Heyyyyyyyy everyone. I'm in a haze right now, from taking pain meds, so bear with me.I got home several hours ago from my surgery. They found adhesions (fixed them) and one internal hernia in the omentum (fixed also). Once again, a very interesting experience, being the patient and not the nurse. It makes me more aware of what my patients go through pre and post op. Oh, my surgeon said that he wouldn't remove the adrenal mass - only if I became symptomatic would he consider removal. Also, he told me it was an ok size - about 2cm - anything larger he would consider removing.This time, I remember waking up pretty soon after arriving in Level 1 recovery, and having moderate to severe (but not horrendous) pain in my abdomen. I was also extremely nauseous. I received pain medicine and two different antiemetics for the severe nausea. I'm guessing the first one was zofran, because it was direct IV. No change to the nausea, even after ?10 minutes. Next was probably phenergan, because it was mixed up and given in a minibag via a pump (hospital policy for phenergan). That finally did the trick. I think it also helped that the pain started getting better by then too. Pain still moderate, but bearable.I was in level 1 recovery for about 1-1 1/2 hours. Then I was moved to level 2 recovery/discharge area. I was there for another 1-1 1/2 hours. Sipped juice (too sweet), water, ice, and ate some saltines (verrry slowly). Pain moderate - got one Percocet (I chose only one - I know how woosy I get with even just one tab - even though I could have had 2 tabs). Finally, my boyfriend was brought back to see me, and I was able to put my contact lenses back in. Amazing how different you feel when you can actually see more than 6 inches in front of your face!Got discharged, went to the bathroom (egads, my bladder is so slow in returning to normal after surgery....I'm still barely dribbling anything out...but at least I can go...couldn't pee at all after my gallbladder was out and needed a catheter in overnight!).Home again, home again, jiggity jig. After arguing with my pain in the arse pharmacy about a resident signing my percocet script - finally got it filled at another pharmacy. I swear to you, my usual pharmacy was "racial" profiling my boyfriend when he went to go fill the Rx for me. You see, he looks Bohemian/grungy/hippie/wha teverthefuck because he has long hair and wears a beret. I mean, really? Does he look *that* much like a drug-seeker???? Hell no. I had also called in ahead of time to the pharmacy to let them know I was sending him in with a percocet Rx for me, and I gave him permission to fill it, as I was very freshly postop from the hospital from abdominal surgery. They tried to tell him (oh yes, he's also deaf I need to add - so it doesn't seem like he's paying attention to you, but he is - he's just trying to read your mumbling lips!) - anyhow, they told him that the Rx was only signed by a resident and needed cosigned by the attending. Bullcrap! It had the resident's DEA and ML number on it, which is required for all controlled substances (and other Rx's). I work with residents who write for Rx's for narcotics and other drugs all of the time, without a cosignature, as long as they have their own DEA and ML number on it. No problems with my patients getting their Rx's filled.
Anyhow, I ended up coming in the store...ouching the whole way, and now pissed off......and the pharmacist told me that she even called the licensing bureau who told her this bullshit about a cosigner.
Funny....we go to a different pharmacy, and it's filled without one problem whatsoever. Hmph. Definite profiling, I think! I even double checked my info with an attending I work with (thanks N!) and he verified with me about the situation.
Weis pharmacy - you suck! CVS - I love you!
Anyhoo.....wow, I get wordy when I'm on narcotics! I've been sleeping off and on today. I took 2 percocet at 4pm. Eating some crackers and tomato soup now. Well, more like slowly sipping the soup. I have a wicked sore throat from the ETT tube from general anesthesia.
That is all. Gentle hugs to everyone :-)
Oh, for the gross and gory details - I had three belly incisions. One below my umbilicus, about 1 1/2 inches long, and two small ones on the right side.
I got home several hours ago from my surgery. They found adhesions (fixed them) and one internal hernia in the omentum (fixed also). Once again, a very interesting experience, being the patient and not the nurse. It makes me more aware of what my patients go through pre and post op. Oh, my surgeon said that he wouldn't remove the adrenal mass - only if I became symptomatic would he consider removal. Also, he told me it was an ok size - about 2cm - anything larger he would consider removing.
This time, I remember waking up pretty soon after arriving in Level 1 recovery, and having moderate to severe (but not horrendous) pain in my abdomen. I was also extremely nauseous. I received pain medicine and two different antiemetics for the severe nausea. I'm guessing the first one was zofran, because it was direct IV. No change to the nausea, even after ?10 minutes. Next was probably phenergan, because it was mixed up and given in a minibag via a pump (hospital policy for phenergan). That finally did the trick. I think it also helped that the pain started getting better by then too. Pain still moderate, but bearable.
I was in level 1 recovery for about 1-1 1/2 hours. Then I was moved to level 2 recovery/discharge area. I was there for another 1-1 1/2 hours. Sipped juice (too sweet), water, ice, and ate some saltines (verrry slowly). Pain moderate - got one Percocet (I chose only one - I know how woosy I get with even just one tab - even though I could have had 2 tabs). Finally, my boyfriend was brought back to see me, and I was able to put my contact lenses back in. Amazing how different you feel when you can actually see more than 6 inches in front of your face!
Got discharged, went to the bathroom (egads, my bladder is so slow in returning to normal after surgery....I'm still barely dribbling anything out...but at least I can go...couldn't pee at all after my gallbladder was out and needed a catheter in overnight!).
Home again, home again, jiggity jig. After arguing with my pain in the arse pharmacy about a resident signing my percocet script - finally got it filled at another pharmacy. I swear to you, my usual pharmacy was "racial" profiling my boyfriend when he went to go fill the Rx for me. You see, he looks Bohemian/grungy/hippie/wha
Anyhow, I ended up coming in the store...ouching the whole way, and now pissed off......and the pharmacist told me that she even called the licensing bureau who told her this bullshit about a cosigner.
Funny....we go to a different pharmacy, and it's filled without one problem whatsoever. Hmph. Definite profiling, I think! I even double checked my info with an attending I work with (thanks N!) and he verified with me about the situation.
Weis pharmacy - you suck! CVS - I love you!
Anyhoo.....wow, I get wordy when I'm on narcotics! I've been sleeping off and on today. I took 2 percocet at 4pm. Eating some crackers and tomato soup now. Well, more like slowly sipping the soup. I have a wicked sore throat from the ETT tube from general anesthesia.
That is all. Gentle hugs to everyone :-)
Oh, for the gross and gory details - I had three belly incisions. One below my umbilicus, about 1 1/2 inches long, and two small ones on the right side.