Reflections

Friday, September 10, 2010

Things that make you go HMMMM

Tomorrow is 9/11/10. What were you doing 9 years ago? I was recovering from my first ever major surgery. It was 9ish in the morning. I was just waking up from my legal drug coma. I turned the TV on to the Today show. Being as out of it as I was, I saw a plane go up in smoke and thought NOTHING of it. I'm sure it was the drugs. Something in my head didn't see anything wrong with this picture. I was a few weeks post op after a two week hospital stay. I didn't enjoy going out in public, I couldn't wear "real" clothes, drive or even get out of bed very easily. My ex-husband was next to me sleeping, I kept seeing images of that plane, so I turned the TV back on. OH MY! The World Trade Center was crumbling. Reporters were flocking to the scene, covered in ashes. It was a sight that you couldn't take your eyes off of, yet it hurt to look. Tragedy, a horrible terrible nightmare.

Fast forward seven years. Life is different. Not that the events of 9/11/01 had been forgotten, but the people who were effected by the tragic events had to learn how to continue living their lives. On 9/11/08 I had surgery scheduled. I was terrified. Was 9/11 a curse? At first I thought so, but decided to make the best of it, as I always try to do when I have surgery. I was having my ileostomy revised. It was being moved to the other side of my body, the lefthand side. My wonderful surgeon, Rebecca Hoedema, had so much confidence. I had been in and out of the hospital so many times that the nursing staff knew me pretty well. They brought me books from home to read. They came in just to chat with me and catch up. They knew Brad, all about my dogs, my likes and dislikes. They even knew me enough to sneak me chocolate milk & graham crackers when I was hungry at 3am. That early morning when I arrived at the hospital, I remember Kristen, my ET nurse came up and greeted me with a warm smile and a hug! She was amazing! She made me feel so calm. She drew on my abdomen so that Dr. Hoedema would know where to place my new stoma. She gave me a hug and was on her way. The anesthesiologist came over, asked me if I wanted an epidural. In all honesty I cannot remember if I decided to have one. I did tell him how awful the anesthesia makes me feel. I told him that it makes me vomit uncontrollably. He took note and told me he'd be sure to take care of me. I think Brad walked with me while I laid on the gurney, until he couldn't walk past the doors to the OR. That's all I remember. I don't remember recovery. The next thing I remember is waking up in my room, being told that I needed blood. Ewww. Have you ever seen a transfusion? Nothing more disturbing than watching blood being transfused into your body. I did feel TONS better once I had the blood. It breathed new life into my flailing body. I made it. I did catch a cold after surgery. I think Deb and Skylar were coming down with one and they were there by my side, which meant SO much to me. My parents, Amber and Brad all came to see me too. Mom and Dad rented a room in the hospital, like a mini hotel room as far as I am told. I made it though. I survived my very own 9/11.