Thursday, November 13, 2008

They took the cath out this AM (note that I'm into the hospital lingo.."cath") and they gave me four hours to produce! The nurse thought that was weird, they usually give you six hours. I think it was cause I told them so many times that if they would just take it out I would pee like a race horse!

Well, not any HEALTHY race horse, but I did manage to push out a decent amount of fluid before my four hours were up.

Sandy came up early as I told her I really needed her here today...I had a bad night last night, my back was acting up...couldn't get comfy and finally hauled my butt out of bed and into the recliner around 3:30...I was able to doze there, on and off until Sandy arrived.

She took me for a walk, to try to get stuff moving. Then she set me up in bed and went to work, massaging my back...there is a "donut" that surrounds my lower rib cage...it's fluid filled...just a weird way for the stuff to drain...it's draining from the top down...so my shoulders, etc. look good. But as you get further down...fageddaboudit!

She got me herbal tea from the cafeteria and made me drink. That, and the sound of running water got the pee moving. I had to laugh, thinking about Nana Miller and how she used to "run the water" when we were in the bathroom to get us to pee before we left her house to go "downstreet." Well, the old tricks still work.

Sandy really advocated for me about the meds. I had decided by morning rounds that I was the asshole of the earth for trying to go into this on tylenol alone! It was no where near to cutting it for me! Part of the reason for the poor sleep I guess.

So, I had asked them to give me something stronger, even if it was the stupid oxycodone which makes me hallucinate. Having some little hallucinations/bizarre dreams is still better than being in that kind of pain, no?

They didn't order anything, or they couldn't figure out what to order. Another doc came and told me he'd take the iv out...YAY! He was going to try to figure out what I could take....nope, didn't happen.

So Sandy gets the idea I should go on Dilaudid....a relative of morphine (which I handle quite nicely). They had given me Dilaudid at Backus Friday night in the ER and I had no ill effects. She figured it wasn't as strong as morphine and doesn't have some of the onerous side effects of morphine, so it was good for me.

She got on the phone to her buddies at Backus who looked up the dose for her. Then she told the nurse, who wrote the orders. The docs signed off on the orders I guess, becuase I just had my second dose...this one was stronger than the first because Sandy wants me to be knocked out for the night, even though it's only 5:30! So, I'll probably have to shut down this operation soon and get back to bed.

They did take out the iv...so now I don't have a drag a pole around with me whereever I go. That's a good thing! Those of you who have "been there" know what I mean, the poles and the tubes get in the way, stop you this far short of whatever it is you are trying to reach....it's frustrating and the only thing that has made me cry since I got here.

The PT lady came again today...yesterday I had to do the stairs to be cleared to go home...she said I had perfect form on the stairs. I did them the Nomar Garciaparra way...some will know what I mean.

She also brought balance exercises and we did them together, the PT lady and me..I didn't see Sandy joining in! The exercises really got the pee to come out...so I'm incorporating a round of the exercises into every walk from now on.

I should have brought the Wii Fit up here...those yoga exercises and the balance ones would really help me now!

I feel that my lungs are getting a bit blocked, but they tell me I'm doing way better than the average patient Janet was up here yesterday with Sandy, works in Respiratory Therapy at Backus and she says no one does the exercises. How foolish!
So, I felt better when the nurse told me that I have good intake all around, even though I can only get the inspirometer (or whatever the hell you call that thing) up to 750 ml today. I had it up to 1750 the day after surgery! I'll keep working on it, it will continue to get better.

So, I close with a plea for gas and, ulitimately, poop. I haven't been eating much so there isn't too much poop in there, but there certainly is enough gas! Enough to power the next shuttle flight! It's gotta go!

I won't be coming home until tomorrow or Saturday. It was sweet thinking about possibly being home today, but it was impractical. I don't want to go home in severe discomfort...I'd be moaning and groaning and upsetting the hounds. Not good for them and not good for me. So, I'll be patient and keep working on the basic...natural gas!

My minestrone is here...let's see if I have any appetite for it. I've been sticking just with broth, tea and jello...tonight the soup is a litte "special" I hope I can bear it.

Nighty night my pals! Love you all...in my own little way.

2 comments:

SueBear said...

I was wondering 'bout that Tylenol only thang. You're right, noble aint all dat.

Oh, and may the force move you....

Anonymous said...

Ann- take the drugs! Surgery is painful.

As to the force being with you, some benefiber may help as the narcotics will bind you up if you are not used to them.