Starr's Breast Reduction and Tummy Tuck Journal
October 25, 2002
Surely that dang thing can't be right. I always said if I ever topped my pregnancy weight of 170, I would just die. Well, call the undertaker. Dr. Allen's scale can't be right! Surely, I would know if I actually weighed 210. I mean for Christ's sake, that is the size of a small heifer. Well, actually maybe I wouldn't know. I did stomp the scale into a million tiny pieces last year after I slipped into a size 18. Okay, lard-butt, time to do something!
November 20, 2002
Well, I have tracked my back pain in a pain diary. My doctor says that because my back pain seems constant and is not localized that it can't possibly be skeletal. I asked him if it was possible that my utterly ridiculous sized breasts were causing the pain. He said no, so I guess I am thirty-four and just short of disabled. How can this happen to someone so young? I am sooo frustrated and even more depressed. I HATE my body.
Doctor and I looked over my records while I was there. Seems I am running about average for one doctors visit a month for back pain. It is insane. I used to run three miles a day, ride a bike for ten, and weight lifted like a woman possessed. Now I can't seem to lift my ass out of the chair.
December 26, 2002
Still haven't done a blasted thing about my weight. I keep justifying my lack of activity because of my back pain, but part of this whole weight issue is that I just feel so disgusting. I used to be the girl who could get any guy - now they laugh when I walk by. Stephen doesn't even look at me anymore, and yet he says it doesn't matter what I weigh. Yeah, and it didn't matter that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
I feel so unattractive - it makes me mean. Its like I feel so ugly, that I have to be hateful to other people, before they hurt my feelings. I am so tired of hearing Stephen say it doesn't matter, when I can see it in his eyes.
I have cooked for a whole month it seems. My back is screaming in agony. I can't walk upright first thing in the morning because the muscles are so stiff. I am so tired of taking narcotics that I try to just suffer through - ha, what a joke. By the time the day is done, I am almost crawling on all fours. Who would have ever thought?
January 10, 2003
New year - yippee!!! Same job - oh, GOD! One thing I hate more than what I weigh, is where I work. Those condescending, arrogant, pompous...I have good benefits, I have good benefits, I have good benefits...
Okay, so Tracy and I tried the gym. Hard to work out with someone who is a size 6. Hard to hate her, hard to like her!! At least I could out swim her - but she smokes, and hey, fat is buoyant in the water.
February 17, 2003
Well, we have been walking - around and around that track until I have blisters on my feet. My back actually seizes in spasms but yet, I push on. Mostly because I can't stand to let Tracy see me sweat or hurt. This woman can eat at Los Rancheros every damn day, drink a six pack a night, and she is still a blasted six 6. Me - I look at a burrito and gain ten pounds.
Oh, well, I will just take a pill when I get home. Maybe I'll be able to walk tomorrow
March 28, 2003
Got the call that granny Cochran had a stroke. They said we had better come to Illinois, she may not make it. On the road again....
April 07, 2003
How about that drive to and from Illinois KILLED my back? Ten hours there and ten hours back (in a driving snow/sleet storm) was torture on my back. Glad granny is okay. She still mixes up words and stuff, but looks like she is going to be fine.
I feel guilty complaining about my back when for Christ's sake, I have two healthy children, a husband I am completely crazy about, and other people have problems like granny. How can I be so ungrateful?
April 18, 2003
I have finally had it...******* for Christ's sake why would anyone put a person in a management roll with absolutely no management experience? Did that lazy ass do nothing while I was in Illinois? I busted my hump to meet her deadline and what do I get for it - a reprimand because I didn't complete a time card correctly. Well, by God, I quit - benefits or not, I just can't handle this place anymore.
May 26, 2003
Summer is here and I am a friggin'í cow! Since quitting work, Stephen has been awesome, the house is clean, and the kids are great, the yard raked and mowed - ohhhh, life can be so good. We may be poor from now on but my stress level is wayyy down.
All the activity has killed my back though - as usual. Kim and I went to the beach. My huge boobs looked like a big Ol' butt sitting between my shoulders. She is so tiny, and I am a hump-chested whale lying on the beach.
June 20, 2003
Going back to Illinois to visit. Granny is home and it will be good to see everyone without the urgency of the hospital situation. Now looking forward to that drive. Dr. Allen called in a prescription for me though, so I guess I will medicate myself as soon as we check into the hotel.
