The Road to Success is Always Under Construction Part 2 of 2 - Summer of 2012

Joy-

Sounds like you are having a good time, good to hear!

I made it through pre op today and already got my 2 wrist bands for surgery tomorrow. Here is a puzzle for you. They said to go a head and take a shower tomorrow morning, but don't get the blood type wrist band wet or the writing will come off. Ummmmm I am trying to figure this one out still.
Oh well, I will be hitting the road at 7am. Got to be thereat 9 am for an 11am surgery. The teaching nurse asked if I was nervous. I told her nope, excited! A chance to no longer have this dang rib pain, whooooo hooooo!

Take care,
Bill

  Good luck, Bill!

Hope everything goes well for you!  Let us know!

 

Hi all

I had to stay a couple extra nights due to pain, but I am home now. They had to do the surgery with me awake. They tried twilight first, but was moving around too much and they had to wake me up. Removing bone from my spine and making the pocket for the battery was very painful. After the surgery all was good as long as I didn't move. Move one inch and instant 10!
My surgeon made the decision to keep me the extra couple nights and made sure the nurses knew to not let my pain get out of control. Found out that is tough to do when you have been on pain meds for over 5 years. The night nurses were great though. They could just look at me and tell when I needed something for pain. The day nurse wanted me to go home the next day and was trying to convince the surgeon I should. He put a stop to that real quick. He told her I would be there at least 2 more nights. I don't think that made her happy because she kept telling him I was only scheduled as an outpatient. He told her that no longer applied and he had admitted me for as long as it takes.

Take care,
Bill

Denise-

I am very lucky to have had a great surgeon, anesthesiologist, and night nurses. I couldn't have asked for better care. My anesthesiologist told me on the way to recovery that he had ordered lots of good drugs for me since I went through the surgery awake. He also said I am one tough bugger. He said he wouldn't have that surgery awake.
They had my PM doctor come up the day after surgery to get her ideas for pain control. When she read I did it awake she told me she would order a good combination of meds so I would be comfortable. The doctors and nurses worked very well together and didn't allow me to stay above a 4.
I had to tell my story of the esophagus hole to many different people there too. When someone would ask about what started my rib pain They would go get some other people to hear it to. Apparently most people with this don't do well with an esophagus tear. They all kept saying I looked really good for having gone through that and were amazed I can eat anything I want to.

Guess I am lucky to have had an excellent surgeon for that.

The night nurses I had have dealt with spine surgery patients for a long time and told me they could tell right away I wasn't going home for a few days. They even asked if I was a sleep if it was ok to give me the IV meds without waking me up....ummm yeah! even though my sleep was in about 10 to 20 minute bursts. I finally got 4 hours straight the night before I went home. Since my room was right across from the nurse's desk I didn't have to wait more than 30 seconds after calling them

Take care,
Bill

Hi all
I am starting a new thread since this one is so long.

Here is a link to the new under construction thread

www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=45&m=2649692&p=1


Take care,
Bill