Hospital discharge

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  

This time last year I was looking forward to leaving the hospital.  

A couple of days after Thanksgiving, my post surgical hiccups stopped, and my voice returned. I could finally talk above a whisper.  PT nurse forced me out of bed for a "walker assisted" stumble around the pre-ICU ward.  Yea, I was going home soon.  

Fourth day post op:  My case manager, infection doctor, surgeon, stoma nurse, and regular nurse's visited me and said "You're doing well, you'll be discharged today."  Wow.. going home.  My wife arrived and was happy to hear the good news.

But, there still was all kinds of stuff connected to me.  I asked the surgeon: "When does this vaccum drain come out?"  "Oh, I could take it out now" he casually replied.  Walked over and yanked the tube out of my stomach.  OH MY GOD.... did it hurt.  I actually was out of breath for a minute.  Nurses removed IV lines from both arms, and unsnapped the "vital signs" monitoring electrodes, then ripped the sticky pads off my chest.  Ouch!  Next the compression devices on my legs were removed.  Oxygen sensor taped on my finger got the boot.  Then supplemental oxygen cannula was tossed.  Blood pressure arm cuff came off.  Only things left were PICT line and catheter.  I dreaded PICT line removal.  But it came out easy, no pain.  But the catheter was.... not fun.  Male nurse grabbed Mr Penis, deflated the retention balloon, and yanked... I mean YANKED the line out.  It F...ing hurt!  I was trying not to yell.  But, damn...  It took about an hour for the pain to subside.  Worse.. I couldn't leave till I proved I could pee.  Had to get out of the hospital bed, which as you know, aint easy after surgery.  And wobble my way slowly to the bathroom.   So there I was, still in pain, trying to make it happen... and nothing.  In my head, I'm cheering it on.  "Come on.. you can do it."  After about 10 minutes, finally got it going.  

Got discharge instructions.  Home visit stoma and PT nurses scheduled.  Then... no wheelchair.  Nurse assistants were all busy.  So I had to wait.  They asked if I'd like lunch.  I was now 132 pounds, down from 198 before this medical adventure.  I had been "eating" clear liquid diet for for 3 days, after a long time with nothing to eat or drink.  Hell yes,  I'd love lunch.  They brought me a menu.  Yes, a menu.  I felt like a lost sailor, newly rescued.  I ordered all kinds of stuff.  Well... only received what I was cleared to eat with my new pal...the colostomy.  Even so it was wonderful.  Wheelchair arrived.. and this little Ostomymate went home.

 

 

Getting out..man o man..glad you made it out..and doing well.

You have much to be thankful  for . Being in the hospital  especially  on the holidays  is terrible. I broke my knee on Thanksgiving and had to have surgery.   It is certainly  no fun.

I remember when I get out of Hospital on a number of occasions it feels like a Prisoner getting out after 10 years. Well done Beachboy. Regards IGGIE 

May I ask what Hospital this was ? I have been to several in  So Cal  but only one comes to mind that would treat a patient so well.

I was at my "home away from home"  Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach.  I live 10 minutes away.  It's one of the reasons I stay in California.  It is the best.

Most amazing memory.  Waking up after surgery and feeling no pain or fever.  I felt normal.  Wow. 

For weeks prior to surgery, I was smashed by horrible cramping every few minutes.  So painful, I would twist up and try not to scream.  I refused painkillers.  But near the end, pain beat me down, and I agreed to some morphine.  Which didn't last long.  After 3 doses, I told the nurse "no more."  Cramps were just killing me as I was wheeled into surgery.  And then, like magic, I woke up to bliss.

Funny how that works... my mind, and I use that word loosely, has blocked out most of the really unpleasant stuff. Reading beachboy's posts brings a lot of that back, but I can deal with it pretty well until some distraction moves it to a file cabinet somewhere in there.

The only thing that really sticks is the memory of the kindness I was shown during those years. I'll be paying it back for as long as I last.