So, I’m home from the hospital, having had a unilateral mastectomy, left breast, on Tuesday, and an overnight vacation in the Eastern Maine Medical Center’s Short Stay Unit. I had hoped to be released today, but had scarcely hoped to be in the car with Steve, and heading for home by 10:30 am. The operation went well, I’m told, and honestly there’s less pain than I had feared. The nurses were pro-active with the Hard Stuff, it apparently being a Maxim of Nurses — You don’t want a stern chase when it comes to pain. I had a couple doses of two pain pills, then voluntarily cut myself down to one, and I’m thinking we’ll just try to cope with Extra Strength Tylenol from here on, and the Funny Stuff held in reserve.
The hospital of course was gearing up for the Coronavirus Invasion, and cancelling elective surgeries. The Short Stay Unit had two over-nighters — myself and a person I never saw. I did not have a roomie, which was fine by me.
So, here I am, with a series of exercises to do three times a day, a drain that needs to be stripped several times a day, measured twice a day, and orders to move around. I may not reach above my head, and I am disallowed from picking up anything heavier than 5 pounds. I must be mindful of which side I’m using — because I’m a converted leftie, and that’s my go-to arm, and somewhere in and around these necessary assignments, I’m to rest.
The results of the lymph node survey are not yet available to use — the doctor will call me sometime next week with those results, and then…We’ll Know All.
As I was getting ready to leave, an engineer and one of the hospital maintenance folks came onto the Unit. Their task was to find where the old water fountains had been in the hallways, and install hand-washing stations in those locations. The (male) engineer met the (female) Unit Administrator outside my door, and the Unit Administrator asked how the task was proceeding.
“Well,” said the engineer, “we can do it, all right. But it’s gonna be ugly (this being the Engineering “ugly” aka “not elegant.)”
To which the Administrator replied, “Well, many things are going to be ugly before we through this (this being the medical “ugly” aka “people are gonna die.)”
It was a striking and chilling scene, that.
Everybody take care.
Author’s Note: I am still somewhat under the influence of pain killers, be kind to my spelling and sentence structure.
So glad you are home in in good care from The Fur Beasts and Steve. Follow the rules as much as you can 🙂 Positive vibes coming from me and my Fur Beast.
Glad you are safely home and, I assume, being well supervised by the cats. Hope all continues to go as well as possible.
Sharon, hope you heal fast and are well asap as i think Steve would not look great in a nurse’s outfit.
I am on a re-read of Accepting the Lance thanks for a wonderful universe.
Best wishes
Norbert
I am glad you are home and feeling not-too-bad. The timing for your hospital stay was good. I’m not sure you could write a bad sentence even under the influence. 😉
Great news – glad you are home – take it easy. I am a lefty and was in same situation, you just have to remember not to have blood pressure cuff, shots, blood taken on your left arm from now on (if they took lymph nodes.
Definately agree with the nurses re: stern chase with pain. Had that issue with second Cesarean when pain med machine failed in recovery. They had to start me back to dead to the world and then, once pain meds had taken hold, let me wake up, again. Freaked the family. Glad you are doing so well. Let me know if I can help with something.
I’m glad to learn you’re home and recovering. That had to be a surreal hospital experience. Got in and out just in time it sounds.
I’ve got a couple of your ebooks queued up to send my dad who is sheltering in place with his own medical stuff. We’re living in strange times, but there are still some good things to hold on to. At home. Definitely at home. Don’t go out.
Take care of yourself. And Steve, as you can. Don’t be stoic. Take your pain meds and get better.
Your spelling and sentence structure are fine. I’m glad you got to come home so quickly. Please be on guard against post op infection. It’s not fun. Sending all the healing vibes I can.
Pain pills taken prior to exercise help. Don’t wait till after exercise to take them. Wishing you the best, Sharon.
Welcome home! I wish you a speedy recovery! I am amazed you are home and posting already! Go on with your bad self!
Glad to see you’re home safe before the epidemic gets ugly, and the cats are helping you to rest and recover.
Hoping for good results from the lymph node survey.
Please stay safe, and best wishesfor your recovering health.
Glad you are home. Fingers crossed for a good report.
I’m starting to relisten to the Korval saga as an antidote to this plague year.
Glad to know you are home and dry. One night…wow! That is impressive. We are not that far apart. My closest big hospital is Dartmouth Hitchcock so shout out to them as I have availed myself of their services. The last time only two nights as they reassembled the plumbing.
Thank you for years of wonderful stories. I especially love the shorts and novellas that compliment the main line. I hope to read new ones for years to come.
Agree with the comments about taking the serious pain pills BEFORE exercising, at least for the first 2-3 days. As tolerated, then you can rely on ES tylenol. Expect you’ll probably need to take a serious pill at bedtime for a few days. Don’t be a hero (more than you are naturally) and think that no pain meds confer the ability to wear a superwoman cape. You’ll need to stay ahead of the pain for at least the first 2-4 days, because that’s when the swelling is the worst. Then you can wean off/down as tolerated. Moving is important for prevention of blood clots and pneumonia. If you can’t move because you are in pain you are sabotaging yourself. Thus endeth the lesson. Sorry, I can’t help being a nurse/teacher.
I am very glad you are home, and I am wishing very hard that the lymph node news next week will be good. I trust the cats are doing their jobs.
Please stay ahead of your pain with the real thing. Big gentle hug!
We are astonished by this concept of “stoicism” mentioned above. Is this really a thing? You should not stint on anything that makes you comfortable.
Sharing the inherent wisdom of cats,
Pepe and Piper
Some folks are stoic. Some folks think you get Points for Bearing Up under pain. I am neither of those folks, and place a high value on my personal comfort. That being said, I have a high natural tolerance for pain. I take no credit for this; OTOH, there’s no need to take High Test pain killers, if I’m not feeling the pain.
Purr, purr, purr
P&P