Surgery Success

While there were multiple delays prior to surgery (emergency case before me), apparently all went well during surgery. They were able to go the simple route and I am resting in a comfy bed for the night before heading across the pass.
I was able to hold down dinner though I am still fairly nauseated.  When I woke up...from my dream, it took me a minute to remember that I was having surgery...and oh by the way, it was over.  Last thing I remember was the meds burning as they went in and the anesthesiologist saying that was ok...oxygen mask suffocation, and me realizing it was time to submit to the drugs.  As I woke up, all I wanted to do was go back into my nap...though the nausea and pain were starting to kick in...nothing three doses of dolotted and a few oxy couldn't handle. Super tired now a hoping for some goog sleep!

Another Adventure

We are once again in Seattle at Virginia Mason...and we hope this is our last visit to Seattle for a while (Lynnwood ok to visit). We have made over 20 trips here in the last 10 months...construction on the high rise was still a hole in the ground... 

Gall bladder surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning and we hope it is quick and uneventful.  Today's tests were a little rough...my blood was drawn by a phlebotimist in training and my blood didn't want to leave my arm...next stop was the CT scan where it took 3 tries to get an IV started and a 5th poke to get a little more blood...now the bruises are appearing. 

CT scans are not for the weak stomachs...you start with 32oz Barium Sulfate chalky, nasty drink and ends with contrast that makes you feel like you wet yourself and has recently caused nausea for about an hour.  It took so long to get the IV started that we were late to our next two appts. Poor Jacob had to sit and wait all afternoon, but then we went to a movie and a lovely dinner and now getting ready for bed.

Praying tomorrow's surgery is the culmination of this bout with Pancreatitis...10 months is long enough!! For those of you haven't seen me lately...I am feeling really good, ready to get back to the gym and golfing.  We made two trips downtown from the hospital today...and I could have done a few more.

FYI, I will blog tomorrow when I feel up to it...don't expect to hear anything until late afternoon.  Love you all!! Thanks for your prayers and support!

Tubeless

We had a good visit to VM today...got the last tube out, scheduled gall bladder surgery and a follow-up over a month away!! I didn't have to have anesthesia today...they just gave it a yank and the tube was gone...it has been a long time...I was excited and it was fun to see excitement in the Drs. and nurses...got hugs from lots of the ones I have seen week after week and even got the tubeless in Seattle certificate. I am waiting until after Aaron's birthday to have gall bladder surgery.
Another good thing this trip is that we found Rhodie's BBQ...it moved and I was missing the yummy pork sandwich...it is now off exit 22. I was starving...and now my belly is happy!

We are on our way home!

Home and dealing

We went into today's appointment with hope and optimism, but the doc had other news. He did take the lower drain out but talked to us for quite some time about other fluid formations...and that the internal drains are not fully functional. There are a few fluid formations in hard to reach places including around my spleen...he was going to try to route my last drain so it could drain that fluid...being that they medicate me to not remember the pain during the proceedure...I don't know where exactly the tube is located internally.  Jacob tells me about conversations that go on while I am in recovery and I have no recollection...get me off those drugs!!! I am feeling the pain now and took off the pain patch this week so hopefully the pain rollercoaster doesn't return...all in all, my body is making progress and I feel better overall. One good thing about today's appt is that it progressed relatively on schedule and we were home before 5pm!!

On the road again...

We are headed back to Seattle for a CT, tube check, blood work, and department follow-ups.  We are hoping and praying that they will take the two remaining tubes out. I am trying to not get my hopes up, but I have been feeling better and the drain output has decreased.
Pray that if it is the right time that these tubes come out, and if it is not the right time, pray that I can mentally take another week or two.

Fun note...we had a girls spa day last weekend and then some mother-daughter time and a friend BBQ...first, the 90min deluxe pedi was excellent and turned the rough morning around and at some point during the day I had a feeling of normalcy...it was Amazing! I was tired and sore on Sunday...but it is great that I am having more good days, more stamina, and feeling like I can be on my feet more without crashing!! I went grocery shopping today and hopefully will feel up to camping over the weekend!

Thanks everyone for the prayer and support. We are not through it all, but I feel like we are climbing our way out of the valley!

What it is not...

After a long day in the ER, all the tests came back ok...not kidney stones, not pulmonary embolism, not a clot in the leg, lungs look ok, so they sent me home with muscle relaxers. The first couple haven't completely knocked out pain like I had hoped...though feeling good in general and sleeping more...very Thankful for the little improvements!!
Though setbacks are hard, I feel like I am am moving in the right direction...hopefully heading toward removal of more drains...

Two days, two hospitals...

My days of pain started Sunday night at the hotel at Virginia Mason...I felt pain in my lower right flank that we thought were muscle spasms...I couldn't lay flat or even get comfortable at any angle other than full sitting position...needless to say, I did not get much sleep.  We got up ans got down to the Ct scan and then we were sent to the other building for tube check. It is a long walk and I was tired when we got there...only to hear my proceedure would be done at the Buck Pavilion...exactly where we came from ...so we headed back over there...waited forever and then found out there was equipment that broke down and I would be heading back to Jones pavilion...this time they brought a wheelchair and a parking voucher for the inconvenience.  They were really behind and my 9am proceedure didn't get underway until almost 12:30...they switched where the two drains were positioned inside and sent me on my way...the whole day plagued by these spasms or whatever they are. I was in so much pain by the time we got home that I went straight to bed...it was another restless night with more pain and trouble breathing that I called the Doc and got right in this morning...after he poked around and listened to my lungs, he sent me for a Chest CT at ER...3.5 HRS later, I am still here...waiting...watching as cell battery dies. I will post again when I know something...