Post-Op

My surgery went very well.  I checked into the hospital a little before noon on Wednesday.  Stephen and Mandy met us there and I got to visit with them for a while before they took me back to prep me.  Then Daddy and Bobbie showed up.  I'm glad Dennis had the company.  My surgery lasted about 3 1/2 hours.  I was pretty groggy the rest of the day and don't remember a whole lot.  Dennis stayed with me the whole time.  They had a couch in my room that converted to a bed.  I'm afraid he didn't get much sleep tho.  Every hour or so someone was coming in to check on me or the IV pump would start beeping...typical night in the hospital!  But the nurses were great and took good care of me.  I refused to use my morphine pump Thursday, so they were giving me "super ibuprofen" for the swelling and hydrocodone, by mouth, for pain.  After my packing and catheter were removed Thursday morning, I was able to start getting up and walking.  That really helped me feel "human" again!  I was able to start eating solids by lunchtime and FINALLY learned to do self-catherization that afternoon.  So when my doctor came in at 7:30 or so, he told me I could go home.  Woo-hoo!  The drive home was unpleasant and I felt pretty bad by time we finished the hour-long drive.  But I was able to sleep well all night (except for doctor prescribed "potty-breaks" every 3-4 hours).  Sheila came over and babysat me all day yesterday and cooked supper for us.  I really appreciated having her around!  Last night I slept even better than Thursday night and have done very well today.  I'm still having to take a pain pill every 3-4 hours, but I'm regaining my strength.  I was able to walk around the "short block" this morning by myself and then walked with the girls this afternoon to the far end of our street and back.  My doctor is wanting me to work up to 2 30-minute walks/day.

The girls are coming back over tonight to cook supper.  They also plan to cook dinner tomorrow.  I'm so thankful to have them close to help out!  I'm planning to go to services here in MW in the morning.  Hope I'm able to last the whole time.  My greatest discomfort right now is sitting.  I do fine reclining or lying down, but sitting is not at all pleasant.  Dennis has a camping recliner that he may take with us in the morning for me to use.

Thanks to everyone who has remembered me in their prayers and called or written!  I love and appreciate you all.