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My Surgery Was Successful!

By Melissa Waller April 8, 2009 - 10:18am
 
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Yeah! The surgery was successful…whatever that means. I guess there were no complications, and I didn’t even need a blood transfusion. The surgery started yesterday at about 1 p.m. I remember falling asleep to 12 doctors bouncing around the room prepping for surgery. It’s crazy to believe that they were all there for me!

I woke to the most horrific pain, something I wouldn’t ever wish for anyone to experience. I wasn’t sure where I was, but I think at that point the nurses were wheeling me out if the operation room to Intensive Care. I was screaming out names for help-Dad! Wes! Christine! Lisa! Help-anyone!

I heard a nurse asking who “Christine” was. I thought I saw Dr. Kookinar (my oncologist) and called out for his help. There was about 4-5 nurses that attempted to move me from the gurney to the bed. They were hasty in moving me, which made the pain even more excruciating. I kept asking how much medication I was on and it seemed that the amount was less than I originally had up on the floor prior to surgery! Dr K. increased my dosage a little, but it didn’t help. At this point, all I wanted was to be sedated -- taken out of my misery, whatever it took.

Wes, Christine, Lisa, and my parents were all here and trying to comfort me, but there was nothing they could do. I was extremely confused and kept calling to to whomever would listen; what my situation was? Where was I? Where was my bed in the room? Why did my side and my shoulder hurt? Why was I wrapped around so many cords and tilted to the side? What would happen if I turned over on the right side, would my chest tube stick out? Where was I exposed and why did I have an IV right in the middle of my neck? If I tried to itch my leg, what would happen? What if I had to go to the bathroom, would the decathetor automatically “help out”? The nurse gave me a Xantax (I think) and that’s all I remember from last night.

I woke to one of the nurses giving me my regular routine of meds and I apologized for any profanities I yelled out the night before.

 
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We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

Melissa Waller View Profile Send Message

Hi! My name is Melissa Waller. I am 31 years old and live in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. I am originally from the ...

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Diane Porter

Melissa, so glad the surgery went so well, but the pain sounds so terrible. I'm a couple of days late in catching up on your updates so I'm hoping that by the time I'm reading/writing this that it has subsided enough to at least let you get more rest and healing time.

Well done! That was a big one out of the way.

April 9, 2009 - 8:57am
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