Surgery week, part two

There are good nurses and bad nurses. Man, on Wednesday I had some bad ones on the dayshift. They just acted like they weren't listening to me, didn't know what they were doing, but when they talked to me it was with a condescending and superior tone. There are few things I hate worse than being talked down to. I'm a very intelligent woman. There's no need to treat me like a two-year-old.

Here's just one example: They took me off the morphine pump and brought in liquid pain reliever - Tylenol 3. That has codeine in it; codeine makes me very nauseous. So I told them that. The nurse smiled and shook her head at me. "Oh, you should've told someone" was the response. Hello? How would I know they would be giving me codeine? Then she continued to open it up, left it on my table and walked out! HELLO??? Erich had to go get someone. Another person came in: "Are you allergic to Tylenol?" NO! Holy crap... "Um no. But codeine makes me nauseous." I swear it damn near took an act of Congress to get me something else. Then they also spoke to me in medical terms. Yes, I'm intelligent but I didn't go to medical school. Layman's terms, please. Yeesh.

But, I did have my favorites. A young, African-American guy who took my vital signs and blood. He was on nights and he'd come in, especially that first night, almost every hour on the hour. When he'd come for blood, I took to calling him "Blackula" - I mean, the dude sneaks into my room in the middle of the night for my blood! He was cool, though. Very funny and personable. And there was an older lady, a nurse from just across the border in Windsor, who was also very sweet. She was the one who went into my room, tossed the Tylenol 3 down the drain and told the first nurse "We can get her something else." Ya think?

Wednesday went well. Trays of broth, Jell-O, diluted juice and tea were brought to me. They would leave them there pretty much all the time because it takes so long for us gastric bypass patients to eat. The hospital supplied us with 1-oz. cups to pour the stuff in so we could keep track of how much we were eating. These were very much like the ones I bought at the dollar store (30/$1.00). As much as I could, probably every 90 mins. or so, I'd get up and walk the halls. It got easier every time I did it and it was good to get up out of bed.

Dr. Genaw came to see me Wednesday, trailing two physician's assistants. The female of the two, well, again...don't talk down to me and work on your bedside manner. That's all I'm gonna say. But she did call my family doctor before I was released and managed to get me an appointment the next day which is no easy feat in Ontario. So she gets props for that.

Dr. Genaw told me the surgery went very well, but my enlarged liver did pose some problems. I was having pain near the center of my chest; not heart related, but I wasn't sure what it was. Well, he explained that was where the retractor was and he had to keep pulling it to try and get around my liver. Ahh. Ok. He said he was in the OR saying "I'm so glad she lost the 70 lbs., imagine the trouble we'd be having if she hadn't." So I was very glad to have lost all the pre-op weight. But he also told me that as I got smaller, so would my liver. It would self correct. I saw a commercial on tv last night, a public service announcement, saying that the damage done to one's liver from improper eating habits is much the same as from alcohol abuse. Food for thought, so to speak.

I was released Thursday. Erich and I were already paid up til Friday in the residence, so we decided to stay till the morning and head back home. I had brought Jell-O, broth and protein shakes with me from him anticipating this, so I just continued what I had been doing in the hospital.

Laura (twnk) came to see me Thursday afternoon! It was good to see a friend. She brought me the most awesome little pink feathered gift bag filled with all kinds of goodies. Thanks to all who helped her with that. You know who you are and I love you dearly.

Trip home Friday was uneventful. Everyone at home was surprised to see me up and walking around so soon, even my own family doctor. This procedure has grown by leaps and bounds in the past 10 to 20 years. I'm very grateful that I had such a skilled surgeon and am doing so well.