I am awake after being visited by my nursing team, so I thought I’d post an update. (Typing is a challenge right now because I’m only able to type with my left hand; my right arm is out of commission.) So what to share? I think we got the nurses’ visits and medication administration down to a science. M.D. Anderson uses a pain scale – 0 – 10; 0 is no pain and 10 is excruciating – to gauge a patient’s level of discomfort/pain. This helps the care team determine the amount and type of pain medication to give. After surgery, my pain number was about a 4 – uncomfortable but not “off the charts,” however that number shot from a 4 to an 8 during the first visit of the day by the care team on the day after surgery. This probably had to do with their manipulation of my arm, body, taking vitals, etc. To address the spike in the pain number, I got a dose of Vicodin, but because it takes about a half hour for the drug to start working, morphine was added to my IV drip, so I could access that immediately. What I learned very quickly was that any movement of my right arm brings about intense pain. One thing happened to give me a false sense of security about my real pain level. During surgery I was given a paravertebral nerve block – which basically numbed the right side of my chest and my entire right arm, for several hours after surgery. I experienced little to no pain in and around the surgery sites. So while the nerve block was still working, I was unknowingly over-stretching and moving my arm as if I had normal use of my arm. With the return of feeling to my chest and arm, I realize the real (and painful) limitations of my body, and pain meds are administered accordingly and manipulation of my body is done much more gingerly. I have been up and out of bed twice since surgery. Kelly, Nat and I figured out how to get me in and out of bed with relative ease. It feels good to stretch and move around a bit. My pace isn’t nearly as fast as I’m accustomed, and I can’t walk very long – unsteady because of medications – but it feels good to get out of the confines of my hospital bed and room. Nat stayed with me last night. It feels comforting to know he is near. I think he’s even been able to sleep in the recliner that serves as his bed. I have loved reading messages on my Carepages, so thank you for dropping in and leaving word. We’ll continue keeping you up-to-date throughout recovery from surgery and upcoming treatment. Lots of love.
What A Pain!
What A Pain!
What A Pain!
I am awake after being visited by my nursing team, so I thought I’d post an update. (Typing is a challenge right now because I’m only able to type with my left hand; my right arm is out of commission.) So what to share? I think we got the nurses’ visits and medication administration down to a science. M.D. Anderson uses a pain scale – 0 – 10; 0 is no pain and 10 is excruciating – to gauge a patient’s level of discomfort/pain. This helps the care team determine the amount and type of pain medication to give. After surgery, my pain number was about a 4 – uncomfortable but not “off the charts,” however that number shot from a 4 to an 8 during the first visit of the day by the care team on the day after surgery. This probably had to do with their manipulation of my arm, body, taking vitals, etc. To address the spike in the pain number, I got a dose of Vicodin, but because it takes about a half hour for the drug to start working, morphine was added to my IV drip, so I could access that immediately. What I learned very quickly was that any movement of my right arm brings about intense pain. One thing happened to give me a false sense of security about my real pain level. During surgery I was given a paravertebral nerve block – which basically numbed the right side of my chest and my entire right arm, for several hours after surgery. I experienced little to no pain in and around the surgery sites. So while the nerve block was still working, I was unknowingly over-stretching and moving my arm as if I had normal use of my arm. With the return of feeling to my chest and arm, I realize the real (and painful) limitations of my body, and pain meds are administered accordingly and manipulation of my body is done much more gingerly. I have been up and out of bed twice since surgery. Kelly, Nat and I figured out how to get me in and out of bed with relative ease. It feels good to stretch and move around a bit. My pace isn’t nearly as fast as I’m accustomed, and I can’t walk very long – unsteady because of medications – but it feels good to get out of the confines of my hospital bed and room. Nat stayed with me last night. It feels comforting to know he is near. I think he’s even been able to sleep in the recliner that serves as his bed. I have loved reading messages on my Carepages, so thank you for dropping in and leaving word. We’ll continue keeping you up-to-date throughout recovery from surgery and upcoming treatment. Lots of love.