Chapter 16; reminded of the CHEST TUBE...

Chapter 16; reminded of the Chest Tube...

Besides the surgery itself and the lengthy and PAINFUL recovery, when i look back, one of the three AWFUL things about being in the hospital this time was the CHEST TUBE.

First of all, it came as a SURPRISE.  They had taken out the chest tubes that they had put in during the surgery on the 1st, but i knew there was some trouble when the tube looked clotted, but no one said anything.

Apparently, the tube DID clog, so that's why they took it out.  It was a very small diameter.

It was around 9pm and the surgeon said "this is what we have to do.  there is fluid in your left lung according to the Chest x-ray.  But it's no big deal, finish your dinner..."

Well, i couldn't really eat after that.  My dad had just left, and i was alone.  Strangely enough, i had visitors, in the ICU no less, very kind of them and Mr. D gave me a word of advice that i actually used throughout my hospital stay...he said, "This will pass," and he's right!

So the surgeon and the RN prepped me and gave me shots and shots of lidocaine.  i had only seen a chest tube put in once in medical school by an intern and the attending, and it looked horrible!

The lidocaine helped but i would have liked to have some sedation like valium or something so i wouldn't hurt so much.

he kept saying 'don't close your eyes, look at me,' which made my body relax more but i was still as stressed out.

i could feel the cut and them putting the tube in, then the soft tube and pushing it through.  the lidocaine was ok, until he hit some SPOT an all this fluid came gushing out, like 600cc's.

there was a lot of 'referred pain' because of the trauma put on the nerve which affects the intercostal nerves.

Then, out of nowhere, i started screaming in pain!  I cried, "what is that!  why does it hurt soooo much???"

Dr. A calmly explained that it was good, meant the lung was opening up (it had been collapsed from all the fluid) and as it re-inflates fully, it affects all those nerves, those intercostal nerves and that's why it hurt.

Well, it RUINED my whole night.  I was hungry because i didn't get to finish my dinner, and i had HORRIBLE muscle spasms in my back because of the referred pain, and i had spasms EVERY time i breathed. 

I didn't get any sleep, even with pain medication, until about 3am, and then i only slept for 2 hours.

So, having the Chest tube in, and then finally taking it out, is a whole other chapter, both of them pretty bad.

JOANNAJEAN

CHAPTER 15: I'm BACK!

Well, i survived!

I went in March 1st, Monday for the surgery and was discharged Sunday night.

My parents weren't happy about me coming home so early, but there are a HUNDRED reasons I couldn't stay there anymore!  oh my!

I've been home a week, but I have been so stiff and in so MUCH PAIN, that just now i've been able to get ont he computer...

feels good to be back, but my stamina and pain level goes up and down during the day, so you'll have to bear with me in terms of keeping up with my blog. 

Here are a few points of what i'd like to include with my recap of my hospital visit...

1.  The surgery; went BETTER than we thought it would, a blessing i will describe...

2.  ICU; wonderful care; got to hear the process of patients waking up from deep general anesthesia,

they were in the other room, so i could only 'hear' and not 'see' which was strange in itself.

3.  ICU to med / surg ward...HORRIBLE transition, HORRIBLE BED, i was HELPLESS and in SO MUCH PAIN because the bed gave me HORRENDOUS spasms...

being HELPLESS was the worst for me....

4.  Removing tubes; I'll recount the saddest moment of my life, they had just taken out the chest tube and not all of the fluid had drained out.  i got up to pee and i swear, half of my 'body' fell out of me.  I was all alone and just wanted to pee, but the fluid kept pouring out of me. 

More about this later, but a humbling experience, and i think i'm already humble enough!!!!

5.  The beds.   I may be a 'Princess and the Pea' when it comes to hard and uncomfortable beds, but this was by far the worst.  the bed itself hindered my sleeping, eating, pain control, and recovery in general.  just HORRIBLE...

6.  For the most part...everyone tries to help...nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, mom, dad, friends, family, all that, and the support does make a difference...

7.  discharge day, it was cold, dad forgot my clothes, but the doctors said it was ok.  mom and dad didn't want me to come home, but i was going nuts there (more on that later....)

8.  1st post-op visit; was in spasms for 2 days afterwards, but i think it was more the car ride than what the surgeon did (remove 2 sutures).

9.  Recovery continues...trying to get back to a good routine, sleeping better, appetite coming back slowly. 

10.  A LONG WAY TO GO...