July 4th, 2003
My FAVORITE holiday. Love Illinois - it is so pretty and not near as hot as the Gulf Coast. Best of all - no mosquitoes! Lovely weather up here, but no one knows how to swim, and no one has a tan.... Funny, Wade and I are both certified swimmers, and the markers were set maybe fifty feet from the lakeshore. Well, little brother swam past them and the lifeguard freaked. HA- we both could out swim what they called a lifeguard, but how funny you need one when the water isn't even over your head!
Back at the hotel, my back is on fire. Sitting on the grass to watch the fireworks not the best idea. I have absolutely got to do something about my back. The boys wanted to play baseball today and I couldn't. They are missing out on so much because of my back problems - I am tired of it, you hear?
August 12, 2003
Okay, I have taken the initiative ....I looked into breast reduction when I was late teens - early twenties, and was too vain to do it. Now, I have had my children, I am happily married (though he might disagree), and I am tired of living life with this back pain. Maybe it isn't my breasts that cause the pain, but I have to believe that something as big as these udders on my chest, has to contribute to the pain. Nothing can weigh that much and not be part of the problem.
OH, Internet... I need information...
September 22, 2003
Spent the week in bed - can't walk, back is killing me. I actually pop when I move. You can hear the bones all through my back creak, pop, and rattle - I sound like a bag of bones. Research on breast reduction is exactly as I remember - but what if Dr. Allen is right and it actually isn't my breasts that make my back hurt? I will have spent all that money and still have problems. God, send me a message. I need to know what to do.
October 11, 2003
Nicki's birthday today. Big barbeque planned for his party. I have worked cooking and arranging it for days - as usual, the back is killing me. Is there no mercy?
Mother-in-law was surely put here to just piss me off. I try, God, you know I try, but that evil bitch has one more time to roll her eyes at me and make a smart comment, and three years of anger management is going down the drain. I don't care if she is Stephens mother - of course, it may cause a divorce, but then again, I will be rid of these REDNECKS!
November 20, 2003
Gearing up for the another of my favorite holidays. Of course, since I have all but given up on losing weight, I will eat until my heart is content. Worry about the weight loss after the holiday - isn't that the adage anyway?
December 29, 2003
Thank God Christmas is over. I absolutely hate Christmas - it is surely the worst holiday. Everybody wants something, and no one is happy with what they get - You bought Aaron a twenty-dollar outfit, but all you got Phillips three kids was dollar store games, You spent more money on your mother than on me, on and on and on...BAH-HUMBUG!
The boys had a good time and that is what matters. Since my falling out with Stephens family (again) I didn't worry about the evil doers this year - okay, so add it to the number of other things I am going to hell for. I am sure one more won't make a big difference.
Still, I have cooked for two months - please, please, please take this pain from my back. I don't think I can take it one more day.
January 02, 2004
Time for change! Walked four miles - had to stay in bed for a week. Time to do something about this back. Found a place (several actually) that finance breast reductions. I am going to do it! Not going to share the info with Stephen yet, not sure what he will think.
I am looking into the areas plastic surgeons. Kind of scared of Mobile surgeons - makes you wonder why they aren't working in some metropolitan area instead of the backwoods of Alabama? Maybe I should travel out of state? Seems you have to make sure they are certified, and there seems to be a medical specialties license that one need s to look for.
I need to call the State of Alabama licensing commissioner and inquire into finding out who has had censures placed against their license. I guess I will spend hours at the courthouse researching. There has to be an easy way to research malpractice suits. Need to remember, not everyone who has had a suit filed against them is a bad doctor - sometimes patients are bad themselves.
January 20, 2004
My first consult was today - okay, well, if you count the two I had in my twenties, I guess this is my third.
His offices were FINE - very upscale. I felt inadequate being there. Of course, everyone in the waiting room had pamphlets on breast augmentation - and I had one on reduction - funny.
Nurses were cordial, doctor reminded me of Colonel Sanders. He says all his surgeries are performed in his office - WHAT! Oh my God, what if something goes wrong? Who does the anesthesia - some third year resident from South Alabama? He has got to be kidding - I asked about admit to hospital, and he said not unless he was taking more than eight pounds. Wait a minute, he said he WAS taking more than eight - what the hell?
