Tag Archives: post-op

Health Issues

Weekend update

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It’s just after dinner here on Sunday night and I noticed we haven’t had an update posted on the blog for a couple of days, so I thought I’d just jot a few thoughts down.

Pam was surprised and happy when Maggie came by with a gift from the nurses she works with… an Ipod touch! It’s a very nice gift and she’s hardly set it down since she got it. She’s got a bunch of her songs installed, and she’s quickly learned to download books into the Reader program. She’s grabbed Sherlock Holmes, some Bronte sisters, and lots of others. She can even user her email and her MSN messenger from the Ipod touch.

Saturday was a tough night for Pam, pain wise. The drain had been removed, but she had trouble sleeping, even just getting comfortable. She’s described the pain as having marbles in her armpit! She’s worried about appearing to be needy, I think, and trying very hard to be brave. And of course she HAS been VERY brave, but I told her it was ok to feel pain, and it didn’t make her a wimp just because she hurt! So after a few tears, we held each other close and drifted off to sleep.

She’s better today, taking fewer pain pills, but still having some discomfort in her arm/shoulder area where the lymphs were removed. She’s been snuggled in her chair reading her books!

I tell you Maggie: you couldn’t have picked a nicer, more thoughtful present for her! Thanks to all the girls who thought of her…

Health Issues

drain out Jan 14/11

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Hi there,

I just wanted to add that today I called homecare, and initially the guy who answered said that it would not be out today, to try calling back tomorrow. I braced myself for a couple more days of the drain. Then Veronica called an hour later, and asked me about the drainage. I told her that I had been measuring it q12h, had milked the tubing to ensure it was not plugging up, and gave her my totals. She agreed that it sounded like it could come out, and said she would be over to do that shortly.

So she’s been and gone, and now I am just wearing the supportive binder they give you (which is nice, to not have the girls flapping in the wind) and have the 2 incisions and the drain site. She put a mepore over the drain site. She said it is a bit reddened, so I’ll keep an eye on it and make sure that I don’t get an infection there. I’m just so relieved to have that damned drain out. I can’t tell you how uncomfortable it was…

She seemed surprised that I was managing the pain as well as I am. I told her that I’m a tough cookie 🙂   So the weekend seems like it will be alot more comfortable now with the drain out. She commented on the Kareoke machine, and so I sang her a song to show her how it works… I think she is going to buy one for her husband. 🙂

…Pam…

Health Issues

Jan 14th = 3rd day post op

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Morning 🙂 It’s friday Jan 14th and I’m on day 3 post op. I still have the drain in, but I am hopeful it can come out either today or tomorrow. I have not heard from the homecare nurses yet, so I’ll call them today to see what is up. I had a pretty good sleep last night. Went to bed around midnight I think, and got up around 6:30. I took a pain pill and came downstairs. M’s have a sleep in with Max.

Pain is manageable. I am taking pain meds every 5-6 hrs now, just 1 tyl #3. I will feel alot more comfortable with the drain out, that much I know. I’ve been pretty amazed at how many people have been emailing or phoning or posting on the blog. It’s been pretty awesome. I have been keeping in daily contact with my mum and dad, and have talked with M’s mum a couple of times. 🙂

Maggie is coming into town for another visit, and that is always fun. We can catch up on stuff and have a coffee and a gab.

This has all happened so fast, it almost seems like it’s a dream or something. I keep expecting to wake up and not have a bloody drain sticking out of my armpit, no incisions… but it’s no dream. I can’t say it’s been a nightmare either.. it’s been handled pretty efficiently from what I can tell, and let me tell you, once you get the diagnosis of cancer.. things start happening pretty quickly. My family Dr told me that they would.. that my surgeon did not like to wait around, and her madate was to get the cancer out asap.  I’m really lucky to have such a great family Dr.  To all of my friends/family… I can just say Thank you all again. I appreciate all of your support.

…Pam…

Health Issues

BC Day

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We arrived at Surrey Memorial Hospital at the recommended time of 7:15 for a 7:45 appointment. They got Pam in quickly, before her time, and was finished with her radioactive dye before 7:50. We then had a brief break while the dye took hold for some pictures. We tried to get in on a few Keno games, but the lotto booth doesn’t open til 10! hah

She took good pictures, so they threw her out and told her to head up to radiology to get a wire installed, the better to track her in case she got lost in the hospital – oh wait – it’s not that kind of wire! It was basically fishing for cancer cells, and they got it on the hook first crack.

Then off to mammography for another series of pictures. Those turned out too, so off we went to the surgery waiting room. We got here around 10:45 or so. It’s lovely and peaceful here, listening to Judge Joe Brown screaming at the defendants. Sigh – surely they could put something better on – like hockey highlights or something!

Pam is scheduled for surgery at 2 pm, so we’ve got a while to wait. Hopefully things will be on time and she won’t have to wait here forever. Although we do need to know how the lawsuit turned out…

UPDATE: The nurse has come by at 11:45 to admit her for the surgery. I’m not sure what that means, but I guess they’ll be putting her in a hospital bed soon? We’ll see in a few minutes I guess!

UPDATE 2: She has come back (12:15) and told me she has taken her pre-op meds. The surgery will probably be early, about 1:30. the surgery will take about one hour, and then about 45 minutes in recovery. She should be able to go home about four pm or so.

Proceeding well at this point! Pam’s friend, Maggie, has arrived to lend moral support.

UPDATE 3: So the nurse finally came for Pam at 2:10 – so much for an early start! Roughly two hours to go – one for the surgery, one for recovery. Not sure if they will let us go into the recovery.

UPDATE 4: It is 3:45 and Pam is out of surgery. She is in the recovery room. We’re not allowed to see her yet, and we don’t know how the surgery went. At least we know she made it out of surgery alive! I’m not sure when she entered surgery yet, or what time she came out. She should be awake enough to come out of the recovery room around 4:10. We’re just waiting.

UPDATE 5: It’s now 4:45 and still no sign of Pam. There haven’t been any code blue calls, so I’m not in a panic – – – YET! Not sure what the hold up is, and I don’t really want to nag the nurses, but if she isn’t back by 5, I’m going to go see what’s up!

UPDATE 6: We got into see Pam about 5:20 or so. She seemed a tad groggy, but otherwise fine. We don’t know anything about the surgery really, until the report comes back from the pathologist. I’ll let Pam explain about that.

We got home around 7:30 and she is resting, somewhat comfortably. She thanks everyone for the best wishes.