Friday, January 29, 2010

Hello World

Just checking in. This is sort of Nicole Version 2.0 because the last few years have just been pain, pain, pain - kind of like a yapping dog.

I went in to my surgery a little hastier than planned as the person scheduled before me showed up with a hacking cough/flu thing. So they wanted us to mad dash-it to to surgery ASAP. In fact, I was on a list there labeled ASAP. Pretty cool.

Leaving was hard. It was so sudden and the boys really fell apart. Leaving a house full of sobbing, alone children isn't a nice feeling as a mom. Leaving a house of sobbing kids with the new Super Mario Bros was only slightly better. Thank God for modern technology. We called our dear friends from the freeway and they jumped in their car and headed out to rescue my boys. They even took them on a road trip. Love you both!

I got to the hospital a weepy mess and then cried my way through the insurance and payment part. As soon as I changed into my gown though I was fine. Little known Nicole fact: I do all my suffering up front. So if an intolerable oaf is coming to dinner I'll rant and rave all day but then when they arrive I genuinely extend my love and hospitality. Same with bad news. I'll sit down and cry hard. Then get up and get to work. A lot of people I know are the other way around. They shove stuff down and it keeps coming up at them for years. I like my way better. So...

Once I was in my gown, hair net, socks etc. the parade of med folk was truly non-stop for the next hour. I met everyone and I think all their distant cousins. The only interesting bits was that my needle man who did the IV was named Dr. Sharp. Love that! Also, I really failed a lot of neuro tests on my left side. Among them, I had little leg and foot strength left (no wonder I fall all the time), I couldn't feel my big toe etc.

Then I had surgery. Don't remember that. Thankfully.

I woke up in the recovery room feeling my toes wiggle against the sheets. Did you hear that? FEELING MY TOES!!!!! I did a quick check to make sure everything worked and could feel sensations like the sheets, tubes etc. All good. Then Josh, the nice recovery nurse, came over and we chatted. After a bit I asked why I wasn't a loopy drooling mess. He explained that I got a type of anesthesia that is completely out of your system minutes after they stop administering it. Neat. I was totally me about fifteen minutes after surgery.

Since I was so alert the neuros re-did the strength tests and my strength was 100% restored. That along with the feeling in my toe was big news as it usually takes a few weeks before the swelling goes down to regain your losses from nerve damage. In short, within a half hour of surgery I got back five years of things I lost. Impressive. So impressive that it’s going to be part of an academic paper delivered later this year.

There’s a lot more of the story to tell but I’m really tired so I’ll post a Part Two later on.

Thanks for the incredible outpouring of love the last week. I am beyond grateful.

27 comments:

Kat said...

I'm glad your OP went well ... and the cocktail of anaesthesia you got there sounds veeery interesting. Sounds like a speedy recovery from the OP!
All the best!
Kat
(fellow Shimelle Class attendee)

Jenn said...

wonderful wonderful news! WOW, so happy for you and your family

Anonymous said...

best wishes are sent your way...glad it went well.

Dunx said...

That is absolutely fantastic news - so very excited that things are improving! Hurray!

Unknown said...

COngratulations on the toes :D

Unknown said...

Well, if that doesn't sound like a resounding success, I don't know what does!

Fantastic news and congratulations!

Maggi said...

How wonderful! So happy for you!

Ashley Newell said...

YAY! I am so glad that you are feeling so much better! What a relief! And you are such a trooper too. I like your way of sadness, I need to keep that in mind. And I'm also glad that there were good friends to help with your kids, leaving them is always the hardest part for me. Hope you are recovering well!

joyce rodli said...

Total Happy Dance.

Carmen said...

So happy to see you strong enough to BLOG! Can't believe it. Wonderful news, take it easy now.

chksngr said...

WOOHOO!!! I'm so glad to hear that it all went well and that you are way better than expected! What amazing news!!! HUGS and BLESSINGS!!!

Bombshell Stamps said...

This post was a long time in the making and well deserved. I hope it's all up from here and you find yourself doing things you forgot you love :D

Kathi said...

So great to read this update and to find out that everything went better than anticipated.

I'm so happy for you.

Stephanie said...

So glad to hear your surgery went well! I'm so happy for you!

Scrapamum said...

Good to hear the surgery went well! That is fantastic!

CathyR said...

I'm so glad that the surgery went so well. Your recovery is amazing. How exciting to feel your toes!!

Kerry said...

Fantastic news Nicole. May the rest of your recovery be as quick.

All of my Todays said...

Yay!!!! Fantastic I am so glad it went well and more importantly the nasty hospital bit is over with. x

Christy said...

There are no words, I'm just so happy for you. I've been checking back frequently for the new post and very happy to read the amazing news!

Alyssa S said...

I am so happy to read this wonderful news!! I'm so thrilled for you and your family - so many new, old and exciting things to do again :o) oh and super glad about your toes too ;o)

Lain said...

I hope this will turn out to be the best thing ever! Hugs and prayers to you!

GlitteryKatie said...

I'm so happy for you and your toes!!!!

Sarah said...

wow! it sounds like everything went a million times better than anyone even dreamed it might - well done you!!

Amy Wing said...

MIRACLE! MIRACLE! MIRACLE!

I am so happy for you, Nicole!

Mima said...

Nicole, I was just reading down through your last post again and realised that I had missed this one, and what an important one to miss - very sorry. So glad to hear that the surgery went well, and how exciting to be able to feel your toes again - a huge thing.

Unknown said...

You always did cry "upfront." I remember you asking me to fix that. I am so glad I couldn't. It's part of the wonderfulness that is YOU. xo

Unknown said...

You always did cry "upfront." I remember you asking me to fix that. I am so glad I couldn't. It's part of the wonderfulness that is YOU. xo