It has been 2 months since I last wrote anything for this blog! So the last thing I mentioned was prepping for surgery and I had been in the hospital being monitored for my Heart rate dropping down into the 30's.
After coming home from the hospital I made an appointment with my cardiologist to see what he had to say about what was going on. He was not pleased with the news and scheduled me for a Lexi scan which is essentially a stress test that is chemically induced rather than exercise induced. That worked out much better because with my hip issue walking for any long distance just was not going to be happening.
I went to the office for my stress test and ended up failing that just like I failed my ECHO test. The RN who was running my stress test had told me it was ok to eat right after the test and that I should immediately get some caffeine on board because one of the side effects of the medication that is used for the Lexi scan causes headaches. Well for me it caused nausea and vomiting. Regardless I was feeling like crap. I was telling myself after this test that I should always take someone with me just in case I have another weird reaction!
I got a call from my cardiologists nurse on the following Monday informing me that I had failed the test and that they wanted to schedule me for a Cardiac Catheterization. I was working in Defiance OH that day and the news that I was going to need a cath and it was the week before surgery freaked me out. Not so much the need for the cath but I was terrified that they were going to have to cancel my surgery and I would not be able to get in to have it done until January. So when the scheduler called me I was sobbing and was a basket case. Luckily they were able to schedule me for Wednesday of the same week so that was a relief.
I had my sister take me to the hospital for the cath and a friend and my older son came along to keep me company. I was a bit worried about having a procedure done at the hospital where I used to work. But it turned out to be a lovely day and loads of people popped in to say hello and wish me well. They took me back to the procedure room and did the cath through my radial artery and hip hip hooray I have NO blockages!! And my surgery could go ahead as planned.
Surgery day 12/4/12 both of my children and my mother decided to accompany me to Columbus for this surgery. When I had my arthroscopy mom was in CA visiting my sister Laura. And my boys figured that my sister and friends could keep them posted, both guys thought the updates were too few and far between and they both worried so this time they came along. They learned that hanging out at the hospital in the surgery waiting room for HOURS is boring! And that the few and far between updates they got last time were exactly what they got sitting in the hospital.
I had to be there around 9:30AM for some additional Xrays and then off to surgery to register. It took a while before someone came and escorted me to the pre op area. Of course the time in pre op last's forever and it seems like you are never going back.
My nurse and I had an interesting discussion about allergies and pain and how a simple food allergy to chicken of all things had caused her to be almost house bound. She told me about a place in Columbus called Nutrition Results that does intensive testing and she said without them she would not have been working that day. http://www.nutritionresultsorder.com/
Both the PA Tiffany and my Surgeon popped in to say hello and get things signed and ready to go. I really am not sure what time I went back to the OR. I transferred to the OR table and sat up on the side chatting with the CRNA about her Anesthesia machine and telling her about the one our company has. . . and then nothing.
I had a spinal as well as general anesthesia and was completely out before I laid down on the table! (That is the same way they did the last surgery but they put in the spinal in the pre op area the last time).
I only have vague memories of waking up from surgery and being wheeled down the hall to my room and seeing my oldest son wandering the hall with my crutches. Shortly after getting settled in my new room the family came traipsing in and once they knew I was ok younger son was ready to go home and sleep! They visited for a little while and then headed back home.
Recovery 12/4/12 to 12/6/12
I spent 2 days at the hospital and yes I was up and walking with a walker the very next day. The first night was rough because they gave me an antibiotic that I was sure I was allergic to but had only had one time before. Regardless it made me very nauseated which made it hard to keep my pain under control. Once they stopped that antibiotic I was much better. For some reason my magnesium levels were low and they had to give me magnesium both days. I need to get that checked again since surgery and see where I am now. Low magnesium levels have been proven to be the cause of joint pain and I hurt all the time in many different joints not just my hip.
I worked with PT the morning after surgery and they were impressed with how well I was moving. I was motivated to get to the bathroom since the nurse had taken out my catheter earlier in the morning and I was desperate to get up and pee. I made many treks to the bathroom on my own after they were sure I could do it alone. Unfortunately the walking was more successful than the peeing and I had to have a catheter again later in the day. I think the spinal makes my bladder sleepy and I just can't pee! The same thing happened after my Hysterectomy and my Arthroscopy. Oh well such is life.
My older son came in my van to pick me up on the 6th. Mom does not like driving my van and I knew riding in her Element would not be comfy, so Andy agreed to drive up in my van to fetch me. We stopped at the Walgreens in the basement of the hospital to fill my prescriptions before heading home. And then he loaded me up and headed out. We stopped half way home at the rest stop and I gimped my way to the restroom. I stop at this rest stop all the time and never paid any attention to how freaking far it is from the parking area. Sheesh that was rough but necessary since I was hurting from sitting and I needed to move.
We got home and I got settled into my bed and was exhausted from the journey!!!
It is 3:30 AM and I am finally getting tired again. More later in another post!!!!
