Sorry, it's been a while. I don't really have an excuse, except the fact that I did go through heart surgery exactly 2 weeks ago.
So, there I was. Morning of Friday the 13th. I had decided to look at it as lucky, rather than being superstitious about it.
I wasn't scheduled to go in until 12:45 so I was taking it easy. I wasn't supposed to eat, and my parents were fasting for me, so breakfast nor lunch was an option. I jumped into the shower and was trying to decide if I should actually do my hair or not, (I had even asked Twitter!) when my phone rang.
It was the hospital, asking if I could come in early. Since we were all bored, we agreed. We jumped into the car (I ended up not doing my hair) and drove to the hospital. A five minute drive.
I don't remember everything that happened before the surgery, only bits and pieces. I got checked in, and then we went upstairs. I changed into a nifty hospital gown (complete with hat) and waited a lot. They put in one IV and tried to put in another one but had problems. Eventually someone else came in and put the second one in.
Eventually they wheeled me into the surgery room. They said it was going to be freezing, but it felt fine to me. :) and then everything went black. Actually, it didn't I just remember waking up in a different room, with my hands tied, and something down my throat. Oh, and the minute I woke up, I threw up. How's that for fun?
They had told me that I probably wouldn't remember anything from Friday night or Saturday night. I guess I can't say they lied because they said "probably" but I still feel gypped.
Anyway, saturday morning the nurses brought me breakfast. A real breakfast. No clear liquid diet for me. Ugh. It made me sick, and I threw up again.
I didn't want to eat after that. My stomach felt awful, and I didn't want to throw up again. Of course all the nurses and staff were trying to get me to eat SOMETHING. They didn't succeed. Finally on Monday or tuesday the doctors came in and said "oh, reduced appetite is just fine." Gosh, NOW you tell me.
So, I went home on the Wednesday and I've been home ever since. Building up my strength, trying to remember to do my breathing exercises. If you wanna come visit, just give me a call, send me a text, @reply me, whatever. Just contact me before you show up at my house. Because, I might not be there.
20.8.10
Going to the dentist (surgery pt 2)
Ok, I guess you guys are impatient for part two. And Holly did eat her broccoli. So, let's resume.
(Part 1 here: http://sarahssparkysnits.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-it-all-started-surgery-pt-1.html)
So there I was, sitting in the ER. They declare it to be more severe then we thought. More severe than anyone thought. They decided to admit me.
Now, as I had never been in the hospital (and I admit it, I was high on morphine), so I thought this was going to be a grand adventure. So, we went upstairs (my mom was with me for basically this while thing. And my sister, who was also at the conference, came and visited.), we went upstairs and got into a room! Excitement! Let's see what the doctors have to say about all of this! (that day I also had 3 EKGs and an MRI) Well, they didn't come, and they didn't come and finally the night crew standing in for the surgeons came and said "sorry, we don't know much. They'll see you tomorrow! Oh, and don't eat or drink anything after midnight, they'll probably want to do a trans-esophageal-echocardiogram. (I had one of them back in '09. You should totally look up my post about it because I'm not going to right now. So there. :P )
So, we went to bed. My mom went back to the conference, so I could have a real adventure! (note: being awoken at 3:00 am to have your blood pressure taken is NOT an adventure)
That night passed. In the morning the surgeons came. They said "we need to operate sooner rather than later."
We asked, "What does that mean? November?"
"No," they said. "Next week. How about Friday?"
After we recovered from that shock, we said sure. And the preparations began.
The plan was this: release me on the Friday. I go home. Go to the dentist Monday. Pre-op Wednesday or Thursday. Surgery Friday.
Simple enough, right?
No.
That Saturday morning, (I guess it was the 7th) I was packing, because I was in SLC for a conference, rememberer? Anyway, I got done packing, and felt a bit tired, so I laid down. And the pain came back. Not quite as bad, it was about a 9.5 versus a full 10, but it was bad enough.
So, back to the ER!
Run another EKG, decided there'd was no more damage, admitted me anyway.
