Surgery

Wow wow wow is all I can say. Still hasn’t really sunk in what has happened yet, but it has. It has now been almost 72 hours since I came out of surgery and gave my baby girl the life saving organ she needed. I went into surgery expecting pain but not quite pain like this. I have a pretty high pain tolerance and don’t like sitting still but this surgery didn’t really give me that option. From the moment I got admitted into the hospital my main goal was to get discharged so I wasn’t doing my best at taking care of myself. On Tuesday night I and Dan stayed with faith at the hospital in her room and my mom and Gus stayed at the apartment so they could get some sleep. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep very well because of just the thoughts of it all but added the fact Faith would be NPO after 1 am and she does not like being hungry. So sure enough at 4:30 I tried for quite a while but she wouldn’t go back to sleep because of her hunger so we got up and showered. By the time I was done Dans mom, dad, sister, hubby and kids were there and it was time to go. The day previous again was so insanely busy I didn’t lose it once but when I grabbed faith to say goodbye it all changed. After holding her and not wanting to let go we went and got checked in.

My dearest Darbi was there at the hospital when we got there so I had a few people to keep me distracted from IVs and the pre surgery talks. Jordan made it up too before so was able to say goodbye before I took the stroll to the cold loud surgery room. I don’t remember anything after them telling me to take a few breathes and telling me goodnight.

 

I woke up in A LOT of pain and them moving me to another bed to wheel me out of the OR. They were luckily right on top of it and got me comfortable before they got me to my room. I had to wait a while to leave recovery since there wasn’t a room ready and Dan was over with Faith. So I sat alone for quite some time, not sure how long though. When they finally took the last corner I saw Dan and started to cry, which was the worst pain EVER, but didn’t expect him to be there. Seeing my family was and always been emotional but pulled it together and asked how faith was. She has gotten the kidney and was attaching it right then. I became quite the comedian all drugged up. I was very comfortable and silly for quite some time but once I started getting tired, falling asleep while talking, the meds started to wear off and fast. The gas pain settled in my shoulder, my incisions started to ache and got really nauseas. It took a bit for them to get the nausea under control and pain. Dan went back to be with faith and sent me a picture of Faith, and she was peeing. Crazy the things we have looked forward to with her. And pee is a big thing. Darbi stayed the night with me and Dan went and stayed at the apartment. I of course got no sleep in between having to push a button to relieve pain since that was the only pain medicine I was on. Then about 4am I couldn't take it anymore and woke Darbi to get the nurse because my bladder felt full, even though I had a catheter in. When she empted me I had over 800mls sitting in there, guess there was a reason I was uncomfortable. Then the blood draws, and shots, and vitals kept me up the rest of the time. Thursday I made my laps and kept skyping Faith, even though she was so out of it.

So yesterday was my day to hopefully get discharged and I did. I made my laps to show them I could walk, ate food to show them I could hold it down and they gave the green light. By the time we got discharged it was 4 and Mel and my family and kids were here to see me so they just met me at the PICU. Getting off the elevator and seeing the kids made me lose it, very unexpectedly. I went to see faith which not for long because I quickly started to not feel so good. By the time I said bye to them and her and got a ride back to the apartment I was not doing good at all. I had the shakes, was cold, and felt sick. I had waited too long to eat or take meds and my body was telling me that’s for sure. The night was long but got better once I got the pain under control, so learned my lesson well.

 

Now as far as Faith the kidney is doing good and producing a lot of clear urine, creatinine level is down even since yesterday and she is the pinkest I’ve ever seen her. Today though she is pretty crabby, and uncomfortable. Partly because of surgery pain, other because of the fluid she is holding onto, and the bowels beginning to wake up. Which Faith of the two times she popped her lung it was because of gas pain, so to say the least she hates gas. I went back to lie down for an hour or so and during that time she pulled her tube out of her nose and puked. Guess her way of saying she doesn’t like it and wants food.  So at this point it figuring out what and when she can start to get food, and how to keep her comfortable since she is pretty puffy.

So right now I am trying to recover and take it easy, knowing the pain faith is feeling right now and no way to pick her up and comfort her, which is quite hard. But peaceful knowing I get to be here with her. God has brought us to it, through it, and now we just need the recovery.  

This picture was from today when our amazing NICU Dr faith had when were here last time. He has been in touch with us this whole time and came to see her and us today. Such an amazing doctor and man.