Lots to be thankful for!

It has been four weeks since the surgery and I can't believe how fast the time has gone. I am doing very well and have been getting out of the house pretty much every day. I hope to go back to work this Wednesday just to see how I do and to get back into the swing of things. I have healed almost to the point of feeling like my old self, and all that is left is a little soreness in my chest.

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year and my uncles from Florida both came up to visit and I enjoyed spending time with them. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, including
1. My family
2. Tim, who has been absolutely amazing through everything
2. My friends
3. My health now that everything has gone well
4. The Blum family and all of their endless love, support and generosity
5. The Internet, which kept me very occupied while sitting on the couch recovering
6. Bad reality tv that has also entertained me
7. Good writers so my brain didn't go to mush too much

I have already noticed a difference in how I am feeling, in my appetite and my energy level so I can't wait to feel 100% so I can start to work out. Tim and I want to join a gym and work out together, he's going to be my lifting coach :)
I'm a little nervous about going back to work but feel that if I don't at least try to go back that I'll just be delaying the inevitable. I still have to wait another week before I can drive, and I've been sitting in the back seat every time I go somewhere, so its been nice being chauffeured around town.

Now its time to think about Christmas, I can't believe that its less than a month away! Happy Holidays to everyone!

Road to Recovery

I'm home! Actually, I've been slacking on the blog. I've been home since Sunday afternoon and have been steadily recovering since.
Here's the nitty-gritty of what went down in Boston:
I actually went into surgery around 2:00 Tuesday and surgery lasted about three hours. After surgery I was moved to ICU where I was under sedation for a while before I was woken up. I had to be awake and breath over the breathing tube for an hour before the nurses decided I was awake enough and strong enough to breath on my own. Of course one of the first things that the nurse told me when I woke up was that Obama won, such history! They took out the breathing tube around 2 am. Not a pleasant experience to remember at all, but its over with. By 6 or 7 am the nurse had me up and out of my hospital bed and had me resting in a recliner. A little after that most of my IV's were taken out, and my chest tubes were removed as well...another not very pleasant experience that I'm happy is over with. By 9 am I had everything disconnected except for one IV, and the nurses and doctors all agreed that I was well enough to be moved to the cardiac unit. I was moved that afternoon and spent the rest of the time in my private room getting taken care of by the best nurses ever. I was up and walking around the floor the next day and felt better and better. I was released on Sunday and by that time I was very happy to be out of the hospital. I am not on any medication except for an aspirin a day, and iron because my hemoglobin was a little low. I'm on minimal pain medication and have managed to feel better every day.
I have an appointment with my local cardiologist on Monday and then will go back to Boston for a follow up appointment in 6 to 8 weeks. I'm doing very well at home and can climb stairs so I get to sleep in my bed, Yay! Moving the box spring was well worth it! My only restrictions are on what I lift or pull, and I'm not allowed to drive for 5 weeks.
I have to say that my recovery is must smoother than I anticipated. I feel a lot better that I thought I would and have much more energy that I ever thought! This recovery is actually easier than recovering from the broken pelvis.
I have another two weeks of rest and recovery before I go back to work and I know I'll need it because I'm still tired, but I also know that by the time I do go back I'll feel better than ever.
Thank you to everyone who has sent kind emails, cards, flowers and gifts, I'm overwhelmed with the generosity of all my loved ones.

Road to Recovery

I'm back!
Its been three days post op and I was finally feeling well enough to make the walk down the hall to the computer lab and post a quick note to everyone.
First, I want to thank everyone again for their thoughts and prayers, I think with everyone's support behind me I have been able to recover quicker than anyone thought. I didn't go into surgery until about 2 pm on Tuesday and the surgery itself only took about three hours. I was moved to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit where I was under sedation until about 1 am, then they slowly woke me up, took out my breathing tube and let me sleep. I was up and out of bed by 7 am on Wednesday, and had most of my IV's and my chest tubes removed by 9. I was moved to the Cardiac Unit Wednesday afternoon and I've been steadily recovering there since. The nurses and doctors here at the hospital couldn't be better, I'm in the best hands here and appreciate everyone's care for me. I have been taking short walks around my floor, and have been fully disconnected from all IVs and am taking pain medication a couple times a day. I'm still very tired and spend most of the day napping but I'm happy at how far I've come in such a short period of time.
I can't wait to get home, and at this point it looks like I'll be there by Sunday. I'll post more details later on after I get home but I wanted to update everyone myself and assure you all that I'm up and doing better than expected.

Two Days post op

Meghan is doing great! She is off ICU and is recovering on the regular heart care floor. All tubes and assorted devices have been removed. She was up walking a little bit today and had some solid food. The doctors are all amazed at how quickly she is progressing. Thank you all for your prayers for her quick recovery.

