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My days in the Hospital (Post Op now yay!)

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  • My days in the Hospital (Post Op now yay!)

    March 17th- The day of my surgery, after being changed from March 3rd, the final time they changed it (it had initially been Feb. 4th XD). So at 4am I turned off my computer and went to shower with the soap stuff they gave me. (I had stayed up all night chatting on aim with my boyfriend and best friend, who were crazy enough to pull an all nighter with me)
    When we got to the hospital around 5:10 (running a bit late XD) we went into the initial waiting room where they did my vitals and this was a public waiting room. Then they led us to a hospital room where they gave me a gown and wipes to do just what I did in the shower. We waited in there for like an hour before they rolled me out to the surgery floor. ( I didn't understand why I couldn't just walk but meh XD) I had my fuzzy green hat on, which everyone loved. I was pretty happy, even though I was nervous, with everyone's smiles and comments about my hat. They did my IV and attached the sticky circle things to monitor my nerves and we waited a bit for Dr. Parks to get there. They wheeled me into the operating room, and I saw all of these things covered with green cloth, and people milling about, and they told me to breathe through the mask, and next thing I knew I was on the other side of the operation.

    Post-op- well the first thing I remember is waking up in a haze of shock, as they tried to find the appropriate mix of pain meds to get my pain down from a 10 to a 1. So I was shaking, my teeth were chattering, and I was crying from the pain, but I was still in a daze, so I don't remember it all that much, or who was there and such. They ended up putting me on a Morphine drip that gave me like 1mg each hour, while allowing me to press the button for immediate need. The first day was pretty hazy, but my pain was real low, I just had to shift every now and then. The only thing I felt like was eating/drinking was the ice chips that my mom fed me with a spoon =P. I think I slept most of the day, in intervals of 2 hours, and doctor Parks came in and showed me a picture of my fusion, and it look pretty straight ^__^. My boyfriend came in around 10pm, bringing flowers, and it was pretty amazing that they let him in, so late, and plus in the ICU, but they did, and it was a great comfort to me, to see someone other than the nurses and my parents especially XD.


    March 18th- I was doing better, they got me up to walk, and I walked around the ICU nurse’s area twice, and then laid on the bed with an icy pack for about 30 minutes after. Me and my mom were texting like crazy, my mom had texted a whole bunch of people the day of the surgery, giving them updates. My friend allegedly got up in the middle of her dad's class and told him when I was out of the surgery after my mom had texted her XD. I was doing pretty well that day, no pain, down in the 1’s and 2’s most of the time, but itchy from the morphine, and the benadryl didn’t really help. (I must be immune to that stuff because it doesn’t work for my allergies either XD) I was a bit more like myself and sleeping for about 2 hours at a time until about 12am. No one dropped by today. I think they were afraid that I wouldn’t be ready to see them yet. My mom was pretty surprised that I was up and moving so quick. I had one dream today: the hospital had been sending in full blown meals to my room unless you ordered something specific, and one of the dishes on the lunch tray was a spinach salad, so my dream was where I had the spinach salad and didn’t know what to do with it, so I said “O! I can give it to Ashton (my bf), but maybe he doesn’t like spinach salad.. nah he’ll eat it, he’s a garbage disposal!” XD I only remember thinking something along those lines, he’s a garbage disposal because he’s been pretty hungry and eating some wacky things lately to quench it. He must be growing =P.

    March 19th- The nurse had been coming in a couple times telling me to breathe, and I didn't understand why, so I would take some deep breathes and fall back to sleep. She came in at last and told me that my breathing rate was 5 breathes per minute and that it was due to the morphine. So she took me off the morphine and injected something that practically dissolved it out of my system. My body got really hot, I could practically feel the medicine coursing through my veins, burning the morphine XD, and my pain level shot from 1 to 10, and I was back in the shock state, shivering, crying, teeth chattering, and whimpering a bit, causing my mom to wake up and be like O___O OMG what's happening?! so she called for the nurse who had just left to get some morphine, and she came back and injected 2mg into me. After that episode they took me off the drip and had me take Oxy-codon by mouth with the button option. So I was pretty spooked about my breathing rate after that, and had my mom turn the monitor towards me so that I could monitor it, and I pressed the button less XD, so my pain was around a 4-6 now, but I was kind of used to this because my rib pains before the operation tended to be around a 4-5.
    I got up today and walked around the nurse’s station 5 times, and then sat in the chair with the icy pack for another 30-45 minutes while I ate and watched TV.I had been drinking apple juice with my pills, but other than that just eating ice chips until lunch today when my mom kind of sort of force fed me some chicken broth and some noodles XD. I think I also ate some ice cream. I also tried to write in my journal, but it was hard to write with the journal on my lap, and such. Some more of my friends came over today, as well as my boyfriend, which made me feel pretty good. I think that company really lifts your spirit, because other wise all your doing is laying there, having your vitals checked every now and then, sleeping, eating a little.. so when they come it’s like YAY! XD Today I also got a bit of a bath, they had me walk into the bath room and my mom helped me wash my face, brush my teeth, and kind of sponge me down except for my back, it felt pretty good though. For dinner that night I did something silly, I had been feeling so good that day that I actually ate the chicken fingers my mom ordered from the little menu.
    That night I could get comfy on the hospital bed (they really are horrible, they look all comfy, but after awhile they just aren’t and even if you move the bed up and down it doesn’t help much, especially if your butt isn’t where it needs to be to have your lower and upper body moved up and down properly XD) so I got up and walked around the nurse’s station in the ICU and then proceeded to walk around the two halls in the pediatric ward, walking seems to make me feel better than standing or laying down. I also ate a grape popsicle today at some point XD.
    Pre-Op:
    UT-35*. T-55*, L-30*
    16 year old girl
    Fusion- T5- T12 on March 17th 2008
    Post-OP:
    UT-27*, T/L-very straight : ]

