Home Again- Take Two

I came home from the hosptital on Tues afternoon (dec 29th, 2009).

So for anyone interested, here is the full story of what happened...the whys, the whens, and the hows....

On Christmas Eve morning I awoke in lots of pain. This was strange because I had been having a great,low pain recovery from my hysterectomy the previous week. Everything had been going better than I had even expected or hoped. So I lay there for awhile, took some strong pain drugs, and the pain seemed to worsen. I called my doc, and he of course asked the barrage of questions, one being did I have a fever. Well I didn't know, so of course I promptly took my temp and low and behold I had quite a temp considering all the meds I was on that should have totally eliminated a fever! So of course, being Christmas Eve the doctors office was closed and so I had to meet him at the ED.
By the time I got there I was in excruciating pain.
His partner, Dr. Hutchinson was on call and after the most brutally painful exam I have ever endured, some blood draws, ultrasounds, etc.... He announced that he was admitting me.
Immediately tears started streaming down my face. Tomorrow was Christmas Day, the kids? How is this happening?????
But alas, I was admitted.
The next two days were mostly a blur for me as I was in such pain, but I do know that I was on three strong antibiotics for a post-operative infection, and also strong pain medications, both via my IV.
As Christmas was in the hospital, my family brought the kids up a couple a times a day and they opened presents around my bed in shifts over a couple of days. I know it was good for them to have me there as they opened, but I was pretty out of it and don't remember much from CHRISTMAS DAY.

The kids really did have a hard time with me not being home. By the last night, Caroline was crying herself to sleep. It was rough on them all.

As far as my recovery in the hospital, truly after about 36 hours of antibiotics I began to turn a corner and my pain level began to decrease, as well as my fever,and I started to feel much better.
The plan then was for me to go home on Monday, having been fever free for 48 hours.

But alas, I, Erika Yaman, am never an easy straight forward patient... So by Sunday evening, into Monday, I developed Shortness of Breath big time! I could not lay down.
I could not swallow a drink or eat without feeling panic.
I had to sit straight up as if I was in a chair.
A pulmonologist, Dr. Mark Mason, was brought in to evaluate me. After a spiral CT of the Chest it was determined that no, I did not have blood clot in my lung, but I did in fact have what seemed to be pulmonary edema (fluid on my lungs). So I had to stay another night in order for them to draw all the fluid out by giving me a drug called Lasix, that basically just makes you pee like mad, and then stick around for them to make sure all was well.

So by Tues all was mostly well but they still wanted to try and figure out why a healthy 31 year old developed pulmonary edema. So off for another test, an ECHO ( a look at how my heart was working) to make sure that this was not a cardiac based problem. Thankfully Dr. Mason let me go home without awaiting the results of this test, so HERE I AM.
I AM HOME!
I am tired. I am still sore. But I AM HOME!
I am back on the straight road to recovery and so glad to be there!

BACK in the HOSPITAL- Take TWO...

I was having a great recovery, as seen in my last post. I was feeling on cloud nine overall- I did have post surgical pain, and I was wiped out, but overall I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

HOWEVER, as we all know my life doesn't seem to follow any straightforward path these days, so of course:

I woke up Christmas Eve in major, I MEAN MAJOR, pain. I could hardly even pee folks (sorry if TMI). I also was running a fever. Of course the doctors office was closed, so the doctor said he would meet me at the ED at Baptist.

Now its the Saturday evening after Christmas and I am still hanging out in the hospital, and it looks as if I will be stuck here through atleast Monday according to my doc.

I am getting heavy duty antibiotics via my IV.

It was very rough for me to miss the homey christmas with my kids. They came up Christmas Eve and decorated my room for Christmas and sang some carols to me. So sweet. I was really too out of it, in so much pain and on so much pain medication that I could hardly stay focused, but I know it was good for them to be here.

Here is the Christmas tree they decorated for my room:

Christmas Shopping This Year--Thank God for the Internet

Christmas shopping. These two words tend to fill people either with dread or warm happy feelings. I definatly fall into the latter catergory. I LOVE CHRISTMAS. I love everything about it.
I love Christmas shopping. I really do.
I love making lists.
I love coming up with ideas and then shopping in the Christmas spirit for gifts for all of those that I love.
I love apple cider, and hot chocolate...and peppermint mochas from Starbucks!
I love celebrating our Saviors Birth, reading the bible stories...
I love teaching my Kids about it, and watching them learn.
I love the Hymns, Carols, all the Traditions.
I love the festivities.
I love the smell, the wonderful evergreen smell.
I love the decorations, especially the Tree every year!
I love the fires in the fireplace. ( there is a roaring one now as I write!)
I love baking Christmas Cookies. (even though I am SO not a baker)
I love thinking over my meal for Christmas day, all the planning involved, and most of all I LOVE COOKING the Christmas meal!
I love how excited my kids get.
I love the look on my kids faces Christmas morning when they come down the stairs and see their presents and stockings!
I LOVE CHRISTMAS. Its my Favorite Holdiay.

This year is a little bit of a let down for me. I am not in my house, cannot do my own decorations. No normal christmas shopping for me- I am in pain. I am going to have surgery and not be able to cook at all for christmas. But, I love the internet-for the first time ever I shopped from home, and got almost everything I needed for everyone online.
I am still in such a Happy Christmas Mood.
Thanks to my friend Julie I found something new that i love. ---
I love Pandora.com---Christmas music playing from the computer, the songs I like!

So, Merry Christmas to All!!!!!