The annual OP (as it seems)... (full play by play! LOL)

Went to RIE for 11am yesterday for keyhole surgery/laparoscopy ... whatever they want to call it today. It was for the usual, cyst aspiration ... although, this time I was back in Ward 210 instead of day surgery (Dr Martin said it's usually only the early morning slots in the outpatients place, the afternoon ones are in Ward 210) - and the expected "aspiration" (i.e. drainage) turned into a "cystectomy" (i.e. removal). Was a bit worried when I signed the agreement, as Dr Martin said that depending on how things go, how much the cyst obstructs the ovary they may not "know" they removed parts of the ovary until it's too late ... not very comforting, is it!! :o And another thing - he suspects that there are a) more than one cyst (which I knew - but I thought the 2nd was much smaller than the 1st) and b) that they are located one on each ovary. HUH! Now THAT was news!!! :o

We'd been waiting for 3 hours already, met a funny lady from Clermiston (just around the corner from us!), Val, who got the OP slot before me. I really don't know why they ask you to turn up in the ward that early if you don't get a bed until 2 - 3 pm??? :o German brain kicking in and not understanding the logic behind that.

Met the anaesthetist, told him about my grade 3 throat - because of some weird rules they don't have access to or copies of my files of EFREC (which again is against all logic in my eyes!!). There was hoping that I wouldn't have a very sore throat again when coming to after the OP because of the info ... well... dinnae happen. HAD a very sore throat, and I really get to the point where I want to pick my anaesthetist for OPs... Dr Burns!! The only female anaesthetist I've come across RIE so far with my numerous laparoscopies and the one who actually suggested I get a MedicAlert bracelet. When she intubates me I don't have much of a sore throat!!!

Anyway - got my bed around 3-ish I think and got changed - and immediately was trolleyed down to the theatre (Val had to walk 1 hour beforehand as they didn't have a bed ready for her yet). Still had to crawl onto the OP table (which isn't a table ... it's a LEDGE, I tell ye!) but it was in a pre-theatre room for the anaesthetists - not like the first time I had my OP in the main building. Injection went fine, they got the "butterfly" (canula) in ok at least (my veins cooperated this time... wahey!) and then I went off to sleep (and I am so bloody happy that I don't have allergies to the same parts of anaesthetics as my mum ... that was confirmed by Dr Burns as the components were already used for me in the past).

Came around quite quickly (which I seem to every time) but still woozy (again as usual) but was ok on the charts (yep... I DO read my medical charts/folder after an OP... ;) ) and didn't need much oxygen. Got the usual cuppa and asked for toast as well (usually love that buttered toast in hospital) - but felt slighlty nauseous (later figured why - they had used a little morphine and I seem to react to it - but not too bad to classify it as "allergy" (like my Penicillin allergy) - so this time I got an anti-sickness injection and that was that.

Oh! And one new thing this time ... I had a drainage thingy in (no ... not a catheder - yet have to experience that! LOL)... never had that before! And it had drained already 50mls by the end of yesterday - wasn't told what the pipe and bottle was until I asked, just saw blood in there and was of course worried and expected the worst (i.e. ovary removed etc!).

Sleeping was not that easy - why do I always end up in a ward room with older biddies who complain about everything, snore and are in a lot of pain???? Had my MP3 player with me but that didn't help that much. And of course waking up every 2 hours was not the best either. So am really still quite shattered.

The rounds confirmed that there were 2 cysts, one on each ovary, but the removal went fine. Dr Martin was happy with how things went and said I could be discharged this morning ... and he prescribed another Zolly round ... with first injection TODAY! ... How cruel can a surgeon be??? An injection into your tummy where they just did some major keyhole surgery??? OUCH!!!

Well... I got lunch (I actually have no problem with the food at the RIE) afterall, as the nurse didn't want to release me until 2:30pm. Not sure why she still wanted to keep an eye on me - I was mobile and had done all that's required for discharge. Got finally to have a shower at 11am (after getting woken up at 6:30am) because I needed to get the drainage thing out first ... it's really a funny feeling when they pull the pipe out ... and the hole closes without stitches. I'm wondering if they put it into one of the keyhole holes, as I usually have 3 sites of stitches: one left, one right and one in the belly button. This time I have stitches right and in the belly button, and then the hole where the drainage was in.

Right now I'm in bed (at home though - WAHEY!!!), still groggy from the anaesthetics (I think - maybe still some morphine in my body too), but not too sore ... you just gotta love high pain thresholds really. I think I may actually make it up to Stirling on Sunday for the training scrimmage to take some pics. ;) Well... we'll see how the pain levels and mobility is. Think all I need is a camping chair to take breaks. ;)

Coach Orr told me not to push it ... was quite nice, he's sent me about 3 or 4 PMs on Facebook to check how I am and also a text. Feels good to get that from "new" friends (know him already a couple of years) :) And Coach Broughton (who is really someone I don't know that long!) has been commenting on FB and asking how I am as well... :) Nice!! While other people who I counted as "friend" and who were aware that I was going in for an OP haven't said anything yet ... think there's a rotten apple that needs removing. :(

Comments

Heather said…
Sorry you're having to go through this each year at the moment. :( Hopefully this will be the end of such procedures, eh.

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