the one-armed wonder
It was worse than they thought. It was worse than I thought.
Before the surgery Wednesday, the anesthesiologist (a mouthful of a word if I ever saw one) gave me a "block," which should have numbed my entire arm for about a day. Instead, it numbed half my diaphragm, my neck, and part of my shoulder.
When the doctor got in to my shoulder, it was worse than he thought it was. The surgery took several hours instead of just one. At least he didn't have to open me up--he was still able to do what he needed to through the little incisions (arthroscope?). I woke up nauseated and in excruciating pain... Dr. Fambrough had told my mother and grandmother that I would wake up feeling like he'd been beating on me with a hammer--"which I was" (at least he has a sense of humor :). They gave me a couple shots of morphine in my IV, which only succeeded in making me more nauseaous. I didn't want to stay in the hospital, but it hurt so badly...
So they checked me in. Nana stayed for a while, then left. Mamma stayed all night. Jim came and brought me a change of clothes, a can of soup, and a couple VHS movies (there was a VCR in the room). He stayed for most of the night--left after Cowboy Bebop (about 12:30 or so). They gave me 2 Lortabs (once every 6 hours or so), a low-level muscle relaxer (8 hours), and morphine, but I still could hardly sleep for the pain. I had to stay sitting up--I never sleep on my back because I'll snore--so whenever I'd fall asleep, I'd wake myself up with a snort.
In the morning, the anesthesiologist came in and gave me a "rescue block" which did what the original block should have done, although it only lasted for about half a day instead of 24 hours. I'm feeling better now, though, thank the Maker.
I'm staying at Nana & Papa's for a few days. Mom's here taking care of me. My aunt Karlie, uncle Tom, and cousins Thomas and Carol Ann sent me flowers--orange Gerbera Daisies in a ceramic pumpkin with little star-shaped holes ^_^ I never got flowers in a box before, heh. (Thanks, CA)
I may be out of work for longer than I thought, which sucks. I'll be allowed to take this shoulder immobilizer off to bathe tomorrow, and I won't have to sleep sitting up by then, either.
le sigh.
[more details forthcoming, when typing isn't such a pain in the... shoulder.]
Before the surgery Wednesday, the anesthesiologist (a mouthful of a word if I ever saw one) gave me a "block," which should have numbed my entire arm for about a day. Instead, it numbed half my diaphragm, my neck, and part of my shoulder.
When the doctor got in to my shoulder, it was worse than he thought it was. The surgery took several hours instead of just one. At least he didn't have to open me up--he was still able to do what he needed to through the little incisions (arthroscope?). I woke up nauseated and in excruciating pain... Dr. Fambrough had told my mother and grandmother that I would wake up feeling like he'd been beating on me with a hammer--"which I was" (at least he has a sense of humor :). They gave me a couple shots of morphine in my IV, which only succeeded in making me more nauseaous. I didn't want to stay in the hospital, but it hurt so badly...
So they checked me in. Nana stayed for a while, then left. Mamma stayed all night. Jim came and brought me a change of clothes, a can of soup, and a couple VHS movies (there was a VCR in the room). He stayed for most of the night--left after Cowboy Bebop (about 12:30 or so). They gave me 2 Lortabs (once every 6 hours or so), a low-level muscle relaxer (8 hours), and morphine, but I still could hardly sleep for the pain. I had to stay sitting up--I never sleep on my back because I'll snore--so whenever I'd fall asleep, I'd wake myself up with a snort.
In the morning, the anesthesiologist came in and gave me a "rescue block" which did what the original block should have done, although it only lasted for about half a day instead of 24 hours. I'm feeling better now, though, thank the Maker.
I'm staying at Nana & Papa's for a few days. Mom's here taking care of me. My aunt Karlie, uncle Tom, and cousins Thomas and Carol Ann sent me flowers--orange Gerbera Daisies in a ceramic pumpkin with little star-shaped holes ^_^ I never got flowers in a box before, heh. (Thanks, CA)
I may be out of work for longer than I thought, which sucks. I'll be allowed to take this shoulder immobilizer off to bathe tomorrow, and I won't have to sleep sitting up by then, either.
le sigh.
[more details forthcoming, when typing isn't such a pain in the... shoulder.]