My visit to the hospital

August 9, 2007 | By valmg |

Surgery went as expected on Monday. Apparently again I needed some extra time in recovery due to my reaction to anesthesia. Dr S said it all looks to be benign. I couldn’t eat at all on Monday. My nutty roommate was interesting to say the least and had cancer. The morphine button is my best friend. Come bed time I find myself suffering from shortness of breath. I tell the nurse I need to change my position. She proceeds to fold me up in the bed, at which point I force myself out under my own power and head for the chair where I spend the rest of night. I slept 90% of the entire day.
Happy birthday to me! Tuesday brought the personal care aide that bathed in her perfume. It made me sick when she came into the room. Tuesday also brought gas, which hurts like crazy. They put gas in during surgery. What goes in must come out I suppose. I had one bite at breakfast (patients with abdominal wounds and pain when passing gas should not be given anything with sausage), one bite at lunch, and maybe two bites at dinner. I was just not hungry. The nurse found me a geri chair, which was much more comfortable for me to sit and sleep in. I developed random bouts of shivering and teeth chattering. My roommate was a sweet elderly lady who was in for a transfusion and undergoes some alternative chemo treatment. She rang the bell for the nurse for me when I needed tp on the potty. They weaned me off the morphine and gave me something else. I slept all day.
Wednesday I was told I have anemia and my hemoglobin (iron) is below 8 so I need a transfusion. After transfusing two bags, my hemoglobin only rises to 8.1 and it is finally decided after much debate after 7pm that I should go home.
I hurt like hell. I have a bunch of staples from my belly button on down. I am not allowed to pick anything up and I am not allowed to drive.