Port surgery. Crystal B. was kind enough to watch the girls for us so we could go the the hospital with no kids. The whole procedure should take 4 to 5 hours.
We arrive at the IMC hospital and check in around 8:30am. Second floor is the prep area for the procedure. This procedure i am getting is called a port. A port will allow nurses to give me IV drugs through a device that is implanted in my chest. I will no longer have track marks up and down my arms. Very excited!
Nurse Janet prepares to get me my IV. Two pokes and still is unable to get an IV in. I told her maybe a hot pack would work and so we tried it. Success!
While nurse Janet got my vitals and hooked me up to the saline and antibiotics, a physicians assistant told me everything about the port. He showed me what the port looked like and how it works once implanted. During this whole conversation I only listened to a few key points, where the port would go, how long it takes to install and when are the pain meds. Listening to his lecture was making me very lightheaded and causing more anxiety.
After the extensive rundown of the port, i was wheeled down to the surgical floor. Very chilly down there, kind of like a morgue. I was wheeled into surgical room 8. Awesome room, there were so many fancy machines, i was trying to take mental pictures of everything, that room must have cost a lot of money. There was a surgical crew of 6. I was moved to a very narrow table and then "seat belted" in for my safety. The nurse let me know other patients have rolled over during procedures hence the seat beat precaution.
I meet the Physicians assistant that is going to perform the procedure. Her name is Meredith and she is very young. She informs me of what she is going to do during the procedure and asks me if i have any questions. I told her lets get this party started.
The surgical techs started to get me prepped. I am laying on the table and the techs start draping blue cloth all around my face and over my gown. Nurse Justin makes a little fort for my face. Meredith comes in and is ready to start the procedure. Everyone is wearing a lead apron to protect from the radiation rays (x-ray table i think). I didnt know what the aprons were for at first, and asked, "why is nurse Shelley wearing a bulletproof vest?" They laughed.
First the lidocaine is shot into three places on my chest. The IV pain drugs are working, but they kept telling me i would fall asleep or forget everything, i was awake for the whole procedure.
First i could feel the sting from the lidocaine shots, then there was just pressure. I think she got the catheter threaded through and then put the port into place. She pushed plenty hard to get the port into a good spot. i could feel the pressure. At one point i felt pitching so she gave me one more lidocaine shot. Ouch.
The whole procedure took about 45 minutes. Couldn't believe i stayed awake for the whole thing.
After the procedure i got wheeled back to my room to recover. Chris was waiting for me. So grateful for Chris, he is always there for me. Love him so much! Nurse Janet brings me a sack lunch and some drinks. I am starving. After about 45 minutes we are released, after having care instructions and numbers to call incase of questions or problems.
I am definitely sore. Not too sore yet but i can tell it's going to be a crappy night trying to sleep.
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