Next To Know

Now in ICU I was told that the mass was removed but I got to keep my lower lung. Only lost 1 rib & lymphoid. That made me happy for Doctor told me that it was not cancer. I was in surgery for 6 hours instead of three. (Vic told me this later). Had to wait for Biopsy to make sure mass was not cancer. Mass grew another cm during my waiting & seeing all Doctors. The mass was sent to Madison for it had all my Doctors mystified. Once I woke up My Mom & sister came to see me & then My Dad & brother. Then they headed home once they heard the good news & saw me. They came from IL, south of Joliet.

What came next was a whole new thing. Waking up in ICU with tubes hanging from me was a bit scary . The Great Nurses at my hospital was great in explaining all to me. Loosing a rib & having 2 ribs fused together was unreal but what scared me most was the two tube from my side for drainage & something about air. Wasn't to sure at that time. Back one was removed with great pain in 24 hours. Front one wasn't removed till morning of day before I went home. So I had to learn to breath, cough; which they have you doing a lot of that to clear your lungs and sneeze. All hurt to do. But later that night  did sit up in a chair. It felt good after I got there and settled. was able to get some ice chips down. All medication from surgery always makes me very ill. So next was keeping liquids down. Next few days I was able to conquer that.

Well after making good on all of that what came next was something I didn't expect. Due to such great pain in pulling out my first hose they gave me pain medication as well as an IV one to get second tube out. That I didn't feel it, thank goodness. I went right to sleep afterwards & woke up about midnight. My Male nurse, glad to see them more in the field, put me in my chair to get settled & see how I did with tube out. I got so nauseous that I had a severe vomiting issue that I almost past out. That is why I was glad my nurse stayed with me so I didn't take anything back. What all was concern with was my stitching & where the tube came out to make sure all stayed put. My sticking in my back is from my left arm pit to my spine. I had so many staples in my back as well as a hump.My drainage did drain a lot but they said it was alright. well now I had a whole new level of pain. After that 100 times worse pain I refused anymore pain medication. My night nurse let my day nurse know my wishes & she came in & tried to bully me into taken some. Well she got to meet me bad side. She & I got into a yelling match over it.

Now my Doctor came in & said well if she doesn't want pain medication & tubes are out I get to go home. Home I went after 4 hours waiting for them to release me. Wonder why they do that?
So I went home with no pain medication. Ride home was a relief from what I went through vomiting.

More to come.