Still in the hospital. Not sure if I'm leaving today or tomorrow.
I had a lot of visitors yesterday and Daniel brought me the computer. I don't do well without a keyboard!
I did get my wish to check in Wednesday morning since I wasn't scheduled till 3pm. I had the 10:30 am "harpooning" with Dr. N. though. I debated driving the kids, coming back and then making my way over but I was too much in a state that morning to drive.
I woke up early, too nervous to really sleep and just got everything ready to go. I then woke up the girls and got them out. Ronnie was at the cousins' in Barr doing his internship.
I put my bag in the car and we had to exchange cars since I was behind him in the garage (hate having a garage where one car blocks the other but two-car garages are so rare in France, I shouldn't complain!)
Of course, there was a big jam on the way and Talia was late to school. Davina has an extra 10 minutes so she's never late. It was hard saying goodbye but Talia was miffed and stomped off.
As soon as I arrived, I was in tears. I've never been so nervous in my life about anything. Having my first operation is one thing but also, the whole emotional rollercoaster of getting both tumors out, having that harpooning done and getting the results... Turns out, I won't get the results till next week anyway so that wasn't an issue. But they promised to give me something to calm me down after the markers were put in place and after the shower, not before because I had to cooperate and be alert (if a little teary).
I did all the admission stuff. She took all my paperwork and promised to return it when I left. They were very nice and apologetic about the room not being ready.
The room wasn't ready so they put me in another one. The program was that I was to go down, get the markers put in place and then head upstairs, shower for the surgery and then away we'd go! When I left for radiology, Daniel said goodbye, planning to come back before the surgery. He had to run to his office and he got something to eat near the hospital afterwards.
Dr. N. was running late. I saw him in the doorway. "Did you get the MRI results?" I asked him immediately.
"Yes. I have them here. I'm up to date on everything. Don't worry!!" but then, he told the technician that since I was an in-patient, it was useless to have me wait there. Go back to your room, she told me and come back in half an hour.
It was nice that they didn't make me wait out in the waiting room. There was direct access to radiology from the rooms. She also told me to get rid of the bra and jacket and put something more comfortable on top, when I came down again.
I came back and they told me that they had three patients yet to go, but one was just getting her results. He came by to apologize but I told him, if I'm the only in-patient, he had to prioritize the others, since they could go home. He proclaimed that no surgery could take place without his markers anyway. I also couldn't eat lunch, so that wasn't a factor anyway. Nothing to do for 3 hours until surgery anyway!
Finally, when I got in the room, it was good to talk to him again. My worry was that since the second tumor was only picked up on the MRI, could he find it on the ultrasound? Dr. G. said that if he knew where it was from the MRI, Dr. N. wouldn't have a problem. He found it in three second flat. "It's not much" he said very non-committedly. From my uneducated eye, it didn't look at all like the first one but I didn't want to discuss it, since it was coming out anyway.
The marking would be similar to the biopsy but he warned, it would take longer. Same procedure, almost. He did the local anesthesia and he had to press down at certain points to get the wires in. I couldn't see from my angle. He told me when he got the first one in and then did the second. It wasn't uncomfortable at all. The nurses had warned me earlier that it could be.
Done! Now, sit up. I hadn't eaten since 6am and it was now noon. I was all emotional and I did feel a little woozy. He kept asking me if I was okay. I was fine, I assured him. No, look at me! I did and he then said "Time for the mammogram!'
Ugh! A mammogram? Now?? With these wires sticking out of me. Careful, careful with the wires... Felt weird, although it didn't hurt.
Then, I had to stand up, with the famous wires sticking out and try to put pierced boob between sheets of glass. "Are you okay? Are you sure? Look at me!!!" He even grabbed my arm. I looked at him but he wasn't impressed. "Sit down here". Chair was conveniently located right behind me. Then he wanted to do another image and his very nice assistant was getting snippy about it. "You didn't tell me that! So which one..." and so on. They were really late, the office was closed and they had this dizzy, emotional patient patient sitting there...
He couldn't put a bandage on until he knew for sure that the wires were in place. He was happy with his work. He called the nurses station to send someone. He made it sound all formal "Could someone come down to accompany Madame D. to her room?" They didn't want me going up by myself. She arrived and I asked about the image. "Do you want to see it?" he said eagerly. The nurse looked annoyed but I stepped over to admire his work. They did look like whale harpoons...
Finally, he could bandage it up. He didn't cut the wires but they were covered well with the bandage so I could take a shower.
