Thursday, May 30, 2013

We Believe in Miracles...The Journey, Part II

I arrived at GWU Hospital about 10:30 pm.  I was hungry and, since over the last couple of days I had been "NPO" (non per os; nothing by mouth) several times, I figured I might be again for a possible surgery the next day. I asked for a snack...which turned out to be the last solid food I'd have for about 36 hours! I flipped on the TV to take my mind off of the fact that I had no idea what was in store and came across and old "The Office" episode.  Perfect!  It had me laughing out loud.

No time was wasted.  Someone from the ENT team came to see me.  Then the opthamologist paid me a visit.  He had to pry open my eye and examine it.  I hadn't looked out of that eye for almost a week, so I was glad to find that I could still see out of it when he held it open!  And another tender mercy...I wear contacts.  I put them in every morning and take them out every night.  For some reason, the Wednesday my eye started swelling, I didn't put my contacts in that day.  I know it was more than just for "some reason"...just another detail the Lord took care of. At about 1:30 am, I was taken for an MRI. I had been told before I was transferred that this would be necessary, and I was trying not to panic.  I am claustrophobic and couldn't imagine being shoved in a tiny tube for 45 minutes to an hour.  I laid down on the table and about lost it when the first thing the tech did was close a cage over my head before shoving me in the tube.  No one had warned me about that!  I found myself tapping into the same abdominal breathing and relaxation techniques I've used through 4 labors.  There were some moments of panic as I lay there, closing my eyes, focusing on breathing, and saying constant prayers in my head.  Here I was having been through one surgery, probably facing another, and I was worked up about this ridiculous MRI.  Once again, the Lord helped me get through that experience.  When the tech came in over the speaker and said, "We're all done", I was so relieved!  In fact, those have been my favorite words over the last few months as various procedures come to an end! I went back to my room to try to sleep before the unknown of the later morning arrived.  "Try" to sleep being the operative word.  Let's be honest; no one can sleep well in the hospital. Nighttime was always anxiety-inducing.  Once I got home, I still found myself having residual anxiety every night.

I woke up around 6:30 am and called Cory in somewhat of a panic.  He was planning on helping my mom get the kids off to school and getting to me around 10 or so, but I asked him to please come as soon as he could. Add that to the tender mercy list...Cory got there a little before 9, just as the nurse came in to tell me I was headed to surgery.  Cory administered a priesthood blessing, and we found ourselves headed to pre-op for the second time in 3 days.  As I waited in pre-op I met with the anesthesiologist, the ENT (Dr. Sadeghi), and the Ocuplastic Surgeon (Dr. Mansour).  They explained they'd be tag-teaming this surgery.  While the first sinus surgery had cleared out the polyps from my right sinuses, ears, and nose, he'd had to stop before he could do much on the left because of bleeding.  So, Dr. Sadeghi would get in there again to see what needed to be done, and Dr. Mansour would see if he could drain the orbital abscess through the nose.  If not, he explained he'd have to make an incision on my eyelid.  We also found ourselves meeting with a Neurosurgeon...what?!  He explained that, because the procedure with my eye was so close to my brain, they'd be there if needed.  I think it was at this point we started to realize how serious this was.  I was getting nervous about being put under again and just kept holding Cory's hand.

I woke up in the ICU with an oxygen mask on (I hate those things; they make me feel claustrophobic) and hooked up to all sorts of leads. They were calling my name to rouse me, and I was in and out for a bit.  I asked where my husband was.  They called Cory to come in and I took his hand. He had to leave again for some reason, but I was still in and out.  He came back, and they explained that they would have to do a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).  Due to the location of the abscess (so close to my brain) and something that "lit  up" on the MRI, they feared meningitis.  So, a few hours after coming out of surgery, I was being prepped for a spinal tap.  Cory had to leave for that.  I remember being curled up in the fetal position and several people coming in to help me with the procedure.  One man, whose face I never saw and whose name I don't remember, said he was there to help me and asked if I'd like to hold his hand.  I did.  Seriously, he was like an angel.  I squeezed his hand and he and the doctor talked me through everything as it was being done. Towards the end I started to feel more pain and began to panic, so my "angel" put a little something in my IV.  That made me really loopy and slowed  my heart down, so back on with the oxygen mask (still hate that thing).  My nurse Justin was incredible.  He was so compassionate and kind.  I spent that night in the ICU.

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