  • #2
    Sanah:
    Thank you so much for sharing your surgery story. It is a real eye opener!!
    Hope you are feeling much better soon and that you don't have too much more pain. It helps me to read your story because my daughter, Esme, may be needing the surgery soon and we don't really know what to expect so your story helps me a lot. Thank you.
    Ruth
    Ruth, 50 years old (s-shaped 30 degree scoliosis) with degenerative disc disease, married to Mike. Mother to two children - Son 18 and daughter 14. Both have idiopathic scoliosis. Son (T38, L29) has not needed surgery to date. Daughter (March 08 - T62, L63).

    Comment


    • #3
      Sanah,

      What a great story. Keep it up. I wish you luck in your recovery.
      Lisa
      Mom to Mackenzie
      diagnosed March 2007 at 28 degree thoracic, 40 degree lumbar
      August 2007 - 37 degree thoracic, 37 degree lumbar
      March 2008 - 39 degree thoracic, 37 degree lumbar

      Comment


      • #4
        Good job!

        Sanah-- thanks so much for sharing! Everyone's story is a bit different, but at the same time they are also very similar. It sounds like you did really well except for the breathing problem from the morphine... and that got resolved. You are a smart girl to want to monitor your breathing after that!

        I hope your recovery continues to go smoothly and be a relatively quick one. You're quite a gal! Keep us posted on how you're doing...

        BTW -- I am a non-texter and only know a few of the abbreviations... I tried to figure out what XD was about the other day (I think it was you that had used it)-- and then a bunch more times in this post. When I tried to google it, I only came up with extreme digital and some other stuff that I knew it wasn't. So, please satisfy my curiosity-- what does XD mean??? Thanks!
        71 and plugging along... but having some problems
        2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
        5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
        Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

        Corrected to 15°
        CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
        10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

        Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Susie*Bee
          BTW -- I am a non-texter and only know a few of the abbreviations... I tried to figure out what XD was about the other day (I think it was you that had used it)-- and then a bunch more times in this post. When I tried to google it, I only came up with extreme digital and some other stuff that I knew it wasn't. So, please satisfy my curiosity-- what does XD mean??? Thanks!
          XD is a face expression like X____X, if you turn it to side you can see it, like =P is a person sticking out their tongue.

          Thank you everyone, I will work on the days at home soon, and post that as well. Good luck with you surgeries too!
          Pre-Op:
          UT-35*. T-55*, L-30*
          16 year old girl
          Fusion- T5- T12 on March 17th 2008
          Post-OP:
          UT-27*, T/L-very straight : ]

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks, Sanah. I thought it was probably a face thing, but when I couldn't find it online, I wasn't sure... I am just a dummy with this stuff. And when I tried to email my girls (they are in their twenties, and I do every day) awhile back and said "lol"-- two of the three of them jumped on me for doing so! Oh well! Being a mom is so hard!!!
            71 and plugging along... but having some problems
            2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
            5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
            Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

            Corrected to 15°
            CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
            10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

            Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

            Comment


            • #7
              Yayyyyyyy Sanah - you sound like your going so well!!!!! Elysia didn't eat for 5 days - it was only frozen slurpies and water!! Your doing so well, keep up the great work! (I didn't know about the XD either - so thanks!!!!!!)

              Cyber hugs
              Del
              Elysia 16 in Feb 2010
              Sydney - Australia
              Feb 2008 Fused T5-L1 and 5 ribs removed.
              Dec 2009 - Crankshafting
              Dec 10 - Revision surgery...3 vertebrae taken down, hooks removed, at T11-L1 - screws inserted, fusion extended down to
              L3 using Pedicle screws, some rib removed to try to derotate. Praying for things to settle.

