Surgery was a Success!!

October 10, 2011

Well, the big day came and went.  The past few days have been such a whirlwind!  My sweet twin sister, Sarah, sent me a recap of surgery day and recovery.  Since, I was obviously out of it I was happy to read what took place.  Here is what Sarah wrote:

Thursday, October 6th

5:15am-Meet with Gary and Christy to pray before checking in.

6:00am-Go back to wait in Pre-OP. Aniesthiologist and nurse try several times to get IV in and don't have any success. They decide to wait to try again after they get you into the operating room.

Brad & I

Sarah & I before surgery

7:30am- Head back to the Operating Room. Family and friends wait in the waiting room and anxiously watch the monitors to change color and tell us if you are still in surgery or not. You were in OR 25 and Gary was in OR 24.

In deep thought before surgery



10:20am- The surgery is finished. The surgeon comes out to the waiting area to tell us you are out of surgery and resting in recovery. He showed us the pictures of your kidney and tells us everything went well. He said they will be starting Gary's surgery soon. We had to wait about another hour before we could go back and see you in recovery.

11:30am- Brad, Sarah and Mom go back to recovery to see you. You were SO tired. They are getting ready to put you on oxygen because you were really struggling to breathe. The nurse tells us that the drugs they gave you during surgery made your body so relaxed and tired that it was difficult for you take big deep breaths and that was causing your oxygen level to be very low. The first thing you said was "how's Gary?" We told you he was still in surgery but good. Then you told me that you were "just too tired to breathe!" umm..that is scary...I told you that was all you had to do right now so you needed to just do it! They tell us it will be another hour or two before you can leave recovery.

1:00pm- Gary is out of surgery. The surgeon comes back out to the waiting are and everyone huddles around him to hear the news. It was so exciting to hear that everything went great and the kidney was already producing urine. Gary was moved to ICU to recover. Brad tried to go back and see you in recovery to tell you but they wouldn't let him back again so the nurse let him call you and tell you.

2:00pm- Brad and I go back to recovery to check on you. You tell me that it is too noisy to get any sleep and that all the machines are too loud. You want me to take your Blue surgery cap off and try to fix your hair....that was impossible!! Mom and Christy go back to see you next. We are told you will have to stay in recovery until your oxygen level comes up and that your kidney is still tired and hasn't produced urine yet. So your dr. tells us they are just going to be very cautious and it will probably be a couple of more hours until you can go to a room.

4:00pm- Mom and Brad go back to see you in recovery again and tell you that they are leaving to pick up the boys from school. I am sitting in the waiting room.

5:00pm- Christy goes back to check on you. I was feeling very anxious because you were still in recovery. While I was alone in the waiting room a woman comes up to me and starts talking. She said she didn't have any family or friends to visit at the hospital she just goes to the waiting rooms throughout the hospital to pray for the families and ask God to give them peace. She then had everyone in the waiting room standing in a circle for a big prayer. At the time I was thinking it was of course very nice or her but she was very eccentric and I was kind of thinking what is going on here? Then when we were done praying I felt a great sense of comfort and was ready to continue waiting.

6:45pm- I go back to check on you in recovery again and you are breathing much better now. The nurse tells me that you will be moved very soon to room 1214. I go get your overnight bag and head straight to your room to wait for you.

7:30pm- After over 8 hours in recovery, you are finally out of recovery and settled into room 1214. They had to put you back on oxygen because you are still having trouble breathing. The nurse tells me to keep an eye on the monitor and if your oxygen number goes below 90 to have you put your oxygen tubes back on. Well, that made for a very unrestful night. I kept waking you up to tell you the number and tell you to put the oxygen back on. A couple of times you would wake me up to ask me if the number was low. The rest of the night was kind of a blur because the nurses would come in almost every 30 mins or every hour to wake you up and check blood and vitals and ask questions. They brought you a liquid diet for dinner which you could not eat. You had a couple of bites of a frozen fruit cup.

Friday, October 7th

4:30am- A nurse comes in and says it is time to start trying to wean you off of the oxygen so to only use it if you are needing it. He also brings the breathing thing (not sure what it is called). He wants you to try blowing on it...that was not happening at all.

7:30am- You become very nauseous and very cranky. Definitely not feeling good and you are in a lot of pain. You kept saying you wanted to get out of the bed and you felt like no one was listening to you. We soon find out why you are feeling so bad and cranky...your blood sugar level was extremely low…only 40! They give you glucose in your IV and make you drink 2 cups of OJ. Then your blood sugar level is back to normal at 117. They give you pain pills and you are much more comfortable. You were so hungry and they brought you another liquid diet for breakfast. You didn't eat any of it.

10:30am- You want so badly to get out of bed and sit up. With lots of help and using all the energy you had you make it to sitting up on the side of the bed to change clothes.

1:00pm- You get to eat a couple bites of a sandwich and chips for lunch. This combined with the water you drank causes major belly bloating. You finally are able to get out of bed and sit in a chair. This makes you very tired and very nauseous. Catheter is out now and you try to go pee. No success. You go back to bed for a nap.

4:00pm- You get more pain pills and have not used the pain pump all day. You seem to be feeling a lot better just extremely tired and sore. You have some visitors during the day and receive lots of nice flowers.

Surgery day is mostly a big blur to me.  However, I do remember bits and pieces…. I remember them not being able to get an IV started and I had to go into the OR without the “goofy juice”, as Gary calls it.  I did not like that at all; I was laying in the OR and the Dr. tells me, “Vanessa, you are going to sleep now.”  She placed a breathing mask on me and tears just rolled down my face.  That’s the last thing I remember until recovery.  I do recall Brad telling me that Gary’s surgery was a success and his new kidney was already producing urine!!  I was so relieved, so thankful, so overjoyed! Brad said I responded with 5 words, “Oh Praise God…..Praise God.”  I was able to see Gary the day following surgery; it was amazing to see how great he was doing!!  Due to my low blood sugar and lack of energy, the Docs decided to keep me an extra day.  I was finally able to go home around 530pm on Sunday.  I am so happy to be home and sleep in my own bed.  Gary should be released from the hospital this evening.

I am so very grateful for the love and support of my family during surgery and the days following.  My mom was a huge help with the boys, they had a blast with Meme. My sister gave up time with her children to stay with me at the hospital and take excellent care of me.  And of course, my wonderful husband Brad, who has supported me through all of this.  My sweet mother and father-in-law are headed up tomorrow to help out for a few days. We are so blessed to have all of you!! I cannot find the exact words to express how ecstatic I am that surgery was a success! I know we had awesome doctors, but I truly give all the glory to God! I will thank you daily LORD for you unfailing Love!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1