So off I went for my new adventure. Daniel had called me while I was still in radiology but couldn't get in because it was locked from the inside. He had to go to the room.
Earlier, during admissions, I had asked about my hair. They make you take a shower with the disinfectant junk and it's bright red so I wasn't keen to put it in my hair. I braided it up in two, "Heidi style" as I like to call it, to show them how well I'd have it out of the way. I explained that getting it wet again would mean having to dry it and re-braid it again. Compromise? Perhaps they could swipe it with another anti-bacterial liquid? No, the hair was fine. I had to wear a cap anyway. They asked if I had washed it that morning and I said yes. I was good to go.
That made the shower much easier! I was so nervous. The stuff was not horrible but not easy to wash with and I took my time. As I was drying off, with the disposable towel, the nurse delivered a small pill and instructed me to take it with as little water as possible.
It did do the trick. I wasn't as nervous but I was still alert. I even started to fall asleep.
Because I wasn't in my assigned room, the aid had trouble finding me. So at about 2:20, he arrived with a wheelchair.
Whew! I thought it would be a guerney.
Daniel said goodbye and blew a kiss in the elevator and down I went to the OR.
They then put me on a guerney and covered me with a heavy blanket, then left me in the hallway. I saw people being wheeled in and out, which would have freaked me but didn't because I had taken my little pill. The anesthetist and the anesthetic nurse came by and introduced themselves. My IV was put in place. Then I saw a masked, familiar face. I thanked Dr. G for calling me Sunday again. I popped off the mask so I could see him smile. See you-right away!
They wheeled me in and transferred me over on to the table. My arm was placed to the side on a special stand. They explained that was so he could have access to the area. I didn't like it because it looked like those lethal injection tables but I guess only an American would think that! I didn't say anything...
The nurse said I didn't have to have the mask. It smelled funny. No, not necessary. I was shivering. She had some sort of tube with hot air she blew under the blanket. "Is this typical? To tremble like this?" I asked. "No!" they laughed. It didn't matter. Think of somewhere nice... and then I was out...
Next thing I knew, just like everyone said, I was in the recovery room. I felt fine but ouch! Pain!! They quickly added something to my IV. It was morphine, 20mg and I was not going to have a fun reaction to it...
I had a lot of visitors yesterday and Daniel brought me the computer. I don't do well without a keyboard!
I did get my wish to check in Wednesday morning since I wasn't scheduled till 3pm. I had the 10:30 am "harpooning" with Dr. N. though. I debated driving the kids, coming back and then making my way over but I was too much in a state that morning to drive.
I woke up early, too nervous to really sleep and just got everything ready to go. I then woke up the girls and got them out. Ronnie was at the cousins' in Barr doing his internship.
I put my bag in the car and we had to exchange cars since I was behind him in the garage (hate having a garage where one car blocks the other but two-car garages are so rare in France, I shouldn't complain!)
Of course, there was a big jam on the way and Talia was late to school. Davina has an extra 10 minutes so she's never late. It was hard saying goodbye but Talia was miffed and stomped off.
As soon as I arrived, I was in tears. I've never been so nervous in my life about anything. Having my first operation is one thing but also, the whole emotional rollercoaster of getting both tumors out, having that harpooning done and getting the results... Turns out, I won't get the results till next week anyway so that wasn't an issue. But they promised to give me something to calm me down after the markers were put in place and after the shower, not before because I had to cooperate and be alert (if a little teary).
I did all the admission stuff. She took all my paperwork and promised to return it when I left. They were very nice and apologetic about the room not being ready.
The room wasn't ready so they put me in another one. The program was that I was to go down, get the markers put in place and then head upstairs, shower for the surgery and then away we'd go! When I left for radiology, Daniel said goodbye, planning to come back before the surgery. He had to run to his office and he got something to eat near the hospital afterwards.
Dr. N. was running late. I saw him in the doorway. "Did you get the MRI results?" I asked him immediately.
"Yes. I have them here. I'm up to date on everything. Don't worry!!" but then, he told the technician that since I was an in-patient, it was useless to have me wait there. Go back to your room, she told me and come back in half an hour.
It was nice that they didn't make me wait out in the waiting room. There was direct access to radiology from the rooms. She also told me to get rid of the bra and jacket and put something more comfortable on top, when I came down again.
