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Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Cataract Surgery

My appointment was 1:30: I was called back around 4:00. You can imagine how hungry I was.

When I come out of surgery, eating is the first and only thing on my mind. They gave me a cup of mostly ice and Mt. Dew. I ripped open the peanut butter crackers.

Suddenly, from behind me I felt hands on my crackers. I held on tight as the person said, "You can't have those. Give them to me." I held on as a hand came from the other side and I said, "No, I want them. No, I want them." I pressed the crackers to my chest between my breasts and hunched over as people tried to pry them from my hands. Finally, they quit and I ate my crackers. Mind you, I did not remember eating any crackers as I left the place! However, when I awoke this morning, I still remembered none of that. As a matter of fact, I didn't remember it when I got home.

That was Tuesday. Today, exbf who was sitting in front of the wheelchair I was in said three people, not one, were trying to pry the crackers from me. He said I was screaming out what I said. Now, I thought I was barely talking, He said my screaming drew the doctor's attention who rushed in and watched and talked to the nurses. Then, he just waved off and walked away.

The problem? I had told them how allergic I was to whole wheat and how I could eat a bit of wheat that was not whole wheat. Sooo, someone decided I was going to die.

As exbf told me this, I started to barely remember the incident. Since everyone was behind me, I was not aware of more than one person. This morning I did all my smiling and belly laughing first thing, a whole day's worth of mirth. Then, I called the place where I had surgery, doctor's office and another place and told them I did not even remember the whole thing until someone told me and I only remembered part of it.

I probably would have fought to the death for whole wheat! And, I just cannot remember screaming. It's a wonder I did not bite someone!

I have a history of devouring all I can immediately after anesthesia and never throwing up. One part of the hunger is the lack of food. The other part is relief.

Mama, after watching me eat after anesthesia, said. "You are just like your Daddy, you never throw up."  That part changed, but that's another story.

Oh, went to my one day checkup and can drive. That's a good thing since I drove there. The doctor said there was minimal swelling and that the scar looked surprising good, considering it had only been only 24 hours. Actually, it had been 20 hours.

I am not to bend or lift anything very heavy for the next week and avoided moving my head to side quickly and sleep with the plastic patch.

Your turn
Have you been told you behaved differently after anesthesia or even under anesthesia? Do you have to be careful about throwing up after anesthesia? Do you throw up after anesthesia? What is your best surgery story.

10 comments:

  1. I do throw up after surgery. Copiously. For days.
    Glad that the doctor is pleased.

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    Replies
    1. EC,
      Surgery is bad enough, but to know I was going to throw up would make the anticipation so awful. I like the good news.

      So far, every surgery I have had, the doctor performing the surgery was pleased and surprised sometimes by my progress. Let's hope this continues since I have at least three more surgeries ahead of me, five if I really want to have the last two. I just need to be put back together again...lol.

      Delete
  2. Glad the surgery went well, aside from the after drama. lol.

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    Replies
    1. Lorraine,
      This is not my first eating-after-drama, just the most dramatic. Thanks.

      Delete
  3. Hoping I don't have to have cataract surgery because I would react the same way you did to get something to eat.

    I don't throw up after surgery. After my carotid surgery the nurse in ICU even checked to see what anesthesia I had because I was so alert, coherent and not nauseous - complete opposite of the other 3 patients having the same surgery & anesthesia. And, I pouted, whined, complained about not getting to eat until the next morning, then I ate everything on the breakfast tray - very, very quickly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bellen,
      Since I have now had both eyes fixed, I won't need another cataract surgery. However, if this were my first, I would bring my own food. Oh, wait. I did. A whole take out order.

      I would have reacted the same way about no food. After thyroid surgery, I demanded food, real food, then I demanded another plate. After I ate two plates of food, ten minutes later, they served my regular lunch. Yes, I ate it but more slowly instead of devouring it.

      Thankfully, the surgeon came in immediately after surgery when I was talking and laughing on the phone. She remarked that if she had not just operated on me, she would never believe I had had surgery because of the way I was talking and how well I looked.

      We are lucky, but may just starve to death after surgery!

      Delete
  4. They probably thought they would have to use a $600 epipen on you. Glad you are on the upside of that surgery. I would always get sick coming out of general anesthesia but they started giving me something to prevent it. I dont know the name but it has worked several times now.

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    Replies
    1. carol,
      I have my own Epipen! But, I never thought to bring it. EXBF has seen that I have no problems. We even went out to eat once after my surgery.

      Delete
  5. Glad you are getting better. Surgery is never fun.
    Den had his wisdom teeth out years ago and was the talk of the office. They couldn't knock him out and he went into party mode at 3 times the normal dose of anesthesia. I would have been ashamed if it wasn't so funny.

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  6. To be fair, I am possessive over food, too. I would have acted the same as you, regardless of whether I was allergic or not! I have thrown up after anaesthesia and get intense headaches. During the birth of my child I started to flirt with a doctor. I was heavily medicated so I thought this was fine!

    Jamaal @ Eye Clinic London

    ReplyDelete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.