Post Operation - I woke up!

It had been 3 days since I went under the knife. Here's the recap of what I remembered on the day of the operation up till today.

2nd June - Day of operation
At 1.30 pm, a nurse came in with a hospital gown in hand and told me that I had to change into that gown. So I changed. Then I laid down unto a wheeler bed and was wheeled towards the operating prepping room with my hubby walking alongside of me. Precisely at the door of the prepping room, my husband was no longer allowed to accompany me. By that time I was a nervous wreck and tears started flowing down my cheeks looking at my husband as I was wheeled into the prepping room.

I was stationed near a table full of shiny things I didn't want to look at. A doctor came and asked me how I was doing. I told him that I wasn't feelling sleepy even though I was given the sleeping pills. He just patted my hand and said that it was ok.

After some time waiting, it was finally time. As I was wheeled into the operating theater, I saw the big operation lamps (it's the same like what we see on TV!) and said to myself how big the light is. The anaesthetician told me to spread my arms (as if I was going to fly) and then he connected the anaesthetic tube into my drip tube. Then he gave me a breathing mask and told me to breathe in and out deeply. I even told myself that I wasn't feeling sleepy at all. After that, I don't remember anything.. Guess I was knocked out after all.. hehe..

3rd and onwards - Afterwards..
I woke up at 11 am the next day. My hubby told me the nurses wheeled me back into my room after the operation at 6.00 pm. I did opened my eyes and he said I looked like I was conscious but he knew I was not really awake. I guess it was just the drugs making me look like that but I really didn't have any notion of what's happening around me at that time. I was given a clicker for morphine to make the pain lesser and my hubby told me I was clicking that thing quite a lot during my state of faint.

When I woke up, I felt the pain and nausea. I did hurl and I hurt like nobody's business! I couldn't move very much. Even the slightest movement will send jabs of pain signal to my brain. So I just stayed put on the hospital bed and try to watch reruns of Disney Channel on the TV, trying not to sneeze or cough. My husband was by my side but he did mention that he had to go to work the day after.. That made me feel quite sad..

My father came at lunch time two days in a row. My sister came with her family the next day. My brother came with my grandmama at the same time. A close friend came on the 3rd and again the next day with his family. A couple of close friends came too. The visitors that came to see me did make me feel a little bit better.

By the that evening I was awake but feeling very weak and helpless. I had to depend on people around me even just to go to the loo. I guess this is how it feels to be an invalid. So all those healthy people out there should really thank Allah SWT for their good health!

I am scheduled to be discharged on Saturday and I got 2 month's worth of Medical Leave! I'm really looking forward to just staying at home and recuperate in peace. Till then.. stay healthy guys! ( ^_^ )

Pre Operation - Here Goes..

Today is THE DAY! 2nd of June 2009! And I am definitely turning into a nervous wreck. I guess the problem is that I like to read up oodles of information form the internet and then freak myself out. My sisters always nagged me not to do it but I couldn't help myself. This happened the last time I had to go for a HSG scan and the information I found on Google about the procedure freaked me out. But mind you I DID had a bad HSG scan session which hurt like nobody's business.

Since morning nurses and doctors had come and gone. I had started fasting from last night. Even if I was supposed to fast I don't think I'd have any appetite to eat anyway. Lots of things were done and everything is making me feel more depressed and kinda scared. Before going under the knife, I'd like to apologize to everyone I know of any wrongdoing that I had done in the past whether it was intentionally or unintentionally. I a merely human and I am far from perfect.

It is now 12.35 pm, so I'd better stop writing and prepare myself and try to work up my courage. My dear husband is sitting next to me and looking calm as usual. Wonder what is going through his mind right now. I had been given the sleeping pill.. so please pray for me.. I hope I will wake up soon.. Here goes nothing!

Pre Operation - The First Day at Tawakal

1st of June 2009 finally came. As instructed by Dr. S, I was supposed to come in at the hospital to be admitted for my operation. I was scheduled for my laparotomy in the next 24 hours. My husband loaded up our car with the bags that we've packed the night before and we drove to the hospital in the early morning traffic. At the hospital, there were quite a number of forms I had to sign to be admitted. At that moment I did felt quite nervous as I signed the consent form for the deed to be done (it felt like I am signing my own death form). I never would have guessed that one day I'd be one of those people that goes under the knife. When my husband and I signed up for an insurance policy a few years back, little did we know that we'd end up using it later on in life. I guess life is a little bit funny that way.

After the registration hoopla was over and done with, my husband and I wheeled our week-long bag through the hospital, into the lift and finally into my ward. The number of my room was 210, at level 1. We were given time to adjust and familiarize ourselves with the room. It was a single occupancy room with a long couch (for my hubby to sleep on) and an attached bathroom. There was a small television hanging at the ceiling at the foot of the sickbed. There was a medicine trolley beside the bed and a cupboard at the end of the room for us to stash our clothes and food too.

After a while, a nurse came in and told me that I was needed for routine checkup at Dr. S' clinic. I went there to get a final ultrasound to check the size of my cyst (which had grown up to 12cm already!) and did some blood tests, x-rays and breathing tests (because of my asthma) at various levels all over the hospital. By the time all the tests were done, it was already noon.

For my last lunch before the operation, we walked to a nearby McD outlet. I know, it's not much but I suddenly had a craving for apple pie a la mode. I do have a sweet tooth and that cannot be cured, I think. The nurses reminded us that I was only allowed to be out of the hospital for one hour. So, a one hour lunch date with my dear hubby it is. ( ^_^ ) After lunch, we trotted back dutifully to the hospital with me suddenly feeling like there was a heavy cloud hanging over me.

Later that evening, doctors came and saw me to explain about the whole procedure for tomorrow. There were three doctors involved, my gynecologist, my lung doctor and the anaesthetic expert. Dr. S was going to do the operation herself, Dr. C (my lung doctor) was going to oversee and standby in case I hyperventilate and have an asthma attack during operation and Dr. A was going to anesthetize me (in other words, knock me out cold). He initially wanted to just numb me waist down by injecting the meds into my spine but I opted to be fully unconscious since I know I won't be able to look at all the blood.

And now I am sitting in this chair typing whatever comes to mind so that I could have my few last words before I go down under.. Good night guys.. Sweet dreams.. ( ^_^ )