....but I almost died!

      My son in law and I have the running joke about the fact that he has had “lasers in his eyes”. During his recovery from PK surgery he wanted Taylor to get him something. I was on the phone with her and she was aggravating him. His response was “but I’ve had lasers in my eyes” at which point we all busted out laughing. Since that day our response to a lot of things is “but did you die?” “I bet it wasn’t as serious as having lasers in your eyes”. It became the most serious thing that anyone could ever have happen to them. Well, until last Tuesday that’s how he won an argument..... As I woke up in SICU after my surgery the first thing I did was call him and say “I win, after all I almost died!”

     Let’s back up and revisit a few days. Tuesday, May 11 I woke up and Taylor took me to Erlanger to have a hip replacement. Everyone had told me how easy these anterior hips were and I was so looking forward to finally being pain free. I had no nervousness, no apprehension, nothing. I was cool as a cucumber like it was any other day of the week. Taylor’s response was I was “creepily calm”.

     Our experience in registration was easy and quick. My trip to the pre-op no problem as we walked to the area. The nurses were so amazing and SO nice! I informed them I was a lip reader and had to ask them to remove their masks. I was pleasantly surprised that 99% of every person that came past my curtain lowered their mask as they entered. In a way, it shocked me that someone was actually reading the whole chart or listening to the nurse. Doctors can be very dismissive. Not this crowd. 

     My IV was started and the nurse anesthetist came in for all the pertinent questions and answers. Everything was flowing smoothly. They explained the procedure of having a spinal and propofol through the IV as sedation. My first epidural and my last epidural were not anything that I wanted to experience but I was a big girl and was preparing myself mentally. I bent myself over the pillow as they readied their tray to get started. I took a couple of deep breaths and prayed for little pain. This was the last thing I remember. I have no recollection that another thing happened before or during surgery. To say I am a light weight is an understatement. Those younger days of alcohol participation went away 30 years ago and since I’ve gotten easier and easier to put down. 

     Imagine waking up in a groggy state and hearing “how many has she had?” Someone answered “4”  “Hang another LR” and seeing multiple people around your bedside. I don’t mean a couple I mean four at my feet two on each side and one at the head. I remember crying over the severe back pain and my sweet Wendy and Svetlana in the RR were taking excellent care of me. Wendy then explained as much as she could they were giving me blood. I was again just as calm and knew I was in the right place and was well taken care of. The doctor had said rarely they have to give blood but it was a possibility. I just went on back to sleep without a care in the world. At another point I am awake and Wendy explains I have had some complications and had lots of blood and was heading to SICU.

   We were on our way up to SICU and I’m giving directions as they had never gone up there!!! LOL I asked them to stop at the big windows as I didn’t want to lose a day and be confused. SICU staff swooped in on me, had me in the bed and bathed in a matter of minutes. It seemed no time before Taylor was allowed in and Casey called. Taylor had been left in the dark for 5ish hours. She was beside herself as one could imagine. She explained the time and what had happened. The nurse explained what had happened but none of it SERIOUSLY soaked in. I knew I was fine and couldn’t understand the severity of what they were telling me. Why in the world is everyone acting like it was the end of the world here?

    Tuesday night was not an easy sleep. Alarms went off every single time I went to sleep. Lexi or the other Lexi would come flying in the room and adjust the Levofed drip I was on. She explained I had lost so much blood my blood pressure was tanking and I had to have the levo support. I joked about an old ACLS saying “Levofed, leave ‘em dead”. It was the thinking back then if one had done every step up to the levofed the patient would be better off just to go to Jesus. So here I lie, pretty flat, catheter in my bladder, thirsty, and alone. Lexi was such a ray of sunshine. She talked to me every time she came in and reassured me I was ok and was extremely lucky to be alive. 

     The next day I get a visit from my surgeon and his nurse. He was so serious and I couldn’t comprehend why he was so serious and concerned. He was so uneasy looking. He told me what actually happened. Seems surgery was going as planned. It was running on time with no problems. As soon as he cut into my bone it not only bled but gushed blood and was steadily coming out. All parts were identified and they all agreed there were no bleeders and it was all bone. In the meantime, Dr Thompson, the anesthesiologist was busy trying to keep me from crashing. It didn’t work. Seems I crashed and crashed hard. They placed an arterial line and another IV in my hand. They hung blood and Dr Higgins told me his next call was to code me. My blood pressure bottomed out and it wasn’t looking good. He told me he had done over 1200 hips and I am the only one that has ever had to have blood. He said he had never seen anything like it. He said I scared him. I told him I was just trying to keep him on his toes. He seriously said “NO YOU SCARED ME”. I think that is when I really stopped and thought about it. I almost coded. He said that was his next call had I not started trending up. 

     For my medical friends here is a run down of things pumped into me during the crazy event. 4 Packed Red Blood Cells, 1 unit plasma, 1 unit platelets and 1000ml albumin. Levofed titrated to support. I know ya’ll, pick you jaw up off the floor. When I saw it on paper I understood why he was scared. Having never had to transfuse someone to that! I really did show off! The lowest I saw my blood pressure during the night was 55/33. You guys say chill out....I couldn’t have chilled any more than that. 

     I was finally moved to a room and told my physical therapist I wasn’t worried. I told him I bent over that pillow and regardless of where I woke up I wasn’t worried because I knew Jesus. It’s a lot easier to think that way when you go to sleep with that assurance. I was going to wake up and continue to live my life or I would have awakened in heaven with my Father. I told him I would have hated it for my family but otherwise I was still “creepily calm”. 

     I’ve been home a few days and my daughter, son in law and grandson have all taken such great care of me! They have taken me and we have seen my mom every day outside in the beautiful weather. They have cooked and cleaned. It is very difficult to sit and let people do for me but I couldn’t have asked for better care. Even Finn will get my walker for me and the dog refuses to leave my side. I don’t know what she thinks she could do but she is attached to my other hip.

     So, unlike most of my blogs this one doesn’t really have many giggles or anecdotes it just throws out there what really happened that fateful Tuesday. I guess the takeaway is the devil didn’t want the competition and God wasn’t ready. I lived to tell and am on the road to recovery. Thank you to all so whispered a prayer that day. I’ve had many calls and notes and every one has meant so much! I hope the walker walking doesn’t last long and I get back on my own two feet. Getting ready to roll from pre op

I’m trying to be bionic

 I have great nurses

Visiting mom