Hi there, now that I'm on the other side of my surgery I can look back and giggle at a few things that occured in the preparation for my operation. I'm sure that they are routine and normal, but not having had a surgery for at least 20 years, they were new experiences to me.
The stress cardio test thing was probably the most interesting.
First, you get naked from the waist up, then you lay face up on a bed/bike contraption. Now riding a bike while laying down is my kind of exercise, but then they put wires all around your chest. They need to monitor your heart, and let me tell you that my heart has plenty of protection sitting right on top of it!
So I'm pedaling away at a pretty good pace, topless and wired, then comes the gloved hand, prodding around trying to do an ultrasound on my well protected heart region.
15-20 minutes in and I'm puffing and panting, heart rate getting pretty high, body parts jiggling and going in all directions, gel covered ultrasound equipment gliding professionally around the jiggling bits, and there may have been a little bit of spit expelled amidst the whole fiasco. But I did it! I kept up the pace to get the required readings then it's all over! no winding down, no stretching and breathing, just stop pedalling, rip those sticky monitor dots off, hand over a wipe for the mountain of gel left behind and get dressed while you calm down your breathing, trying not to look like it was hard at all.
Strong coffee was required afterwards!
Then on the day before surgery I had to do the bowel cleanse! All I'm going to say about that is DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE! and a very big thank you to my friend who recommended that I have a tube of Bepanthen on hand for the burn!
Surgery was on Monday morning first thing and probably went for less than 2 hours, but I don't really remember anything between 8am and 3pm. The last thing I saw was the anesthetist putting something in my drip and saying "here's some champagne" and then I went to sleep! So I can only conclude that if I can't sleep (which is most nights) I should have champagne on hand!
Endone! I went to many and varied places each time I dozed off on Tuesday! Endone!
Wednesday and I headed home with nothing more than 4 bandaids on my belly, some pain meds and antibiotics, and instructions not to drive for 2 weeks or lift anything for 6 weeks.
Ten days post-op and I'm off all pain meds and while I'm moving at a slower pace and being careful, life goes on!
I still don't understand why everything so far has been so easily dealt with for me, when I know of at least two women/mums/daughters/sisters/friends who have passed away due to their illnesses recently, one of them was just this morning.
I feel blessed beyond my worth, and though I still need to rest and heal, I realise more than ever that I must pursue my God given purpose with all diligence for whatever time I have here.
Don't wait for something drastic to occur in your life to begin to really work at who you are and what you are meant to be doing. Get up every morning and ask the Creator to guide you in His way. Spend time talking to Him and reading His word, the bible so that you can be close to Him. He made us, so it makes sense that His plan is the one that will work!
Thanks for reading
Love Suzanne