Discouraged that he doesn't want to do the tummy tuck at the same time he does the Breast reduction. He wants to wait six months. Like I have six months to just lay around... shoo, with what this is costing, I will have to go back to work. The insurance would pay for it but I must show a history of back problems, have a doctors referral, get a second opinion, have been on the insurance a year at 630.00 a month, and then the insurance wants to tell me what SIZE I can be. I am not about to allow someone else tell me what I can do with my body.
Guess I need to look for a job.
January 28, 2004
Doctor definitely not going to do multiple procedures at one time. Seeking second opinion. Found a wonderful web site - Yes, they are fake, that linked me to a site called Breast Reduction 4 You. Wow, what a godsend.
I searched the names of all the plastic surgeons in Mobile like the ladies on the web site recommended. Good thing too - only, like, seven of the almost twenty-five listed in the phone book have the American Board of Medical Specialties certifications. Some aren't even listed as having Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons license - doesn't Mobile check these things out? You can't advertise for home day care without a license, but you can advertise to do surgery and not have a license - what is this world coming to?
Talked to many PS offices today by phone. Some receptionists not so nice, one though, at Dr. Randy Proffitt's office was extremely helpful. She explained some complicated procedure called a free-tram. Said Dr. Proffitt's was one of only five in Mobile that can perform this operation. Made an appointment with his office.
February 22, 2004
Had my appointment with Dr. Proffitt's office. Weird thing - his office is in with the doctor whose receptionist needs serious social tutoring. My online friend, Cathi, used him though, so he has to be good. Still he needs to school her rude booty.
Dr Proffitt's receptionist is named Deborah. She is awesome. She makes you feel like she really cares about you. She even remembered my name and we all know how screwed up that is. Kimberley Starrlene Cochran Blakley, but go by Starr, Blakley is married name, Cochran is maiden, don't use Kimberley at all...
His nurse, Lucy, is a tiny thing but has a sense of humor. Good thing, since I babbled the whole time. I couldn't. form a cognizant thought or question. I should have taken those notes Bird posted, they would have helped. I was so nervous - showing the ol' udders to strangers. I mean if I won't look at them, what makes me think someone else want to see the ol' nasty things.
Dr. Proffitt's is a serious man but seemed very competent - hummm, but how do you really judge? I mean just because he looked nice and was professional, how do you really know unless you ask the questions - that I forgot? Oh, well. Next time.
I told him what I would like to have done. He stated what could be done. He was kind of concerned about the fibro-cystics disease in my breasts. He wants a mammogram done to make sure the tissue isn't already diseased. Shoot - hate to have that done! He is worried about cysts; I am worried about looking flattened out. I guess we know who has whose priorities straight.
He took some pictures. GAWD - I am fat. Fat, Fat, Fat - I look like Miss Piggy. I think I have a whole other country sitting on my thighs - hey, that is where we should look for Osama.
Lucy let me look at the books - funny lady (love her) - she slipped in the book of the girls that had implants as well as breast reductions. I like that look best. So it was decided, we would remove all my breast tissue (diseased and cystic anyhow) and replace it with a nice, rounded, implant. Stephen is going to croak - maybe I won't tell him - nahhh, just later. How ironic, going from having the biggest boobs around (final measurement was 38 HH, almost 19 inches from the top of the breast to the nipple -grooosss) to having fake ones! Who would have ever thought?
So when is surgery - in eleven days - agggghhhhh! March 2nd. Wow - that is so soon. There is so much to do.
Got the approval on my loan from Combined Acceptance Corporation. Sent the loan officer a Mardi Gras package as a thank you. His name is Jesse - he works too hard. Check will be here in time for surgery.
click on photos for a larger image
February, 24, 2004
Found I have a new addiction. It is the Breast Reduction 4 You site. The ladies are great. Super supportive and with a wealth of knowledge that is unimaginable. I searched other sites, but this one is the best.
I log on before I check my email, and scan all the posts. Nick and Tyler have started to complain about how much time I spend there, but all those questions I forgot to ask Dr. Proffitt's about, are right there with answers on the site.
February 25, 2004
Got the checks for the surgery. Now I have to run around and pay everyone, pre-admit at the hospital, line things up with the kids, grocery shop, run errands.
Get to the hospital and no one seems to know their A's from their Z's God save our public school system. I hate incompetence. It is the one thing that makes me just want to rip someone to pieces. Dr. Proffitt's' nurse, Lucy, set my operating room appointments for me, but because I have to pay this whole thing out of pocket, I am out here at the hospital dealing with what surely must be the most ignorant people on earth. And they are somehow under the impression that I am going to pay them an additional $ 50.00 - alright, alright, here is the dang fifty - now register me, or take me to your leader.
