So I am finally at a point where I could only fantasize
about being – past the surgery, past the initial surgery pain and into recovery
at home. Just 2 weeks ago I wondered what it would be like to be at this
stage…what would the surgery be like? The incision? The hospital? The nursing
care? Will I need familiar faces at the hospital to support the professional
help I will receive? How many days would it take me to get through any
unbearable pain? Would there be unbearable pain? What would THAT feel like? What
will the surgeon find, what will she remove and leave behind? How will David
respond to me being gone? Will he miss me? Will he visit me in the hospital?
Would the prognosis for a long life be different once they looked inside?
Tim has been wonderful about keeping family and friends updated
daily through text messaging. If you want to be added to that phone texting
list, please let me know. I should have asked earlier…sorry
L E-mail me (
daboggess@comcast.net) your phone
number, call or text me. I want to make sure and stay in touch with people who
are interested in staying in touch – whether by phone calls, texting, blog,
e-mail or Facebook (which I am not a regular communicator).
Tim and I arrived at the hospital Tuesday morning at 6 a.m.
– thankful that we had the first surgery appointment of the day. (Thank you
Alyssa for coming at 5:20 a.m. to care for David all day!!) We prayed that the
surgical team had had a good night's sleep and were fresh and ready for what
was to come. Pastor Jim was already at the hospital waiting to send us off to
surgery full of prayers and encouragement. I changed into hospital garb and
Pastor John arrived. We had a few
moments of God's Word and prayer before the nurses came into prep me. It
really was all a blur. I remember talking to the anesthesiologist and surgeon
about getting an epidural. As I now try to recall the epidural installation, I
can't. I know I was awake for it but I cannot recall it. Thank God! Interesting
how that remembering thing works. The
epidural was to be my source of pain relief/control until the catheter came out. Unfortunately it didn't turn out that way :-(
The surgery ended about 1:30 pm. The first thing I remember
after surgery was
P-A-I-N. I was in and out. Tim said "pain"
was all I kept saying. Unfortunately I was alone in my room for about 1.5 hours
after the recovery room because Tim was not informed that I had been moved to a
room
L.
How sad is that!? Where were the nurses? Why wasn't Tim informed? Were the
nurses watching over me? Were they addressing my pain or needs? Did they only
come into the room and see me sleeping? I am soooo glad I don't remembering
being dropped off and left alone. God was watching over me:-)
The PAIN was terrible. Fortunately I kept falling back
asleep. I had a bag of ice on my belly but didn't really know it, until a nurse
asked about it the next day. I had no idea how the surgery went or how many
stitches I had. I had been told a 5-6" incision would be made. All I kept
saying was "PAIN". They could not figure out why I was having so much
pain. From my understanding the nurses, the doctor, the PA – someone -- was
trying to get hold of the anesthesiologist who had installed the epidural to
get permission for more meds. No one could get hold of him and he was the only
one who could prescribe more pain med through the epidural. L
L
L
Tim said that I – from my blurred state of reality -- said, "Find that
guy!" (I actually recall saying that and the pain of talking with an NG
tube poking me in the throat!) As usual my demanding self was on guard!! It was
about 5pm and finding someone after "business hours" had me concerned
even in my stupor. I knew Tim had to leave to get David soon. Fortunately Tim
had contacted our friend from small group Cheryl Ong and she came to stay with
me for the remainder of the evening.
Finally permission was given for a different pain medication
about 7 pm. I had the chest port catheter and the IV in my hand so there was
plenty of access for medication—just had to get a doctor's permission. It was
discovered that the epidural had fallen out or slipped out of position and that
is why I was not getting any pain relief. L L
L
All I remember was asking Cheryl to pray for me. I am so grateful that Cheryl
was with me – what a comfort having her watching over me, praying for me,
feeding me ice chips, and working with the nurses! Thank you so much Cheryl!! Cheryl
stayed until I felt comfortable enough to fall asleep and as late as she could manage
– sleeping on the hospital pull out bed was worse than sleeping on the floor so
she headed home about 3:30 a.m.
