Rigo and my parents escorted me to my hospital room in Stanford. I had to share a room the first night. My parents stayed for a very short time just so I can see my beautiful baby and smother him with kisses. Then they took him back to the hotel so he could get some rest. The nurses were nice and let Rigo spend a few hours with me since I was in the operating room all day. I slept 98 percent of this first visit with Rigo. I had a roommate, but she was quite and easy to room with ... we never saw each other, but I know she was pretty badly injured from a motorcycle accident (her husband was being treated in the hospital too).
I was still nausea the first night and continued to throw up. I manually administered my own morphine and believe that the morphine was making me sick. By the morning, I was off the morphine, but still not feeling too well. I slept during this time, but every now and then I'd open my eyes and look over and there was Rigo, watching me. No TV on or magazines or anything. His entire focus was on me. I felt so rude not talking to him, but I had zero energy. I felt so much safer knowing he was by my side. I love you Rigo.
In addition to the morphine, I was on vicodin and was given an On-Q Ball which is amazing ... it is a ball of local anesthetic that is inserted into my chest and released pain medicine manually ... that stayed in me for about 4 days and I loved that little device.
During my stay in the hospital, my vitals were checked through my legs because the surgery involved my arms/armpits. My blood pressure will always be checked through my legs now. In addition, during this time, I had "support" to go to the bathroom. My mobility was nothing for the first few days. It was on the second afternoon that I got up for the first time and that didn't last to long.
At the end of my second day in the hospital, the doctors noticed I was making little progress. Although my pain was pretty bad, duh, my nausea was much better and no longer an issue for the most part. I was given a short list of instructions, that if I passed, I could go home: a) go pee on my own, b) stop vomiting, c) eat something, and d) get off the IV fluids and get fluids down on my own. Okay ... I missed Blake. Within 20 to 30 minutes, we were buzzing the nurses to tell them I was ready to go home and mission accomplished ... I met all my criteria. The nurses at first were a little hesitant and indicated that patients don't usually get discharged at 5pm on a Sunday, but after some pleading and begging and yes, maybe a little threats of the "patient from hell" scenario, we were released and en route to see our little Blake by 6pm. Unfortunately, we didn't make it home until after 9pm or so on Sunday. And right to bed for me.
And ever since then, two weeks later, I pretty much have been in the same spot ... bed. I have had the occasional and regular visitors, Blake, my mom, dad, Les, Dana and some more good friends, but all here, in my room with me in my bed. This is my safety area for the time being and will probably stay that way for the next couple of weeks. I am almost afraid to venture off into other parts of the house. I am sure it is in great condition, but I am really determined to heal properly and not over-do-it, so going into other rooms will just encourage me to move things around and I am not ready for that.
I hate that I have taken such a long time to blog about the surgery, but my energy is zapped. But I need to catch you all up on so many other things too. First, the Fresno Komen Race for the Cure is TOMORROW and I am so pumped for that ... yes, probably overly hopeful that I can do the 5k, but hope doesn't kill. This is going to be a great weekend and our family is blessed to have so many supporters out there with us. The Komen Race is my Victory Race, OUR Victory Race.
Second, my brother Junior is here in California for CNN covering all the fires. This doesn't really go with the whole blog-theme, but I think he is so cool, I had to share! Be safe!
Third, last week, well I think 2 weeks ago know, KSEE 24 did interview Rigo, Blake and CE Baseball and it was on ksee.com and cnn.com to be viewed. I am soso proud of Blake. Unfortunately, I DO NOT HAVE A COPY OF THE INTERVIEW. IF ANYONE TAPED IT OFF THE TV OR ONLINE, CAN I PLEASE, PLEASE GET A COPY?
Fourth, I just had to vent at the damn Fresno Bee for running classic breast cancer stories for breast cancer awareness month. With all due respect, and I truly mean that, the stories of the survivors are the typical over 40 years old, stage 0, stage 1 stories we hear about all the time. I think the feature stories are an injustice to young women with cancer, and trust me there are PLENTY of young women with cancer. I had just wished that for the benefit of awareness, for the benefit of making our stories less "freakish," for the benefit of saving lives, the Bee could have and should have profiled a younger survivor. Ugh .... sorry, I just had to vent.
Fifth, I am looking forward to getting back to work, soon. I am in talks with my office to arrange something sooner rather than later.
Sixth, me and my fellow young co-survivors are attending a renewal retreat for women with cancer next weekend and I couldn't be more excited to be with such wonderful company and focusing on healing my mind, body and spirit ... the only sad thing is I'm gonna miss my boys terribly! But I know Blake's in good hands!
I think that's it ... I am caught up ... I hate feeling rushed to get everything down. I love to blog. This has been so very therapeutic for me, but I am competing with an infant and two eyelids that hate to stay open anymore ... call me snoozer. I feel okay. Life is good.
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