Huge thanks again to Lani for getting me to the hospital yesterday for my port surgery. I got there just before 1:30 (as expected) to check in for a 3:30 surgery that was supposed to take 60-90 minutes. So I did all the intake stuff, got into the hospital gown, and got my IVs going. Everything was on schedule, they took all my stuff (clothes, purse, phone, kindle) and locked them up for me since there was nobody to wait through the surgery (Bob was still at school). All good.
And then an emergency exploded appendix came in, and my surgery got bumped for several hours. We were originally worried that I'd be done and have to wait a few minutes for Bob to finish school to pick me up. He actually got there before they took me in. So the worst that happened was that I was bored stupid and read several months worth of Us Weekly that the nurses brought me from the waiting room. Surgery took about 90 minutes, and then recovery room, and then we drove to walgreens to fill my percocet prescription. (Why the hell can't they give you that prescription the day before? Because what I really want to do after having surgery is go sit in a Walgreen's parking lot for half an hour?) We didn't get home until after 9:30.
I've now got a hole about halfway between my armpit and my neck, which is where they went in to connect the line to my vein, and then the line goes down between my boobs to a thing that feels like a bottlecap which is the actual port, so you won't see it unless I wear a seriously deep v-neck. Can't take the bandage off for a few days to see what it actually looks like.
The worst thing is that I can't take a shower until tomorrow night. Today was hot and humid and I feel pretty gross.
This morning we got up bright and early and went back for round two of biopsies. I was incorrect about what the MRI turned up - it was two lymph nodes, not a second tumor site, so they did a biopsy of those. One in my armpit, and another deeper in. They went in sideways again so that needle was about five inches deep. It took about two hours. Then we spent the rest of the day with me ingesting as much percocet and caffeine as I could handle, tearing around town and doing last minute cancer and wedding crap - pick up rings, order cupcakes for dessert on Friday, pick up slides from pathology so I can hand carry them down to Stanford on Friday, prep the house for company, pick my sister up from the airport. Craziness.
Now we're home, Leasha is settled into the guest room, Bob's working on homework, and I'm off to bed. Tomorrow is all about girly stuff - Leasha and I are going for eyebrow waxing and associated facial hair adjustments in the morning, hopefully Jen will get here around noon (she's driving up from LA) and we'll have time for a good lunch before mani-pedis at 2:30, and then relax a bit before my "bachelorette party" at 6:30. I don't expect it to be a late night since we have to gather all of our stuff for the wedding and leave for Stanford by 7:15 am on Friday morning. I am trusting in percocet and adrenaline to get me through. :)
Meanwhile, Bob's good friend John is flying in tomorrow night, as are four out of five of our parents (Bob's mother Cindy lives in Uganda and won't be able to make it). I'm hoping to be able to see them for a bit tomorrow night, otherwise I won't see anybody until we're actually at the courthouse for the wedding, which seems a little nuts since they came all this way.
And then an emergency exploded appendix came in, and my surgery got bumped for several hours. We were originally worried that I'd be done and have to wait a few minutes for Bob to finish school to pick me up. He actually got there before they took me in. So the worst that happened was that I was bored stupid and read several months worth of Us Weekly that the nurses brought me from the waiting room. Surgery took about 90 minutes, and then recovery room, and then we drove to walgreens to fill my percocet prescription. (Why the hell can't they give you that prescription the day before? Because what I really want to do after having surgery is go sit in a Walgreen's parking lot for half an hour?) We didn't get home until after 9:30.
I've now got a hole about halfway between my armpit and my neck, which is where they went in to connect the line to my vein, and then the line goes down between my boobs to a thing that feels like a bottlecap which is the actual port, so you won't see it unless I wear a seriously deep v-neck. Can't take the bandage off for a few days to see what it actually looks like.
The worst thing is that I can't take a shower until tomorrow night. Today was hot and humid and I feel pretty gross.
This morning we got up bright and early and went back for round two of biopsies. I was incorrect about what the MRI turned up - it was two lymph nodes, not a second tumor site, so they did a biopsy of those. One in my armpit, and another deeper in. They went in sideways again so that needle was about five inches deep. It took about two hours. Then we spent the rest of the day with me ingesting as much percocet and caffeine as I could handle, tearing around town and doing last minute cancer and wedding crap - pick up rings, order cupcakes for dessert on Friday, pick up slides from pathology so I can hand carry them down to Stanford on Friday, prep the house for company, pick my sister up from the airport. Craziness.
Now we're home, Leasha is settled into the guest room, Bob's working on homework, and I'm off to bed. Tomorrow is all about girly stuff - Leasha and I are going for eyebrow waxing and associated facial hair adjustments in the morning, hopefully Jen will get here around noon (she's driving up from LA) and we'll have time for a good lunch before mani-pedis at 2:30, and then relax a bit before my "bachelorette party" at 6:30. I don't expect it to be a late night since we have to gather all of our stuff for the wedding and leave for Stanford by 7:15 am on Friday morning. I am trusting in percocet and adrenaline to get me through. :)
Meanwhile, Bob's good friend John is flying in tomorrow night, as are four out of five of our parents (Bob's mother Cindy lives in Uganda and won't be able to make it). I'm hoping to be able to see them for a bit tomorrow night, otherwise I won't see anybody until we're actually at the courthouse for the wedding, which seems a little nuts since they came all this way.
Sorry to hear you had to wait so long for your surgery. Glad I could help in a small way with the ride, though.
ReplyDeleteGlad the port placement was successful (if delayed).
ReplyDeleteSOOOOO bummed I'm not there for the wedding stuff. I'll definitely be thinking of you.
-s
OK. If you're here before dinner you can hang at the house with us. We've got mani-pedis at 2:30.
ReplyDelete