My Surgery

ByCordelia

My Surgery

I had my surgery today. First off, I want to say thank you to everyone for all your positive thoughts, prayers and well wishes. I really appreciate it.

My Surgery

So at 5 am this morning, I got up and showered. By 5:30 I was on the way to the hospital. By 6 am, I was checking in at the hospital. By 6:30, I was in a bed, wearing hospital attire. They’d neglected to tell us yesterday that only one person could come into the room with me, so Dave was in the waiting room while Ray was with me. I had to take out all my piercings (which was not fun).

Needles Suck

The first woman who came up to put a needle in my arm – at the bend of my right arm – seriously botched it up. She didn’t hit the vein right, so every time she tried to put something into my arm, it burned. I was crying but not screaming. I’m very afraid of needles, but I tried to be brave and get it over with. So when the anesthesiologist came and saw that I was in pain and the needle was messed up, he carefully took it out of my arm. He then gave me a numbing shot on my hand, put a new needle in, and put something in to relax me (since I couldn’t take a Xanax or Ativan).

Ray held my hand until the surgeon took me back, and then the surgeon held my hand until I went black.

More Pain than Expected

I came to and was in sudden, intense pain, and my head was very clear. This was completely different from my last surgery, where I came to drugged up and in no pain. On a scale of 1 to 10, I was at a 7 with my leg. The nurse helping me had me drink 2 containers of orange juice before I could be released. I then went to the lady’s room, put my clothes on, and they brought a wheelchair to wheel me down to the car. This was good because walking is uhm… difficult right now.

Ray and Dave got me in the back of the Aztek, and Dave climbed in the back to hold me as we drove home.  I called a few people to let them know I’d made it through. On the way home, I took Vicodin in the car (I had filled the prescription last night).

Once home, Dave put me in bed, and Phaedra curled up with us, and we napped. I got up to try and do a meeting for work, but my leg hurt so much, and I’d exerted myself too much that Dave had to help me hobble to the bathroom to throw up. Then I just laid on the floor trying to feel better (our concrete floors are very good for that, at least).

I went back to bed for a while longer. Then Ray came home from work and made lasagna. It’s currently cooking.

Final Thoughts

My lovely friends/co-workers sent me some beautiful flowers today, which was unexpected.

Right now, the Vicodin isn’t working well enough, and I get nauseated when I’m staring at my computer. I feel pretty awful. I’ll be ok, though. 🙂 I’m grateful to no longer have necrotic flesh in my leg from a spider bite.

Poor Phaedra keeps wanting to lay on my legs, her usual spot, and I can’t let her right now.

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Cordelia Frost is the creative force behind Phyrra, a treasure trove for cruelty-free indie and goth makeup enthusiasts. She's the author of the game-changing 'Hooded Eyes Makeup Manual' a must-read for hooded eyes makeup.

Cordelia's world is a kaleidoscope of alternative beauty, gothic fashion, and life-enhancing tips, making every visit to Phyrra a journey into a more colorful and inspired self.

88 Comments

  1. ohh I missed this entry and every entry related with it:(
    I’m so sorry for this! I’m glad to hear you’re fine 😀
    I hate spiders!!

    1. It’s ok! I’m much better now 🙂 My leg is fully healed and I just have a scar. Trust me, I hate spiders too !

  2. Aww, I’m hoping you are feeling better soon. That sounds awful. I’m also terrified of needles. I’m not a wuss about pain, but there is something incredibly creepy about any kind of subcutaneous anything. I don’t much care for bulging veins either.

    Wishing you a speedy recovery!

        1. They get itchy when they’re healing. It hurt a little bit to get them out because of how they’d healed.

  3. Wow 🙁 I took a break from internet use for 5 days so I’m really sorry to hear your skin hasn’t coped well with the spider bite and that you’re feeling so sick. But you made it out of the most nerve-wracking part and you’ll be able to take it easy now so do try to be as dependent as your men will tolerate 🙂 Don’t overexert your mind or body good luck! I hope you’ll be pain free and healed overall very soon

  4. <3 to you. Ditto to what everyone else has said. Take it easy and let your gorgeous men pamper you for a while. 🙂 I always get nauseous after anesthesia and spend the better part of the recovery time vomiting. One thing that really helps me is candied ginger. If you have a Whole Foods nearby, they sell candied ginger chews that are pretty darn fabulous.

    1. I’m so glad I didn’t vomit. Of course, I’m thankful for the promethazine prescription 🙂

  6. Get better soon. I’ve been MIA so I’ll have to read your back posts to see what’s up, but it sounds painful. Glad you had so many people (Phaedra included) around to keep you happy and cared for.