I stayed there until Monday afternoon. I don't remember much of the stay and I don't feel like trying to remember. So there!
So, Monday we went straight to byu. I had group therapy to say goodbye to, and I had to ask about what I do about not going to school fall semester.
After that, I went to the dentist.
Now, side story. I don't like the dentist. I mean, the man's fine enough, been going to him my whole life, but I've never been the best at brushing my teeth. So, I'd go through fazes, but I never really flossed. When I went to the dentist Monday the 9th, I hadn't been for over 5 years. Now my heart surgeon said that if there was any infection in my mouth at all, they'd need to postpone surgery, which no one wanted.
So there I was, going to the dentist for the first time in 5 years, convinced I had 5 cavities, and while cavities wouldn't postpone the surgery, getting them filled wouldn't be fun. But, miracle of miracles: nothing! No cavities, no problems. They even took x-rays and they showed nothing. I was so relieved. Yay!
Monday night we just chilled with the family. Same with most of Tuesday, but Tuesday night we went back to SLC to be close to the ER in case there was any more chest pain. They said if I stayed down in Orem and went to the ER I'd be life-flighted up to SLC (yay, adventure!) but mom was against that.
So Wednesday we went to Temple Square and Thursday I had my pre-op and lunch with my aunt and cousin. And friday was the big day. Which will be part three.
(Part 1 here: http://sarahssparkysnits.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-it-all-started-surgery-pt-1.html)
So there I was, sitting in the ER. They declare it to be more severe then we thought. More severe than anyone thought. They decided to admit me.
Now, as I had never been in the hospital (and I admit it, I was high on morphine), so I thought this was going to be a grand adventure. So, we went upstairs (my mom was with me for basically this while thing. And my sister, who was also at the conference, came and visited.), we went upstairs and got into a room! Excitement! Let's see what the doctors have to say about all of this! (that day I also had 3 EKGs and an MRI) Well, they didn't come, and they didn't come and finally the night crew standing in for the surgeons came and said "sorry, we don't know much. They'll see you tomorrow! Oh, and don't eat or drink anything after midnight, they'll probably want to do a trans-esophageal-echocardiogram. (I had one of them back in '09. You should totally look up my post about it because I'm not going to right now. So there. :P )
So, we went to bed. My mom went back to the conference, so I could have a real adventure! (note: being awoken at 3:00 am to have your blood pressure taken is NOT an adventure)
That night passed. In the morning the surgeons came. They said "we need to operate sooner rather than later."
We asked, "What does that mean? November?"
"No," they said. "Next week. How about Friday?"
After we recovered from that shock, we said sure. And the preparations began.
The plan was this: release me on the Friday. I go home. Go to the dentist Monday. Pre-op Wednesday or Thursday. Surgery Friday.
Simple enough, right?
No.
That Saturday morning, (I guess it was the 7th) I was packing, because I was in SLC for a conference, rememberer? Anyway, I got done packing, and felt a bit tired, so I laid down. And the pain came back. Not quite as bad, it was about a 9.5 versus a full 10, but it was bad enough.
So, back to the ER!
Run another EKG, decided there'd was no more damage, admitted me anyway.
I stayed there until Monday afternoon. I don't remember much of the stay and I don't feel like trying to remember. So there!
So, Monday we went straight to byu. I had group therapy to say goodbye to, and I had to ask about what I do about not going to school fall semester.
After that, I went to the dentist.
Now, side story. I don't like the dentist. I mean, the man's fine enough, been going to him my whole life, but I've never been the best at brushing my teeth. So, I'd go through fazes, but I never really flossed. When I went to the dentist Monday the 9th, I hadn't been for over 5 years. Now my heart surgeon said that if there was any infection in my mouth at all, they'd need to postpone surgery, which no one wanted.
So there I was, going to the dentist for the first time in 5 years, convinced I had 5 cavities, and while cavities wouldn't postpone the surgery, getting them filled wouldn't be fun. But, miracle of miracles: nothing! No cavities, no problems. They even took x-rays and they showed nothing. I was so relieved. Yay!
