August 28, 2012

• I'M ALIVE! I'M ALIVE!!!!

  TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

  I'm home but almost had to stay overnight once more.  I started running a fever just before I was to be released.  I had done so good (I had clear dinner yesterday...chicken broth, jello, sweet tea with lemon, grape popsicle) I cleaned off the tray (I really WAS hungry) and I drank a lot of water.  They kept asking me if I wanted something different but I stuck with the water which they put a lot of ice in.  I ate my breakfast (which was later than it should have been) which was oatmeal, scrambled eggs, coffee (cold...I almost cried) and orange juice.
  

  Lunch was chicken and gravy plus a nice roll.  I used the roll to make up a sandwich of the chicken and sopped up the gravy with the roll.    I also had chicken noodle soup (the noodles were suspiciously like Campbell's but I wasn't about to complain.  I love my Campbell's chicken noodle  **Grin**).  Again there was what I THOUGHT was sweet tea but it was unsweetened and no sugar or even sugar substitute on the tray.  I drank it anyway.  There was also some kind of side dish of okra with a tasty cheese sauce.  I am not an okra fan but I did like that. 
  

  I have to admit that I probably should have stayed.  I wasn't home more than an hour and I was throwing up.  It seemed to be the chicken that wasn't sitting well along with the okra.  After a couple hours, I have no idea WHY but I felt much better afterward. 
  

  Now, let me tell you about this one part of pre-op that was truly a pain.  They tried to thread this plastic something-or-other that is used to give my blood pressure reading IMMEDIATELY.  On a second to second basis.  This is important I guess when they open up your carotid to clean it.  Three different people tried to get it in the vein that is the pulse.  They tried twice on the left and ran into some kind of snag.  Then they tried three times on the right and said my veins were *rolling* all over.  The last person that was trying was the head of anesthesiology who finally said to wait until they put me under and to get the portable sonogram.  The nurse said my doctor uses it in the OR so that wouldn't be a problem.  When I woke up, that sucker was on my left hand.  I guess they got past the obstruction, whatever it was.  I think it might just have been some scar tissue from my wrist surgery five years ago.  Not on the vein but it was probably the scar on the wrist muscle that was pressing on it.
  

  I woke up in Surgical ICU and my only complaint is the damn bedpan.  EVERY time I had to use is, no matter how I tilted it, it got the bed pad wet.  Have you seen these new plastic bedpans?  They are smaller than the cold metal ones.  And, obviously, I have a bigger bladder than they are used to....LOL.    BUT, I sure as hell didn't want a catheter so I called attention to the fact that they had best get a couple more of the pads they use to throw down after I use it....I knew from the amount of liquid I was consuming that I would be up a few times.
  

  I was hooked up to all kinds of stuff.  I even had heart leads on me and could watch them on this one machine to one side.  The other side gave my blood pressure, my oxygen level (which dropped a lot when I go to sleep we found out), my pulse rate and temperature.  The nurse told me I just don't breathe all that deeply when I sleep.  I know I often snore so how can that be?  Oh well.  My blood sugar was NOT what I wanted it to be but they weren't giving me my medication.  THAT surprised me since I am diabetic (Type 2, pills only) but I swear they are in love with insulin and would rather use that than a pill.  They like their results to be faster than a pill provides.  I got ONE shot after their clear dinner and it surprised me because it was only 167 an hour after I ate.  My blood sugar didn't even get to where my regular doctor said is should get (around 225-265 IF I am eating correctly).  I really need to do more research on this because that part of my stay confused me.  Unless he said that because of the pill I take.  I just don't know.
  

  I loved the fact that I had my room to myself and I kept the TV on like I do here at home most of the time.  The Beast has shut it off a few times and I wake up immediately.  The nurses were a bit startled to find out that I woke up as soon as they stood on the side of my bed.  Boom!  Up!  I don't think they are used to that.    I have no idea why I was like that but I doubt a thief in the house could surprise me.  Oh hell, Baron wouldn't let a person get in the door or window once we go to bed.  If someone is walking anywhere near us, he instantly goes on alert and starts a deep growling in his chest.  He will pace the house until whatever was making the noise is gone.  I doubt anyone could ever sneak in on us.....even one of the kids that has a house key.    Now THAT would be funny!
  

  Now to the ugly part.  My neck is VERY swollen and black and blue.  I look like one of those people who have a huge tumor in their necks except my tumor looks like it's just started.  The Beast looked at it and asked if the doctor used a steak knife or just hacked away with a pen knife.  It doesn't look quite that bad but it looks strange.  I have no idea what the doctor put over the stitches.  It ALMOST feels like paper of some kind.  I'm going to have to call his office tomorrow to find out if I can shower with this or do I go back to the p.t.a. baths again.  I am going to have to ask for suggestions for a funny reply later on when people ask how I got this scar on my neck.  I could say a cross-eyed guy tried to slit my throat but that doesn't seem quite right since the scar runs from my ear lobe down and to the top center of the collar bone.  Well, not quite to the center but close.
  

  Love you all.  I need to go lay down for a bit now.  I will probably be up and down tonight.  At least I have my pain pills although I was told to call my doctor's office if the Ultram isn't strong enough.  He wanted me to have Lortabs but the Ultram works for me (high pain threshold).  It's been raining in our area due to Isaac.  Poor New Orleans is expected to get 16 inches of rain.  I hope they turn on the pumps early because those only get rid of one inch an hour.  We will be getting more rain for the next few days and we can use it.  There are places in Texas that really are loving all the rain they are getting.  They just wish they had gotten it a couple months earlier.
  

  Oh well, drive carefully and keep an eye on your cholesterol levels. 
  

  • 8:47 pm
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