  7. Oh no! I’m glad it’s over now, but it sounds pretty awful – I would have been screaming. And nausea is miserable enough without actually vomiting, too. 🙁 I’m glad Ray, Dave, and Phaedra are taking good care of you! You’re a badass, and it seems like you have boundless energy normally and get all sorts of stuff done – but take care of yourself, too, and don’t push yourself too hard. Feel better soon!

  8. Feel better! Make everyone take good care of you. If Phaedra is at all like my dogs, when I won’t let them lie on my legs, they opt for my head. Which is occasionally, oddly comforting. Especially when the chow and ridge back do it.

    1. Thanks Kelly! Phaedra keeps trying to crawl into my lap, she thinks she needs to be there, or cuddled up next to my side 🙂 And LOL! I can only imagine how much fun the chow and ridgeback can be.

  10. Argh@ incompetent IV insertion. When I was in the hospital getting my gallbladder out I explained that I have severe needle issues and that I would 1) be OUT OF THERE if they let me see the needle, 2) get really freaked out and hyperventilate, regardless. I generally either look straight up, or close my eyes, breathe deeply, and focus all of my energy on not tensing up my arm. I’m not sure if they went out of the way to pull in their more experienced nurses, but all of the ones who did any of the insertions were pretty fabulous. The initial IV for the anesthesia they numbed my arm, but not for the others. I think I actually had more of an issue with the guy they had come wake me up in the middle of the night to take some of my blood for testing. Vampire!

    I hope the nausea subsides. Vicodin/hydrocodone makes me really sick if I take it on an empty stomach.

    Sending you lots of warm happy energy. I’m glad Ray, Dave, and Phaedra are there for you!

  13. R is currently dealing with a blood clot due to a botched ivy job. The woman also put it in the ditch of his arm. Keep a watch for a lump. Don’t want to worry you any more, but it’s some serious stuff.

    I’m like you, I get so nervous when needles are in the room. I have to have them hold my arm down, which makes it worse, but I’ll still back away. I nearly hyperventilate and my blood pressure is always an issue at doctor’s offices ’cause I psych myself out that they’re going to stick me with something every time.

    I had to go through 4 surgeries within a 2 month period, it wasn’t until the LAST one that a nurse offered to numb my hand first before doing the ivy which was SO much better. I looked at the nurse and asked her where’s she’d been all this time. My hand is so messed up from those surgeries because they’d hit this one vein each time.

    I hope the pain will subside & a speedy recovery.

    1. Ack! That’s awful! I hope R will be ok. I’m so sorry about your surgeries, too. That’s awful. Thank you for the kind thoughts.

  14. Hope you’re feeling better soon! Vicodin just makes me sleepy. Take care. Still keeping you in my thoughts, sweetie. *hugs*

  15. Lots of healing thoughts comes to your way from Belgium … i hope the plane is pretty fast , so the thoughts would come soon to you 🙂 … hmmm maybe i better rent a jet for sending these ones 🙂

    Anyway , i wish you a speedy recovery !!

  16. There are certain pills that work better for pain caused by damaged/irritated nerves. One of those is Lyrica. See if you can get anything like the prescribed.

    Sounds like a completely awful experience. Take cre.

  19. As much as I love hospitals, I wouldn’t wish them on anyone who isn’t as fond of them. Take care, pamper yourself, and get well soon!

  20. Hang in there! IV’s are awful. I so feel for you with the nurse screwing it up. When I had my wisdom teeth out, the dr. stuck me 6 times. They had to give me laughing gas so I would calm down. I completely understand how traumatic needles can be! Way to be brave and get through it!

    I think for awhile you have complete freedom to spoil yourself!

  22. Tylenol with codeine makes me vomit. If vicodin is the same thing — maybe it has the same effect on you. 🙁

  23. Oh dear, I can’t believe a spider bite resulted in all this pain and stress for you, but I’m glad your doctor got you the help you needed quickly.

    Wishing for you a speedy recovery!

    1. Trust me Kim, I didn’t expect it 🙁 And I’m just grateful it wasn’t a ‘dangerous’ spider’ like a brown recluse or a black widow.

  24. Oh honey! I am so sorry. Well, at least the worst is behind you and now it’s all about recuperating. Sending warm, healing vibes your way. xo

  25. Glad to hear you are doing alright for the most part and good for you for paying attention to your body and going to the doctors!

    1. Thanks Rebecca! I’ve gotten better about paying attention to it since I’ve had some weird medical things happen over the past 10 years.

  26. I can’t believe you posted about this already! You are a dedicated blogger for sure. Relax as much as you’re able, and good luck with the medication. I hope the menfolk cater to your every whim for a few days, because recovery from surgery sucks.

    1. I can only be on my laptop briefly because I’m nauseated and dizzy (go go vicodin). Hehe, they’re helping me out, carrying me around, which is very nice. They’re also telling me to not push myself, because when I do, I throw up and get shaky.

