Kris, Dave and the Lumps: Surgery and Post Surgery

Friday, 10-Oct-2008, Surgery, and Saturday 11-Oct-2008 Recovery
1030 we saw Dr. Kuisle who drew a bunch of lines on Kris and explained what they illustrated. Long and short is that they showed where the tissue was to be removed, and where it was to be relocated from. What I found interesting is that they take tissue from either the right side of the tram flap or the left side. Put another way, they take tissue from the left of the belly button, or right of the belly button and use it. What they don't use is discarded! I'd imagined using the tissue from the whole belly region for the reconstruction.

1130 We arrived at the hospital and checked in. Went through the usual rigmarole of getting dressed in the latest, and most stylish, but, drafty, hospital attire for the event. Waited around... the nurse contacted the anaesthesiologist to determine if they would use her port (which Kris prefers) and got the go ahead. She had a little trouble doing so, called in another nurse who had no problems doing so. At about 1245 (surgery planned for 1300) Dr. Jones showed up asking when we were heading to surgery. The nurse said we haven't seen Dr. Lane (the anaesthesiologist) yet.

Dr. Lane was called for and arrived and gave us the run down on the drugs he'd be using. I asked him about how long the surgery would take. He said Dr. Jones would take about an hour, they would call when he was done. Dr. Kuisle would take about 3 more hours. I did some quick math and asked if I should expect her out somewhere between 1630 and 1730. He said that with such a wide margin, he could agree. Kris was then wheeled out for surgery, a tidge late... I was left in the waiting room with instructions, from Kris, to get food (I'd been fasting with her to show her support... it's hard to fast when folks are eating around you!).

I headed to the cafeteria, which I found with some searching, and had... lunch. I then headed back to the surgery waiting room where I... waited.

... and waited...

1400 ... and waited....

... and about 1600 (4pm for folks who don't know the 24 hour clock) I got a call saying that Dr. Kuisle was almost done! Um... where was Dr. Jones call?

... waiting...

At about 1730 Dr. Kuisle showed up and let me know that everything went about as smoothly as you could ask for. I mentioned Dr. Jones lack of call and he was embarrassed for Dr. Jones having not brought me up to speed. He said that I'd get a call when she was back in pre/post operations and left.

1800 ... waiting...

1900 ... waiting...

2030 ... waiting... and I decide I'm far too patient and call the operations area to ask about Kris. They said they'd be wheeling her to room 377 in about 5 minutes! Nice call to be with her when she was recovering! So, I headed to room 377 and was headed off by the nurses on the 3rd floor. They said to have a room in the waiting area and they'd gather me when she arrived.... waiting...

2100 (or there abouts) the nurses said she was heading down the hall... I went and caught up with her and started calling folks after I'd spoken with her. By 2130 (9:30 to those who don't know the 24 hour clock) we were pretty much done and I was about wasted from the day.

Kris seemed in good spirits, if a bit groggy. She was talking with me and the nurses, in some pain, but, generally in good spirits and all is well.

While I was gone, about 2330, she gave herself some pain medications and got nauseous... not a comforting thought when work has been done on your abdomen! Apparently, she was waking up about every 15 minutes, hitting the button to administer pain killers, and spending about 5 minutes fending off nausea! Finally at about 0300 (3 am), they gave her a shot of something to fend off nausea and she was able to get some sleep between administering boosts of pain medications (delaudin). So, she didn't sleep very well, but, she did rest.

I got in to see her about 1100 and she seemed fine though, a bit drugged (go figure!). Dr. Kuisle showed up about 1130 and checked on things. She should have been up and walking early in the morning! He talked about transitioning her to Darvocet and said that things looked good and went on his way. At 1350 I went off to pick up Mary at the Airport and got back about 1700. During the drive we called Kris and found that she's got a fever and fluid in her lungs. However, I spoke with her and she said that according to the nurses it was nothing unusual.

When we arrived we learned that with surgery, at least surgery of this type, a low grade fever is fairly normal. We also learned that with this kind of surgery, you have to exercise the lungs as fluid will tend to gather in the bottom of the lung which can lead to pneumonia! They have Kris doing deep breathing exercises every hour to stave this off. She was talkative, between bouts of fading out due to the pain killers, and animated while we were there visiting with her. All in all things look pretty good. Just at 2100 (9 pm) the nurses gave her a walk up and down the hall and it was time for us to head home... and Kris to go to sleep.

More to come!