Monday, December 6, 2010

Procedure Day Play by Play

Thursday marked a big day for us. After a successful procedure, we are now one step closer on the road to delivering a healthy, hopefully pleasantly plump, baby in May or June!

I was so nervous Wednesday night. I'm normally pretty brave when it comes to doctors, nurses, hospitals and needles, but the spinal anesthetic had me a little uneasy. With very little sleep, we got up at 4AM, played with Bear for a minute and headed out at 4:40'ish to make it there by my scheduled arrival time...5AM...Bright and Early!

I rocked the ever-attractive hospital gown, answered a billion questions about my medical history, got set up with my IV and covered up with layer upon layer of warm blankets. Why are hospitals always so freaking cold?!? One of the highlights of my experience was a new nifty contraption they have now to keep patients nice and toasty. It looks like a vacuum hose. They stick it underneath a few of the blanket layers and when they turn it on, warm air starts to make you nice and cozy. You can adjust the temp and everything! Am I way too excited right now?

Moving on...

After they added a new blue paper shower cap to my stylish ensemble I was ready to be wheeled back for surgery. I kissed Jon and my parents goodbye and rolled down the white hallways to the operating room. It was so weird. Normally, by this time you're out like a light, in La-La-Land. But instead I was totally alert and of course, pretty chatty. They had some kind of rock music playing and everything all set up for me. I moved from the hospital bed onto the operating table, sat up and scooted to the edge with my legs dangling off for the most anticipated moment...the "Spinal"...AKA the giant shot in my back. It was basically the same thing as an epidural except instead of the IV thing staying in your back, I just had the shot part.

A nurse gave me a pillow to hold and supported my head and shoulders as I rounded my back like a cat. My Anesthesiologist, who I LOVED, told me everything he was doing as he did it. He cleaned off my back 3 times, put some plastic on my back to keep things sterile and gave me the numbing shot, which he said was the worst part. I was like, "That was the worst part?!?" To my extreme delight, it was so easy!!!! Then before I knew it, I couldn't feel anything from my hips down. It was crazy! I chatted some more with my new Anesthesiologist BFF about how an epidural would be different while they continued to prep me. I'm not sure if I was talking too much or what, but they gave me a little medicine in my IV to help me relax and I was out! The next thing I knew, I was being wheeled out and talking again with the doctors and nurses.

I hung out with a sweet nurse for awhile, took some medicine and ate some crackers, washing them down with apple juice. When she was happy with my progress, she wheeled me back to my original room. a few minutes later, Jon and my parents came in to see me. The worst part was definitely waiting for the numbness in my lower back and legs to go away. I DID NOT like that feeling! I had some cramps, which is normal and almost passed out the first time I tried to get up to go to the bathroom, but after more rest, more crackers and cranberry-grape juice (Jon and I lived on that yummy juice when we were in the hospital with Smith), and a successful trip to the bathroom, I was discharged and wheeled out to the car.

Jon and my mom got me situated at home, in bed. My mom made me an English muffin with peanut butter and Jon put in Elf for me to watch as I dozed. I had some seriously unfriendly cramps most of the afternoon and night, which really had me stressed and upset, but my doctor assured us the cramps were normal and would go away. Thankfully he was right! By the next morning, I was cramp free, even though I traded the cramps for terrible back pain. But now for the most part I'm feeling good and most importantly, the cerclage was a SUCCESS! We go to the doctor for a follow-up on Thursday afternoon and look forward to a positive report!

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, texts and emails!!!! We feel so blessed to have so much love and support. So again...THANK YOU!!!


4 comments:

  1. So excited and happy and joyful . . . Congratulations

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  2. Been praying for you and thinking about you so much! I'm ready to entertain a girl on bed rest any time! :)

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  3. so glad it went well. I will keep praying.

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