surgery accomplished!

I learned Friday afternoon that there were some tests I needed to have done in Colorado before coming to Louisiana. So, since we were leaving first thing Tuesday, that meant having the tests Monday morning. I had an EKG and blood tests at Boulder Community Hospital.

Travel through security at Denver International Airport was the easiest security I’ve ever had. They randomly selected Beth to have her hands swapped for chemicals, and then after they cleared that they sent us to a special line where they were using a machine that looked and worked like the 1970’s-era metal detector. We didn’t have to go through the “porno scanner”, we didn’t have to take our shoes off, we didn’t even have to pull our laptops out of our bags. I even left my sweater and belt (with big metal buckle) on. I was waiting for someone to jump out and tell us we’ve been pranked and it can’t possibly be this easy. But it was that easy.

Once we got to New Orleans, we took a break for some Popeye’s fried chicken, and then found our rental car and drive to our hotel in Covinton. We’re staying at the Homewood Suites, which isn’t very far from Dr. Gianoli’s office. We checked in to the hotel, did some basic grocery shopping, and then went to bed early for a 6am alarm.

Wednesday was a day of tests, starting with a CT scan. I’d forgotten how quick they are compared to an MRI. Then I got the full battery of hearing and balance tests at Dr. Gianoli’s office, with just a 30 minute break for sandwiches on the front port with Beth.

After the afternoon tests – I didn’t vomit once, unlike many people who do these balance tests – we rounded out the day with a summary of the medical procedure and the test results. One thing I really enjoyed seeing was the CT of the dehiscence on the right side that was fixed 4 years ago. The patch there is still in place and is huge. The surgeon really over-engineered the patch last time, and the bone is probably 10 or 20 times as thick as on a normal person.

About this time is when I learned that the surgeon’s office was expecting some sort of letter from my PCP clearing me for surgery based on the blood EKG tests that happened Monday. So we had to scramble around and have a local anesthesiologist look over my EKG, which had some anomaly, before she could clear me. That was done verbally, but then they had to check both those things again the morning of surgery. I’m not sure if the lab tests from Boulder ever made it to Louisiana. It may have just been a waste of several hours and a bunch of money.

My surgery was the first on the schedule, Thursday November 7, 2013 at 7:00am. That meant checking in with the same day surgery desk at 5:00am, which meant leaving for the hospital at 4:30. That made for a long day. I filled out paperwork, had another blood test, had another EKG, and then they got me ready for surgery. I had the automatic compression leggings to prevent blood clots, and lovely gown with lots of access holes. I used the bathroom one last time, and then met with the anesthesiologist, all the nurses, and briefly with Dr. Gianoli. Then it was off to the races.

They started by doing a lumbar puncture to measure and reduce my elevated intra cranial pressure (ICP). I was semiconscious for that since I had to follow verbal commands. but as soon as that was done, they knocked me out without warning. I woke up in some place – I don’t know if it was a recovery room or in the operating room. But they shortly moved me to a private ICU room which would be my home for the next 23 hours.

I was pretty out of it and somewhat dizzy when I first arrived. The routine in ICU was no solid food, so all I had to “eat” on Thursday was apple juice, water, chicken broth, and beef broth. They took good care of me. There was one main ICU nurse during the day whom I saw quite a bit and then a different one overnight whom I didn’t see much. She didn’t check in on me as often, maybe on the assumption I’d be asleep most of the time. Unfortunately, I’m light sleeper and so lot of noises and things in the ICU would wake me up. That night my sleep was basically about 10 or 15 catnaps ranging from 15 to 45 minutes, I think.

Today as I write this it’s Friday. I got a liquid breakfast of coffee, broth, fruit juice, and jello, but then once they talked to my surgeon on the phone he OKed me to have a solid breakfast. That arrived just about 45 minutes later, and was coffee, fruit juice, milk, scrambled eggs, grits, and two pieces of toast. That was the first solid food I’d had in about 38 hours.

During breakfast, the nurse shift changed so I was back with the day nurse. After breakfast, Dr. Gianoli came by and checked me out and talked to us a little while about post-op stuff. Then he cleared me to leave. So they took off all the EKG electrodes, pulse ox meter, the automatic leg massagers, and – best or worst of all – my urinary catheter. I hate the feeling of those things coming out, but it served me well while it was in me. I drank a lot of fluids after surgery, and would’ve had to get up to use the bathroom way too often given the drugs I was on and my steadiness.

Then Beth drove me back to our hotel, where I’ve been all afternoon. She’s taking good care of me by keeping the schedule of all my meds I have to take, and giving them to me at the right time. She also rubbed my legs and back and shoulders, which felt really good since I haven’t been able to stretch much.

I’m restricted to best rest for 5 days, and after 3 days I get to take off the giant bandage on the side of my head. I may get a little stir crazy from being in bed for 5 days straight, so may just assume that first day in ICU counted as the first day and now today (Friday) is the second day.

Here’s how I look as I type up these notes. I posted this same photo to Facebook and wow did that ever generate the sympathy online! I think once people see this giant bandage on my head the whole thing gets a little more real for them.