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Hospital Trip Round #2!

Tuesday morning I got up about 5:15am, did a few last minute things before we left for the hospital. I got checked in to the main hospital and went up to surgery admission and turned in all my paper work where Pastor Don was waiting for us! He prayed with us before I headed back to pre-op to get ready for surgery. It felt like FOREVER that I was back there alone and finally the nurse (not the most friendly but she was alright) came back and we got things started. This time, the IV was the worst! I threw up after she got it put it and what made it bad was there was nothing to throw up but stomach acid. It was horrible...I cried. After which, my parents came back just as Dr. Ambrose got there and explained his part in the surgery (it was pretty easy because he was the anesthesiologist for my last surgery as well). Then Scheid came in, and talked to me and my parents a little, then Ambrose came back in and took me away. The OR was not as bright as I remembered it being but it was just as cold. I remember talking to Ambrose's' assistant about my wedding dress as they placed monitors on my chest and sides, they strapped my arms out to each side and then I could feel the drugs! I remember the room moving and them telling me to "sleep well!" then I was out.

Waking up was so different than last time. I remember I was SOOO itchy but I was more awake and talking to the nurses more than last time. I had them put my glasses on even though the goo was still on my eyes, and they kept telling me to stop rubbing my eyes because I could scratch them, but I couldn't stop. When the nurse told me he was going to take out my arterial line, I told me I threw up last time, and as soon as I said that I started coughing then BAM! puke everywhere! I remember him laughing and saying," I hadn't even touched her yet and she was already getting sick!" it was kind of funny, but really shows it is totally a mind thing.
I slightly remember them taking me up to my room, but I do remember being on the surgery cart for a while before they could find me a bed (they said they got my bed ready in my room, but when we arrived, it was gone! so we had to wait a couple hours before we got another one. The rest of the night is a blur but I did start eating that night, which was a GREAT improvement from the last surgery.

Wednesday was pretty mellow. They drew my blood every morning I was there, with pills and vitals and this morning my blood count was below 7.5 so Denise came in about 6am and told me I was getting both units back that day! They asked if I wanted to start a second IV so I could have my blood and PCA going at the same time and I said NO WAY! I'll deal without the pump for a few hours at a time. Jacob came to visit for most of the morning before heading back to IL for the night. It was so great having him there, he made things much better that morning :)
Lauren also came to visit in the evening and I sat up like PT wanted me to do that night, so when my parents were there, we were all making fun of my smile because I was so drugged my smile looked funny! It was nice to have family there too! I love them!

Not much happened Thursday. My collection of flowers kept growing and it brightened up my day every time I saw someone bring more to my room :) I kept texting Jessica C. and she laughed when I sent her a picture of myself and said I looked so stoned! What do people expect?! I'm pumping morphine into my body every 10 min I want, I think I might look a little high ;-) Ashley, Katie and Laura came to visit that night and it was wonderful to see them! From when I wasn't sleeping, it was nice to see someone else besides the helicopter pad and walls outside my window! I was soooo thankful that my Mom came to stay with me that night as well because the nurse I had was .... well, I'll be kind and say I'm thankful that I will never have to see here again. Being my Mom and nurse herself, my mom was pretty upset and shocked at the way the nurse handled things (or in my case, didn't handle them at all).

Friday morning I did cry when the nurse told me she had to draw more blood because the night nurse didn't draw enough (even having to stick me a couple different times) She went out and talked to Denise and said the blood count was around 9.5 so it was ok not to draw again. I got up and went to my bathroom for the first time (not using my commode) and I made it all the way back to bed without help! The floor manager also came to speak with me that morning about issues I had that night and she was very sorry about everything that happened and we did get things worked out but everyone that morning was so sweet and very caring! When PT came, I got over my first step and (along with Denise) she gave me the thumbs up for an OK to go home! (A day earlier than last time! Woohoo!) So we packed up my stuff, signed paper work, took out my IV, got my Dad to come to the hospital to pick me up, and I was on my way home around 1:30pm! We didn't have the wheelchair when we left the hospital so I had to walk from the car to my bed inside but I MADE IT! But the down side to that is on Saturday night before bed, I was walking to the bathroom, and I broke down. I hadn't been getting enough fluids (the IV does wonders in the hospital), I was sore, tired, and I had forgotten how hard this surgery takes a toll on my body. My Dad was very encouraging, saying that I'm WAY ahead of where I was last time with the surgery and it will only get better from here on out.

Today I did get to sit outside in my wheelchair while my mom washed my hair! It was the best feeling ever! I sat out there, read my book and let the sun beat down on my body while I relaxed in Gods creation! I do give all my credit to my Father who has been with me from the very beginning! He was with me in surgery, in recovery, every night at the hospital when I felt so scared and was in so much pain, He never left my side. I do believe he put His healing hands on my body and has done wonderful things! Since I had both hips worked on this time around, I was scared if my right hip wold really support all my weight the first time I stood up, but everything went well.

Both sides are still very sore and VERY swollen (even pants that I wore last time don't fit because both sides are swollen!) So I'm stuck wearing the same pare of pants that DO fit until some of the swelling goes down, and I hope that's soon! Haha! I do get to have the stitches taken out of the right hip incisions on my birthday (Thursday) and I think we're going to try to head to Kohl's as well and make it a special birthday outing! As far as the left hip goes, he glued it and put in dissolvable stitches so he won't be taking anything out of that incision.

Thank you for all the encouragement, and advice I have gotten from everyone! I know Saturday was a hard day and it was a pretty depressing day but it can only get better. I know I still have hard days a head of me and I'll take them when they come, but as I have been telling Jacob as well as myself, this is only temporary and the pain won't last forever.

Keep your eyes posted for pictures to come! Thanks again and until my next post...
:-)