Leaving The Hospital

It was two days after the surgery when the doctor said that I was recovering well and could go home on Sunday itself (3rd day after surgery) . I opted to stay one more day to get better rest and only go home on Monday. The doctor said I made a good choice and she downloaded with the do's and dont's during recovery.

The last day at the hospital was spent getting to know the hospital better. I requested Hubs to bring me around the hospital in a wheelchair. It was fun, but PMC's rather small now because the two older blocks i.e. Blocks A & B were closed for further upgrading work. The nurses told me that those old blocks will actually be demolished and new ones will be built on the same site. Hubs also brought me to the waiting room where he with MIL and FIL waited while I was in the OT. It brought waves of sad emotions when I looked at the waiting room and the OT. It reminded me of how sad and scared I was on the surgery day.

On check-out day, my dressing was removed to reveal a 18cm wound from the surgery. My, my, it's rather scary. Images of how I was cut open kept playing in mind and it made me cringe everytime I thought about it, even at the point of writing now. After that some sorta liquid was sprayed onto the wound. It was supposed to serve as a water-proof protection for the wound and will last for a week. After that, I've to take really good care and must make sure that the wound is always dry to avoid any complications like infection etc.

The bill came to a whopping RM13,115.35 but I didn't have to pay a single sen before leaving. Called the family to let them know that I was coming home. I could hear their excitement. I was excited too coz I'll be recuperating at mom's place and my two nieces would be there to take care of me. My two little nurses. Goodbye PMC, thanks to the Doctors, nurses and aides for the great care and attention. Hope to become a patient in your maternity ward soon :) And to Hubs, thanks for everything! I owe you a BIG one!

The Day After Surgery

The day after surgery started early for me. The nurse came at 5.30am to take my blood pressure and body temperature. Blood pressure was down from the day before but I had slight fever. Then two other nurses came to give me a sponge bath. I never knew how exactly sponge baths are done, but for me it was not exactly using sponges but small towels instead. It was a thorough clean up. I didn't feel much pain and I could remember that I did not press the morphine button at all to ease any pain, coz I was feeling pretty all right! The nurses told me to move to the sides and lift my legs a bit today to hasten the blood from the surgery to flow out from the uterus.

I was still not given anything to eat. Only had few sips of water and I was feeling groggy and nauseated all day. Threw up a few times but since I had not eaten yet, only threw up water and saliva. I was also cautious not to sneeze or cough because I remember my aunts telling me to put a cushion on the tummy whenever I feel like coughing because it'll be painful. And true enuff, it WAS painful when I finally coughed.

The next day, I was taken off the drip and painkiller and the bladder catheter was removed too. That was when I had to start to walk to the bathroom to pee. OMG, it was so difficult. Was feeling woozy and had to walk really, really slowly. Hubs had to walk me all the way to the bathroom and sat me properly on the toilet bowl.

My first meal was actually a mug of hot chocolate and porridge. I could only eat after I've passed wind, the nurses said. Well, had no difficulties in passing wind the first thing in the morning that day :) Anyway, I couldn't eat much. More and more people came in the evening as it was Friday. Received loads of magazines and food. Phone calls and sms's came non-stop too. Thank you all..

To be continued

Surgery Day : Part 2

I was shivering from the extreme coldness and moaning in pain when I realised that the surgery was over. Dr. Nora was in her green surgery gown, standing beside me and as soon as I opened my eyes, she held my hand and told me that the surgery was over. She explained what was done and also added that they found additional problem during surgery but I couldn't absorb all the things she said. Muttering 'Thank You Doc', I passed out.

I woke up again soon after somehow realising that I was wheeled back to the room. At that time, I could feel excruciating pain at my lower abdomen. Still shivering, I could see Mum and MIL at the end of the bed, walking together to the room and Hubs was walking beside the bed, snapping pics I guess. When we were in the room, I was blanketed and the nurse handed me a switch with a button and I was told to press the button everytime I feel pain. After seeing Dad and FIL coming into the room, I dozed off.

When I woke up again, the first thing I saw was a bouquet of flowers at the edge of the bed. They were pretty red carnations and white roses. It was from both parents Hubs said. I also realised that I was attached to several tubes, the drip, morphine painkiller and the catheter (the urine bag) to drain both urine and blood from the uterus. When Dr. Nora came later that day, I asked her to repeat was was done again as I could not make out what she told me upon waking up right after the surgery. Besides the earlier three problems diagnosed prior surgery, she added that my ovaries were problematic too. The right one was stuck to the back due to the endometriosis and the left one had cysts. But everything was fixed in one go. The 6cm fibroid which looked like sausage Dr. Nora said was removed, endometriosis burnt and removed, uterus and the right ovary were repositioned and the cysts from the left ovary were drilled out. Phewhh! Such a major overhaul to what's inside me huh?

