Pre-op
Signed the last few authorizations, and spent a couple of hours talking to Dr. McNicoll this morning. Still freaking out, getting a little more frightened about how I'm going to feel when I wake up. Not his fault. He was actually very reassuring.
There are a few additions/changes to what I've written previously:
I check-in at 6am Thursday, get prepped for surgery at 8am. They have to stick tubes and stuff in me. I will have a tracheotomy hole on my throat, a feeding tube up my nose, an IV out of my right arm, and something else out of a vein on the back of my right hand.
Surgery all day, recovery will be about 2 hours, and I'll be on a respirator in ICU for 2-3 days. That's because of the swelling in my mouth from surgery.
I can have visitors the next day, but I won't be able to talk. If you visit me while I'm in ICU, it will look a lot worse than it actually is, so prepare yourself.
On the 3rd or 4th day, I'll have a private room, and I'll be encouraged to walk around. If I heal quickly, and there are no surprises, I'll be sent home on the 6th day.
A nurse will come by my apartment once a day to check on my stitches and feeding tube, which will come out a week or so after I come home.
On Sept. 8th, I have my post-op appointment, and my stitches may already be out by then. If I can drink water, they'll take out the feeding tube, and I can try broth and other liquids.
By the way, I decided to have them take the skin graft from my thigh, not my ass. So the scar count is one on my throat from the tracheotomy, a big J- shaped one on the left side of my neck, one up my left forearm, and the last one on my thigh. Plus the weird looking tongue.
The next posting will be from James when I get out of surgery.
Once again, the hospital is Kaiser at 4867 Sunset Blvd. Parking is around the corner at 1549 Edgemont.
I guess the next time you hear from me, I'll be cancer-free. Cross your fingers. Thanks again to all of you for being such wonderful friends.
Laura
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
There are a few additions/changes to what I've written previously:
I check-in at 6am Thursday, get prepped for surgery at 8am. They have to stick tubes and stuff in me. I will have a tracheotomy hole on my throat, a feeding tube up my nose, an IV out of my right arm, and something else out of a vein on the back of my right hand.
Surgery all day, recovery will be about 2 hours, and I'll be on a respirator in ICU for 2-3 days. That's because of the swelling in my mouth from surgery.
I can have visitors the next day, but I won't be able to talk. If you visit me while I'm in ICU, it will look a lot worse than it actually is, so prepare yourself.
On the 3rd or 4th day, I'll have a private room, and I'll be encouraged to walk around. If I heal quickly, and there are no surprises, I'll be sent home on the 6th day.
A nurse will come by my apartment once a day to check on my stitches and feeding tube, which will come out a week or so after I come home.
On Sept. 8th, I have my post-op appointment, and my stitches may already be out by then. If I can drink water, they'll take out the feeding tube, and I can try broth and other liquids.
By the way, I decided to have them take the skin graft from my thigh, not my ass. So the scar count is one on my throat from the tracheotomy, a big J- shaped one on the left side of my neck, one up my left forearm, and the last one on my thigh. Plus the weird looking tongue.
The next posting will be from James when I get out of surgery.
Once again, the hospital is Kaiser at 4867 Sunset Blvd. Parking is around the corner at 1549 Edgemont.
I guess the next time you hear from me, I'll be cancer-free. Cross your fingers. Thanks again to all of you for being such wonderful friends.
Laura
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
posted by clowny | 8/25/2004 05:54:00 PM
1 Comments:
We'll be thinking of you, Laura. Next time we talk, I'll know more about the deceased kitty.
Love,
Serg & Merilyn
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