So this is what you have missed

I was wheeled into surgery at 7:40 am on Friday June 28, 2013. My first recollection after that time was noticing that the clock now read 5:11pm and I was quite loopy and in the recovery area. As I was being wheeled down to a separate wing of the hospital, I was told that the medicine I was feeling would be lifting and that I would be provided drugs to deal with the pain. I get to the new floor and it is important to understand the procedures that I had so you can understand the panic that ensued. I had my arms done, my flanks, the girls were lifted to their pre-pubescent state, and I had a lower body lift. I was wrapped like a mummy and due to the medicine that was put in my Lasik treated eyes, I was also blind. All I could hear were voices and this one nurse saying just push this button for pain medicine. Now the issue was that due to my arm surgery I essentially had flippers and kept dropping the pain remote and they kept coming in saying press this for medicine! They were totally unaware of what surgeries that I had and it took about 15 minutes for them to see that I could not press the button and that is why I was screaming "GIVE ME MY FUCKING MEDICINE YOU BITCH!" at the top of my lungs....After settling down, I still could not see and I was on some deep medication which I think attributed to the serious hallucinations that would plague me for the next 48 hours. I had a vivid "dream" that something went wrong during surgery and my husband was the power of attorney and he decided to let me go in peace but there were family members trying to override this decision with lawyers and it was crazy because I vividly recall every person in this "dream" and none of it happened. My husband said I was flipping out, and he thought they might need ti medically sedate me further but it did eventually subside.  I was supposed to be released from the hospital on Saturday to a rehab facility until Sunday but I ended up staying an extra night in the hospital because my BP sky rocketed due to the hallucinations an panic attack that I was having. I ended up going to the rehab center and coming home on Monday night.

I was released with 4 drains attached to my mid section that require cleaning and maintenance. My husband also had to inject me with blood thinners everyday in my tummy. I do not think I could adequately describe in words the excruciating pain that this last week brought. I mean I knew it would be a difficult recovery but when the doctors say "we are not going into your internal cavities, it is a topical surgery." one might think it would not be this bad...WRONG!!! I took a look at myself and it looked like Frank beat me up with a baseball bat, the bruising was hideous.  frank actually has nicknamed me Frakenweenie in honor of the dog that died and had different body parts stitched back together...I am completely dependent on my husband for everything and he has been amazing, and as a Pisano, this nurse stuff does not come natural, so I am glad that he is with me, walking me through this whole thing...The scarring is pretty intense but I know this needed to be done, it was unavoidable and I also know that with time the scarring will most definitely dissipate.  It is really had to sleep because very movement hurts and I feel like Michael Jackson in that I have to be sooo doped up just to get the rest that  my poor body is craving so much. So I try and do that, i take my meds as often as is allowed to get some rest.  I spend the majority of my day watching TV, and I try and get up and walk a little every hour.  I cannot stand fully erect yet although I went from being completely at a 90 degree angle with the wall to being almost able to stand up straight today, so that is progress. I saw my doctor today for my follow up and he said although it is hard for me to see now because of the pain, that I am going to look completely AMAZING in a few weeks and I ill be able to appreciate this ending to a long 3 year journey.  I get the remaining 2 drains pulled next Monday and I think at that point I ill be able to start having a semblance of normalcy. AT this pint I cannot wear clothes because my skin is sooo tender, it actually hurts to touch material. I am really looking forward to getting through this next week...I am super board and I go through hysterical crying fits because I just want this to be over already and I know it will be a while.  Just to put it in to perspective, i took a shower today and walked around my coffee table 4 times today and I was sooooo exhausted afterwards it felt like i had just come from BOTH boot camp and spin class! I was so physically exhausted that I took a 3 hour nap after that feet of strength...So I definitely have a ways to go but the doctor feels I am right on target and he is super pleased, so I am sure I will be too....Just in case you were wondering, they took off 21 pounds of fatty tissue and skin from this surgery. When I first heard that number, my initial reaction was "that's it?" and the doctor laughed and reminded me about surface area and how because I was super obese, the amount of skin was IMMENSE..I thought of how when Oprah brought out that pound of fat, they took 21 of them off of me and then I was like, hmmm I guess this was a success! Anyway, my meds are starting to kick in and I feel the drool coming but I just wanted to update you all on what you missed. Keep me in your prayers... thanks for reading