We can't use our cell phones on the floor as they interfere with the heart equipment but I'm sure Meghan will be able to leave the floor in a day or two to check all of her messages.

Also, I know that some people have been inquiring about sending flowers and just for everyones' information flowers are not permitted at the hospital.

I'm sure it won't be much longer until Meghan can post her own messages. Until then I will relay all your good wishes.

Mom

The Big Day

I've arrived safely in Boston with Mom and Dad. I underwent an exhausting 6 hours of pre-op today at the hospital and then went back to the hotel to sleep for another two. I've just gotten back to the hotel after my "last supper". I was told that I'm allowed clear liquids up until two hours before my surgery and after having a mango mojito tonight wondered if rum qualified as a clear liquid! My surgery is scheduled for 11am, I'm my surgeon's second case tomorrow. Depending on how much scar tissue I have from my original surgery I'll be in the operating room for about 4-6 hours. Then I'll be transfered to the cardiac intensive care unit where I'll stay for about 1-3 days. I got a tour of the facility today and was pleased to find out that I'll have my own nurse for my stay in the ICU. Then after all is well I will be transfered to the cardiac unit. Hopefully I'll have my own room but depending on how many other surgical patients there are I may have a room with one other person at some point. Everyone has been wonderful so far and I an not nervous at all. (At this moment at least!) I am anxious to get the surgery underway and to be on the road to recovery.

I have been overwhelmed with the care, concern and support that my family and friends have shown over the past few days. I am touched by how many people have reached out to let me know that I am in their thoughts and prayers, and I truly appreciate everyone's good wishes. I won't be able to be in contact for a couple days, until I'm up and able to move around the cardiac unit a bit.

I love you all and will be back on the blog as soon as my body lets me!

Preparations

November 4th is quickly approaching (does everyone know who they're voting for yet? I already sent in my absentee ballot! woohoo! And no, I'm not going to say who I voted for) and my to-do list is getting shorter. My family helped me out a great deal this weekend by doing the one thing I was dreading. Moving my box-spring up into my bedroom. I moved back in with my mom after graduating law school and taking a job close to her house. Our small cape has a very narrow stairway that is not very accommodating for today's queen size bed. I was able to fit my mattress up the stairs when I first moved in, but not the box spring. Thus, my mattress was always on the floor. Not exactly conducive to getting up and down post-surgery. The options for sleeping arrangements that my mom and I came up with were:

1. Rent a hospital bed and live in our TV room. Again. I hated it the first time around earlier this year and was not looking forward to doing it again. Nope, off the list.

2. Move one of our recliners up into my bedroom so that I could sleep sitting up. But then I wouldn't have it to sit on during the day, and eventually I would want to sleep in my own bed. Nope, off the list.

3. Buy a fold-able Queen size box spring....for $400.00. Ummm...I'm going without a paycheck for an entire month, so $400 during Christmas season is better spent on presents and not a stupid box spring. Nope, off the list.

So, with all those options thrown out, my ingenious mother who has recently found the joy in using the google website (usually for some strange medical symptom that one of us has had in the past six months) googled "fold queen box spring" or "fit huge box spring up tiny stairwell" or something smart and found a way to saw my box spring in half, fold it, bring it upstairs and reassemble it in my room. After a quick phone call to my handy uncle and always helpful sister, my box spring was sawed in half, folded, carried upstairs and put back together. I no longer feel as though I'm living the college lifestyle and am ever grateful to everyone who helped put together the great plan. Of course I was off watching a football game , drinking a beer, trying to enjoy one of my last days of freedom before becoming home bound while all this was going on. Typical.

Less than two weeks

Well I'm back from my whirlwind vacation in Napa. I loved every minute of being away. Napa is so beautiful, the wedding was wonderful, and the company kept me laughing the whole weekend. Congratulations to the happy couple, and thank you again for having us all out there.

Its interesting to see how other people have reacted to my news. I have had many close friends and family members immediately email me and call me, offering me support and well wishes. I've also had many friends who I have lost touch with over the years contact me again, which I appreciate infinitely. However, it is the absolute worst feeling to not hear from people who I thought were some of my closest friends. I think people deal with stressful situations differently, and some people may not always know the "right" words to say. However, any showing of care and concern to someone who is going through a difficult time, be it a family emergency, a break up, or a health crisis, is always appreciated. I know everyone seems to be very busy these days and even I am guilty of saying "I'll call or send an email tomorrow." But now that I am on the opposite side of the story I know how important it really is to hear those words of comfort everyday. And being in my situation, where I don't know what will happen during the surgery, every day that I am able to talk to friends and family is cherished. Please make sure that if you know someone who is going through a hard time, to just reach out to that person and say "I'm here, I know it's a hard time, and I'm thinking about you." It really does make a difference.