March 28, 2010

My sincerest apologies for not updating this blog.

My surgery actually happened on February 25 much to my surprise. After calling the surgery scheduler for days and not getting a date for the surgery after my family doctor gave the go-ahead for it, I called the surgeon myself. His nurse or secretary said she would schedule me for 3/4 for surgery but I should come over the next day (Feb. 24) to re-sign the consent form. So Paul and I head over in the afternoon to do just that. After seeing the surgeon, I said "See you next week." and he said, "We moved up your surgery to tomorrow. Didn't anyone inform you of that?" Speechless, I said, "no" and headed back to the waiting room. Much to Paul's surprise, he took it well, but thoughts of calling his boss and cancelling overtime was upsetting to him.

The next day we were in the hospital around 7:00 a.m. and was probably in surgery about 8:30. Upon my waking up, (6:30 pm)there was a cardiologist asking me questions about my heart, did I take drugs, any heart history in the family. Little did I know that during the operation with whatever anesthesia they gave me for the 5 hour operation, it produced an irregular heart beat causing me to go on heart meds and oxygen to bring the heart back to its regular heart beat. (My nurse says it may have been the same stuff they gave to Michael Jackson, but I was able to come through it. Thank goodness.)

The only real pain I had after the operation was in the left arm where they opened it up from the wrist to the elbow to take out the veins, arteries & whatever else they took out. Somehow the button that I pushed for pain medication didn't hit that area. I had a cast on that arm as well as the right leg which had to be elevated on 2 pillows for the duration of the hospital stay. A doppler was stapled to my leg to listen to the blood flow through the veins to make sure everything was hunky dory. Unfortunately, the resident for Dr. Levin (Dr. Baldwin) cut the wires to the doppler when he was unveiling the incision. Then they had to use a hand doppler which they checked every hour.

After 5 days in the bed, I was allowed to get out of bed. Its very cumbersome to do things with only one working arm and one working leg, but it was good to get off the bed. On the days when they wanted to change the sheets after they had given me a bath, they had this pulley system above my head. They would lay you on this canvas blanket with straps to attach to the pulley and then lift you up. I saw a show once where they lifted horses or cows to transport them to ships. That's what I felt like.

Wednesday, March 3rd was my going-home day. After being seen by occupational therapists and physical therapists, the Drs. Levin and Baldwin along with his interns came and checked out their work. All was well and a new cast was put on. Dr. Levin said to see him in a week. Since I couldn't lift my body up stairs with one arm and one leg, I had to have a medical transport bring me home instead of Paul. They showed up 1-1/2 hours late. I never returned home till 9:00 pm, but was just very happy to be home.

When I was supposed to see him on the following Wednesday, it turns out he was going to be out of town so they set up an appt. for me on the following Monday, 3/15. I don't know if it was the length the cast was kept on or moving my leg in the cast, but when it was removed there was an open wound that caused blood dripping to the floor. Immediately Dr. Levin started to put gauze to the wound to stop the blood flow so he could have a better look. Afterwards he applied something like silverdine (?) and then neosporin. He wrapped gauze around it and bandaged it up. We had to come back on Wednesday, 3/17 to make sure it was healing. Since this was an open wound, he requested daily nurse care to bandage my foot. Later, they removed stitches from my arm. There is still a circle near my wrist where the skin graft went from my leg to get the veins, etc. which is healing nicely. There is still some numbness in my thumb though which they assured me would come back eventually.

Now I see the surgeon every Wednesday to check it out. My nurse, Rebecca (very lively and talky) has taught Paul to change the bandage. He and I differ on application sometimes, but in this case, I try not to argue with him as he's doing so much helping me know. He wheels me in the wheelchair to the bathroom to take a shower and bags up my left arm and leg. I can't stand but am thankful for a bath chair to shower. He's the one who helps me up the back stairs on my butt and into the kitchen after the doctor visits at University of Pennsylvania. Those valets, as we both have observed, are so helpful putting my leg into the car, helping Paul with the wheelchair and opening the doors for us. They trained them well.

Some ladies from Presbyterian Church have started sending meals over. Friends have been bringing me lunch, calling and bringing sunshine to my recovery. I can't say when I'll be walking again or going back to work as I still haven't been allowed to put weight on my foot with the open wound, but I pray that this operation will be beneficial to my walking without pain. I had some very sweet nurses - Alyson was my favorite; friendly nurse assistants - especially Nadine from Dominica - who both handled my anxiety attacks and help me to get home. Thanks also to Carol, the discharge nurse who got me the medical transport, prescriptons and shots for me to take home, and making the whole discharge go so well.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I guess I had a month to tell you about. Paul had set up an old laptop that belonged to Lauren right next to my chair so I could read my mail as I had to have my leg elevated at all times and couldn't get into the den here to get to my blog.

My next appointment is Wednesday, 3/31. Dr. Baldwin did remove some stitches on the leg, but many are still there so we don't lose the flap. Hopefully, this week there will be more removed.

Thanks for all your cards, calls and lunches. It is truly wonderful what my friends do to get me through this again.

My best to you all.

Betsy