Bought enough groceries to fill an underground bunker for two years. If Stephen and the boys cant fend for themselves for a few days - all is lost for mankind.
February 28th, 2004
Woke up feeling like my head was in a vise. My nose hasn't breathed a breath on its own in a year - using those nasal sprays regularly - but it isn't even working now.
Called the Dr. (wow, he was around on a weekend) he says nothing to worry about. Start taking a Z-pack, surgery will be fine.
March 1, 2004
Tomorrow is the day. Haven't really thought about the seriousness of the surgery much. I won't let everything creep into my mind, but a lady on the web site mentioned the remote possibility of death and leaving her children behind. I am glad Marty said that prayer, it was reassuring, especially when you think what could happen.
Nick and I are watching TV. with Aunt April. He says he doesn't feel well, and then {viola} he pukes everywhere. Alrighty then.
Great, now it is coming from both ends. Poor kid. Fever is high, but I feel like it is a virus. There has been a lot of it lately. Okay, baby puked on daddies bed and daddy didn't move. Oh, to heck with it. If he didn't move, I ain't bothering with the bed.
The laxative the PS gave me is kicking in - great, Nick has the garbage can and the tub, and I have the toilet - and who says new boobs was all glamour and lights. I hope April didn't get this picture.
Its five in the morning, I feel like crap. I better try and rest, tomorrow (today) as the ladies say, I'll be over the rainbow.
March 2, 2004
Today is the day - NOT! Showed up at the hospital where I was escorted upstairs to some very anxious nurses. Seems 9:00 actually means 8:30 to them. I am instructed to get undressed and someone will be in to take a pregnancy test. WHAT!!! Pregnancy test. There is no way on earth I am pregnant - or I had better not be. Get Stephen on the phone - this is his fault.
Hi Ms. Cochran, I need a urine sample, do you think you could urinate for me? You have got to be kidding. I haven't had anything to eat or drink since seven o'clock yesterday evening and you want to know if I can pee. After the laxative the PS gave me, my bladder is a dried up raisin sitting along the cracked and shriveled garden hose that used to be my intestine. Can I pee? How about we just squeeze some fluid from my eyeballs since there doesn't seem to be any other fluid in my entire body? No, I cant pee. Anything else I can help you with?
Hi Ms. Cochran, I noticed you sound a little stuffy today. Do you have mucus anywhere else? I was like WHERE? Do you, Ms Nurse, have mucus coming from anywhere else on you besides your head? No, don't tell me!! Mucus - you mean other than my nose, my throat, and my head? Why the hell would I have mucus coming from other places? Hell no. And for your information, my doctor has had me on an antibiotic, and he says I am fine, and he says we can do surgery, and he says...
Don't shake your head at me, missy. Hi Ms. Cochran, I talked to your anesthesiologist and he says we must send you home today without surgery. He says that you could get pneumonia, and Oh, who the heck cares at this point - just give me back my drawers and call my ride.
I was there a whole hour - woo-hoo!
March 3, 2004
I do love Dr. Proffitt's nurse and receptionist. I need to get them a little present - maybe some Bath & Body Works... Okay, surgery is rescheduled. First I need to have my regular doctors clearance. Gripes, he doesn't really agree with my breasts being the cause of my back pain, how am I going to get him to sign a release for surgery?
I know, I will call the nurse, Sue, she is the bomb and will help me.
Sue called in another round of antibiotics and thought I told her of the surgery, she says all is fine.
March 8th, 2004
Damn IRS - been waiting on tax refund for weeks now. I bet they wouldn't be waiting it I owed them money - no sirreee.
Talked to Lucy this morning she says because I still sound so congested that Dr. Proffitt would prefer that Dr. Allen give me a written release to surgery. Not good. Dr. Allen is a wonderful doctor - one of the only doctors I trust without reservation - but how am I going to tell him I am going against what he thinks? I just have to. I have lived with this back pain too long and even if the breasts are not the sole cause of the pain, it certainly cannot help my back carrying around two pockets full of cysts that weigh every bit of twenty pounds. I am a grown woman, he is my trusted physician, and he has to respect my right to seek alternative treatment, right? (Pray, pray, pray)
All this is so stressful, I am going to treat myself to a salon haircut. Hours later, I walked out with a salon perm. So much for being able to say no I am such a pud.