Was on liquid diet that day. Didn't feel hungry but was feeling nauseated and groggy and I was also yawning all the way because of the morphine. That was how it went on the surgery day. I survived it! Alhamdulillah...

To be continued

Surgery Day : Part 1

I remember being woken up by the nurse around 5.50am to prep me for the surgery. Blood pressure and body temperature were taken and later was told to empty my bowel! Some sorta liquid was nozzled into my anus and I was told to hold it for 10 to 15 mins before going to the loo. Omigosh! It was the worst 10 mins ever! And seriously, I could only hold it for 5 mins I think, before I let it all go! What the nurse did was actually called enema - the procedure of introducing liquid into the anus for the purpose of regulating the bowel in order to empty it. Empty bowel is necessary prior surgery in order to avoid complications when tummy contents may go up the lungs during surgery later.

Anyway, after Subuh prayers and reading pages after pages of the Holy Quran, I put on my surgery gown and cap and waited for the nurses to come and wheel me to the Operating Theatre (OT). MIL and FIL came early that morning around 7.30am to see me. Around 7.50am, the nurse and a hospital aide came to ask a few questions .."are you wearing any contact lens? dentures? allergic to certain medications..bla..bla..bla.." After answering No to most questions, they said I was ready for the operations and wheeled me to the OT on the 1st floor. I took out a card under my pillow before going outta the room. It's for Hubs. He looked pretty surprised with the gesture. I bought a book of Starbucks vouchers and a Thank You card for him. I just felt that it was appropriate to thank him in advance for the trouble that I will cause him after the operation. And what can be more appropriate than those vouchers while I'll be in the hospital as there's a Starbucks outlet on the ground floor :) He can always go down to Starbucks to grab his favourite Venti Green Tea Frappuccino and do some internet surfing if he ever gets bored of taking care of me in the hospital room, ay? Of course, will have to think of something bigger to give him when everything's all right. Okay Hubs?

Reaching the 1st floor and when I was about to enter the OT, MIL, FIL and Hubs kissed me. Omigosh, I had never felt that scared and sad before. The nurse kept saying that everything will be fine after this. The OT nurse waiting for me was a Filipino from the way she spoke. Again, she checked my stats and asked the same questions asked earlier and then transferred me to another smaller bed. Then I was blanketed and wheeled to a small room in a corner. There, I waited and waited until an older looking nurse came and wheeled me to right outside the OT. "Hold on, we'll wait for Dr. Nora and Dr. Das" she said. While waiting, I could hear the nurses getting the OT ready. Minutes later, I was wheeled and transferred onto the OT bed. Gone all my anxiety as I was starting to feel excited at that time, thinking that it was my first ever time going into an OT. Thanks to Grey's Anatomy :)

I started to look around the OT trying to absorb everything, from the surgical equipment, to the big bright lights above me. The big digital clock showed 8.51am when the Anesthetician, Dr Das, started putting in the needle for administration of intravenous fluid on the back of my palm. Some liquid spurted out while he was doing it and I could hear him swearing "Shit, shit, how could this happen? Who took the cap out?" I was trying to understand what was happening while at the same time trying to stand the pain as the fluid started to go into the back of my palm when another nurse came and placed an oxygen mask over my nose and mouth. Within seconds I was out.

To be continued

The Nite Before Surgery Day

Checked into Pantai Medical Centre the nite before surgery. Admission was a pretty smooth process, thank god for company's insurance coverage! Was informed that I had to stay in a double-bedded room for a few hours while waiting for the single-room to be vacated. While waiting, Hubby played with the bed functions and TV remote control searching for sports channel available..luckily ada ESPN.

Later, the nurse came to take my stats and checked if I've shaved!! I sooo regretted for not going for brazillian with sis-in-law the weekend before. Shaving is soo not suitable for the missus and I had so much difficulties trying to get 'it' all off that nite, but managed to do it eventually lah. I think I spent close to 30 mins doing it! Buat cara 'conventional' memanglah lama! Padan muka I! Haha!

Things were pretty good when we finally moved to the single room. Mum, Dad, Sis, nieces, MIL and FIL came to visit. Towards later that nite, I started feeling scared and dizzy. When the nurse came, yupp! my blood pressure was the highest it had ever been..all due to anxiety the nurse said..it'll go down when everything's over, she added..I hope so..

To be continued