 minutes later a nurse finally came after I called again and they did not bring the blanket and had to go get it as I was shaking all over and my teeth kept chattering. So I ended up fighting off some high fevers 101.6 and 102. Were the highest. Then I was having major dizzy spells probably due to low blood pressure 85/51 was the lowest. They started pumping me up with more fluids and had me stay in bed I had to skip some PT because I was so dizzy. So I ended up staying an extra night and came home Friday afternoon. The problems I encountered are common but, still must be taken seriously. There was not a lot of communication when it was time for me to leave and when I was being wheeled down my pain was soaring and I realized I had not been given the dose that was due about the time I was to leave. The kind volunteer wheeling me called to the desk and was given the run around being told my records were no longer in the system. I knew this was not true or they were having a miscommunication. I asked to be brought back upstairs and I was. They were at first trying to give me the run around but, after me having a near meltdown and insisting I could not make it all the way home without some meds they figured it out and had a not to pleasant male nurse give me the 10 mgs of oxy and the anti nausea medicine I needed.
Well that is all I can say for now as I have run out of energy and should rest. Sorry about the grammar errorsand any typos
The alarm went off at 4:00 am on Wednesday the 3rd. I laid there praying and thinking of what was to come. I finally got out of bed took my shower with special soap, brushed my teeth being careful not to swallow any water. I threw a few remaining items in a bag to take to the hospital and made a half hearted attempt at making my hair somewhat presentable while my husband was finishing up caring for the dogs and getting his shower etc. It is now that I realize we are running late and so I add this this to my frustration factor and carry on. I come up with a few scenarios off my surgery being cancelled because,I am late but, decide I better show up anyways.
We arrive at the hospital 15 minutes late and no one seems to notice and we still ended up waiting a few minutes. Another patient shows up after myself and then we are all escorted to the pre surgical area and go our separate ways.
I am given a room hubby comes too. I change into the gown answer all the questions get weighed etc. While I am waiting I get a nice surprise my Dad and step mom show up unexpectedly from Spokane which is 7 or 8 hours away. I am so glad they came.
Before long IV's are getting put in and everyone leaves the room. I am getting much, much more relaxed and then they start wheeling me away as I wave good bye to my family. I vaguely remember being moved to another bed and a quick poking in my back. I think the order is right on all of this but, I could be off a bit.
The next thing I remember is waking up while still in the operating room. I was asked to wiggle my toes. I was trying so hard to wiggle theme and I did but, it was not easy. I remember going to the recovery room. I was very alert . I was told I would not remember any of it but, I said I would. Later the nurse recanted what she said about my not being able to remember and agreed I probably would because, I was so alert and cognitive. That is just great that I was so awake and not ill but, the bad part of it all is that my spinal wore off quickly and my pain was pretty bad for quite sometime . It took quite awhile to get things levelled off. I was up and took a walk by the late afternoon though. It looked like I may be heading home the following day after PT. I was as comfortable as could be expected the rest of the afternoon. By nighttime it was a different story and the nurses were not helping much. I asked for more pain meds and a hot blanket and 45 minutes later a nurse finally came after I called again and they did not bring the blanket and had to go get it as I was shaking all over and my teeth kept chattering. So I ended up fighting off some high fevers 101.6 and 102. Were the highest. Then I was having major dizzy spells probably due to low blood pressure 85/51 was the lowest. They started pumping me up with more fluids and had me stay in bed I had to skip some PT because I was so dizzy. So I ended up staying an extra night and came home Friday afternoon. The problems I encountered are common but, still must be taken seriously. There was not a lot of communication when it was time for me to leave and when I was being wheeled down my pain was soaring and I realized I had not been given the dose that was due about the time I was to leave. The kind volunteer wheeling me called to the desk and was given the run around being told my records were no longer in the system. I knew this was not true or they were having a miscommunication. I asked to be brought back upstairs and I was. They were at first trying to give me the run around but, after me having a near meltdown and insisting I could not make it all the way home without some meds they figured it out and had a not to pleasant male nurse give me the 10 mgs of oxy and the anti nausea medicine I needed.
Well that is all I can say for now as I have run out of energy and should rest. Sorry about the grammar errorsand any typos
Welcome home! Well done for speaking up and being your own advocate about pain management. That can be quite tricky when you are trying to deal with regaining your mobility (and everything else recovery wise). Get those mantras going and rest, rest, rest. You are on your way!
