Adventures in Kidneyville

We arrived at Oklahoma Surgical Hospital at the appointed time of 7:30am for my 9:30am scheduled second surgical lithotripsy for my right kidney. These people here are so nice and again escorted us everywhere after our free valet parking and they will not take tips! 


Roy and Oma accompanied me today, and that was such a blessing. Rachel kept trying... but Roy did not get her texts as to where we were because they block cell phones on the third floor. She waited until he texted her after 10am when I was wheeled back to surgery. She has taken wonderful care of me this evening, making supper and doing a Braums run!


During my pre-surgical whoopla we had some trouble getting an IV in. After the 2nd try, they called in the specialist and she got it immediately. She did not gloat either. I found myself consoling the first girl letting her know that I am a hard stick. I reminded her that I had her the last time and she did just fine. She was just so precious.


As I was laying in the hospital bed, being worked on for the prep, I could hear crying babies and little kids. This gave me time to pray for them. Can you imagine how scared those little ones were? Broke my heart. All this poking and probing and hurting! And prayed for calmness and peace for the parents who looked like deer staring at the headlights. 


Dr. G came by to give me a pep talk and to let me know he was ready to get this thing going, but we had to wait on the lithotripsy machine. We high-fived and he was on his way out. The person using it first was still in surgery. I pray that their procedure went well and they are recovering as well as I am. So around 10am Dana my head surgical nurse came in and wheeled me into the operation room that I swear was -10 degrees... it was cold!!! And I love cold... but when I have more on me than a thin hospital gown and some non-slid sockies.  Brrrrr.


My anesthesiologist was a hoot. She was already well versed on my bilateral vocal cord challenges and had everything under control (and personally I think she couldn't wait to hear the depth and resonance of my snoring abilities..hahaha) They talked me to about what all they were going to do and I saw the xrays. Whew... that one piece of Buster (affectionately named kidney stone) was big and was completely blocking the exit of the kidney and had a bunch of gravel behind it. No wonder I was still hurting so much! 


Then came the IV drugs... and then the gas mask... and then ZZZzzzzzzz


I woke up in recovery and I guess was yet again entertaining them beyond belief with the snoring. I wanted to shout.. NO THERE IS NOT A PROPELLER SHOVED UP MY NOSE!!!!.... hahaha.  Anyway I did find out that my oxygen level does drop considerably when I fall asleep. It is not apnea, but they would like me to have a sleep test this year sometime to see if a CPAP machine would help with that or not.  Now, the way I found this out was interesting.  Seems that I forgot to do ONE thing... take off my nail polish... so they put an oxygen sensor strip on my forehead... and I swear they super glued it there. I came to this conclusion when they removed it. I did more than whimper and still have a red mark there. hahaha.  (note to self... always remove nail polish before surgery) 


Finally a few hours later they sent me to post op and then sent me on my way.


A few things we noticed different this time:

• I noticed that I was super whoozey for a long time (hours) afterward. I guess they gave me more IV drugs this time. 
• I have been RAVENOUS hungry since then as well. HUGE difference from last time when I couldn't eat anything at all!  That means that they gave me Prednisone and that my Potassium levels are good!!

I am home and in my sweet recliner, resting and rejuvenating. Life is good. God is Faithful.

Signed... A Muse of the Remnant..... Christine

Lithotripsy Round Two Scheduled

Hello!

Had my appt with Doc G last Tuesday and he said we will do another lithotripsy on March 27th. He showed me on the xrays that part of Buster (affectionately named right kidney stone) did not break up as much as they thought and it was now blocking the remainder of the stone 'debris' from leaving... hence why my back is still hurting. We will be at the Oklahoma Surgical Hospital again. I really like that place. I have decided that I need to write up a booklet on comparing the different hospitals around Tulsa seeing that I have now been at 3 of the major ones in the last 5 months. 


Wednesday night I started feeling not-so-good. Thursday I got up to a 102 temp and it lasted all day and night and then Friday (today) I got up and it was still there, so I called Lynne at Doc G's office. I was really hoping that it was just the crud that everyone around here seems to have. It is not. The tests from Tuesday had just gotten back to her office.


That internal infection that I had taken those nasty Rocephin shots 2 weeks ago for has not gone away. I will have 5 more days of shots again, today was my first and will have a standing date next week. This infection has to go in Jesus' name. It has no right to invade my body and take up residence. It has to leave now. 


They will check me again next Thursday to make sure that it has left my body before the next surgical procedure, and let me declare ... the last surgical procedure with these kidney stones. Enough is enough. I am ready to walk in complete health and wholeness according to the word of God. 


What have I learned through all of this? I am an ongoing project of God and that he has an infinite sense of humor with me. He reveals new things to me all the time to work on, and He knows my boundaries better than I do.

• Patience... Things will be completed in His season, not mine. There are reasons why I have to wait on Him and his timing is always correct.
• Trusting... If you know me well, you know I do not trust easily. Probably why I have only a handful of close friends, but many aquaintances. I am learning to trust people, and to trust God more. When I get down on myself I hear that still small voice say, "I have your back kiddo.. no fretting allowed."
• Not being so serious and letting my humorous side come through more... I can even tell by my writing in this blog that my more 'colorful' side come through more. My immediate family knows that I can be a cut-up and comedian, but I rarely share that. I guess that goes back to 'trusting' 'eh? 
• Committing to my word (when I say I will pray about something, I pray about it right then.) I notice that so many people on Facebook say they will pray, but know that if I type that I will pray for you or your loved one - I am praying. (please give an update too... that helps to know if we should continue)

Learning so many other things too that I am not ready to share with you, but just ponder inside my heart for the time being. 

Love and hugs.... A Muse of the Remnant

Christine