I got the drain out today and it is so nice to have it gone! They pulled 8 inches of tube out of me so you can all just imagine for a minute what that felt like! (Here’s a clue: Ouch!!!) I guess the bandages did come off when they were supposed to and everything is healing as it should. I think the one incision in particular looks nasty but the doctor said it looks good(What do I know?), it's just a bit more swollen but it will improve a lot. The stitches are the dissolving kind so that was another bonus.
Overall I’m doing pretty well. I get more use of my arm back with each day. I’m not nearly ‘as good as new’ like the doctor promised I would be after 1 week but its coming. I’m going to try a reflexology treatment tomorrow so hopefully that will help some with the pain.
I’ve been passing the time playing spider solitaire, reading and watching videos. I try to get out for a walk every day as the temperature has been hovering around 0 give or take a few degrees. I’ve had quite a few visitors too which is a really nice way to pass some time.
We have seen so much kindness from the people we know here. The past two days in a row we’ve had people show up at the door with supper around 4:30 so Murray and Vince really appreciated not having to cook. Several people have brought baking and other treats as well. We are truly blessed to have such great friends and neighbors!
I have figured out who everyone is that has posted comments except for Debbie. Debbie if you come back can you give me an idea of which Debbie you are and where I know you from? :o)
I will see the surgeon Dr. H. on Monday, December 1. Hopefully he will have all the pathology reports back so we will know exactly what we are dealing with and what plan of action to take. Watch for the next update after that.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Novelty Wears off Really Fast!
Lying around in your pajamas, doing nothing gets old real fast. I’m not sick and I’m not really tired – I just can’t do anything. Who wouldn’t love to have a few days of surfing the net, checking email, watching videos, talking on the phone and eating? Well I’m telling you that it is BORING and I need to find a hobby before I completely lose my mind – maybe I will start on my Christmas cards today.
Yesterday the homecare nurse came to change my bandage on the drain. For some reason she also pulled the clear plastic skin like tape (opsite) off of the incision under my arm. I really don’t think that was ready to come off because that incision is a mess - not all neat like the other one that is still under the tape. Also the all the skin where the tape was is covered in the glue from the tape so I have to keep unsticking my arm from my side which is very unpleasant. I am supposed to be getting my drain out on Monday but Dr. S is away and totally booked on Tuesday as well. I can only get in to see him on Wednesday. I don’t really want to wait that long but after the tape incident I don’t want anyone else to do it either.
I have very little feeling in the back of my arm but my bicep is really tender especially right above the elbow. I keep getting painful twinges on my shoulder, upper arm and at the surgery site but not bad enough that I need to take anything for it. It’s just all part of the healing process I guess.
Yesterday the homecare nurse came to change my bandage on the drain. For some reason she also pulled the clear plastic skin like tape (opsite) off of the incision under my arm. I really don’t think that was ready to come off because that incision is a mess - not all neat like the other one that is still under the tape. Also the all the skin where the tape was is covered in the glue from the tape so I have to keep unsticking my arm from my side which is very unpleasant. I am supposed to be getting my drain out on Monday but Dr. S is away and totally booked on Tuesday as well. I can only get in to see him on Wednesday. I don’t really want to wait that long but after the tape incident I don’t want anyone else to do it either.
I have very little feeling in the back of my arm but my bicep is really tender especially right above the elbow. I keep getting painful twinges on my shoulder, upper arm and at the surgery site but not bad enough that I need to take anything for it. It’s just all part of the healing process I guess.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
A word about your comments
I love all the comments! They really lift me up so please keep them coming! One thing though, I know lots of people with the same names so if you don't want to post your last name, try to give me a hint of who you are. Last initial, where you live or some idea of where I know you from. Or if you prefer, you can just email me.
Surgery
We stayed in Saskatoon overnight on Monday because I had to be at City Hospital at 8:30 for what I call my dye job for the sentinal node biopsy. It was PAINFUL! They did 4 injections of dye around the nipple. The first one wasn't bad, the second one a little worse, the third really bad and fourth brought tears to my eyes. Then I had to lay really still while they took xerox images for the next 20 minutes while this dye moved through my lymph system. The good thing was that once injections were done it didn't hurt anymore. Thankfully my cough is pretty much gone!