Monday night we just chilled with the family. Same with most of Tuesday, but Tuesday night we went back to SLC to be close to the ER in case there was any more chest pain. They said if I stayed down in Orem and went to the ER I'd be life-flighted up to SLC (yay, adventure!) but mom was against that.
So Wednesday we went to Temple Square and Thursday I had my pre-op and lunch with my aunt and cousin. And friday was the big day. Which will be part three.
19.8.10
How it all started (surgery pt 1)
So, I guess Some people out there want to hear about how this whole heart surgery started. Silly people. You think you have rights to hear my story? Well, I guess I did start this blog to tell my story, and this is a pretty big thing, ok, you guys win. But I'll tell it my way.
MY way!
*evil laugh*
Ok, so I'm not sure how far back to go. Last may (2009) I found out about my athero-stenosis. I blogged about it back then. I'm not going to look it up right now. Because I don't feel like it, that's why. Should I send you back to bed? Let's continue then.
So that was diagnosed. I knew I had a problem, but the Doctor said it wasn't that bad, and I felt mostly ok, so I was fine, right? Sure.
Fast forward to June. Yep, three months ago. I had an MRI. Checked up on it. "The valve's a little smaller, but nothing to worry about" he said. "Surgery is still years away."
"But I'm tired all the time," I said. "nomatteer how much or how little sleep I get, I'm always tired!"
"Excersize more," he said. And I tried.
But it was hard. And so I still was tired. And figured everything was my fault. Because hey, I was the one not excersizing, right?
Well, fast forward to the first week of August. I went to a womans conference. It was wonderful. All about improving yourself inside and out. It was up on the University of Utahs campus (I know, they're evil; but I finilly figured out WHY they're evil).
The conference started on Monday. On Thursday morning I had intense chest pain. And I mean INTENSE!! Everything hurt, I didn't want to move, didn't want to breathe, ugh. We went to the U of U ER (5 minutes away). They gave me morphine, ran an intense Echo-Cardiogram, and declared my stenosis to be 'severe' rather than 'mild to moderate'.
Ok kids, that's enough for tonight. It's time to go to bed. I'll tell you more tomorrow, ok? But you have to eat your vegetables. Yes, that includes you, Holly.
Next up: my first stay in the hospital and how dentists are related to heart sergeons.
MY way!
*evil laugh*
Ok, so I'm not sure how far back to go. Last may (2009) I found out about my athero-stenosis. I blogged about it back then. I'm not going to look it up right now. Because I don't feel like it, that's why. Should I send you back to bed? Let's continue then.
So that was diagnosed. I knew I had a problem, but the Doctor said it wasn't that bad, and I felt mostly ok, so I was fine, right? Sure.
Fast forward to June. Yep, three months ago. I had an MRI. Checked up on it. "The valve's a little smaller, but nothing to worry about" he said. "Surgery is still years away."
"But I'm tired all the time," I said. "nomatteer how much or how little sleep I get, I'm always tired!"
"Excersize more," he said. And I tried.
But it was hard. And so I still was tired. And figured everything was my fault. Because hey, I was the one not excersizing, right?
Well, fast forward to the first week of August. I went to a womans conference. It was wonderful. All about improving yourself inside and out. It was up on the University of Utahs campus (I know, they're evil; but I finilly figured out WHY they're evil).
The conference started on Monday. On Thursday morning I had intense chest pain. And I mean INTENSE!! Everything hurt, I didn't want to move, didn't want to breathe, ugh. We went to the U of U ER (5 minutes away). They gave me morphine, ran an intense Echo-Cardiogram, and declared my stenosis to be 'severe' rather than 'mild to moderate'.
Ok kids, that's enough for tonight. It's time to go to bed. I'll tell you more tomorrow, ok? But you have to eat your vegetables. Yes, that includes you, Holly.
Next up: my first stay in the hospital and how dentists are related to heart sergeons.
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