Good Morning All!

Well, another surgery in the books.

This one landed a bit harder because I wasn't as prepared.

For the first one, I focused on myself... food, care, health, etc. I prepped food to recover with, had a solid mealtrain, researched what I would need to do coming out of it, had my supplements ready, and all. 

This surgery was scheduled to happen on week 5 post-op from the first. I essentially had a week to prepare. I was so worried about winter coming, that I became obsessed with preparing the cabin and my physical needs for the next six to eight-week anticipated (full) recovery time.

That was probably a mistake.

I relied on my will to carry me through this and didn't consider how fragile and little I had left. 

I rescheduled all my clients and was ready for surgery on Friday only to be told on Thursday it was going to be pushed to Monday.  Ugh - but ok... I will get more done. 

Surgery was on Monday mid-morning on the 18th. I had another epidural for pain management. This time however I requested no morphine. So they figured out a different combo. I woke up late in the evening feeling good - managed and comfortable. 

Here's where we talk about the difference between a code blue and a rapid. Code blue happens when you are unresponsive. A Rapid occurs when you are close or there is a major concern. Folks from all the different teams - pain management, oncology, urology, and nursing - converge in your room to address whatever is happening. 

In my case, my blood pressure had hovered at 78/35 most of the night. Their concern, for obvious reasons, was that my brain and vital organs weren't getting enough blood supply. I, on the other hand, felt really good - for obvious reasons. lol

Their course of action was to stop my epidural and see if that would increase my BP. And it did because extreme pain has an interesting way of doing that. We - and by "we", I mean them - spent all day Tuesday trying alternatives to get in front of my extreme pain to no avail. 

The decision was made late in the day to start the epidural up and use a smaller amount this time. By about 9 pm, I was finally able to breathe again. Pain is exhausting and I cried a lot. 

Wednesday morning I was told the plan was to have me back off it later in the day and we had other options we were going to try. I wasn't thrilled but I also got it. We used up one of my recovery days messing up pain management but we still had to work towards me going home by Friday. 

This is where food comes into play. I had been juicing and eating vegan for the most part over the last two months. Because I focused on everything else this time, I didn't prepare or bring my fresh frozen juices and nuts to support me. I figured it wouldn't have been THAT big of a deal to eat hospital food for a couple of days. Boy, was I wrong. The rapid diet change crashed both my physical momentum and my emotional fortitude even more. 

I struggled the rest of Wednesday to do all the things that get you out of a hospital while flip-flopping through a variety of pain meds. However, I was shooting for Friday. I needed out. I needed to be anywhere but in that bed, in that room, and in that hospital. 

Getting released Friday, arranging a ride, and getting to my friend's cabin up in Golden Gate Park presented another series of "What is happening right now"?????

Doctors operate on their own schedule so there were delays on my release... an overly excited and undersocialized transport orderly took me all over the hospital while grilling for life stories because he had been hoping he was going to get me... three (3!!!!) different pharmacies (all with long lines) in one hospital for all the meds I needed... Gus shuffling, and food needs... were just some of the comedy the morning provided.

After an unfortunate bout of extreme car sickness up the canyon by an able friend, I landed in the arms of another very kind and generous friend. There, I rested and ate yummy foods feeling well cared for.

Yesterday - the 27th, I skidded into Boulder. 

Here's where it really started getting fun because I lost all my keys and sat in the hallway of my shop waiting for building management to let me in. Still not at my cabin, not back to a routine but closer. 

Today, I had a lovely breakfast with a friend who transported Gus to the groomers and another is taking me to both the DMV and up to Ned to get my old jeep. 

I feel so blessed to have so many folks willing to help. The reality is, that they've always been there, I just needed to learn to ask and then learn how to receive. 

So here I sit, still loopy... writing you... letting you know, all is ok. And I have learned a lot. 

xo