A WEEK IN REVIEW

Hello Gang! We did it! With all of your support, love, prayers, and good energy - I think I am on the the mend. Yippee Skippee.

Last week at this time I was already admitted into VGH, and I was being poked and probed before surgery. I think as today progresses, I will be able to have a true appreciation for my 15 hours of surgery. Because I was the one knocked out, I am having a terrible time slowing down and allowing my body to take the lead for healing. Those of you who know me will laugh in agreeing to that. I have ZERO tolerance for 'sucky-wucks" and I am a HUGE fan of the "Buck up and get at it!" mantra. Soooooo, this lying around stuff is new and bothersome.

I will just give you the day by day highlights from my trip to hell. Yes, this has been a life altering experience on so many levels. I am still detangling the strands and making sense of all of this on a personal and spiritual level. However, I will share the physical. As I look back- geeeeeee I had shitty care. Keep in mind- I am not a whiner. I was just sucking it up and getting through - with an extremely FOGGY mind and slow input - process - output odometer.
Friday: Surgery day. Great day - in at 5:45 and knocked out just after 7:00am. My next memory was nearing midnight.
I do remember thinking it was strange though, as I was wheeled into the OR, that no one seemed to even notice I was there. I was in a huge room alone on a tiny bed in the middle. Several nurses were off to the side preparing instruments and doctors were on phones and writing on charts. The anesthesiologist sauntered over and threw in an intravenous port. Sheina (plastic surgeon who looks like she is 12yrs old) came over and had me sit up to draw her marking from neck to above the pubic line. Soon I was lying back down and off to la la land. The next thing I knew I was groggy awake and I could see I was being wheeled somewhere in a hurry as the ceiling panels flew by overhead. I was asked the names of people who may want to see me and that was that.
Saturday: My day in hell. Boot camp started here. I was put into a heated room. Now - a patient is placed in a hot room OR a hot panel is placed in a normal cool room to help with vasodilationtion of the arteries and veins. Somehow - I was chosen to be the lucky dual winner. Oh yes folks, I had a room at 30'c AND a panel heater over me reading 35'c. I had pillows piled on either side of me and my back and the back of my head were dripping in sweat. ( I had 8 litres of fluid pumped into me - lots to come out)
At that point. I was not using the pain medication because I do not like the drugged out feeling. For those of you who do not know, I am probably one of the few people you will meet who has never even smoked pot. Yes, clear eyed and sensible this one. Anyhow, I was trying to gauge the pain and press the pain medication where needed. I could not have any water for 48 hours - this was just in case I had to be wheeled back into the or. I would have my mouth swabbed and any droplets left over were quickly suctioned away. This was making me nauseated so I avoided the meds.
My legs were wrapped with thigh-high plastic "goalie pads". These fill with air in different patterns, and then deflated to give the legs a massage to prevent blood clots.
The medication guy came in and heard I was nauseated and that I did not like the meds. So he switched me to morphine. Bad move . . .

I woke up with Norm putting a cool cloth on my head BUT - I was sweating and began reacting to the morphine. I was laying just about flat, surrounded by piled-up hot plastic covered pillows, my legs were in hot plastic sweat pads, sweat was pooled up and down my backside -starting at my head, and the bloody heat panel was above me closing me in like a coffin. NOT COOL. I began to get claustrophobic. I freaked out and it was a while before I could talk myself down. I just wanted to get up and run outside. If it wasn't for the window in my room, I don't know where that would have gone. I was switched back to the original med and then I was to be cooled down.

Unfortunately, cooled down for them was different than what I had in mind. I was wanting a sponge bath and the heater panel removed. OH NO - I was layed out flat and they thought WASHING MY HAIR would be a good idea . Keep in mind - not even 12 hours post op and I have a section of left rib removed,my flaps are attempting to relocate in my chest wall,and my tummy tuck is tight - requiring legs bent. My chest was exploding with pain and, well . . . I get teary even thinking about it. As I writhed in VOCAL pain, the nurses rinsed my hair, and promptly conditioned it. They wiped down my body and gave me a hair brush and left. So - no mirror, I can't get up - so what the hell?

On top of this - there is on the hour monitoring of the artery and vein coupling. A mini (hand held) ultra sound machine is brought in to put on the flaps (my new girls) to hear the pulse. Sleep deprivation . . . good Lord. I remember wanting to be 'taken out" that day. Surely there is a drugs that can knock you out until further notice and all gross experiences like this can be avoided.
Sunday: Much better day. I felt like this was my marathon day. I needed to get up and move. No problem. So the physiotherapist and nurse show up to help my "dangle my feet at the edge of the bed" Dangle, smangle - lets stand, walk ? However, these girls were tiny. They could certainly not catch this huge coug. The standing soon ended as I stood up - yes ladies, I started my cycle. Did I not have enough to contend with? grrrrrr
The heat was turned down and I was able to have water!!
I was able to talk with Jordyn on the phone - HUGE highlight. She only wanted to know if I was sitting in a wheelchair. She had some tears and I held steady for her.
Norm left for meetings in Toronto so we said goodbye that night sniff sniff
Monday: No nurse care here. This is where the care became very shoddy. Chrissy was the first one though the door on that morning who could help me clean up from the day before. I was in a pool of disgusting bodily fluids. Unreal ! No one had changed any thing from the afternoon before. The HUGE nurse let us know that the ward was under staffed and that she had an appointment in 15 minutes. Chrissy kicked into high gear and was the best care aid I had BY FAR! She didn't let the nurse off the hook. While Chrissy got me to the washroom to clean up, she had "Helga" (that's what we tagged her) change my bed. The nurse was annoyed and then announced she was late for another appointment.
Soon mom and dad arrived. It was emotional. At the best of times I cry when my mom hugs me and says"Oh dear heart" or "God love you child". whhaaaaa ... she just has this way about her - most of you know what I am talking about. Dad was wiping the tears as well. Both were amazed at how good I was doing and then dad pipes up and says, "Well of course Mary Jo. She's a Norman". Soon the nurse returned and announced that I would be changing rooms. We all packed up and over I went to a double room. I would not get a roommate until the next day.
Tuesday: The grease had piled up enough on the 'ol noggin and so it was hair washing day. One of my fav nurses, Andrea, brought us the equipment and left us to it. She was shocked that I had my hair washed on the first day. She said in her years of nursing she had only washed hair maybe twice - there simply was no time. So I was layed down comfortably: dad was on the bucket. Mom shampooed my hair 3 times before the previous conditioner was out, a Bev (who was there to have her check up at the cancer agency) was on water refill. Chrissy supervised. Quite the production. Ahhhhhh did that feel grrrrrreat! I was a little styling my hair and so I paid the price Wednesday and Thursday.
That night I had the worst nurse. She did nothing but play on the computer all night at the station outside the door. She came in the odd time to poke at my girls, and one time she did this as she at her Chinese crackers. gross.
Wednesday: Release day. I cried for most of this day. Weepy, sleepy day. THIS surprised me.Mom and dad went grocery shopping and prescription shopping for me. Have I mentioned I have the greatest parents? :)
Thursday: Sore and zoned out day. I felt nauseated all day. I layed and vegged out and tried to feel good. I even razored of 10 pounds of hair from my legs :) That felt!
Friday: I go the walk in clinic today. Mom will be over to Chrissy's soon to wash my hair and help me get ready.
I'll add some pictures later. This posting was just to let you know that I am alive and back.