We were on our way to Kansas City. I was to have surgery on Thursday, January 11 and Mike was to have an EGD with dilation on Friday, January 12 then we would drive home. We got to Lawrence without any problems and had dinner with Roderick and his girlfriend.
Surgery wasn’t early, so I didn’t get up real early. It was cold and had gotten icy overnight and just as I was contemplating postponing the coaching call with my EGCM Coach the surgeon called. Where are you she asked? We’re in Lawrence do you think we need to leave a little extra time to get there given the weather. She told me that a patient before me had canceled due to the weather so to please come as soon as we were able to safely get there.
I finished getting dressed, put things in an overnight bag because I would be staying, and postponed my coaching call. We hit the road.
I hate feeling rushed when the road conditions are not favorable, and I always try not to overdrive the conditions. It did take us a little longer than normal, but we arrived at the surgical center without any mishaps.
They almost immediately took me back and prepped me. The surgeons came back to talk to me. My breast surgeon was doing the axillary lymph node dissection and another surgeon was putting a port-a-catheter in to administer chemo.
I hadn’t been too happy about the port until the day before when the oncologist at Hays had told me the reasons. My veins might not hold up if they were putting an IV in and drawing blood every week. But more importantly, if an IV blew while they were administering chemo it is a medical emergency. The surgeon who put the port in was also very good at explaining why and how it was done. OK, no more hesitation from me.
They took me back to the OR and I don’t remember much after that. Same as before.
When I was coherent they told me that they had more trouble managing my pain this time than before and brought Mike back to see me. As soon as they could they were taking me to a room for the night.
I was hungry, but they were worried that I’d get sick if they let me eat too soon so I got some water. No problems with that so I got some liquids; broth and coffee (because if I go without coffee for too long I get a headache, so I was having coffee even in the evening). They said if that went well I could have some toast. The toast that I had later tasted like no toast I’d had before, heavenly.
I have to say the hospital at the surgical center was the quietest hospital I’ve ever seen. It was like a boutique. I think there were about 10 rooms and three nurses on duty. I didn’t get much sleep but that had more to do with me than the environment. Too much going on in my head, the sound of the IV pump, trying to get comfortable, etc.
The next morning, they let me have a full breakfast. I ate it with no trouble then the nurses started questioning who would drive us when we left the hospital after Mike’s procedure.
The plan had been that I would. That’s what we did after the last surgery. Mike had an appointment late the next morning. He’d driven me back to Lawrence after surgery and I’d driven him to his appointment. No problems.
When the surgeon came around she was concerned too, and we had talked about it prior to surgery. She had seemed OK with the plan before. This surgery had taken a bit more to get my pain managed and now they didn’t want me to drive. So, they started the process of how to get us back to Lawrence.
I drive, a lot, shouldn’t be a problem. Eye Of The Tiger
Onward. Getting back to Lawrence.
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