19/2/2014 – Post Ops Day 1 and my 1st hurdle to pass

Notes :-  This blog was initially meant to share my birding field trips reports. Ever since I started to use Facebook I  have not post any updates since then.  This series of posting on Scoliosis is my personal experience.  I had Posterior Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis on 17/2/2014. 

I hope my sharing will serve as an encouragement to those who have spinal deformities like me.  For those who  have Scoliosis, spinal disc herniation, spinal disc degeneration, spondylosis, kyphoysis, do not be afraid/avoid when the  spine doctor recommend  the solution is surgery.  There is hope for you in today modern medical technology.  Please do not endure the pain in silence.

My 1st Hurdle 

While waiting for the dawn of 19/2/2014, in between my sleep the nurses came in  to my room change my saline drip, dispatched a small cute cup that contain some medicine.  I am just like a sick puppy when I saw that small cute cup I just throw into my mouth those pills one by one with a small sip of water.  In between naps I felt my stomach bloated.  What happen?  Has this surgery cause my waistline grow?  It is such an uncomfortable sensation. Whenever I sat on my bedside I would feel like throwing out.  I did throw out a few round but it is just bubbly water. Aaaark… Arrrk  did some burp yet it does not relieve.  Does wooops..wooops gripe water for babies work? Yikes should have packed this item to the hospital….

Yesterday I complained to my surgeon that somehow I feel that around my shoulder’s blade region has done some slavery job/super duper heavy duties manual jobs.  That soreness/tiredness is I had never experience before.  Every bed turn you would hear my mournful voice  “Ouch… Aw… Aw,… Aw.”   He told me that it is normal as it was due to the lying position on my stomach using my arms  & shoulder to support my body on the operating bed as well as due to sudden stretch of my squash/crouching muscles as now I have straighter spine compare to the previous day. 

He prescribe muscles relax cream (Fanil) for me,  told the nurse to applied for me.  That hotness sensation on my skin I know that if apply a few more times my skin will get burn, therefore one time is sufficient.  With this I did another press of morphine thinking that maybe it could help to relieve the soreness/tiredness of my shoulder. 

After many naps soon it is dawn again.  Two nurses walked into my room with clean bed-sheet and a new set of hospital gown for me.  One of them working on disconnect me from the saline drip informed me that I can take my own bath but my time-frame is only 10 mins.
Yahoo.. finally.  What 10 mins?… I need  at least 20-25 mins?  The nurse replied your dressing will get wet and you will get infections.  Ooops then 10 mins … 10 mins ok.. I don’t want infections.. definitely a big No.. NO..

I search for my panties, grab my thai towel and the clean hospital gown carefully walked to the bathroom.  I feel so robotic.  1^stthing first, wash my face with my tea tree facial wash. Performed the quickie teeth brushing.  Some individual advice that the 1^st shower after operation need to be seated on chair,having difficulties raising hands, need assistance from relative. Huh…. But I am alone here how? I request the nurse to wait for me outside just in case I need help.

I carefully untied my hospital gown, switch on the shower tap wet my hair, foam a bit of the shampoo … eeeeeh I can do it.. I then use a bit of the body wash to continue my shower.  I grab the towel and then I then carefully wear my panties (yes… now I feel more secure) ,  put on the clean hospital gown.  Walked out from the bathroom carefully put my wet towel on the chair, the dirty hospital gown aside and walked back to the bed, quickly lie back. OOOshhh so tired.

I had my breakfast of oats with milk on my hospital bed with the bed propped up about 30 degree. Force in a few tablespoon in order for me to pop in medicines.

My younger brother turned up and I proudly told him I took my own bath.  We chat for while and then he told me he will  come back again during lunch.

I tried to sleep again while I feel my left hand seems to grow bigger and bigger. Has the water sip in through the IV tubes while I was taking my shower?  I slept and not knowing the time, suddenly I feel my arm was being tapped by someone..  My surgeon- Prof Kwan walked into my room without me realized his presence.   He is with my blue medical file, a box that  contain corset greet me  “你  好 ?”   I noticed today he look different. He is not in his usual white shirt but today he wore the corporate UM sky blue shirt.  Hmmmm …looks very casual maybe he will attend an official meeting afterwards or has just came out from it.  I like the various shade of sky blue on his corporate shirt.

I replied back “你  好?”and then continued  the conversation in  English even though I can converse in mandarin.   I told him my stomach is feeling awful, I throw out a few rounds. I show my swollen “bear paws” right hand to him. He replied that it will eventually subside and now he need to remove the IV needle  … He instruct me to look at the other side.  The IV needle was removed in second and he put a plaster on my hand.  He then checked my lungs, my throat, tap my stomach and told me my stomach is bloated with gas.  This is cause by the morphine and pain relieved medicine that was administered into me.  I was instructed to walk more today.   He instructed me to attempt walk out from my room to the reception, need to sit up for at least 1 hr on the chair.  With this exercise then I will have“puuuuut…. Puuuuut… putt” gas release out and I will be ok.

Each day my surgeon give me new instructions. He only reveal info what I need to know for the day only and this does overwhelmed me with too much of information.

He read the post surgery instructions and as he read he tick the items.  He then continue “aaaah wear the corset for 6 weeks …only take out for sleeping and bathing….today the nurse will monitor you in every 4 hours and not every 2 hours…. You are KIV for discharge tomorrow… anything press the button to ask the nurse for assistance..they will teach you how to wear the corset…no more saline drip today.. today you are on oral medication… don’t worry you are doing very well…..have you pass motion yet? …eat more today but in small portion …we need to do x-ray on your spine afterwards….”

Yes sir… and he walked out from my room.  Huh KIV Discharge ?  I still vomit but at least I am much better than yesterday.

During lunch break my colleague drop by and we chat about office matters.  Not long after that my younger brother drop in with his home-cook porridge unfortunately I refuse the food.  I told him that I am on KIV discharge tomorrow.  He told me that he is in the midst of sourcing air-con to be install at our parent home.  Dad will install water heater for me.  The family members prefer that I will use downstairs for my recuperating area. 

In between my naps whenever I feel my nausea subside, I sat up at the beside, wear the corset just at the nurse has educate me, I did my walk to the bathroom and then venture a little bit more out from my hospital room.  I also ask the nurse to assist me to sat on the chair.  Instead of 1 hrs I only managed to do about 10 mins only. Never mind at least I did sat on the chair.

A nurse walk into my room told me that I need full spine x-ray.  This time instead of going there on the wheelchair I reached the imaging room on my hospital bed, cause I am still very weak.  Knowing well that this x-ray required me to take out my panties. Eeeeh I have to feel unsecured again.  ok.. I have taken it out.. nurse I am ready.

Today I start to have more visitors.  My colleague turned up and we chat about office matters.  About 5 pm I was so surprise that my younger brother brought mum along.  Mum has cooked 2 flavor of porridge for me to choose.  I refused to have any cause I don’t have appetite but she pester me to have just a few tablespoon. I opted for the plain porridge.  Mum’s cooking is always the best even the plain porridge taste so good.  I ate a little bit more than my previous meal.  The hospital vegetable porridge I order was untouched then.   

After they left I took my naps again throughout the night.  Did the bed-rolled and bed physiotherapy whenever I am awake.  Out of sudden I start to “puuuuuut…..puttttt….putttt…”  releasing gas.  Yes …Yes! This is what my surgeon is expecting me to achieve.  Yahoo I pass this hurdle.