The new Norwest Hospital is lovely and how lucky was I to be done in there on Day 3 since it opened…
As I waited to be called to go into admission and pre-op, I was reading the Woman's Weekly from February. In there was letter of the month from Paula in Karratha WA. “I agree with Magda (Szubanski). You have to love yourself to make the changes. If you don’t you will think you are not worth it” I know I’m worth it for me, for how I want to live”; and I thought to mysel, yes thats me.
And so begins the new chapter in my life…
By 10am I was in the pre-op ward with about 4 others… There was one lady waiting to go before me, and then another one came in a little later who was after me. This is where you lay after being dressed in your theatre gown, fitted with stockings and given a shot of heparin, then wait patiently to be fetched by the theatre staff. No TV, no nothing, just and endless stream of nurses and orderlies wandering around. Eventually they went to get us some magazine as they could see how bored we’re… The minutes ticked past and my slot at midday came and went. Then I thought they came to collect me, but no they collected the lady that came in after me… I spoke to the nurse who sorted it out; they collected the wrong person… So I was off to theatre at about 1pm.
It was so different to my last operation about 20 years ago… Previously I’ve been sedated to the eyeballs on the ward first, but now they wheel you down on the bed, they fuss over you in the reception area putting the cannula in and the like (Doctors think they know best but not always – he tries my left arm after I told him its no good and failed. Just like the pathology collector a few weeks back). Dr Brancatisano and the assist surgeon came in to explain what was about to happen. Then theatre staff asked if I would like to walk in… We’ll yes – again previous operations I couldn’t even sit up after the sedation, let alone walk. They then started pumping the drugs into me, while I spoke with the assistant surgeon about the stockings and why they put them on… just as he finished answering I was down for the count…
About 4pm they came an collected me to take me up to the ward where Mum, sister Yvette and my niece Charlotte, as well as Scoot were waiting to see me… Scott was a bit worried I’d be too groggy to notice they were there, but no I was wide awake and very chatty… A little bit of pain but it wasn’t too bad at that stage. They all left around 5.30 so it was just me and the TV and the hourly obs until I went to sleep. I dozed on an off throughout the evening as Wednesday night really is crappy on TV – where was my TiVo now? Lucky I pack some magazines although that was a bit difficult with the drip going into my arm.
I was finally able to suck on some ice before I went to bed as I was nil by mouth still (apart from the pain killers), but my mouth was so dry and I could barely talk.
Sleep was a little restless, not that I expected any different and as the pain relief wore off I could feel tightness in my chest, which was the gas they pump into your stomach during the operation.
I awoke at 7am, and finally was able to have some fluids after they took my drip out – they use so much tape on the bloody things and they just tape it strain across my hairy arms, that the pain to get it off is worse than what they did to me yesterday.
Chicken Consommé (tasted like strained chicken noodle soup), black tea and apple juice. But only at the rate of 250ml over 10-15 minutes, so my tea was almost cold by the time I got to it…
Watching Sunrise I was so angered bout the comments that that prat Kyle Sandilands made yesterday (see previous post).
Doctor came to see me at about 8.30 and said everything went extremely well, and my liver was looking good. I told him about my Blackmores LiverCare Complex that I have been taking over the last 4 weeks which also possibly helped.
Scott arrived about 9.30 and we waited while they fixed up my medications before being give the all clear to head home…
Today has just been a quiet day at home between the TV and the computer, as well as a short 15 minute walk this afternoon… Just enough to get the blood circulating…
I did notice that the area where the access port is located on my chest has sunken a little this arvo, so I gave them a call to see if all was OK. Petra was gong to talk with the Doctor, but I haven’t heard back so no news is good news I guess
I’m looking forward to a quiet night in front of the TV and good nights sleep tonight, and hopefully feeling a little better again tomorrow…
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