Home yesterday from RPAO

Hello everyone! I'm home and got home yesterday 07-04-08 from my RPAO. Everything went well. Well here is how everything went. Went in Tuesday morning at 5:30a. They called me back and I cried when my husband left. I was changed and put into pre-op curtain area. Out of all the people in the pre-op I was the only one of child bearing age who needed the required blood work which takes an hour. Well my nurse decided I would be the last one to get worked up. My OS and anestheiologist was pissed! I did a stat urine, but was about 1 hour late into surgery. I had an epidural which hurt none what so ever! Everyone was so sweet and caring. I remember going into the or and the mask being put over my face and him telling me to go to my happy place. The next thing I remember I told post-op that my stomach felt funny so they kept giving me Zofran and a patch behind my ear. Well after we finally got a room at 1pm I still was feeling sick and actually started throwing up. They kept me in post-op a few more hours. They gave me a one time dose of phenegran and it subsided! I actually made out like a bandit room wise. I had a minifridge, fold out bed, recliner that folded into a bed and a full size bathroom. I slept so good the first night. Ate a little broth and jello the first night and only pressed my epidural botton about 4 times during the night (I could have pressed every 30 min.) I had the epidural the next morning. No real complaints except itching. My incision is a classic cut that's about 12 inches long. I had my JP drain that drained well during the first night. Next morning my JP drain came out with my dressing changed. I felt okay. Doctor stated that my blood work came back beautiful. Left my epidural in for one more day. I had a few visitors and actually stayed constant with my ankle pumps and moved as much as my body allowed me. I had my first PT session with my epidural in. I made it half way across the room and blacked out due to the epidural and dropped my pressure. That was it for the day. Thursday.........epidural came out and my catheter!!!! I used the bedside commode successfully. I did PT out into the hall, but didn't black out but my pressures did drop again. This time I wanted to sit up in the recliner. I stayed in the recliner about 6 hours and got stiff and it was sooo painful when I finally had to go to the bathroom. After another not so glamourous dinner I got to the bedside commode and bathed and my mom washed my hair. Even got brave and smiled for a camera with my gown on of course with tons of soap in my hair! Kept up with my leg exercises and ankle pumps. Started my Lovenox therapy. My parents were shocked I just shot myself like it was so no big deal. Slept even better Thursday night.Friday............got up and the docs said I would go home all dependent on PT. Well I got real nauseated about 7:15am. I asked for some Zofran and then told my mom to help me to the bedside commode and I would try to use the bathroom. Well things just released and I felt so much better. I went to PT and walked with my walker to PT and did stairs (I hate stairs!!) and practiced in and out of a car! did okay enought to pass and was packed up and sent home yesterday. I can walked with my walker okay. I slept in the lazy boy last night due to the fact that it was the quickest route to the bathroom and the sennokot has worked it's job well. I've had no problem with constipation at all!!!! I only didn't go for 2 days. I can bend my knee, go to the bathroom with no help what so ever. I can't take a bath or shower for 14 days. HAve to bird bathe until my postop appoint on the 18th. I have internal stiches that will dissolve so I have to keep my current dressing dry and intact. I have three screws. I am not really swollen at all. Some numbness right around the incision site, but that's it. My bottom is raw from constantly having to sit and adjust myself. I'm keeping it clean and dry and gold bond powder on it. Am doing okay. Keeping my 4-6 hour med regimen of Oxycodone and Tylenol. Just sore and stiff. No real PAIN yet! Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. Got any questions please ask!!!!Brenna RPAO 07-01-08