I came back and they told me that they had three patients yet to go, but one was just getting her results. He came by to apologize but I told him, if I'm the only in-patient, he had to prioritize the others, since they could go home. He proclaimed that no surgery could take place without his markers anyway. I also couldn't eat lunch, so that wasn't a factor anyway. Nothing to do for 3 hours until surgery anyway!
Finally, when I got in the room, it was good to talk to him again. My worry was that since the second tumor was only picked up on the MRI, could he find it on the ultrasound? Dr. G. said that if he knew where it was from the MRI, Dr. N. wouldn't have a problem. He found it in three second flat. "It's not much" he said very non-committedly. From my uneducated eye, it didn't look at all like the first one but I didn't want to discuss it, since it was coming out anyway.
The marking would be similar to the biopsy but he warned, it would take longer. Same procedure, almost. He did the local anesthesia and he had to press down at certain points to get the wires in. I couldn't see from my angle. He told me when he got the first one in and then did the second. It wasn't uncomfortable at all. The nurses had warned me earlier that it could be.
Done! Now, sit up. I hadn't eaten since 6am and it was now noon. I was all emotional and I did feel a little woozy. He kept asking me if I was okay. I was fine, I assured him. No, look at me! I did and he then said "Time for the mammogram!'
Ugh! A mammogram? Now?? With these wires sticking out of me. Careful, careful with the wires... Felt weird, although it didn't hurt.
Then, I had to stand up, with the famous wires sticking out and try to put pierced boob between sheets of glass. "Are you okay? Are you sure? Look at me!!!" He even grabbed my arm. I looked at him but he wasn't impressed. "Sit down here". Chair was conveniently located right behind me. Then he wanted to do another image and his very nice assistant was getting snippy about it. "You didn't tell me that! So which one..." and so on. They were really late, the office was closed and they had this dizzy, emotional patient patient sitting there...
He couldn't put a bandage on until he knew for sure that the wires were in place. He was happy with his work. He called the nurses station to send someone. He made it sound all formal "Could someone come down to accompany Madame D. to her room?" They didn't want me going up by myself. She arrived and I asked about the image. "Do you want to see it?" he said eagerly. The nurse looked annoyed but I stepped over to admire his work. They did look like whale harpoons...
Finally, he could bandage it up. He didn't cut the wires but they were covered well with the bandage so I could take a shower.
So off I went for my new adventure. Daniel had called me while I was still in radiology but couldn't get in because it was locked from the inside. He had to go to the room.
Earlier, during admissions, I had asked about my hair. They make you take a shower with the disinfectant junk and it's bright red so I wasn't keen to put it in my hair. I braided it up in two, "Heidi style" as I like to call it, to show them how well I'd have it out of the way. I explained that getting it wet again would mean having to dry it and re-braid it again. Compromise? Perhaps they could swipe it with another anti-bacterial liquid? No, the hair was fine. I had to wear a cap anyway. They asked if I had washed it that morning and I said yes. I was good to go.
That made the shower much easier! I was so nervous. The stuff was not horrible but not easy to wash with and I took my time. As I was drying off, with the disposable towel, the nurse delivered a small pill and instructed me to take it with as little water as possible.
It did do the trick. I wasn't as nervous but I was still alert. I even started to fall asleep.
Because I wasn't in my assigned room, the aid had trouble finding me. So at about 2:20, he arrived with a wheelchair.
Whew! I thought it would be a guerney.
Daniel said goodbye and blew a kiss in the elevator and down I went to the OR.
They then put me on a guerney and covered me with a heavy blanket, then left me in the hallway. I saw people being wheeled in and out, which would have freaked me but didn't because I had taken my little pill. The anesthetist and the anesthetic nurse came by and introduced themselves. My IV was put in place. Then I saw a masked, familiar face. I thanked Dr. G for calling me Sunday again. I popped off the mask so I could see him smile. See you-right away!
They wheeled me in and transferred me over on to the table. My arm was placed to the side on a special stand. They explained that was so he could have access to the area. I didn't like it because it looked like those lethal injection tables but I guess only an American would think that! I didn't say anything...
The nurse said I didn't have to have the mask. It smelled funny. No, not necessary. I was shivering. She had some sort of tube with hot air she blew under the blanket. "Is this typical? To tremble like this?" I asked. "No!" they laughed. It didn't matter. Think of somewhere nice... and then I was out...
Next thing I knew, just like everyone said, I was in the recovery room. I felt fine but ouch! Pain!! They quickly added something to my IV. It was morphine, 20mg and I was not going to have a fun reaction to it...
No comments:
Post a Comment