Where to start, where to finish as this surgery journey has been insanely busy, intense, sad yet joyful. I awoke in recovery after 8.5 hours of surgery with mild recollection of seeing my folks. My room was ready sooner than expected so I was only in recovery for less than a day. Thank goodness for that as my dedicated nurse was awful. I was spoken to with disrespect and hardly helped so getting to my room around 6am was a blessing. I had called mom at 4am to please come so she was with me as I went to the 4th floor, the same floor as I was on in 2015.
I had incredible pain that had me screaming for help, straight morphine injected in to my direct line to
help me cope but also hallucinating! My stomach was swollen so much I couldn’t see the footboard nor my feet. Staples started right where your bra would sit all the way to my bikini line. They opened me up centre fold to do my hysterectomy, colostomy and once that was stapled up my lower vaginal plastic surgery. Instead of taking skin from my thigh it came from my stomach since it was so perfectly undamaged and soft. I like to boast about my nice skin for some silly reason lol
Scans followed as blood clots are very common in lengthy surgeries and I did have some in my lungs. Every morning at 10:30 I inject myself in my thigh to help avoid any blood clot issues. You should see my bruises. Are purple legs in at the moment as well as purple arms? Bloodwork nurses struggled daily as my veins were tiny so my mid arm is purple. If so I could rock that runway tossing my hair to the side, my right side with no bruises has my nerve pain leg gets a free pass. Fold me up and it’s like a before & after lol
I started to move & walk towards the end of my stay but it was no picnic. I had 4 drains coming out of my body so we had to clip them on my gown as I walked the halls with a walker. Once the drains were removed things were much easier and soon the walker wasn’t needed yet kept close by. I was discharged on Monday March 5th so have been home now just over a week.
Life at home hasn’t been easy but we knew it wouldn’t be, but it’s been so nice to be home. Simba has caught on to the fact that I’m not well and is my shadow. I have daily nurse care and when they’re here he’s on the bed right beside me. He walks with me to the bathroom and always nearby when I’m sleeping. My skinny old boy shows me more love each day and with people always in & out helping, he gets more treats as he knows how to work it.
I’m walking really well but can’t bend or anything more than walk, lay down and sit as needed. I’ve made my couch in to a recovery heaven with pillows, warm bean bag & cozy blankets. I need no help to get in or out which is pretty amazing. I feel like I could do more but I can’t per orders. It’s so hard to have people doing stuff for you but at the same time it’s kinda nice not to have to fold my laundry!
My stomach is still very swollen, similar to a 4 month pregnancy and I apply BioOil daily to where my staples once were to hopefully avoid serious scarring. But if it does scar I’ll think of something be it tattoo work or just owning it. My story really is a great anatomy lesson so instead of talking babies I’ll talk of how my scar came to be.
Winnie has been doing good in the fact that my bowels are moving in to her. I have however had some leaks so off to an ostomy clinic tomorrow to assess the bag I have now might not be the correct one. They’ll know and make Winnie whole again. My daily wound care nurses have been fabulous and I also have a nurse every other day to help with bathing & any round house chores I may have. I’m very blesssed to have such great help from them, my parents and friends. I don’t think thank you cards can express my gratitude. From those of you who saw me in the early days a little cookoo to those of you who sent flowers, visited and helped at home. Y’all are wonderful people. THANK YOU to infinity and beyond!
I stood in front of my bathroom mirror yesterday and looked at it all. Winnie, the scars, the bruises, my hair so deserving of highlites and I smiled. It was not the reaction I thought I’d get but it was real. This is me now and I’m 110% ok with it. Once my stomach swelling goes down I’ll see how it’s really gonna be. Me. ‘‘Tis me. ❤️
#carly2conquercancer
#winniethepouch
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