  27. Oh my gosh, I’ll be praying for a most speedy recovery!

    Phaedra’s so sweet; I’m sure having her around makes things slightly less worse, at least!

    1. Thanks Cathryn. Yep, Phaedra wants to be in my lap RIGHT NAO to comfort me. Since I’m sitting in the recliner instead of on the sofa with my legs on the ottoman, she can only be here if my laptop is not here and if she’s calm. She was too rowdy for my leg yesterday afternoon, but was fine last night.

  28. I’m glad that your day is over and it went well. Now just eat right and get plenty of rest, let your body do the rest of the healing.:)

    My background is in healthcare and I worked in hospitals/clinics and more specifically in OR before. The nurse who set up your IV probably falls under either of the conditions: a) Is inexperienced and might be in training; b)having a bad day; c) nobody ever corrected her. If it is a) instead of being annoyed just think that you are helping her to be a better professional tomorrow…

    Sometimes patients are too stressed or intimated to speak up or think that what’s bothering them is the nature of things. My suggestion is to just ask questions or express your discomfort, politely, of course. That works 98% of the times.

    1. Oh believe me, I told her ‘hey, this hurts’ an dwhen she went to put stuff in and i said ‘hey this is burning’ they got the anesthesiologist over, who removed it an put in on eof his own that didn’t hurt.

      1. Oh she sucks big time then! 🙁 I hope the anesthesiologist give her some guidance.

  29. Wow…All I can say is that I hope you feel well soon, and that I’ll send lots of healing energy your way. Take care..<3

  30. Your co-workers are lovely, the flowers are gorgeous. At least it’s the beginning of the end, rest well and have a speedy recovery! xXx

  34. I’m so glad it’s over and everything gone. They did that with one of Tony’s surgeries, he woke up about screaming in pain when they removed his gallbladder and they let the pain medicine run completely out of his system. Not good! Vicodin makes me sick to my stomach, you be careful with that. I’m glad you’re home and the spider bite is gone. *hugs* Speedy recovery!

  35. I’m glad the scary part is all over with and it sounds like with Dave, Ray, and Phaedra, you have a house-full of support to help you get through the recovery. Take care. I’m sending healing thoughts your way. 🙂

  36. I’m glad everything went alright! 🙂 I hope you’ll be 100% better soon!
    Did they explain to you what happened? Why did the bite get like this?

    Many hugs and best wishes!

    1. They don’t know why. It wasn’t a brown recluse. My Primary Care Physician says that all spider bites are poisonous to a point, even if they’re not lethal. I apparently got a bunch of necrotic tissue due to that bite, and it needed to come out. Thank you for the hugs and wishes!

  37. At least it’s all over. I hope you have a very speedy recovery. I hate needles to the extreme as well. It is the absolute worst when the nurse misses your vein…

    1. Me too. My veins are easy to see, at least that’s what they tell me when they take blood.

  39. Vicodin rarely works for me and just makes me throw up (unless I take with a full meal). Usually I take Tylenol with codeine and it works fine but I am pretty pain tolerant. One thing that nurses have told me in the past, that once you are in pain, it is harder to get rid of the pain. I think they mean to make sure you take a steady dose of pain killers in the beginning.

    I’m so sorry the nurse messed up your IV at first. I so hate when they do that! I don’t know why they don’t just have someone that knows what they’re doing start the IV. I’m glad you made it through, sorry for the parts that were bad. <3 <3 <3

    And your flowers are so pretty! That was really sweet of your coworkers to send them.

    1. I’m breaking the pills in half and spacing them out and it seems to be helping.

      Yeah, I had my iv messed up when I had my wisdom teeth taken out. All 4 of mine were impacted and had to be cut out. The nurse stuck me 4 times before someone else came in to get the iv in my arm. Then I woke up during the procedure and they had to give me more drugs. It was awful. If I hadn’t been on nitrus, I’d have probably smacked the nurse during that procedure. My arm was bruised from my elbow almost all the way to my wrist.

  40. Ouchy, that sucks they didn’t give you enough painkillers for the wake up part. They did that exact thing to me when I got my tonsils removed. At first I was like “oh I’m awake now that was fast” and them BAM I start bawling, and bawling harder when I realize that made it hurt more, the nurses were still all chatty with each other as one popped over and loaded stuff into my IV and wheeled my behind a curtain so they can continues their convo without dealing with me lol.

    Hospitals just aren’t fun places. I’m sowwy they botched your IV 🙁 Mine was in the hand as well and I wasn’t expecting it so I felt kinda sick right then.

    On the happy side! Your Spider bite be gone!! yay!!! I’ll keep on being positive for ya! 🙂

    1. Yeah it suuuucks when you aren’t drugged enough ;(
      I’m taking my vicodin in 1/2 pills, spread out, and that’s helping me deal with the nausea.

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