My Journey to becoming a Bionic Woman

Today marks week 3 since my actual surgery, half way done with the "healing" process, so it's probably time that I document my day 3 weeks ago before I really DO forget everything! I'm not sure a person could forget something like this, but just in case. :)

I had to be at LDS hospital at 8:15 a.m. to check in, so we dropped Cam and Reag off and Shannon's the night before and we took Keric to my sister in law Denise's early Monday morning. I actually slept OK Sunday night, but by morning the nerves were really starting to set in.

We got to the hospital and I got checked in. Of course you don't really do much after you check in except sit in a waiting room and wait for your name to be called. This whole process doesn't do much for the nerves by the way, but I didn't wait for all that long I guess.

By about 8:45 a.m. I finally got called back to see one of the nurses. When I went back to get weighed and checked in she was looking at my chart and then asked me if I was really getting my hip replaced or if she had grabbed the wrong chart. I assured her that there was no mistake and that yes I was getting my hip replaced. I suppose it's flattering to be thought of as "so young" but I do get a little tired of the whole "I can't believe you are getting your hip replaced!" conversation. It's not like it's a really popular elective surgery! I didn't wake up one day and decide that I was bored and had some extra money so hey..let's replace one of my hips.

After my initial check in I went to a little room and got on my sexy hospital gown, TED hose, and blue socks. Then the fun really began. A new nurse came in and hooked up my I.V. which I HATE. They can never find a vein on me, and I always end up with a huge needle on the side of my arm in my wrist which really hurts! It's like I can feel it resting on my bone or something and it's really hard to use that hand or arm with a huge needle in it like that! Ugh! I hate it!

We weren't in the little room for very long when someone came and took my chart and tole me that he was going to take me down to surgery. Thankfully they let Chris come all the way down with me until they were ready for me. I remember at my last surgery they left my mom at the waiting room area, and I was totally petrified having to go the rest of the way by myself! This time they showed Chris where the waiting room was, but then let him walk down with us.

We sat in yet another little room, except this one was seriously like as big as a closet. This was where I kind of lost it and the tears started to come a little bit. We waited awhile for the anesthesiologist and Dr. Bertin to come and talk to us. When the anesthesiologist came in she explained to us that I would be having an epidural and not a general anesthetic. The epidural would be stronger than the one I had when I had Bubby, but still the same kind of concept.

I kind of already knew all of this because while I was reading through all of the stuff you should know for surgery it talked about the advantages of having an epidural over a general anesthetic and I actually asked the Dr. if I could do the epidural since I haven't had the greatest of luck with general anesthetic. It makes me SO SICK when I wake up that it's almost worse than the surgery itself. The thing that she told me that I was not prepared for was that even though they give you drugs to calm you down and make you not really aware of what is going on, she couldn't guarantee that I would actually sleep through the surgery or that I wouldn't remember the surgery. Well that scared the crap out of me and I really started re-thinking this epidural thing! She said that most people did sleep, but unlike the general, she couldn't guarantee anything! Great!!

Dr. Bertin came in shortly after and talked to us a little bit. He wrote a big "YES" on my left hip, and I noticed that the marker he was using was purple, so I told him that that was a good sign since purple was my favorite color. :) I asked him about the epidural thing too and he just kinda laughed and said there was no need to worry, I would sleep right through it, and everything would be just fine.

A few minutes later the nurse came in and took me away and Chris went to the waiting room.

I actually remember quite a bit about the surgery room. I waited in a hallway for quite awhile until they were ready for me. I saw lots of Dr.'s and nurses coming and going. I couldn't see very well because they took my glasses away and I couldn't wear contacts, but that was OK I guess. The nurse eventually rolled me into the actual surgery room. It was very cold and very big! They moved me onto the surgery table and then they gave me my epidural and laid me back down on the table on my right side so my left hip was up. I remember lying there and hearing lots of people talking and then I must have fallen asleep after that. However I woke up twice during my surgery that I remember clearly.

I woke up one time and I remember hearing the hammering and the drilling sounds. I remember Dr. Bertin's voice, but I couldn't see anything because they had a cover over my head, which they told me they would do to keep me warm. The cover had kind of a vacuum thing on it that was blowing warm air on my face. I stared at the cover for quite awhile trying to see something, but I couldn't see anything. I remember closing my eyes and telling myself to go back to sleep and I think I probably did for awhile longer.

I also woke up at the end of my surgery, which most likely is not unusual. I imagine by the end the drugs are starting to wear off and most people start coming around. I could hear people talking and I I felt them pick me up and move me off the table and back onto my bed. I remember being taken to the recovery room and after that I was wide awake.

I laid in the recovery room for what seemed like a really long time. I kept thinking that it was really silly that I was just lying here, and I was fine, so why not take me to my room. I watched lots of people go in and come out of surgery. Some of them didn't look so good, which made me even more grateful that I was feeling so well!

I talked to my new nurse for a little while, and I also talked to Scott, Dr. Bertin's P.A. when he came around to check on me. I remember asking him if everything went OK, and he told me that everything went beautifully, which made me feel good. The one thing that I did notice right off was that I had no pain, and I felt really good. Kind of like I had just woken up from a really good nap. :)

After what seemed like a really long time, someone finally came to take me up to my room. We talked all the way to my room, and when I got there Chris was standing in the hall outside my room waiting for me. He told me he was a little shocked to hear me laughing as I was coming down the hall. I told him I felt really good, and I wanted to go home. I'm fairly sure he thought I was still under some really good drugs. :)

I got to "order" food from a little menu that they gave me. I had a club sandwich and a chocolate milkshake. I REALLY wanted a Dr. Pepper and a Cafe Rio salad, but no one could find me a Dr. Pepper, and I wasn't going to send Chris out to Cafe Rio. :)

Around 2:00 p.m. Dr. Bertin came to see me. I told him how good I felt and that I really honestly had no pain, which was completely true. Then I asked him if I could go home. He smiled at me and said "Do you really WANT to go home today?" I told him that I missed my baby, and I would rather sleep at home in my own bed. He kind of laughed and told me that if I passed my PT evaluation he didn't have a problem with me going home. YEA!

The PT kind of took his own sweet time coming to see me, but he eventually DID come in. I overheard one of the nurses talking to him outside my door. She said "Oh yes, it's this patient here, she's well, turbo patient, she just came out of surgery a few hours ago, but wants to go home today. Dr. Bertin has ok'd her going home if she passes the PT evaluation." I kind of laughed to myself about my new nickname but heck if it got me out of there, I was OK with being called "Turbo". Apparently they don't have a lot of hip patients who go home the same day.

The PT got me up and walking around. I was a little surprised at myself honestly that I was walking so far. I remember after I had my surgery to remove that stupid tumor in my stomach that it was about all I could do to walk to the bathroom, but I was walking pretty good with my crutches and I even did the stairs without too much trouble. After my walk and my stair adventures he said that he was OK with me going home. I was so relieved!

So after a few more checks from the nurses, they took my IV's out, let me get dressed and I was headed for home by 6:00 p.m. My sweet husband of course made a quick pit stop at Cafe Rio for me, and then we were off back to Tooele.

I think Denise was a little shocked to actually SEE me in the car when we went to pick up Bubby. I was so happy to see my little man, and so grateful that I didn't have to spend the night away from home! It was nice to be able to sleep in my own bed and even nicer to be able to have Chris and Bubby taking care of me rather than a different nurse every few hours. The nurses were great, don't get me wrong, but there is just something extra healing about a 2 year olds hugs and kisses!