Pre-Op

I had my pre-op appointments today.  One with Dr. Jalkut to go over what they will actually do during the operation (lovely discussion on how they move my colon out of the way and such), and one at the hospital to meet with the anesthesiologist and have blood work done, etc....

Friends and family are taking bets on whether or not Dr. Jalkut will have to convert my laproscopic surgery into an open surgery.  I told Dr. Jalkut this and he says never to bet against the doctor.  He feels confident that he will be able to do it laproscopically.  Yeah - so did Dr. Yerby when he took my gallbladder out and I ended up with a 6 inch scar across my rib cage and a 5 day hospital stay.

But assuming he does do this laproscopically I will spend 2 nights at the hospital.  The surgery will likely be 4 hours long.  It is not scheduled to start until 1pm - so Tuesday could be a long day for all involved.  After surgery I will spend 2 hours in recovery before being taken to my room.  They will have me sitting up in a chair at some point Tuesday night.  Could be late, but they will have me up in a chair for a bit on Tuesday night.  Wednesday I will be expected to walk the halls at the hospital as much as I can.  I know from experience that walking - even a little bit at a time - really helps with recovery.  If the surgery is converted to an open procedure - I can expect a few more days in the hospital and it may take me a bit longer to become mobile.

The anesthesiologist (who I fondly refer to as The Candy Man) has arranged for me to have some good anti-anxiety medication while in pre-op waiting.  Yeah me!  Rex hospital has a policy that I am not to be fully sedated until Dr. Jalkut is in the operating room and all have witnessed him initial my right abdomen as the side where the kidney will be removed.  The anesthesiologist did say that I would need an A-line to monitor my heart rate during the surgery.  I had an A-line when I had my gastric bypass surgery.  That hurt something awful!  I asked if it was at all possible to have that put in after I was under.  He said yes.  I asked if he could be sure to write that down cause seriously - don't want to be awake for that again.  It's kind of like an IV - but much much worse.  It goes in a vein at your wrist and the catheter for it is very long and large.  They try to numb you before hand, but it really really really hurt when they put it in before.  I'm fairly sure I swore at the guy who put it in - he just smiled.  I'm pretty sure he enjoyed inflicting that pain.  The anesthesiologist today also said they may be putting in a central line IV after I am under as well.  They may be able to find an appropriate vein somewhere in another hand, but because of the position that I will be in during surgery (on my left side with the table lifted in the middle to kind of push my kidney up to where it can be more easily accessed) that may not be feasible.  Again - Yeah me!

I'm sure this has totally either bored or mortified half of you.  This is the kind of stuff that I tend to obsess over.  After having as many operations as I have had - I have to know all these kinds of details.  I think it feeds my need to feel some sort of control in a situation I have absolutely no control over.  If I can know and understand everything they are doing - I don't feel like I'm just being blown by the wind - I feel more like I'm participating - even though we all know I'm so not participating.  I'm unconscious on an operating table.  But I think that knowing all the ifs and buts about a particular scenario help me to not be overwhelmed and to feel more calm.  I know it would be the opposite for others - but for me - I thrive on this stuff.

I have also learned that it may be a bit difficult to put pants on for a while after surgery.  So I have been on the prowl for some cool sundresses to hang in afterwards.  Shop away the pain, my friends!  :)