Well I am home from the hospital. What an ordeal! I am typiong this update myself so just reado over and excuse the typos. I can thnk Mr. Hinch , fomy thighschool typing teacher, for being strict about learing to type without any letters on the keyboard. I'm not sure I would get a passing grade on this text, but that's ok. You all should be able to read it.
I thought the pre op was bad enough, but when I went for the surgery, And they handed me this gown and said get undressed, I knew the fun times were just beginning. At least the nurse was gracious enough to take one look at me and said, I'll go get you a different gown. She brought back one big enough for me and another small person. I didn't object one bit because it met in the back. Thank the Lord for small favors. <G> Then I get to get up on this small hard bed and wait for the nurse to come back in and inflect more pain and agony when she tried to put in an IV. I warned her that I had terrible veins and that it would be hard to get it in. Art told her my veins ran and hid when they saw a nneedle coming in theri direction,. He said he had a pocket knife and could assist if they needed hlelp. He had to leave for a few minutes and my pastor and his wife came in. Can you belive my pastor said exactly the same thing Art did about a piclket knife? Just wait unil they are the ones laying on the table. I'll remind them both of that little comment. <VBG> Anyway after that nurse poking me a couple times and digging around in there, she goes and gets Donna, another nurse , who does exactly the same thing. POKE POKE POKE. I think she poked in about 3 or 4 places and of course twisted that needled while she had it in sde. I told them I bit the doctors thumb one time when he was trying to take blood. I pormised them I wouldn't bite them, though. < G> They came to get me twice to take me back for surgery, but they didn't have the IV in. Finally, they just said send her back and let them do it. So I get to ride down the hall in style, white bed and all. The driver was a jokester. He said he lost his hite cane so he waasn't sure what kind of driver he would. I told him that was ok cuz I couldn't see either. That's why I was there for eye surgery. LOL Do you all know how cold they keep that room back there? BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. More poking. I think the first nurse must have poked me about 3 times in my right hand and arm and then moved to my left ahand and poked some more. No veins. would cooperate. Another guy came and he poked me at least 3 times. Fortunately, the 3rd time he found a vein that didn't blow or hide. The last poke is the only one I really didn't feel and I think that is because he used some andeadening something on it. Who cares what he use, he finally got it in. Theyt wereall apologing for poking me so many times. I told them, just do what you have to do and get on with it. One good thing bakck there is that they had the warmest blankets. that they took out of the warming oven and put over me. That felt sooooooooo good.
I laid there and wited for my turn on the opearting table. It didn't take to awfully long before it was my turn. Do you KNOW how narrow that table is?. It is MUCH narrower than I am, that's for sure. AND it was even colder back there. They had a blanket that blew warm air on me and I was asleep anyway so I din'dn't care. They strapped my legs down and then asked me to move up further towards the head of the table. I told them I could soot up easier if my legs weree untied. They loosed the strap and I scooted up and bumped my head on the top end of the table. The technician said, that's ok I'l stitch it up while you are asleep. OF coursse I didn't cut my head. He's just such a jokester, a cute one too. <G> The antesthesiologist nurse put an oxygen cup over my nose and told me to relax and he was sending me to a beautiful place. That's the last I know until a woman is saying Katheryn (I go by my middle name, Ruth) Katheryn, wake up. It felst like there were a dozen knives in my left eye. Talk about have an enormous black eye. That's what it felt like. I don't have a black eye, but it sure is a sore eye. They took me back to where to where Art was awaiting . Pretty soon they made me get up and sti in a chair. All I wanted to do was sleep.
Just imagine not being able to see and still being expected to move around and get from point A to point B. I'm srue I will get much better about it during the next two weeks. Anyway, they got a wheelchair and took me to the door. That was after they took out the IV. I felt like they were running down the hall with me in that wheel chair. Art said they didn't and he was right behind the nurse pushing me. I got in the car and we went to the hospital guest house where they let us rent this teeny tiny room for $20 a night. Talk about uncomfortable beds. The room was just big enough for two twin beds, and a small nightstand. The bathroom had a shower a tiny sink, nand of course the stool. I told Art it's a good thing it was small because I could feel my way around and do what I had to do. My bed was in the corner directly opposite the bathroom door. Between the door and my bed was a heater that I could feel my way along to reacah my bed. It only took about a dozen steps to gert to my bed. OH I didn't tell you about my trip from the car to the room. Talk about aan experience! LOL If anyone saw Art and I I'm sure they would have thought I was drunk. I guess I actually was, too. Drunk on pain meds. LOL I don't know who invented thse dmeds, but I sure am thankful for them right now. LOL I waas weaving around and would have fallen if Art hadn't had a firm grip on me. He was so good to let me know all about the rough terrain and when to step up and etc. He got me settled and drifting off to sleep and then had to go home and take care of the dogs. Remember it is about an hour one way to our house. I would have gone directly home last night, but I had that eye appointment this morning at 10 with the eye doctor and dind't want to deal with the ice and snow at our housre. Art got back in record time and then had to repeat the trip again this morning. Poor guy, I know he was tired of all the running around. He brought my cane that I used a couple years ago when I had my knee surgery and that helped a lot. He parked in a place where there was a handicapped ramp so I didn't have to deal with the 7 steps that I did the night before. I don't know which is worse a ramp that akes you feel like you are going to pitch forward any minute or steps that you are afraid that you are going to fall down. Again I"m so thankful for Art. He is a wise man. He knows when to let me do for myself and when to assist. If I had known the layout of that room it would have been easier.
We went to the eye doctor and they took the big bandage off and put a clear plastic shield over my left eye. I have to wear it ALL the time, even in the shower. The doc said I culd do whatever I feel like. I don't go bafck until Thursday to see him. The scariest thing that I had to do was when I had to go to the ladies room at the eye doctor. Art took me to the door, but I awas on my own after that. Fortunately I had been in there before and could remember the general layout of the room. I manged to do my business, wash and dry my hands and make it out to the hallway where Art was waiting for me.
Aunt Bonnie, Art reminds me of Uncle Roger so much. I feel so blessed to have him. Everyone thought I had lost what few marbles I had when I met this guy on the internet and married him. I must admit that I was somewhat concerned for a little bit, but we both fetl God was leding us. I don't know WHAT I would do right now wiothout him. He's such a jewel.
I hope you all can read this inspite of all the typos. It's much easier for me to type this myself than to tell Art what to type. I told him if our marriage survives the next couple of weeks, we can say we have a model marriage. <VBG> I know I sure don't intend to do ANYTHING to destroy or damage what I have. That's all for now. Will update more later. Feel free to email me and Art will read me the emails. Thank you all for all your prayers. Don't stop. I still need them. The doctor said the surgery didn't go exactly like he had hoped and I still need more laer surgery soon. I don't think he's planning on doing any of that until my eye heals from this surgery. At least I HOPE not. I may still have to have that shot in th eey. Right now I'm just trusting the Lord to meet our needs a. Whatever happens It's all in His hands.
Posted at 05:45 pm by RuthB
