Surgery Update: One Week Later

A week ago today I was lying in a bed explaining to an anesthesiologist that I would be very cross if he put an IV in my hand. He listened after the second or third insistence (pretty much par for the course) and promised to do his best to avoid it.

Every time I've had surgery I've made that request. Every time I've had the anesthesiologist look at me and say "Okay, are you sure? It's actually really easy to put..." which is where I cut him off and say, "No no, you don't understand. I WILL rip it out in my sleep. Trust me, even unconscious, I'm very stubborn on this point. Please, please don't put it there." Apparently little blonde girls on pain meds aren't super convincing until they make the "I kid you not. Don't test me, bro" face.

Thankfully this time my nurses and anesthesiologist did listen and I came out of surgery hand-IV free. And yes, that is one of the things I was MOST concerned about going into the surgery. See, I've done this multiple times and I've found several things to be true over the course of my experience:

1. I can't worry about the ultimate outcome. I'm in the hands of an Almighty God and all will be well according to His will (no matter how much I fret or worry...so I don't)
2. Doctors and nurses are trained to do this. Every day. Over and over again. I'm going to be fine. 
3. It's over before I know it and I always feel better when I wake up.
4. If you don't ask for what you know you want, they can't give it to you (anti-nausea meds before the anesthesia, no IVs in my hands, nothing "grape" flavored ('cause really, manufacturers of "grape flavored" things, have you EVER tasted a grape? Like EVER? That flavor is NOT grape, it's something more akin to death and the tears of small children.))
5. Having a Momma who's a nurse makes your hospital stay nearly flawless. I don't have to ask any questions, I just have to made sad faces or say "ouch" and people appear. It's wonderful. 

So, yeah, I don't go into surgery worried about much at all. I know I'm going to go into it fine and I trust that I'm going to come out of it fine. My biggest concern is is that silly IV.

The next part is a different story. Although I may go through surgery fine, I don't do recovery fine. A week out from my latest venture, the whole escapade seems to have happened ages ago (likely because I've spent the last week trying to be still and quiet...), and I'm getting antsy.

I want to be okay now. I want to be able to go back to normal - to be able to do simple things like stand up straight and laugh and sleep on my stomach. I did okay for the first few days, then I just got sad and grumpy. Nothing tasted right, none of the chairs/beds/couches were comfortable, my blankets were all wrong, the dog made too much noise, I had no one to talk to, I'd seen EVERY pin imaginable on Pinterest...it wasn't the best day or two.

I'm better now. That phase only lasted a day or two, thank goodness. However, a better mood does not magically make me better. I still get tired very easily, I still can't stand up straight, and I still can't sleep on my tummy. I can, however, laugh and not hurt. I think that development alone has helped my mood. Well, that and an endless loop of the Big Bang Theory on TV in front of the fireplace. It's the little things.

I'm headed back to Fayetteville tomorrow. I'll still be down for a week, but I'll be down in a place that feels more...normal...and I'm hoping that helps. I'll have MY bed and MY apartment and MY stuff back. I won't have Mom just up the road if I need her, but I think I'm okay enough now to survive that. A week is a decent recovery time, right? I mean, I should be totally fine by now (*holds up sarcasm sign*).

All kidding aside, I really do feel okay. I'm still taking it slow and trying to rest, but I feel quite blessed to be feeling fairly normal already. Another week (hopefully), and I should be back to full speed! Until then, y'all need to start pinning some more interesting stuff, please. Thanks.