July 11, 2000 ~ Barbara's Big Day. Barbara had her surgery this morning! She came through with flying colors. I took her to the hospital and we got there at 5:45 AM. She went into surgery at 8:00 AM. She was out of surgery and in the recovery room by 10:00 AM. She got to her room about 1:00 PM. I stayed all night, She was in more pain then she thought she would be in, but other than that all went well. I spent most of my time at the hospital with her. I learned a lot, I am very well perpared now! I took her home saturday and helped her get set up so things are easier for her.
July 17, 2000 This will be a busy week for me. Tuesday is my pre-op appointment with the Surgeon, Barbara will go with me so she can get her staples out. Wednesday I have all my pre-op testing done. Thursday my mom will arrive, so I'm trying to make sure my house is ready. My house is always clean, but you know how it is when your mom is coming!! Be sure to chick out my list of the things needed in the hospital.
Click here to see My list of what to take to the hospital.
July 18, 2000 Barbara got her staples out and has lost 15 pounds! I saw Dr. Selinkoff and we set up all my pre-op testing. It was a very easy appoinment. Jennifer will be going with me for my tests.
July 19, 2000 Today was my pre-op testing and this is what I had to do:
First stop was the pre-admission at the TNI building. She gave me all the papers I need, registared me for my private room. Then I went upstairs to see Ginger, she had me fill out 3 pages with health history, meds, alergeries, next of kin, yada, yada, yada. She even validate my parking ticket. Then a Urine test, then they drew blood, 3 vials, Beverly did it with no pain at all. Next was an EKG, I had to put on a gown, she put little stickies on me, hooked up the cables, I took a deep breath, held it and waited for the printout and all done. It took longer to get hooked up then to take the reading. Durning the EKG she talked about the surgery and recovery, the importance of walking and coughing. After I got dressed I went to her office cubby and she went over the papers Ginger had me fill out. She also answered some of my questions. Everyone was very sweet.
Next it was off to the hospital, (which is right next door) down to sublevel 1 for a chest X-Ray, Beverly told me when I checked in to tell them it is just a chest xray and that a I had an 11:00 appointment at the Pulmanary Function Lab (I did) they got me in real quick, less then 5 minutes.
Then up to the 5th floor and the Pulmanary Function Lab. First he did the ABG (Arterial Blood Gas), not to bad at all. Next I did some breathing into a machine, very weird. I put my mouth on the mouth piece and he put a clip over my nose, then just breath normally, then he tells me to suck in a quick deep breath and then to blow it out and keep blowing til it's all gone and then another deep breath in. He talked me through the whole thing and I could see the results on the machine and he explained it all to me. Then he gaves me a little breathing machine and showed me how to use it and told me about the importance of deep breathing.
That was all, we left the hospital at about 11:30. The whole thing was very easy and painless for me.
Read my surgery store on page 8.