After coming home from the hospital I made an appointment with my cardiologist to see what he had to say about what was going on. He was not pleased with the news and scheduled me for a Lexi scan which is essentially a stress test that is chemically induced rather than exercise induced. That worked out much better because with my hip issue walking for any long distance just was not going to be happening.
I went to the office for my stress test and ended up failing that just like I failed my ECHO test. The RN who was running my stress test had told me it was ok to eat right after the test and that I should immediately get some caffeine on board because one of the side effects of the medication that is used for the Lexi scan causes headaches. Well for me it caused nausea and vomiting. Regardless I was feeling like crap. I was telling myself after this test that I should always take someone with me just in case I have another weird reaction!
I got a call from my cardiologists nurse on the following Monday informing me that I had failed the test and that they wanted to schedule me for a Cardiac Catheterization. I was working in Defiance OH that day and the news that I was going to need a cath and it was the week before surgery freaked me out. Not so much the need for the cath but I was terrified that they were going to have to cancel my surgery and I would not be able to get in to have it done until January. So when the scheduler called me I was sobbing and was a basket case. Luckily they were able to schedule me for Wednesday of the same week so that was a relief.
I had my sister take me to the hospital for the cath and a friend and my older son came along to keep me company. I was a bit worried about having a procedure done at the hospital where I used to work. But it turned out to be a lovely day and loads of people popped in to say hello and wish me well. They took me back to the procedure room and did the cath through my radial artery and hip hip hooray I have NO blockages!! And my surgery could go ahead as planned.
Surgery day 12/4/12 both of my children and my mother decided to accompany me to Columbus for this surgery. When I had my arthroscopy mom was in CA visiting my sister Laura. And my boys figured that my sister and friends could keep them posted, both guys thought the updates were too few and far between and they both worried so this time they came along. They learned that hanging out at the hospital in the surgery waiting room for HOURS is boring! And that the few and far between updates they got last time were exactly what they got sitting in the hospital.
I had to be there around 9:30AM for some additional Xrays and then off to surgery to register. It took a while before someone came and escorted me to the pre op area. Of course the time in pre op last's forever and it seems like you are never going back.
My nurse and I had an interesting discussion about allergies and pain and how a simple food allergy to chicken of all things had caused her to be almost house bound. She told me about a place in Columbus called Nutrition Results that does intensive testing and she said without them she would not have been working that day. http://www.nutritionresultsorder.com/
Both the PA Tiffany and my Surgeon popped in to say hello and get things signed and ready to go. I really am not sure what time I went back to the OR. I transferred to the OR table and sat up on the side chatting with the CRNA about her Anesthesia machine and telling her about the one our company has. . . and then nothing.
I had a spinal as well as general anesthesia and was completely out before I laid down on the table! (That is the same way they did the last surgery but they put in the spinal in the pre op area the last time).
I only have vague memories of waking up from surgery and being wheeled down the hall to my room and seeing my oldest son wandering the hall with my crutches. Shortly after getting settled in my new room the family came traipsing in and once they knew I was ok younger son was ready to go home and sleep! They visited for a little while and then headed back home.
Recovery 12/4/12 to 12/6/12
I spent 2 days at the hospital and yes I was up and walking with a walker the very next day. The first night was rough because they gave me an antibiotic that I was sure I was allergic to but had only had one time before. Regardless it made me very nauseated which made it hard to keep my pain under control. Once they stopped that antibiotic I was much better. For some reason my magnesium levels were low and they had to give me magnesium both days. I need to get that checked again since surgery and see where I am now. Low magnesium levels have been proven to be the cause of joint pain and I hurt all the time in many different joints not just my hip.
I worked with PT the morning after surgery and they were impressed with how well I was moving. I was motivated to get to the bathroom since the nurse had taken out my catheter earlier in the morning and I was desperate to get up and pee. I made many treks to the bathroom on my own after they were sure I could do it alone. Unfortunately the walking was more successful than the peeing and I had to have a catheter again later in the day. I think the spinal makes my bladder sleepy and I just can't pee! The same thing happened after my Hysterectomy and my Arthroscopy. Oh well such is life.
My older son came in my van to pick me up on the 6th. Mom does not like driving my van and I knew riding in her Element would not be comfy, so Andy agreed to drive up in my van to fetch me. We stopped at the Walgreens in the basement of the hospital to fill my prescriptions before heading home. And then he loaded me up and headed out. We stopped half way home at the rest stop and I gimped my way to the restroom. I stop at this rest stop all the time and never paid any attention to how freaking far it is from the parking area. Sheesh that was rough but necessary since I was hurting from sitting and I needed to move.
We got home and I got settled into my bed and was exhausted from the journey!!!
It is 3:30 AM and I am finally getting tired again. More later in another post!!!!
Thanks for the update. It's helpful to read about others experiences because it gives others a realistic idea of what to expect. I'm very happy to hear that you are doing well. Happy recovery.
ReplyDeleteCJ Thanks! I think the more info we offer each other the easier it will be for others although it does suck to be a pioneer in this journey! Hang in there and good luck with your upcoming procedure!!!
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