Another edition of Crohn’s Confidential, today I am all about how the recovery from my surgery was. I expected the worst- unbearable pain, complications galore and a very long road. I knew what happened after my emergency surgery with my appendix and that was a terrible recovery so I was honestly not very hopeful.
After I was brought up to my room and transferred into my bed for the next few days, I honestly slept most of the afternoon. I was exhausted (emotionally and physically) and still very loopy from the anesthesia. That poor nurse that took care of me that afternoon, I must have asked her the same questions 100 times. I expected to be not in the mood for anything that day right after surgery.
When doing research about UPenn, I realized they had private rooms on a floor called the Pavilion. I looked into it- it was a reservation type room and there were only 5 of them. You had to pay an additional fee for this (on top of your insurance); you could make a reservation but you were not guaranteed this room. They did not who was going to be there on the day of your surgery.
I was lucky, they had an opening the day of my surgery. I was so happy that I would be able to recover in a private room. In the past, I’ve had some really terrible roommates in hospitals, and that gives me a lot of stress while I am trying to recuperate. Having my own room allowed me to relax a little more.
The room was beautiful and it overlooked the football field at UPenn. The hallway was nice and quiet. I went to bed that first night thinking, ‘okay! this is the first step to recovery, gab, you got this.’
I woke up the next morning, slightly confused where I was. My parents came back early and saw I was more alert and more like my self. My mom suggested, we change me out of the UPenn Hospital gown and into my own- to make me feel a little better.
It was a slow process getting me out of bed, I was scared to move too quickly thinking I would hurt myself. I was happy to brush my hair and my teeth. I was happy to get out of the bed and put some slippers on and a new gown on. That was my favorite thing I brought was my own hospital gowns.
I wore a different one each day and it not only made me feel like I was home but it also gave me something to look forward to. I felt more normal.
Now finding hospital gowns was a little challenging but we found really pretty ones. Ones that looked almost like dresses. I had a cape that I would wear when I was cold and I had my own slippers too when I wanted to take a few laps around the floor.
Once I got changed, I settled into the recliner for another day of recovery. The day nurse asked if I wanted to try to walk a little. UPenn encourages patients who can, to walk around. I reluctantly said yes; I was scared to walk- worried I would cause damage to my healing scars. I slowly walked with the nurse out of my room and down to the end of the hallway. We turned around at the end and then came back to my room. She asked if I wanted to do that again, I said I would try again in a little bit. Just a short walk was a little hard for me.
After the walk a group of very young doctors came around to see how I was doing. They all reminded me of Doogie Howiser, MD- very young but very knowledgeable. The one said I think we can take the gauze off your incisions. My eyes got so big and I said “are you sure? isn’t it too soon?” I laid down back into bed for them to take the bandages off. They came off easy and the young doctors were pleased with the healing process so far. Phew! I thought.
The rest of the day consisted of walks and resting. I went to bed that night thinking to myself, day one of recovery is done!
Before bedtime, my vitals were taking and they asked me if I wanted the pain medicine. I was feeling pretty good all day, not really having anything besides Tylenol all day; I decided to say no thank you. Well 3:30 in the morning, I woke up screaming in pain. I should have taken the pain medicine. The nurses came running in and I said there is a shooting pain in my right arm. They gave me some pain medication and I was able to rest more comfortably.
The second full day post op, was hard. I had such a great day the day before, today I felt like something was really wrong. I slept whenever I wasn’t walking around the floor. I was completely exhausted and didn’t want to do much that day. I asked the nurses about eating. I still hadn’t eaten anything since Tuesday and it was Saturday. They kept saying once I have a bowel movement, that is the indicator that everything is okay after surgery. I prayed so hard to have a bowel movement and I got my prayers answered not exactly the way I wanted to .
