My spine surgery journey: from preparation to recovery

[bellbird]

Thank you so much, @LuckiLee :)


Righto, team. Just got my call from the hospital! My call time tomorrow (28/02) is 7am, and my surgery will start at about 8 or 8.15am (NZDT ;) ) , and is expected to take 4 hours (the actual surgery; I think we're looking at about 7 and a half with preparation bits beforehand and recovery in PACU after).

No food after 12am, and no water after 6am. I'll take my morning antidepressant at about 5.45am, and they suggested I have a couple of glasses of water as people can get quite headachy while they're waiting.

Then it's just a short walk across to the hospital from our motel, and we're all go!

I've got my surgery buddies with me :)

 

[MrMoonlight]

Sitting with you in spirit bellbird. You will be on the mend in no time. ? ?

Big hugs to you and your surgery buddies. :hug:

 

[bellbird]

Thank you very much MrM, grateful to have you sitting with me. Hugs back :hug: ??

 

[LuckiLee]

How long will you be in the hospital? And stuck in bed?

 

[bellbird]

How long will you be in the hospital?

Provided everything goes smoothly, I'll spend my first night in ICU, and then will be in hospital about a week.

And stuck in bed?

They'll probably try to get me up and walking the day after surgery :)

They find that things get much better after you start getting up and walking around; it helps to get the bowels moving again, and it will be important especially for me to prevent fluid build up in the lungs from lying down for too long as they'll be deflating my left lung for the surgery.

 

[Wendell_R]

I've got my surgery buddies with me :)

Very sweet! They are happy that they get to keep you company for a whole week, but will be happy too when you can leave them on your grand human adventures.

They find that things get much better after you start getting up and walking around

That will be very exciting!

I'm looking up time-zone converters right now so I can send good thoughts your way during the operation. :hug: :hug:

 

[bellbird]

They are happy that they get to keep you company for a whole week, but will be happy too when you can leave them on your grand human adventures.

:hug:

That will be very exciting!

Yes!! I get happy teary just thinking about it.

I'm looking up time-zone converters right now so I can send good thoughts your way during the operation. :hug::hug:

Ohh, that makes my heart feel very happy. Thank you, dear friend :hug:

 

[Freida]

Those photos are amazing!
You've got this! Easy peasy!

 

[scout86]

Thinking of you!

World Clock

 

[LuckiLee]

Well, it's Thursday 10:30 a.m. where you're at. The big day!! Thinking of you. ?

 

[Freida]

me too!

 

[Deleted member 42984]

Thinking about you too @bellbird and I'm excited to hear how surgery went!