Kallipalooza

Kallipalooza
Update from KU Med

Wow! I'm still alive. I have a 7 inch incision (breast bone to belly button), two abdominal drainage holes, and a drainage hole in my mid back that is draining fluid from my lung. Remarkably the pain is bearable... much to my surprise.

Now here's a dilemma: I'm expecting Aunt Rosy (the period from hell) any day now. Now imagine having had all your insides recently sifted through (remember- the pancreas, or in my case what's left of it, sits waaaaay back almost to the spine in the abdominal cavity). Also imagine post-op swelling, lack of mobility, and the fact that there is a catheter in me for peeing purposes. I'm starting to really really hope and pray my period will skip me this month. Maybe the period fairy knows when you're really sick and helps you out once in a while...

The night before surgery Scott spent the evening with me, and Andy slept over at the hospital. I felt strangely calm and peaceful prior to going into the pre/post surgery room, and that was even before they gave me the "I don't care medicine". Truthfully, there's a lot of pain, but nothing has been as bad as I envisioned it could be.... although I am pretty dang cranky! The fact that my parents have been driving all over KC looking for a Walmart with my bag of supplies, reading materials, toiletries, etc... has driven me to tears no less than twice today. I want my own damn deodorant nurse Ratchett!

I know many of you have been sending prayers, good energy, well wishes, and I appreciate it. I will hopefully be able to tolerate more in the way of visitors after I'm out of the ICU. Which will hopefully be in the next two days. Please talk to Scott, Becky or Meg if you're thinking of calling or coming up, and they'll let you know when the coast is clear and I'm not being a total bitch.