So guess what happened today? Two of my stitches fell out! Oh yeah! One step closer to 100% recovery! You've got to love these jaw surgery milestones!
So since my life is becoming somewhat normal again I've been doing a lot of thinking back to the day of surgery and those very early recovery days, and in all honesty I cannot remember any of it!! There are memories which are a complete blur, and things which baffle me still to this day. I guess when you're knocked out for a big amount of time, and then pumped so hard with every pain med going, you really don't know what's going on - and I didn't...
There is one thing that has always stuck out to me, and that was waking up for the first time in recovery. In my head, I thought I was fine as soon as I woke up, but the more I try to 'piece together the day' the more I actually don't remember any of it. For example, when I woke up, I thought I stayed awake, moved to my ward 2 hours later and then saw my family. In reality, I actually have no clue of moving out of recovery to my ward, or even how I got off the theatre trolley onto my bed. I certainly hadn't stayed awake for 2 hours, and I know this because my limited memory was actually of my surgeon trying to wake up over and over again, and him telling me to stop touching my face. During this time my sats dropped, I got the worst chesty cough imaginable, and my recovery nurses refused to move me to my ward because I wasn't stable enough yet in their eyes, and I refused to keep my oxygen mask on. I guess I scared myself a little (knowing to much is bad for you) and I sat up and just watched my surroundings. I even attempted to drink from a cup which failed, obviously as I couldn't feel or move my face, but then I assume I dosed back off during this time and they eventually moved me out, as I can't remember the transfer at all. I remember being sick when I finally got to the ward, waving to my parents and James when they first saw me, and then from here the rest of the visit and the night turned into a blur... apparently I asked James if my nose was wonky. Oh well!
I also don't remember the first time I saw my 'new face.' Before surgery I thought it would be a big moment, that would stay with me forever, but I have no clue of seeing it for the first time. I vaguely remember people telling me that I looked amazing in recovery, but lets be honest, I was so spaced out, falling in and out of sleep, I didn't care what they were telling me, and I guess during this time I didn't care what I looked like either! I think I even shrugged one of the nurses when she said that the transformation was amazing! Opps! :P
Considering I can't remember much of my stay in hospital, It still felt like the longest 3 days of my entire life.
Anyway, I want your guys views. How much can you remember, or not in this case? How did you feel waking up for the first time, or seeing your face? Get commenting!
Hi!
ReplyDeleteThis is late, but I haven't been on blogger at all so I thought I'd take the time and reply to your question! :P
I actually remember my hospital stay pretty clearly. I remember waking up to my mom and my dad by my side and I was squeezing my dad's hand really, really hard as I was scared and tired and really, really HOT (which I hated) and I remember asking for some medication and it took the doctor forever to come and put stuff in my IV. I was grumpy. I remember going to my room in my bed with my mom and my dad and I remember feeling groggy and tired and still, self-consious about my face. I also remember switching beds into my bed in my room and I was unbelievably dizzy which seemed really unfamiliar to me. I remember my parents asking me if I wanted anything to eat or drink for a while but I didn't want to and I remember not being able to sleep and I had my brothers come and visit me. I remember most of my hospital stay in other words. It's all very vivid to me . . . and I guess that's just because those first few days I learned a lot about myself.