Then we had to drive over to St. Paul's Hospital. We didn't wait very long when they called me in to get into the hospital gown and fill in more forms. Dr. H. came to talk to me and I told him to take out as much as he needed to rather than have to do another surgery later. We walked to the waiting area and the Anesthesiologist asked me yet more questions. He said I could expect to be hung over after the surgery as if I drank 3 bottles of scotch. I can't imagine drinking even one glass of the stuff but I got the idea anyway. I said you mean to say you are giving me this major hangover and I don't even get to have the good time first? Yup. What a guy!
I had to walk myself into the operating room and jump up on the table myself not like on TV where they do all that for you. The last time I saw the clock it was 11:35 - right on time. There was a flury of activity getting things ready and then it was take 3 deep breaths with this oxygen mask on my face and the next thing I remember was being woken up from a dream with "Bernadette wake up your surgery is over". I got to the room around 3 I think. Murray and Roxanne were there shortly after that. I felt remarkably good except very tired - good drugs I guess. They brought me supper at 5 which was roast pork, mashed potatoes and gravy and mixed veggies, tea and 1/2 apple for dessert. The 3 anti nausea drugs they gave me before surgery must have worked because I ate that with no problem and I didn’t even really have the hangover.
Jim and Joan, Murray and Roxanne visited in the evening till 8. I had a pretty restless night – waking up every hour. Twice I had to refuse the blood thinner shot. You would think they would check the chart and if you have a clotting factor in the OR you probably don’t need blood thinners! Good thing I was with it enough to refuse! I had a really sore throat so they gave me tylenol and said I could have something stronger if I needed it. Later when the good stuff wore off and my incision started hurting they wouldn't give me anything because I just had the tylenol 3 hours ago. Grrrr. The next time they made that promise I was ready for them and I got the good stuff right away! Dr. H. came to see me in the morning and said that the tumor was 2.5 cm and he took all the lymph nodes from under my arm. They were all abnormal looking but we will know for sure what is what in two weeks time when I see him next. So in the end the painful dye job was all for nothing… Later when we wanted to sleep the nurse made my room mate and me get up and walk around the corridors – such a slave driver! Even though the doctor said I could stay another night if I wanted and the admitting nurse said I should stay another night they couldn’t seem to get me out of there fast enough. They need the bed so out you go! It was snowing and I was a little concerned about driving the 3 hours home in that but the nurse just said we could probably get a discounted rate at a hotel! Nice! The trip home was uneventful and it did feel pretty good to sleep in my own cozy bed last night.
Today I feel pretty good but that might have something to do with the narcotics I am taking every 4 hours! My arm is quite numb and I have two incisions that I can see each about 3 inches long and then I have a drain tube but I can’t see where that is going in because of the bandage. I was able to have a shower (I was surprised too but YAY) this morning and I am able to raise my arm up to wash my hair (albeit slowly and very carefully!).
The Homecare nurse was just here. She changed the bandage that is on the drain tube and said everything looks good. Now it is time for lunch and a little nap. Murray is home and is taking good care of me.
Then we had to drive over to St. Paul's Hospital. We didn't wait very long when they called me in to get into the hospital gown and fill in more forms. Dr. H. came to talk to me and I told him to take out as much as he needed to rather than have to do another surgery later. We walked to the waiting area and the Anesthesiologist asked me yet more questions. He said I could expect to be hung over after the surgery as if I drank 3 bottles of scotch. I can't imagine drinking even one glass of the stuff but I got the idea anyway. I said you mean to say you are giving me this major hangover and I don't even get to have the good time first? Yup. What a guy!
I had to walk myself into the operating room and jump up on the table myself not like on TV where they do all that for you. The last time I saw the clock it was 11:35 - right on time. There was a flury of activity getting things ready and then it was take 3 deep breaths with this oxygen mask on my face and the next thing I remember was being woken up from a dream with "Bernadette wake up your surgery is over". I got to the room around 3 I think. Murray and Roxanne were there shortly after that. I felt remarkably good except very tired - good drugs I guess. They brought me supper at 5 which was roast pork, mashed potatoes and gravy and mixed veggies, tea and 1/2 apple for dessert. The 3 anti nausea drugs they gave me before surgery must have worked because I ate that with no problem and I didn’t even really have the hangover.