              Comment


              • #8
                Here's a translation link...

                Hi Everyone,

                Ah, so I wasn't the only one who didn't know what XD was! For us oldies who need some translation assistance with text messages check out this website:

                Text Message Translation

                Have fun
                ca-native (daughter had surgery)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Sanah, thanks for posting your diary. I appreciate reading that.

                  Everyone is so different.

                  Savannah was only in ICU for a few hours but walked two days after surgery whereas you walked one day after surgery.

                  Plus Savannah was not allowed to have even ice chips until her intestines started working somewhat. And that was most of the first two days. I could wet her lips with ice water though during that time. She got nauseous if she swallowed even a little water when her intestines weren't working. The doctor considers that a set-back and so doesn't allow even ice chips until there are some gut sounds. Even now on Day 3 she has only tried a little bit of solid food and isn't really hungry yet. She gets a bit nauseous if I don't dilute the juices, also.

                  How many days were you in the hospital? I'm guessing four based on your post. I think Savannah will be in about five days.

                  sharon
                  Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                  No island of sanity.

                  Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                  Answer: Medicine


                  "We are all African."

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Pooka1
                    Savannah was not allowed to have even ice chips until her intestines started working somewhat. And that was most of the first two days. I could wet her lips with ice water though during that time. She got nauseous if she swallowed even a little water when her intestines weren't working. The doctor considers that a set-back and so doesn't allow even ice chips until there are some gut sounds. Even now on Day 3 she has only tried a little bit of solid food and isn't really hungry yet. She gets a bit nauseous if I don't dilute the juices, also.

                    How many days were you in the hospital? I'm guessing four based on your post. I think Savannah will be in about five days.

                    sharon
                    I was in the hospital for 5 days, monday-friday. I really didn't feel like eating anything other icecream, except for that one chicken finger meal xD, just liquids =)

                    Your welcome for the xD bit. I wish everyone luck!
                    Pre-Op:
                    UT-35*. T-55*, L-30*
                    16 year old girl
                    Fusion- T5- T12 on March 17th 2008
                    Post-OP:
                    UT-27*, T/L-very straight : ]

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by ca-native
                      Hi Everyone,

                      Ah, so I wasn't the only one who didn't know what XD was! For us oldies who need some translation assistance with text messages check out this website:

                      Text Message Translation

                      Have fun
                      Elaine,

                      From one oldie to another, THANKS! Now maybe when my teens text me, I'll know what the heck they are talking about - LOL!

                      Well, LOL I know
                      mariaf305@yahoo.com
                      Mom to David, age 17, braced June 2000 to March 2004
                      Vertebral Body Stapling 3/10/04 for 40 degree curve (currently mid 20's)

                      https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScoliosisTethering/

                      http://pediatricspinefoundation.org/

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by sanah
                        I was in the hospital for 5 days, monday-friday. I really didn't feel like eating anything other icecream, except for that one chicken finger meal xD, just liquids =)
                        Funny reading the appetite loss thing again ...

                        When I was getting ready for surgery, I kept reading here about how everyone lost their appetites (and Dave Wolpert's book talked about weight loss afterwards).

                        When you're 5'2" and small framed, the difference between 100 and 110 is HUGE (I have always had to fight to stay above 100 lbs.), so part of my "pre-op prep" was to bank a few extra lbs. (that was probably one of THE toughest things on the to-do list!).

                        From what I understand, I was in PACU less than an hour. All I know is I woke up in a regular room around 3 p.m., and I was STARVING. I'd *also* missed my coffee that morning (I'm such a junkie), so not only was I starving, I had a caffeine headache from hell.

                        First words after surgery weren't as anticipated ("ouch, ouch, ouch!"), but "FOOD!", "COFFEE! ... pleeeeeeeeeeeease ... hurry!", and (to my Mom) "Would you hand me my cell phone?".

                        As Sherie so eloquently put it in another thread "Pam, you started eating as soon as they sewed you up ..." (a pretty apt assessment ;-)

                        In the hour after I shook off the anesthesia, I had 4 cups of coffee, 3 packs of broth, and made maybe 10 phone calls.

                        The nurses finally refused to bring more coffee and tossed me 4 of those speadable cheese and crackers packs. They pretty much avoided me in general after that ... I don't even recall them coming to check my vitals until after I'd gone to sleep.

                        From then until I left (the morning of Day 6), I ate around the clock - LOL (I think a lot of it was sheer boredom). I'm still carrying around about 3 lbs of the 10 I put on pre-op ...

                        Even though it seems a LOT of people do experience it, you can't always count on appetite loss ;-)!

                        Regards,
                        Pam
                        Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
                        AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


                        41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
                        Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
                        Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston


                        VIEW MY X-RAYS
                        EMAIL ME

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