Surgery Part 2

My next surgery was much bigger & more invasive, but I just wanted it done, I wasn't nervous, I was determined. The same surgery prep as I mentioned in my last post was all done again. I was a pro at blood tests by now & cannulas, even if I did still need my "magic" numbing cream.. I went off the surgery in the afternoon of the 9th of September with my mum this time. I bid my nana goodbye & was perfectly calm. I again got the floaty feeling with the pre med, & don't remember anything until recovery. Again I had tea & toast, (four slices this time) ha, & slept soundly through the night, I was comfortable in the early hours of the morning but by the time my mum arrived at 10am I was crying in agony, the dia-morphine injection had worn off & I could feel everything.. The nurses did their best to manage my pain, but it took 4 hours for me to feel any kind of relief. I was then moved up to my ward again & started getting a temperature.. This continued to increase through the night as well as my heart rate..there were only 2 nurses on my ward & 1 on call doctor for the whole hospital so very little could be done until the morning. My mum arrived at 6am & we were shortly surrounded by all sorts of Doctors. They did arterial blood tests, chest x-rays, & a CTPA scan with contrast dye where they found shadowing in my upper right lung, I was told I had a clot & that they would start me on clexane injections that evening to thin my blood. We were also told that the clexane could gather around the nerves at the base of my spine & make me lose all feeling in my legs & feet. I was on my ward with no monitoring apart from my mum tickling my feet and legs for an hour before I was moved back the HDU for another night. I was incredibly uncomfortable all night, & in the morning more doctors & tests.. It was then picked up that I needed a blood transfusion, 2 units. I continued to have the clexane injections every evening, they were injected into my belly, not the nicest thing ever & then I was started on warfarin. The doctors weren't convinced with the clot diagnosis so got a cardiologist from a neighbouring hospital to do an ultra sound of my heart, he said I had one of the strongest hearts he'd seen & there was no clot, nor had there ever been. I was discharged this day.. The surgery was completely successful & my back was the one thing that didn't give me any trouble. I grew 2 inches & had an incredible result.. What stood out for me was when my doctors were talking about me & said "this is Leigh, & she had scoliosis".. I didn't have it anymore.. Wow.
           LJxo