Happy Anniversary...

 

If you said, "Little River Band, 1977," you get 25 bonus points.  If you said, "Joan saying, 'Having you home for our anniversary is the best present ever'," you can understand my bit of verklemp.  Yes, today is our anniversary.

Getting sprung from the hospital is even more special today.  Joan has been there almost as many hours as I have.

If you're asking, "How was it?" I will explain.  Simple explanation: it was excruciating.  Not just how much the procedure hurt, but the entire experience.  Turns out, I had a huge prostate.  Huge, as in: the surgeon said, "I have never seen anything like this.  I can't believe you could urinate at all: your prostate was grown above your urethra and up against the bladder to where it was nearly covering the exit from the bladder.  Your procedure took twice as long as normal because of that.  Your recovery is going to take longer because of that, I'm sorry to tell you."

The hospital system here leaves a lot to be desired.  Nothing gets done when you are told it will be done.  Yes, I am probably emotional because of what I just went through.  It hurts like a son of a bitch.  They did not get me up and moving around on the first day; may be because of the lengthy procedure.  May be because someone didn't feel like it (no, not me).

I had a bad reaction to the pain killer they gave, and the steroid they used cause my blood sugar to spike up... and someone thought it was a good idea to give me insulin.  Yes, another bad reaction, and I crashed.  Literally, Joan went into the hallway and hollered for help.  Probably saved my life.  I was having a convulsion.

The only thing I got to keep up my strength for the first 48 hours was ice chips.  No sleep because of unnecessarily beeping medical equipment.  Several times I asked if the sound could be turned off... it was, and then started beeping again.  This was beeping because the battery was low or fluid level needed to be checked.  It is next to impossible to heal if you can't get rest.

When the surgeon cleared me to go home today, it took over two hours to process out.  I was frazzled.  Joan got me in the door, and I laid down and slept for 3 hours.  Keep in mind that she was leaving the hospital after 11:00 at night, going home to feed Rufus, and get something to eat for herself... and it is an hour drive to the hospital.  She was wiped, too, but she pushed on.  While I slept this afternoon, she went to Walgreens and got prescriptions filled for me, and bought supplies we need to get through the next 10 days.

I go back to the surgeon in 10 days.  Considering the extensive procedure, I am not expecting good news; but I will go into it with a positive attitude.

It was a long drive back home.  When we came in the house, Rufus was happy to see his Pops.  I gave him some attention, but I needed sleep.  Joan closed the door to the bedroom to keep the big furry boy from jumping on me.  I had a crazy dream while I slept, probably due to the anesthesia and drugs I've had.  After the bad reaction to the pain meds, I was given one round of Tylenol; that's all I've had for pain relief for the last 24 hours.  I was offered Tylenol with codeine - no thanks.

Now home, we can get back to taking care of ourselves.  I have a bag strapped to my leg to collect urine.  That is typical for the first 10 days after this procedure.  The only food I had the last 24 hours at the hospital was broth, apple juice, and Jell-o.  The surgeon warned that my tummy would be sensitive and suggested no more than scrambled eggs and toast, which Joan made for me tonight... and, it was great.

After getting some sleep, I put a pillow across my belly and snuggled with Rufus... my belly is tender and distended.  This is going to take some time to get back to where I was physically.

The only reason I got out of the hospital today: I got mad and insisted that the night duty nurse unhook some of the monitoring equipment so I could start walking.  At 4:00 this morning.  I was determined to be sitting up when Joan came in this morning.  I told that nurse that I would be leaving today.  When the surgeon made her rounds, she agreed that I could go home today.  I can walk a ways, unassisted, but it is painful and exhausting.  I plan to take another day to rest up before I start walking for the exercise.

So, that's the first take on this experience.  My less than great experience was probably related to how extensive the prostate removal was.  I won't be making a Yelp review.  ;-)