this post was submitted on 11 Jun 2024
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Lower surgery big update! (lemmy.ml)
submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
26 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

So this morning I wasn't able to stand without nearly passing out and thought for sure they weren't going to let me go home. I was really down and having some difficulty processing that I might need to be in the hospital for yet another extra day. It was really disheartening because I had actually been able to walk previous days but after the pain spikes I wasn't able to

I got a motivational call from someone close to me though, the hospital trans outreach person brought the emotional support chihuahua by a couple of times, and I built really specific plans with my nurses and doctors for ways I could get walking again

It took so much work and I was exhausted through the entire way but I managed to do it! Also bonus points I finally managed to poop which was a big event after five days of not ๐Ÿ˜

They let me out of the hospital, one hour car ride back home with only some minor screaming pain toward the end, and I'm back on track again. I've walked around a couple more times today, like to go from bed to food to couch, I'm extremely exhausted, but we're back on track after the couple extra nights at the hospital

I get to bumble around with the catheter for a couple more days still but that will be out soon enough

Update 1: I used a walker but I got out of bed, across the house, and into a couch without help from caretakers! This is the first time I haven't needed someone to at least help lift my legs up once I'm at the target destination. Last night was mostly amazing I finally got more than like two hours of sleep at once (at hospital there were constantly people waking me up for various meds and tests). I did have one brief period of bladder spasms which felt pretty awful but now I know what they feel like for me early on so hopefully I can catch them early next time and get ahead of it. I'm really happy right now

Update 2: Yesterday went well I did a lot of good walking. I'm not doing the full suggested amount yet though I'm running into serious fatigue partway through the day. Today the primary goal is to get through not being able to do bladder spasms meds for 24 hours before catheter removal. So I'm staying really on top of pain meds basically, making sure to continue to shift off the heavy pills and move to tylenol and ibuprofen. Having to be laying down so much is really starting to set in some back pain so hopefully my endurance gets better quickly and I can move around give my back some variety

Update 3: As expected my bladder spasms are casually ignoring the pain meds so I'm trying to find out if there is anything that I can do other than suffering for the next 18 or so hours. Good news though is I made it up two stairs to get myself outside! I said hello to some bees and listened to the birds yelling at each other, smelled some lavender bushes, really helped with mental health

Update 4: If I wanted to torture someone I'd put a catheter in them then just wander off for a weekend. I've only got about 8 more hours before this cursed device comes out of me

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[โ€“] [email protected] 31 points 4 months ago (2 children)

can't you like just, chill until you're healed? forcing yourself to do things that hurt and go home early sounds unhealthy. a day more in hospital doesn't seem so bad compared to possible complications

[โ€“] [email protected] 33 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I was on day 5 of what was supposed to be a 2 day hospital stay, it wasn't me forcing myself to go home early it was me working with my medical team to hit goals I was missing

Also a very important part of healing from this is getting mobile quickly or I risk things like clotting and atrophy

[โ€“] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I was in the hospital for 5 days and 2 weeks in a nursing facility. Pain spikes lasted 6 days as nerves reconnected. That was the plan from the beginning with the hospital and insurance.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

My pain spikes only lasted about 10 hours, even that was enough that when I'm home I'm going to have to process that with a therapist. I can't imagine 6 days do you mind if I ask how you got through that?

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

It felt like an electric thud, I had pain med IV and it only happened every few hours and was a split second jolt.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh that's much different than mine. The ones I had were from inflammation pulling on bolster stitching. It was like a couple hours of feeling like my bits were getting torn open then an hour or so of being fine, repeated a few times. The last one I was crying so hard I had an asthma attack too so could barely breath and was coughing which doubled down because of the increased blood pressure, tension, and stressing my abdominal incisions

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Ooo I thought you were talking about nerves reconnecting. That sounds rough.

[โ€“] [email protected] 18 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

I agree but if OP is from a country where SRS-related hospital stays cost money... it is sadly neccessary to cut them short sometimes. Too bad, she should be getting the care she needs if she can barely stay up.

[โ€“] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This is a bit harsh to say tbh. I worked so hard to be here I shouldn't have to defend myself or the team of medical professionals who helped me get here

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Oh well, I'm glad you made it and hope you'll feel better about your body. Still, you deserve an appropriate level of care and given how you describe the condition, I would rather see you stay in hospital for a little longer. Of course, I don't know all the relevant factors, perhaps you have family/roommates at home? Or a pet that needs care?

[โ€“] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago

My parents are with me for three weeks after surgery to assist me with day to day and getting to post-op appointments, then I'll be flying back home once I'm cleared to care for myself with the guidance of my primary physician

[โ€“] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Omg I want an emotional support Chihuahua to visit meeeeee

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

It was so good having them around it legitimately helped a lot. I've been missing my cats and having another critter there to say hi to was a huge morale boost

[โ€“] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Woo! ~~Home~~ not-hospital! That's where the tasty food is ๐Ÿ˜‹ and the couch! And the TV! And (probably) a more comfortable toilet!

I can't say I've met a chihuahua that was emotionally supportive before; snarly, yappy, and shaking, definitely. But I'm not a dog person to begin with ๐Ÿ˜…

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This one was so good, his name is Boy Toy, he's just the sweetest thing. He gets carried around in a little over the shoulder pack and mostly slept, woke up periodically to receive attention, and on the last day in the hospital he was so adorable giving my kisses making sure I knew I got this and I would be able to walk. He's pretty much the exact opposite of the stereotypical chihuahua. Apparently it took a super long time for the person carrying him around to find the right dog and they were searching multiple states. I think more places need emotional support critters they really help a lot

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

That'd awesome, he sounds adorable!

Personally I'd like a cat (or 2), as lazy and snuggly as possible! Nothing quite like a big cat wrapped around your arm, snoring with its head buried in the palm of your hand ๐Ÿ˜

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

My part Maine coon isn't the most snuggly but soooometimes hell wrap around my arm. For the snoring part though he's a major snorer and often wants to be near enough to me to put his head in my hand but not so near as for full on snuggles. He's my tiny 20 pound son I love him

I'm really going to have to watch out when I'm home though. Whatever side of the bed he first jumps up on he actually wants to hang out in the other side. He's mastered the ability to step over me by putting his full 20 pounds through a single paw on my crotch. Going to be a whole thing trying to get him to not do that during recovery :/

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

"Oh, that spot is sensitive? Lemme just puts entire weight on one paw right there"

I'm familiar ๐Ÿ˜‚ Old family cat (not maine coon) was a big 20 pound snugglebutt, liked to sleep on my bed so I got a lot of cat-assisted napping done ๐Ÿ˜ he had some chronic pain issues (spent a long time in a cage that wasn't big enough for him before we got him) so I think my bed was just the most cushy for him.

It was the other much smaller (declawed(not by us)) cat with tiny little needles for legs that would jab into people when he wanted attention

Edit: OH, and...

CAT TAX!

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

heavy breathing

I need to shove my face into the cat belly, claws be damned.

WITNESS ME!!!!

raspberry noises

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I know his belly isn't nearly as good but our other cat actually will let you blow raspberries into his tummy

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Pirate-Void! raspberries

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

See if you can get someone to use a slide whistle when the catheter comes out ๐Ÿ˜†

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The change in pitch of my scream was the slide whistle