back from the 'castle'

I'll try to get this down, while I can remember.

hmmmm, Monday morning, was asked to not pee, as they wanted to do a preggo test. My surgery was scheduled for 11am, so I did not need to be there till 9am. Needless to say, in my rather uncomfortable state, arrived closer to 8:30. BUT the volunteers did not get to me, so at 8:45 I went to them. (they are little old ladies, so I wasn't too mad, just uncomfortable). Once I explained my situation, they got me thru the admissions process(I had my fastpass from Thursday) and took me to the O.R. Where they did the pre-surgery prep. The worst part was the insertion of the iv...as I'm not a fan of needles and they put it on the back of my right hand. And we waited a couple of hours. The gal next to me, I don't know what she was in for, her surgery was almost a couple hours late...so, Michael and I settled in figuring that all the surgeries were running late. Not so, they wheeled us in right on time. I just remember that staging area as being real COLD and the lights being real BRIGHT!

My dr came in and explained the surgery and then the anesthesiologist came in and explained her procedure. The dr also told me the first thing they'd do is give me a 'stress cocktail' to ease any stress I'm feeling. I remember them wheeling me into the OR, I remember it being bright..and filled with stuff, all kinds of machines...and being put onto the table...and nothing else. So, whatever is in that 'cocktail', I like. As, my biggest fear was the thought of being put under. I thought I would 'feel' it, like fading to 'black'...but I don't recall a thing.

The next thing I remember is a young man asking if I'm in pain. Think I said yes, but don't remember anything else till I was being wheeled into my room. The dr says my surgery was 'textbook' and my tumor was huge and my uterus was misshapen and huge, that it was like giving birth.

They put me in the pediatric wing, guess the others were full. I had great nurses, the first nurse Deb, had to check my vitals every half hour...guess my blood pressure was low. then there was Manju, who was very attentive and terrific all thru the night. Then there was Mary who had a very perky personality, she told me she has the same ob/gyn and fibroids and needs the same surgery...I told her, she can see that Dr. Dekhordi does great work (all the nurses commented on how small and 'cute' my stitches are). And Marsha, who was late checking me out, and very apologetic, but I understood...the babies come first. And apparently, there was an emergency situation with one that afternoon.

I did throw up the first time I got up. Guess that was 'leftover' from the anesthesia, but once I got that out, was fine. Was unable to pee....in fact when we tried again at midnight, Mudja told me if I wasn't successful, they would probably have to insert a catheter...it took a while, it still does, but I was successful!

Yes, there is pain. Across my abs, my shoulder and my ribs when I try to breath deep. They gave me a plastic breathing machine, which I'm to breath into 10 times every hour...I brought it home. It is this pain that has me up at 1:30 in the morning. Plus, I prefer to sleep on my side, so sleeping on my back is kinda difficult.

I came home after 5pm. Got my meds, 2 different pain killers I'm supposed to take together? A li'l confused. I've been alternating them, in fact I think the one I took 30 minutes ago is about to kick in...better make my way back to bed.

Then we get a call from dd, there are tornadoes where she lives. she's in Tarrant County in Fort Worth. Sounds like they got thru the worst of it...last night. But if you got thru this, please pray for them.