After almost 8 hours in the hospital last night I made it home with just enough energy to eat a quick dinner and then collapse into bed. I sleep for a solid 12 hours and am now awake just enough for sitting on the couch curled up in a blanket drinking coffee and playing on the computer. Nothing different to report today, I have a major headache and the lovely bandage wrapped around my hips to prevent bleeding from the site they went in is ever so comfy ;) but now for the part you are all wondering about, the actual "procedure"
As all of you know I do not always stay calm cool and collected and this proved to be one of those times. The day went something like this.
1pm arrive at hospital wait in hallway waiting room for nearly 4 hours
445pm get called back to "cabin" aka room done long white hallway to wait in a little room with doors on either side, one door from hallway to cabin, the other from Cabin to OR
(here time gets fuzzy)
My Mom and I waited for about half an hour in the Cabin then they called me into the OR. I was laid on the bed and then watched as the room was set up for my procedure. The placed an IV with just saline in my left arm, inserted the whatchmathingy for the catheter in my upper right hip and then in walked Professor Vogl.
They strapped on his plastic mask, asked me a few medical questions and then he said "So lets see how your veins behave" In he went and all was good, I could not feel a thing until he releases the contrast dye into my left IJV...at the exact same moment I made the mistake of looking at the screens that displayed what was happening. BIG MISTAKE a panic attack...a true one...with sweating racing heart, nearly vomiting and hyper-ventilating began. Professor Vogl asked what was wrong, I told him I felt sick and panicky and his response was "No panic allowed you are fine" A very kind nurse, or another Dr ( I have ano idea they all spoke to one another in German only ;)) came over put a cloth on my head and rubbed my hair and started explaining what they were doing in English. Knowing what was happening calmed me down almost instantly. I felt them insert the dye into my right IJV, it feels much like when you have water shot into your ears to clean out excess wax (gross I know) then explained that they were going back in to balloon the vein. It too him a few tries and he remarked to the others in the room (there were 6 people) that there was lots of pressure in the vein and it may have been their best example yet. He pulled everything out and told me I had ballooned, I was done and had to remain lying doen for an hour to prevent bleeding from the artery in the leg. After an hour I was sent for a CAT scan, a BREEZE after MRI's and then told I could get dressed and go wait in the waiting room again for the Professor. We waiting about 15 minutes before we went to talk to him to be told all was good and to please fill out the following forms, Immediately after, 1 week, 4 weeks and 3 months after the procedure so that they can compile data for the "experiment"We then went back to the hotel
So here I am the morning after, with an open IJV rather than a 70% closed one feeling tired and with a headache. I will take it easy for today and check-in aging tomorrow
Thank you all again
Jess xoxox
No comments:
Post a Comment