Now, I am ready for Dr. Allen. I start to sweat and babble as soon as he walks in. All my thoughts rush out at once. I try to justify, I try to rationalize, I try to ....he is silent. He says, Hi Starr, I don't think that your breasts are the cause of your chronic pain, but if you want this .... and he tested me, examined me, analyzed me and handed me a piece of paper.
The paper read - I may proceed to surgery March 12thî
March 9th, 2004
Providence Hospital called. Seems I was quoted the wrong price for my surgery. They would like another 275.00 payable before surgery. Well, I would like to win the Florida State lottery too, but I don't see that happening EITHER!! Bite me Providence Hospital! You are obligated to honor prices quoted by a member of your staff to a member of the surgeons staff. If not, I will sue you. If I cant sue you let me remind you of a clock tower at a University in Texas when some lone crazed man felt pressured... just joking, but I am under way too much stress for you to push me you bunch money grubbers.
I haven't heard from my sister-in-law who is supposed to help me out during surgery. Stephen hasn't discussed this with me at all, so I don't know how he really feels about it. Tyler is totally freaked out by this whole thing, Mom, God gave you what you have. Nick is demanding attention, and I feel like I should cancel. I don't have anyone who will be at the hospital with me.
I know I have researched for what seems like years, I have studied, I have talked to other people, I have looked at the photos, I have raised the money...and now, I want to cancel. I wasn't scared like this on March 2nd. I am a freaking nervous wreck now.
What if it hurts? What if I get a bad result? What if there are complications? What if Stephen doesn't like my new size? Most importantly, after almost 12,000, what if it doesn't help my back pain?
March 10, 2004
Finally talked to Stephen. I know he is not the most emotive man but damn, I sure wish he would be more reassuring sometime. I am a total wreck, if it wasn't for the web site, I think I would lose my mind - although there has been so much dissension there lately that I have just had to back away for awhile.
Thank God for Karen, Cathi, Lori, Tracy, Marty, Angie, and the rest. Those ladies - surely there is a special place in heaven for them. Thank you, God for sending them to me. I don't think I could get through this alone. I feel so guilty though; they each have their own lives, and problems, yet here I am bothering them with mine. I am so selfish.
This money....what if I spend this money and we need it elsewhere? Stephen wants a new truck so bad, and here I am having a purely cosmetic elective surgery. I really don't deserve him. My family doesn't need to be put through this - maybe I should just cancel?
March 11, 2004
Got Nick signed up for after-school care, in case Stephen can't get him on time from school. Spoke to the ex-husband, Papa Jack will make sure Tyler is here the morning after surgery. Finally got in touch with April, she can't stay like originally planned, but will come for Saturday and Sunday.
Well, by God, I will just drive myself. I will go into surgery by myself, and if I have to, I will call a cab to pick me up. The kids have plenty to eat and the school stuff is handled. I know Stephen won't let the dogs starve - hell, he loves them more than me. If I have to crawl to the truck to take Nick to school in the mornings, so be it. I'll have Saturday and Sunday to rest, so I should be good on Monday.
I can do this. I have come through worse. This should be a cakewalk.
March 12, 2004
Familiar place, Providence Hospital. Brought my neighbor with me. She is having a breast biopsy this morning because she had a tumor in her breast. I left her with money to call a cab or her sister so she will have a ride home. I hope she is okay - I pray for her on the way to my own floor.
Surgery is supposed to take 4 1/2 hours. Stephen says he will pick Nick up from school, touch base with Papa Jack, and be at the hospital after surgery is over. Okay, there really isn't anything he can do anyway - not with me in surgery. I guess the fact that he agreed to come at all was something.
Why, there is the nurse with the mucus questions. I guess she is assigned to me again. Poor her. She tries to make nice by reminding me that she didn't think I needed the tummy tuck. Too late to be nice, lady, that mucus question freaked me out a bit.
When I am rolled into the surgical ward, there are a lot of people there. Some of the nurses are absolutely awesome but suddenly I am hit by a huge panic attack. I started having them shortly after the police academy, but can mostly control them - this one gets away from me.
The anesthesiologist comes in and I tell him how scared I am. I'll fix that he says, and he pops three different syringes into my I.V. It doesn't make much of a difference, but I relax a bit.