Jim and Joan, Murray and Roxanne visited in the evening till 8. I had a pretty restless night – waking up every hour. Twice I had to refuse the blood thinner shot. You would think they would check the chart and if you have a clotting factor in the OR you probably don’t need blood thinners! Good thing I was with it enough to refuse! I had a really sore throat so they gave me tylenol and said I could have something stronger if I needed it. Later when the good stuff wore off and my incision started hurting they wouldn't give me anything because I just had the tylenol 3 hours ago. Grrrr. The next time they made that promise I was ready for them and I got the good stuff right away! Dr. H. came to see me in the morning and said that the tumor was 2.5 cm and he took all the lymph nodes from under my arm. They were all abnormal looking but we will know for sure what is what in two weeks time when I see him next. So in the end the painful dye job was all for nothing… Later when we wanted to sleep the nurse made my room mate and me get up and walk around the corridors – such a slave driver! Even though the doctor said I could stay another night if I wanted and the admitting nurse said I should stay another night they couldn’t seem to get me out of there fast enough. They need the bed so out you go! It was snowing and I was a little concerned about driving the 3 hours home in that but the nurse just said we could probably get a discounted rate at a hotel! Nice! The trip home was uneventful and it did feel pretty good to sleep in my own cozy bed last night.
Today I feel pretty good but that might have something to do with the narcotics I am taking every 4 hours! My arm is quite numb and I have two incisions that I can see each about 3 inches long and then I have a drain tube but I can’t see where that is going in because of the bandage. I was able to have a shower (I was surprised too but YAY) this morning and I am able to raise my arm up to wash my hair (albeit slowly and very carefully!).
The Homecare nurse was just here. She changed the bandage that is on the drain tube and said everything looks good. Now it is time for lunch and a little nap. Murray is home and is taking good care of me.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Feelin' the Love
Well it seemed like November 18 was never going to get here but it is just 3 days away! I spent the last 6 weeks trying to get my information from the hematologist in Regina to my doctor and surgeon. Everyone was on holidays when I needed them but it seems that everything worked out and they are going to give me the clotting factor (for the Von Willebrand’s disease) in the operating room. That’s one less thing to worry about.
My GP did the pre-op for me on Monday which was mostly just blood pressure and medical history. On Wednesday I went into Saskatoon for my Pre Assessment Clinic. I thought I was going to meet with the surgeon and anesthetist but I didn’t get to see them at all. They did the blood work, chest x-ray, blood pressure, temp, and then I met with a physiotherapist, social worker, home care nurse and finally the RN did pretty much the same thing as I had done on Monday. It just felt like a waste of time but I guess we are all ready to go on Tuesday.
I’ve been sick with the flu for the last 2 weeks and been coughing for the last 10 days. I went to a walk in clinic in Saskatoon to make sure I didn’t have a throat infection since it is just about impossible to see a doctor here. It turned out to be viral but I sure hope this cough is done by Tuesday. It is getting less and less every day.
I have already received so many flowers, gifts, cards, phone calls, email, prayers, encouragement and well wishes. I’m really Feelin’ the Love and it is very humbling. Thank you all so very much!!!
I will try to post about the surgery on Thursday when we get home.
My GP did the pre-op for me on Monday which was mostly just blood pressure and medical history. On Wednesday I went into Saskatoon for my Pre Assessment Clinic. I thought I was going to meet with the surgeon and anesthetist but I didn’t get to see them at all. They did the blood work, chest x-ray, blood pressure, temp, and then I met with a physiotherapist, social worker, home care nurse and finally the RN did pretty much the same thing as I had done on Monday. It just felt like a waste of time but I guess we are all ready to go on Tuesday.
I’ve been sick with the flu for the last 2 weeks and been coughing for the last 10 days. I went to a walk in clinic in Saskatoon to make sure I didn’t have a throat infection since it is just about impossible to see a doctor here. It turned out to be viral but I sure hope this cough is done by Tuesday. It is getting less and less every day.
I have already received so many flowers, gifts, cards, phone calls, email, prayers, encouragement and well wishes. I’m really Feelin’ the Love and it is very humbling. Thank you all so very much!!!
I will try to post about the surgery on Thursday when we get home.
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