Later that day, I wanted to take a walk before I got ready to turn in for the night. As I was making the first turn on my walking path, I felt a rumbling in my stomach. I had been feeling that all day and it got excited thinking maybe my insides are working; well not a few minutes later, I thought I had to fart but it was not exactly a fart… (sorry TMI). My eyes got huge and I said I need to get back to my room NOW! I waddled back to my room as quick as I can and I exclaimed as I walked back into it and right into the bathroom. I was so excited to tell the nurses. I said, now this means I can eat right?! They had to talk to the doctor first before they could give me anything.
I went to bed that night, thinking of everything I could eat and I couldn’t wait. I was awoken again with shooting pains in my right arm again because I refused the pain medication again. Okay I learned my lesson and noted to ask the doctor tomorrow why I kept getting these pains in my arm and not in my stomach. I went right back to sleep again, dreaming of food.
On Sunday which was the 3rd full day post op, I got dressed in another hospital gown and I was so excited for breakfast. On the Pavilion floor I was staying on, they had a concierge who was able to provide you anything you really wanted- so when they asked me what I wanted for breakfast, I couldn’t make up my mind! HA! I figured I should play it safe and I ordered scrambled eggs and toast. You would have thought it was like something much fancier the way I got so excited about it when they brought it in. I tried to eat it nice and slowly and it was the most delicious thing I’ve tasted in a long time! HA!
Later that day, the concierge stopped by to see if the Pastoral Care had stopped by. We said no. He said he would call them again. A little later Miss Lisa showed up in our room and she prayed with us and gave me hope that this is the right thing for me and I will get back to my normal life again.
A group of doctors came around and said I could go home. I thought it was too early, I had only one bowel movement yesterday and I just had eaten and they didn’t really know if that agreed with me yet. That gave me so much anxiety. I asked them if I could stay one more night to make sure I was okay. They agreed.
It hit me that I was going home tomorrow, in less than 24 hours and that made me really nervous; I had an almost 2 hour car drive home and then we were on our own (so to speak). I went to bed that night with pain medication (I learned my lesson the two nights before and I wanted a good night sleep) thinking I will be in my own bed tomorrow night.
I was thinking about all the doctors, nurses, techs I met and that helped me. I thought about the concierge staff and how amazing they were with me and my parents. I prayed for them all that night. I was so thankful I was able to have the surgery at UPenn and I was able to stay on the concierge floor. A lot of my anxiety before the surgery about where I was staying and how the surgery was to go, went away because of the awesome staff and the great care they provided me.
I was given the okay to be discharged in the morning and the ride home for me was scary. I didn’t know if I would be able to sit up for two hours in a car that the road wasn’t exactly smooth. I tried to sleep for most of the ride and when we pulled into my drive way, I heard the familiar sound of the rocks, I breathed a sigh of relief- I made it. I was completely exhausted from the ride home the first thing I did was nap. I was so happy to be out of the hospital, have no IV ports in both hands and not be constantly monitored. I the best sleep I’ve had in a week.
The next three weeks at home were filled with ups and downs. I didn’t sleep in my actual bed for almost a week. I don’t like that feeling of laying down flat- this is something that happened to me after my first surgery. I slept in the recliner mostly and I laid on my bed during the day for a change of scenery.
I was walking daily around my yard, which served two purposes, to let me get some fresh air and to get me out of the house. I felt down some days and happy other days. I wanted to get back to my normal life so quickly. I hit some road bumps with little fevers and just being really fatigued.
After three weeks, I went to see the surgeon again for a check up. She was happy with my healing and gave me the go ahead to go back to work. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I couldn’t lift anything heavy for a few more weeks and I was worried I was going to forget that and hurt myself.
Overall recovery was pretty easy for me this time around. I think I was much more prepared mentally going into this surgery than I was the last time. I knew what to expect and what to do. I think the things that helped me the most were having a private room in the hospital, having my own hospital gowns that I looked forward to each day and my families unwavering support always.
[[storms don’t last forever.]]
-gabrielle