Even in my semi-conscious state I knew Tim wasn't coming
back to the hospital until late Wednesday morning -- after Robyn had picked up
David for playtime during Calvary's Women's Bible Study. (Thanks Robyn for
taking David for the day!) Being at the hospital without a familiar face was
not what I wanted but it was to be. Nurses came and went for the rest of the
morning. I still had the NG tube, catheter and IVs. The first few nurses I had made me cry. I
wonder if they would have had more compassion if I had been their family
member. Some nurses I actually had to tell them what to do. I remember asking 2
nurses who were standing at my bed waiting for me to get up, "Can you help
me? Can you give me a little encouragement?" One replied robotically,
"You're doing great," with her arms folded over her chest. Needless
to say I needed prayer to be the one with compassion.
 |
| Yikes! This is not a 5" incision. |
 |
| Pastor Jim (pictured) and Pastor John came to pray prior to surgery. |
I remember Wednesday morning someone saying you have
company! I couldn't quite turn my head enough to see but I said who is it? It
was Mark Walker, from our small
group. He was making his early morning work rounds at the hospital and stopped
in as he had promised. I barely opened my eyes, but I remember asking Mark to pray
for me. I asked him to call Tim for me to say hello and to see what time he was
coming back to the hospital. I was so happy to see Mark! Thanks again for stopping by:-)
I was allowed ice chips Wednesday and had visitors
throughout the day. I remember seeing Pastor John
and sharing my prayer request and concern of trying to be kind to those who seemed to have no compassion or concern of how to help me or help me to
help myself.
I believe the catheter and NG tube came out Wednesday afternoon
and I was allowed a liquid diet in the evening – like jello, broth, applesauce,
juice. The catheter came out without any pain. The NG Tube felt like someone
was ripping the inside of my nose out. Two weeks later my nose still bears a
scab and occasionally my throat is sore when I swallow. Tim brought David to
the hospital to visit me Wednesday – tubes and all. David did a great job and kept
asking, what's this, what's that – all the time with a smile on his face.
Cheryl came to stay with me a bit Wednesday evening as did Sandy. What a huge blessing my friends were!! After Cheryl left, Sandy
played "Crazy Love" for me. I had read the first few chapters so it
was familiar to me. We listened to one DVD. She prayed for me and I believe
that was the night the nurses got me out of bed to walk a bit and go to the
bathroom on my own. Waking up the bladder is sooooo much harder than I could
imagine. THAT was painful.
Thursday was a day full of visitors. I remember having Karen
West sit with me a couple hours, then seeing, Anne Marie, Diane, Alison, Rose, Alyssa,
and my neighbors Stacy and Hannah. I was not a very good hostess – in and out
of sleep but I was soooo glad to see familiar faces each time I woke up. What a
great comfort to me. Thank you everyone for coming to visit. We had so many
beautiful bouquets of flowers too!
Friday Tim picked up my cousin Jill from the airport. I
can't remember who stayed with me, maybe Cheryl? Jill, Tim and David came back to the
hospital. I was so happy to see my cousin. What a relief! Jill and Tim had
coordinated with my nurse(s) removal of IVs so that I could be released on
Saturday. Tim had hoped for a Friday release.
We had "prayer" group instead of small group in the
hospital room Friday night. That was so special. Kathy was there along with a
couple others from small group. I don't remember much other than Bruce showing
up later with my favorite dessert – coconut sorbet!!!). Then Mike W stopped by for a quick hello after a long week and long drive from work. We appreciate our small group so much!! Thank you all for your love, prayers and support.
Jill stayed the night and helped manage my care. I remember walking the
halls of the hospital during the night in order to get my bowels moving. We
stopped by the newborn baby window and enjoyed the scenery of new babies. We prayed for the ability to pass gas and have a bowel movement. God quickly answered even the wackiest prayer!!
Someone came in bright and early, turned on the all the
lights and announced he was going to draw blood. Luckily Jill interceded so that they wouldn't stick me in the arm again. I had the chest port from which nurses can draw blood so there was no need to get me in the arm again. (My veins aren't very cooperative because they wiggle, so blood draws can turn into 2, 3, sometimes 4 needle sticks.)
I am so grateful to be home and have the surgery OVER!!! Praise the Lord I had some nurses and a CNA who were compassionate, mindful, encouraging and helpful. Thank you God for the friends and family you have given us. Thank you God for helping me through the hard parts of being in the hospital and for putting me on the road of quick recovery. Thank you for providing an army of prayer warriors to keep me protected in Your arms. Thank you that I only had to be in the hospital 5 days. It already seems like so long ago.
We have a long road ahead of us, but we are plugging along. We met with the surgeon's nurse a couple days after being released from the hospital. The drainage tube in my side was pulled out. Hah - she said this won't hurt but I begged to differ with her...it wasn't her body that she was pulling the tube from!!
We meet with the oncologist next week (the 28th) to see when chemo will resume. I continue to ask for and appreciate your prayers. Much love to you
