Surgery is over, What next?

I checked in for surgery on Thursday, February 3 at 5am. I was given those heated anti infection wipes to use before putting on the gown. After meeting with the surgeon, anesthesia and signing paperwork, I was rolled to surgery and my brother Mike was shown to the waiting room.

I am not sure what the exact time was, I know it was a little after 6am and I was being rolled down a hallway. I think they knocked me out enroute.

My surgeon and his team were able to remove almost all the visible cancer, he felt my gallbladder looked funky, so that went too. He told Mike (and me a few days later) that he had to remove sections of my colon and intestines. He was able to reconnect everything, and I didn't need a colostomy. He sent a lot of tissue to pathology. He remembered that I wanted a picture of the cancer, there is quite a bit, it looks to me like it would fill an ice cream pail if all in the same container.

After the cytoreductive surgery, I was then given the HIPEC procedure. My abdomen was filled with heated Cisplatin-chemotherapy for 90 minutes. It was basically sloshed around to try and kill any cancer cells not visible. The team then drained it out and stitched me closed. I have more than 50 staples.

It was after 3pm when I was rolled to recovery. I spent a long time there, in fact I closed down the department, I used to close down the infusion center, now surgical recovery. Oh, the pain, it hurt so bad. I was given pain pump to push it gets bad, it was set to give meds every 10 minutes. My brother Mike came and sat with me. Those drugs cause weird dreams because I remember asking him if he needed to tell me anything. He said no and kind of chuckled at how out of it I was.

The next morning...which starts at 4am... lots of medical people were checking on me, asking questions, my blood sugar was constantly checked, even though I am not diabetic. You really can't get any rest in a hospital, you are in pain, there is always noise and just when you do fall asleep it seems you get woke up again for vitals or bloodwork etc. Mike and Becca kept me company off and on. Friday evening, I was given a heavy-duty drug which allowed me to sleep almost 4 hours.

Saturday morning Mike checked on me again, and since I was doing ok, he went home to Bismarck. Saturday afternoon, CNAs came and wiped me down with those wipes again. I asked for ice packs on my incision because they were itching, I got ice packs. But really, my incisions should not have been itching already. That evening, when it was time for more meds, the nurse commented that I seem puffy.

Sunday started at 4am with a screaming match outside my door, it lasted an hour. The itching is really bad, I look at my feet, they are so puffed up, my arms, legs all look terrible. I push my call button for help to the bathroom (my catheter and stomach tube had been removed on Saturday), a young CNA came, she struggled with everything. I told her to get a nurse after she got me to the bathroom. AN HOUR later, my surgeon making rounds found me, puffy, with purple feet now, itching bad and crying. He got my nurse and I told her I think I am allergic to those wipes. I demanded just a warm water shower...she agreed. I never saw that CNA again.

The screaming and yelling were not a one-time event, no it happened again Sunday evening at 9:30pm and for the following 3 evenings. I was only allowed ice chips, but the nurse who helped me shower took pity on me and poured some sprite in one cup with water and ice and that sponge thing you wet your mouth with. It was awesome, I made that little bit last for hours.

On Monday morning when I needed the bathroom, yup...got left due to an emergency and a surgical resident found me. From then on, I just went on my own and when someone came in for meds or vitals, I just told them. My nurse apologized for everything. She told me that they were short-staffed, staff members testing positive for Covid, and an entire Covid floor with new ones every day. I was crying, telling her everything, the screaming, the amount of time I don't see anyone, for hours. I just had major surgery, I have been fighting cancer for 4 years, I don't deserve this. She agreed. She was nice. I got moved to clear liquids for diet, but guess what, my hospital phone, it didn't work. Nope.

Tuesday evening, I asked for an egg, just an over easy egg, I was hungry. I asked my nurse and she told me she would check with my doctor. When he came by early Wednesday morning for rounds, I told him I wanted just one egg, I now have the answer to that age old question of which came first...the chicken or the egg? The Doctor! He moved me to full menu, and I had an egg for breakfast. Due to all the resectioning of intestines, I eat really slow, I can feel everything moving around. My system is working, just slowly.

I am sure it is due to staffing, risk of infection, and me doing so well, that I was discharged in 9 days versus 2 weeks. I got all my prescriptions and instructions, and Mike came and drove me home. I did sleep almost 11 hours last night. I am not pushing it, I am resting, I am eating, and I am healing.

My pathology results came in this morning. Every tissue the surgeon sent in came back High Grade Serous Carcinoma. I meet with my oncologist on Thursday for staples removal and the next steps. My battle is far from over.

To all of you, thank you for the prayers, the flowers, the cards, the texts and calls. I thank God every day for all the blessings and lessons and gift of life.