Then a nurse tells me, I am sorry to tell you Ms. Cochran, but your pregnancy test was positive. I sat bolt upright in bed and demanded that my husband be called at once. He was fixing to need a vasectomy. You can't do my surgery, well, do his.
Ms. Cochran, I am only joking. I thought it would help alleviate your tension
By telling me I am pregnant?? Some sense of humor you have.
Another nurse stops by to pull Ms Humor away from me. She briefly mentions she will be assisting Dr. Proffitt. She looks like my trashy sister-in-law, Penny. Call Dr. Proffitt, I am canceling surgery. She was filthy looking and more concerned with her own problems than me. Oh, here comes that panic attack again, and here comes my little anesthesiologist guy with another syringe.
Finally, like a beacon in the night, here comes my doctor. I had already heard from every other surgeon how qualified and competent he was, and know to see how the others kind of revere him as he walks in puts me to ease a bit. He actually has a cute sense of humor - funny, I hadn't noticed before.
I tell him to strap those boobs to my ears if he has to but make them stand up and salute. He draws on me and reassures me. He asks me who is with me, and I have to tell him no one. He isn't pleased. He tells me everything will be okay.
It is now 12:30 p.m. Funny, I don't remember going to sleep...
I don't know what time it is, where am I... someone is calling my name telling me to breath.
Don't stop breathing Kimberley - who is Kimberly?
Kim, can you hear me? Breath, Kim, one, two...and then I begin to vomit.
Oddly, I have sudden remarkable clarity, but no pain. I just can't stop throwing up. What am I throwing up - I haven't eaten in forever?
Give her something now - she is thrashing, the sutures
I've given her 12.5 phenegran...
Give her another and morphine... I am vomiting uncontrollably.
Her phenegran is at 25, morphine.... I barely manage to say, ìIt isn't working before I get hit with another wave of vomiting.
I think they think I mean the morphine, I hear them say it again, morphine., and I begin to shake my head violently - then I vomit again.
Someone somewhere says Change it to Demerol, the Morphine isn't working, and increase the phenegran to .....
I don't know how much time has lapsed between these orders. I only know every time I hear voices, I vomit. I have now had so much phenegran that my mouth is so dry, I cant even communicate with the nurses. I want to tell them I am thirsty, but I cant make my voice work - my mouth is so dry.
Kim
Uh, her name is Starrlene
Starrlene, someone is here to see you. Starrlene, look who is here.
Hi, Mommy, I love you There is laughter. I found out later my little nine-year old had somehow managed to get hold of a phone that was actually the PA system. His little message to his mommy was heard throughout the hospital.
I open my eyes, and see Stephen - I want to cry. He is so precious, but it was Nicks voice I heard, where is he?
Stephen smiles at me. He takes my hand - I begin to throw up again.
The nurse rush him out and the next thing I hear is a voice telling me that I must breathe. You cant stop breathing Don't scare us like that now, you have to breathe. Oh, yeah, I am sure that was intentional on my part, forgetting to breathe.
Ms. Cochran, we are taking you to your room now. Remember, you are in room (garble), remember that? Sure - no problem...what was my name again?
It is eleven p.m. Now, I feel the pain and once again, I am alone.
March 13, 2004
I have had some great nurses through the night. They have told me my doctor had ordered pain medicine every three hours but they have also been instructed to do whatever it takes to keep me comfortable.
For Christ?s sake, bring me some water.
I doze and every three hours, my medicine comes.
At 6:00 I get a new nurse. Hi my name is Kristy . ( I think) I am from telemetry. I don't work this floor but I am going to be your nurse today.
I tell her I am pleased to meet her and ask her about my pain medicine. She says I only had it three hours ago. I try to explain, I am supposed to have it every three hours and I am beginning to hurt.
She says she will bring it right away. Thirty minutes later another nurse comes in. Her name is Karen. I ask her about my medicine and she says she will check on it, but brings me some ice right away.
I like her. She seems like she is a tough cookie. She pops back in thirty minutes later and asks if the nurse has come with my medicine yet. I say no and she says she will be right back.
The nurse, Kristy (I really wish I could recall her name, I think that Kristy is it, but at this point, I am not thinking of calling her by her name) comes in with an attitude and gives my I. V. line an injection. It is now a little after seven a.m.
Karen hands me the phone, gets the remote for me, and helps me onto the bedpan. This woman is an angel from God. She tells me she will be right back to help me get bathed and to walk for the first time. She wants the pain medicine to kick in first.
