2nd Surgery

Friday, August 1, 2014 was the same pre- procedure as the first one the previous week except that I had to be there at 5:30am instead of 6:00am.  Before going to the hospital Friday morning, I lost my balance and fell in the bedroom hurting my right hip and scraping my arm. It was so disconcerting to have that happen.  This time after arriving in the procedure underground parking lot, Dan stopped at the door and brought out a wheelchair for me.  After parking the car, we processed to registration, got checked in and then sat down and waited for a very long time.  Finally they came for me to take me back to a prep room. I was not in the pre-procedure room nearly as long, because there was no local anesthetic and no fitting of the frame!The next was the same in the prep room as before, except the nurse trying to get a vein to take blood couldn't find one after two times digging around in different veins, and ended up using a prick on my finger.  It took forever to get enough blood into the little vial, but she finally got enough of a sample. Then everything was pretty much the same except a different nurse came in to insert the IV.  (I guess the first nurse had had enough of my veins!) After getting the blood pressure cuff on, oxygen on finger, puffers on my legs and warm blanket, it was time to ZIP down the hall again.  This time there was no terrible anesthetic in my forehead and no frame!  Thank goodness!

#15618

The sign kept Dan informed of how things were progressing.

 Once I got to the procedure room, I was put to sleep and when awakened, I was in the recovery room.

 A nurse said "Kathy wake up, you're in recovery room."  I got to have a nice cold drink of water.
The general anesthetic was the way to roll!  Just wish I could have done the first surgery under general, but I realize I had to be awake.  {FYI:  The reason I had to have my surgery in two stages is because of Medicare!!  They wouldn't pay for it otherwise. So any one under 65 yrs of age would be able to have both stages done at the same time.}  I asked Nicole what I looked like (it was so great to see her with her Dad come into the recovery room together) so she took a picture of the second surgery.  This one incision on the left was really sore.  It is where the two leads come together and are woven down my neck (Julie said I don't want to know how that's done!) and joined together with the neurostimulator.

 How I got from here (feeling very drousey and wanting to stay all night) to here (below),

I don't know. But I was enjoying my graham crackers  (they didn't have any donuts, I asked) and coffee.
So off I went home...all done.  Now to rest and recuperate, wait for swelling to go down so I can have my neurostimulator turned on and programed.