SURGERY TO RECOVERY
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
There is a large portion of time about which I have no memory but there are lots of things I have been told about that time.
John was the contact person and he would let the girls know how things were going and this plan apparently worked very well.
As promised Nicole rang John early morning and told him that surgery was underway and all was going well. She then rang him later in the morning and told him they have removed my damaged liver and we replacing it with a lovely healthy one.
Her last call to John came at about 1.30 in the afternoon when she told him that the operation was over and I was all sewn up and about to go to recovery and then to ICU - no doubt the communication between John and the girls and those close to them worked well as everyone seemed to get the news.
They were all tired after a very restless night and all very worried.
We had discussed visiting during my first 24 hours and decided that it would not be a wise thing - Rebecca doesn't cope with hospitals and needles etc. and Naomi would probably get in the way trying to find out what things were and what they did and I was unconscious anyway.
I really don't have any idea of what time it was when I surfaced but suddenly was gagging on the tube in my throat - it had to stay there for a while, but soon it was removed and I was able to swallow and talk,
My memory of my time in ICU is blurred but there are things and people I do remember. I remember crushed ice on a spoon and being cared for my an incredible team of nurses who all seemed so young.
I was bathed and had gowns changed and was chatted to by this team who shared some of their lives with me. I recall a delightful male nurse who was so gentle and caring - a little English nurse who was going to spend New Years Eve at the beach and was very excited about it.
The first visitors I had that I can recall were Rebecca - who did very well to stay as long as she did with all the tubes and mechanical things I was attached to. Alexis too had trouble but Naomi loved it all.
Naomi and Alexis visited when I was sitting in a chair - and were quite shocked to find me out of bed - I didn't last out of bed long but I did it.
I remember portable Xray machines and chest Xrays being done. blood being taken regularly and catheters and drains being monitored and emptied often. There were lots of medications to be taken and ICU is a very busy well lit place and not much chance of good sleeps there.
I recall bed baths and that lovely clean feeling again - the staff washed me several times in each staff shift.
I was a mass of tubes and lines and had a multi function line in my neck and I recall getting tangled in it often.
Darren came in to see me on the Saturday and even he did very well before almost passing out and being attended to my my nurse.
My stay in ICU lasted until the Monday when i was taken "home" to 5E but several of the nurses from 5E had been to visit me in ICU and that was lovely.
"Home" to a lovely single room on 5E where I received the finest attention anyone could have ever received and it was Felicia who was on duty to I came back to be cared for by a "friend" and the promise from Cassie that she would wash my hair the next morning.
Time to sleep in a "normal" hospital bed - I was "home" and I felt safe and able to sleep.
More details of the daily grind of getting medications right and getting me up on my feet again soon.
Love and hugs,
Her last call to John came at about 1.30 in the afternoon when she told him that the operation was over and I was all sewn up and about to go to recovery and then to ICU - no doubt the communication between John and the girls and those close to them worked well as everyone seemed to get the news.
They were all tired after a very restless night and all very worried.
We had discussed visiting during my first 24 hours and decided that it would not be a wise thing - Rebecca doesn't cope with hospitals and needles etc. and Naomi would probably get in the way trying to find out what things were and what they did and I was unconscious anyway.
I really don't have any idea of what time it was when I surfaced but suddenly was gagging on the tube in my throat - it had to stay there for a while, but soon it was removed and I was able to swallow and talk,
My memory of my time in ICU is blurred but there are things and people I do remember. I remember crushed ice on a spoon and being cared for my an incredible team of nurses who all seemed so young.
I was bathed and had gowns changed and was chatted to by this team who shared some of their lives with me. I recall a delightful male nurse who was so gentle and caring - a little English nurse who was going to spend New Years Eve at the beach and was very excited about it.
The first visitors I had that I can recall were Rebecca - who did very well to stay as long as she did with all the tubes and mechanical things I was attached to. Alexis too had trouble but Naomi loved it all.
Naomi and Alexis visited when I was sitting in a chair - and were quite shocked to find me out of bed - I didn't last out of bed long but I did it.
I remember portable Xray machines and chest Xrays being done. blood being taken regularly and catheters and drains being monitored and emptied often. There were lots of medications to be taken and ICU is a very busy well lit place and not much chance of good sleeps there.
I recall bed baths and that lovely clean feeling again - the staff washed me several times in each staff shift.
I was a mass of tubes and lines and had a multi function line in my neck and I recall getting tangled in it often.
Darren came in to see me on the Saturday and even he did very well before almost passing out and being attended to my my nurse.
My stay in ICU lasted until the Monday when i was taken "home" to 5E but several of the nurses from 5E had been to visit me in ICU and that was lovely.
"Home" to a lovely single room on 5E where I received the finest attention anyone could have ever received and it was Felicia who was on duty to I came back to be cared for by a "friend" and the promise from Cassie that she would wash my hair the next morning.
Time to sleep in a "normal" hospital bed - I was "home" and I felt safe and able to sleep.
More details of the daily grind of getting medications right and getting me up on my feet again soon.
Love and hugs,
1 comments:
You are/were still awake?? I IMed you responding to your earlier messages but you mustn't have seen them.
Nigh Nigh.
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