LADIES, THE SURGERY IS REAL, THE PAIN IS REAL, AND THE RISK IS DEFINITELY REAL!!

I was able to get 3 massages w/ Celia before I left. OMG! I cried like a baby, those hurt like hell! I knew it was gonna hurt but damn it, that last one was no joke. She asked me if it was hurting and if it felt like it was burning, I said yes... she said "Good, that's the fluid coming out". That means I get to go home with a present... a drain. Who the heck is gonna take this thing out? How am I gonna fly with this thing coming out of me? WTH?!

I have my Stage 2 Garment with my waist cincher from the Dr.'s office. I don't know which one's you ladies are ordering, but the one from the doctor's office is sooo tight, it took 2 people to get it closed. Both Nomi and Celia were pulling to get it closed. Now my question, how am I supposed to do this alone? My Cincher is a XL and Baby, this thing is so tight, I cry at night and snatch it off. It feels like my body is being crushed. I can't do a whole night. I would definitely recommend using the one from the office and then maybe getting your own for sleeping. My waist now measures at 31 inch and I started at 36in. Loving this!!!

My flight home:
Time to be creative... My "Fall Risk" bracelet, my fuzzy leopard slippers, some legging, my boppy pillow and wheelchair at the airport. I kindly tucked in my drain, and rode thru the airport, patient style...lol. Ladies, you will not smash your new booty, trust me.
I was super early for my flight and I couldn't sit the whole time I waited, so I found some seats and laid across them on top of my sweater and pillow. Picture me laying on the seat, this big ole booty in the air and I'm causing all kind of commotion. LOL. Someone brought me something to drink cuz he thought I wasn't feeling well, he offered to buy me breakfast but I didn't trust that...but when it was time to board, he came back with a single rose and said he wanted me to feel better. AWWW!!!! I see me and this new booty are gonna get into a lot of trouble. lol
When you are in a wheelchair, you get on the flights 1st. I got the bulkhead seat (1st row, with all the leg room). Honestly, I wish I just got a regular seat. I sat trying to push up with my feet so I was hovering over my pillow and not full pressure. That only lasted so long. So I sat on my hip and then shifted to the other hip and looked out the window.

Nomi said I had to keep my drain in for 5 more days. Ok, but again, how am I going to get this thing out? She said I had to remove the stitches and pull it out myself. UUUUGH! I took my pain pill, cut the stiches and tried to pull it out. Nobody said this had to be long, swift pulling action, cuz I didn't do that and it retracted back in. OK, I gripped the side of the sink with one hand, closed my eyes and pulled and pulled. I got it!!!!

I came home from the hospital to a empty house and me trying to figure out how to manage for the rest of my time. I still had 6 more days to go, before I could fly home. The appointments were the easiest to deal with, I had my trusty maxi dresses, my fuzzy slippers, my "Fall Risk" action bracelet and my driver. I made the most of it. Justin the driver, kept me laughing when we were out, so I didn't feel bad.
I did have to go on a hunt for red meat, to get/keep my iron up. I don't like red meat and to force me to eat it is worse. Yuck. I tried to get him to just get me Burger King, but he would not. He strongly suggested some restaurant burger and then I went to Walmart to get some meat to cook. All I can say is the package said Beef something in spanish. It looked like hamburger meat, chopped up. It was easy to portion out a small portion at a time to cook and I ate salad and brown rice with it. I never googled the meat to see "exactly what" I was eating, for fear it might be beef nuts or something, so I just mixed it up with the rice and drank a whole lot of gatorade.

When I was in the house, the one thing I wish I had there, that I use at my house now is this grabber. Don't judge me, lol. But when you are wrapped up like a padded mummy and you can't bend to pick up anything, this would have been perfect. Since I didn't have it with me, I kicked everything into a nice pile in the corner, till I could manage a wall lean or pick it up with my foot. Sad, but true.

When you have your pre-op visit, you are given medical insurance that last for 30days after surgery. Never thought I would need it, but baby, make sure you treat this like gold. I had mine highlighted and flagged and made sure my friend knew exactly where it was, BEFORE I went to surgery.

The medical insurance papers were the 1st thing I grabbed on the way to the emergency room. Again, laying down, I'm wide awake, laughing, trash talking at the orderlies crashing my gurney into the wall.... all while I'm laying face down, big pink butt up in the air. Trust me, I didnt care who saw my butt, and after being in triage and everybody wanted to come in the room and ask me questions and touch my butt, I should have charged admission. O_o

The test came back, my hemoglobin levels dropped to 5, remember we need to be 12-13... and I was a 5!! So that means... blood transfusion. I cried, I tried to fight it, but no choice but to accept it....4 bags and an overnight visit. My friend was only staying for 4 days and we never expected this... but at least I'm still on this side of the dirt. I have to say, even though this was really, really scary, my nurse team at Adventura hospital ( 9North Team), were awesome. Carlos was my lead nurse and he was so funny, not to mention cute. and he knew I was a trash talker, so he and everyone on the floor kept me going. lol I love them!! Although I could only see everyone from their waist down, unless I actually tried to turn over, I started recognizing voices and shoes. Carlos even gave me a special bracelet... A "FALL RISK" bracelet, in bright yellow. This is just as bad as giving me a helmet and knee pads. WTH!! This bracelet was my ticket to everything... you know I milked it right?? lol. I rocked my bracelet and my fuzzy slippers everywhere while there. Before I was released, my friend had to leave and catch his flight... now I'm all alone and when I get back to my rental, its going to be even tougher. I can do this!! Hell, I had no choice.

Released: Back to the rental house, Gatorade, phone, pain pills and fan. (Again, I say, you may want a portable fan). All I could do all day was lay in the bed or shuffle, shuffle, step around the table and back and forth to the bathroom. The rental was not big at all, but it had tile floors and when I was hot or feeling faint, I would stand barefoot on the tile. Ahhhh!