Cynthia777
big-cheese
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2015
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- 4,266
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- 72
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- Quartz Hill, California
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- Female
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- United States
Great to hear you're home where you'll be able to control your pain meds and "stay ahead of the pain"! Rest well.
Krista
post-grad
Hi, @Wrknitout, glad you are home, but so sorry for the lack of good standard of care that you received while in hospital. Trying to send you out of the door without pain and anti-nausea meds, letting you freeze with teeth chattering for a long time, and even sending you home that quickly. Hope your pain gets and stays under control at home. Take good care!
OP
OP
Wrknitout
member
@Krista most of the staff was just wonderful the daytime nurses were great but, the night nurses on both nights were either extremely short staffed or just did not want to be bothered. When I called for pain meds and a warm blanket that was the very first time since being there that I had used the call button.I did have a couple of people caring for me that did not seem to have the empathy required of someone in their position. My Doctor said I will receive a survey and to be honest about my circumstances when filling it out. I will. I am sure glad that most of the caregivers were very kind. I tried to be polite and not over dramatize things or be over demanding. Another thing that happened was on the second night I awoke in pain and having to use the restroom very badly. I went to reach for the call button and heard it crash to the floor. I looked for my phone but, could not get it without breaking precautions. I tried to wait it out but, I really had to go. I started to yell hello very loudly when I heard someone in the hallway. No one responded even after many times so I finally switched to yelling help. The hip patient in the room next to mine heard me hollering and called a nurse from her room. I was later told that my call button/remote should have been attached so that wouldn't happen. Oh well, I lived to tell the tale but, I was and will be more aware of making sure that that important piece of equipment is not able to get out of my reach.
Krista
post-grad
It's good to hear that most of the staff was responsive to your needs! And, of course, your call button should have been attached, someone blew it on that one! Glad you got the attention you needed.
I had some very difficult times in the hospital myself. I was there 4 days, so there were lots of opportunities for problems. Ugh. I wrote about them all in detail in my post-op survey. Boy, did I give them an earful! Just tell them like it was and maybe things will be better for the next patient!
Keep on keepin' on!
I had some very difficult times in the hospital myself. I was there 4 days, so there were lots of opportunities for problems. Ugh. I wrote about them all in detail in my post-op survey. Boy, did I give them an earful! Just tell them like it was and maybe things will be better for the next patient!
Keep on keepin' on!
DizzyBlond
senior
What a relief to be home after a few "unsettling" experiences at the hospital! There's nothing like desperately needing help and not getting it! Hopefully you've been able to shake all of it and can now concentrate on resting, recuperating and recovering!! Looking forward to hearing from you soon!! Xoxoxo
Nana2-8
senior
@Wrknitout - I'm sorry to hear of your hospital experiences, but that's behind you now that you're home. If I can give a little nugget of advice at this stage.....lest you suffer the same urgency you felt in the hospital, plan ahead for your bathroom needs. It's not like before...where you'd just whisk yourself there. Now, it's a rather arduous process...which takes time! Key: plan ahead!!!
Miss Muffet
post-grad
@Wrknitout - so sorry you had a difficult time. I must admit I was paranoid about losing that call button, so can understand your panic. I was constantly checking forming. But I also had my mobile on the over-bed table as back-up. I had a bladder mishap in the step-down unit when my spinal hadn't worn off and the dear thing emptied itself without me being able to control it! Very embarrassing but the nursing staff could not have been kinder, saying it wasn't my fault and reassuringly told me I wasn't the first. But @Nana2-8's advice about planning ahead when home is wise. I never waited behind the first "knock" as I knew by the time I'd negotiated my way out of bed, taken up my crutches and hobbled to the loo required some forward planning. This especially as I was trying to keep up my fluid intake. BUT don't despair, you will soon find you'll get into the swing of these new challenges and they'll become habits. Bet you're happy to be home once more. Best wishes
froggymom
senior
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Hi wrknitout 
i am glad your home and the surgery is behind you. Sorry to hear you had trouble with the nurses that was a problem I also had mainly with night nurses some due to understaffing some due to not doing the job right . I'm going to keep you in my prayers hope tour recovery goes smoothly take care.
i am glad your home and the surgery is behind you. Sorry to hear you had trouble with the nurses that was a problem I also had mainly with night nurses some due to understaffing some due to not doing the job right . I'm going to keep you in my prayers hope tour recovery goes smoothly take care.
