My surgery journey

Thought I would quickly jump on now I have my computer all set up again.  Here is my journey for surgery!
Tuesday 2/11/10
Have to be at the hospital at 9am, surgeons secretary told me the day before I would be set down for surgery at 10.30am.  Fasting from midnight.
My husband and I drop our 3 girls at my mums around 7am, then leave for the hospital.  We get there at 8am, way early.  Sit in the cafe with hubby while he has breakfast and a coffee.  I am feeling so apprehensive, I don't think I could have eaten if I was allowed anyway.
Just before 9am we head up to the Admissions Centre, fill in paper work, sign papers and of course pay!
I am then told to take a seat.  Around 10am my name is called, hubby and I are taken to a room out the back and go through more info to fill in, usual quesitions, no false teeth etc.  Get weighed, put on sexy surgery outfit.  Am told they are waiting for me so nurse rushes through paperwork.

Hubby is then asked to leave and I am walked around to the waiting area, noone is there to receive me so walked back to the other office.  Nurse turns up and walks me back through to a bed.  Anasthesiest comes and asks me all the same questions again, he leaves, then another one comes in, same questions again.
The date of birth is wrong on my paperwork so that is being fixed up, I am wheeled into the theatre.  Its freezing!  Small talk between me and the anasthesists etc, they tear a hole in the side of my gown (this is where the drainage tube will be), one of the anasthesists says they just wrecked my melbourne cup dress, I ask do they like my fascinator (beautiful cap).  I then start to shake.  The anasthesists tells me he is going to give me something to help me relax, that is the last thing I remember.  It all happened so fast.  I next remember them calling my name and telling me its time to wake up.  I am very very groggy, really struggling to keep my eyes open.  I am wheeled into a ward where my hubby is waiting for me (he said it was 2.30pm).  He unpacks my things while nurses fuss over me.  They then decide to move me to a private room, so hubby repacks!

I remember having a really bad nurse looking after me, turns out she was an agency nurse so hadn't been there before, I needed to throw up, she couldn't find anything for me to throw up in, so I was given one of the cardboard containers they carry the drugs in when they give them to you.  She also tells me to sip some water, I ask her for a medicine cup because that is what has been drilled into me about making sure I don't drink too much, she tells me, oh you will just have to sip this! 
I also have on this tens machine on my legs, it pumps air into sections pulsing kind of thing, this is to prevent blood clots.  Have never had that before.
I remember getting up to go to the toilet that night.  And all I wanted to do was sleep but they did 2 hourly obs so kept being woken up, as well as an elderly man with dementia (god bless him) calling out for his deceased wife all night, :(
Wednesday 3rd
Still very groggy and tired.  All I want to do is sleep.  My mum brings my 1 year old to see me, I am very sore and on edge because she is jumping all over me, they don't stay long.  All I want to do is sleep anyway.  Had chicken soup with protein powder in it for breakfast along with some apple juice.  Gee they come and take your tray away really quickly!  I was on 30ml/half hour.  Its not easy to do, I don't think I did it right I was very apprehensive.  I was feeling hungry.
Slept on and off most of the day between ob's, got up and had an assisted shower.  Threw up some more, got a few more anti nausea shots. 
Hubby brings my other 2 girls in to see me.  Hospitals are no place for kids, they got really bored and were stressing me out.  So they didn't stay long.

Thursday 4th
Feeling better after some sleep, got up and had a shower on my own, washed my hair.  Feeling so much fresher. 
I have to go and have the Barrim swallow (sp) its disgusting, you stand up on a step with this xray machine around you, you take a gulp of the stuff then wait until they tell you to swallow it.  I had to have 3 gulps.  It is a liquorice, aniseed taste.  When I mentioned to the radiographer it was so disgusting he said "yep you will never drink oozo again!"  He also mentions all looks good on the scan but I have to wait for the doctor.
I am wheeled back to my room. lunch, more chicken soup with protein powder and a apple juice, I also get a bottle of water with every meal!  I only ended up using half of the 1st bottle I was given!  We bought the others home.
Having alot of trouble sleeping, just cant get comfortable on the bed, the part where it sits up feels like it is digging into my back.  I get up and sit in a chair for a while, then try again.  Up at 5.15 am .
Friday 5th
I get to go home today, I am showered and ready at 6am, my doctor has been and given me the ok to go home.
My mum and step father arrive just after 9am, I get the canular taken out and am discharged.  The drive home was a bit rough, my 1 year old screamed the whole way home, she was very tired.  I went straight to the lounge and dozed on and off.  My mum took my girls back to her place again and I went to bed.  Hubby got home at 3pm and mum dropped the girls back.  Feeling alot better after more sleep.
Hubby makes steak & gravy for their dinner, god it smells good, I have 2 small tip of the spoon tastes.  I am still very scared to have to much.
Had an up & go I sipped on all day, then a beef soup for dinner.