Karen comes back at 7:35. Moving is a chore. I want to use my arms but my muscles feel useless. I can't really sit up, I can't pull myself up, so I lean into Karen and she pulls me upright in the bed. I then manage to stand.
I see these little blue bottles. They look like douche bottles so I ask Karen why they needed to give me a douche. She laughed and explained that those were my drains. Oh, now don't I feel stupid.
We walk into the bathroom, no problem. I get sat down on the toilet chair and Karen gets my gown off.
I hear her gasp but she says nothing. When she begins to wash my back I feel sharp little pains, like pin pricks along my back. I ask her what that pain is. She reluctantly but disgustedly tells me that the surgery tech's have left my electrode tabs on. They have blistered my skin. As she removes them, the skin comes off too.
I then stand over the sink as she washes my hair. God, it feels so good to be clean.
When we are done, Stephen, Tyler, Nick, and April are all there. It is good to see them. I am about to starve. but there has been no tray ordered for me. Karen, my Godsend, has swiped me some Jell-O and chicken broth.
Because we had problems getting Ms. Nurse to bring my medicine, Karen suggests I ask for it a little early, so it will be on time. It is 9:30, so I push the call button.
No answer from Ms. Nurse. I ring again - she intercoms me. I ask for my medicine and actually hear her sigh. Thirty minutes later, there is still no nurse, still no medicine.
At 10:30 Stephen and the boys leave to take April to lunch. I ask Karen to send the nurse into me. She is in the room next door, and I hear her tell Karen that the patients that didn't have elective surgery come first to her, and that when she finishes all her rounds, she will bring me my medicine. The medicine is now thirty-five minutes late.
Well, I am not a real patient person and to hear that smart mouth comment, I just went ballistic. I screamed at the top of my voice for someone to call my doctor. Call him right now, get him on the phone and that that bitch had better not come near me again. I will spare you the other comments (threats actually)- some may think they are racist, but I assure you, I would have never said those things had I not been nailed to the wall and in pain.
I had my medicine forty-five minutes later but by that time I was in agonizing pain. Dr. Proffitt walked in at the same time. He introduced me to my new nurse for the day. Lovely lady, didn't catch her name but she had my medicine in there on time for the rest of the afternoon. Dr. Proffitt asked if I was ready to go home. At that point, I would have walked home just to get away from the other nurse.
I repeated to Dr. Proffitt and to Karen what I planned to do to that nurse. I was discharged two hours later. Good thing too. I had gained some strength back after I ate my Jell-O, I was ready to ninja-kick ol' lazy butt across the corridor.
I got home about 5:00 Saturday night.
I got a call from my buddy, Cathi. My Uncle David called too but I embarrassed myself in that conversation. I will have to remember to send him a real good birthday present this year. I talked to other people, I'm told, but honestly don't remember much about it - I basically slept a whole lot.
Finally, somebody fed me. Mashed potatoes must surely be one of my favorite foods - or maybe it was because I hadn't eaten in two-forever's.
March 14, 2004
Poor Stephen, every time he has to help me to the restroom, he has to close his eyes. The drains kind of freak him out. I pull them out just to shock him.
Got my first LUCID look at the boobs. Wow- they are small. I hope I didn't go too small. They are supposed to be a D but whew, they sure look little.
March 17th, 2004
My first post-op visit. The elevator was broke, so up the stairs I climbed. Lucy wasn't happy when she saw the electrode blisters on my back. I could tell Dr. Proffitt was not pleased either. Lucy also had the unpleasant task of removing the tape from the lipoid area of my inner thighs.
We all know how tender the inner thighs are anyway, but wow, without the benefit of gauze under that tape, I now have blisters, and raw spots on my thighs. Great. Really needed that.
My sister-in-law recommended Goo-Gone. Worked wonderfully for the rest of the tape. Someone really needs to talk to that Providence Hospital.
Took the bandages off the tummy tuck. I wanted to cry. I had never seen it before, but I didn't t have to be told either. The black color told a million tales. It was necrosis. It could be gangrene. Lucy tried to soothe me but Dr. Proffitt minced no words. He said it will have to be excised and that he will take care of it later. Not to worry.
Easy for him to say, I guess. He doesn't have a black whole oozing black blood where his old belly button used to be.
He says everything looks great but wont let the drains come out until Friday.