JMACCA
senior
@Wrknitout I have been thinking about you and wondering how you are doing now that you are home - I hope you are doing well 
OP
OP
Wrknitout
member
Hello, I am finally feeling halfway normal and wanted to say hi and give a quick update. I have been a little sick lately so I have just been checking in on some of you and then run out of energy to write anything. I have been home for about 8 days. The first couple of days are really a blur I could barely stay awake except for when I was up for my walk or to use the restroom. My pain was not to bad when I was awake and my hubby was a good caretaker. I have felt very blessed to have felt like I was pretty strong from the beginning with the walking and weight bearing. I liked the walking at the hospital and always wanted to go just a "bit more". I was doing good at home until I got sick...It started when I ran out of the anti nausea medicine that I had been taking with the Oxcy . I only missed a dose before my Dr called in more. I also had made a plan to cut back to 5mgs every 4 hrs instead of 10mgs every 4hours and did that on Monday but, must have over did it and had a pain surge so went back to 10 mgs for one dose or two. Anyways I ended up vomiting, running high fevers up to 102.6 , chills and sweating and worse of all nothing I ate or drank stayed in my system until today . If I had not been better today we would have went to urgent care just to make sure I wasn't getting to dehydrated and to get something to stop the diarrhea. The vomiting was only twice because, Wednesday I only took a couple of doses of the oxy and meloxicam, methocarbanal etc. I only took part of the doses and Thursday I decided no more of any of it for me except the aspirin for a blood thinner and 1000mgs acetaminophen twice daily. I would add more acetaminophen if needed but, Friday I didn't even take the second dose of 1000 mgs. I did today. I just t can't handle how I feel on all of the other drugs and I don't like sleeping so much. I had been struggling with the fevers really since I left the hospital they would break and then come back and that just made me wonder if maybe it was from just laying in bed so much that was contributing to them. I am able to be more active when not taking all the meds. So I haven't had narcotics since Wednesday and I feel like I started slowly feeling better as soon as I stopped taking them. I feel blessed that I have a high tolerance for pain and am able to handle the pain with OTC's . It is never completely gone and when I feel like I can't handle it I ask the hubby for the big ice packs and put the leg up and lay down and just get through it with ice and distraction. I hope I can continue on this path...I think I will because, after a major surgery last June I quit the Norco's after only a week s time and never did take the other ones that were a mix of hydro and acetaminophen at all. Both last year and this time amongst the other issues I experienced, I was also feeling like I couldn't remember things and it was really starting to freak me out a bit. Well anyhooo... I am sorry for rambling on , I guess not taking the pills didn't stop that hahaha!
I am so thankful to be feeling better. I should add , I have had a couple of showers the first today that included hair washing. It was the sink for that before. I have put some make up on the last two days. I did a few dishes today (by hand couldn't bend to load the DW ) and wiped counters. I have been walking outside with hubby once a day and through the house quite a bit. I feel so much better being a bit more active. It is easy to start feeling blue especially when you are feeling ill on top of everything else.
I hope you all are feeling as well as can be expected and that your recoveries are going well . Hugs .
I am so thankful to be feeling better. I should add , I have had a couple of showers the first today that included hair washing. It was the sink for that before. I have put some make up on the last two days. I did a few dishes today (by hand couldn't bend to load the DW ) and wiped counters. I have been walking outside with hubby once a day and through the house quite a bit. I feel so much better being a bit more active. It is easy to start feeling blue especially when you are feeling ill on top of everything else.
I hope you all are feeling as well as can be expected and that your recoveries are going well . Hugs .
OP
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Wrknitout
member
froggymom
senior
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Hi wrknitout. I'm so glad the nausea is better and you feel well enough to cut pain meds. I see you doing awesome. I'll keep you in my prayers. Take care and have a blessed day.
DizzyBlond
senior
Sounds like you're doing great!! Hopefully the sickness (or whatever it was!) has passed, and you're now headed into some easier days of recovery! (Nothing like nausea and vomiting while you've got an incision with stitches/staples! 
Praying you've got a good week ahead!!!! xoxox
Praying you've got a good week ahead!!!! xoxox- Status
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