SURGERY AT HENRY FORD-DETROIT

Well, I have made it. I am alive, I am home and for the most part, doing pretty good. I thought about the past week and thought I would relive it and journal it b/c for me, writing is therapy. I have no memory as most of my friends can confirm, so in 30 years I can look back to this point in my life and praise the Lord for where He has been in my life and thank Him for bringing me through it all. I tell you, there is NO WAY I could have ever survived this far without Him and after looking directly at my insides, my surgeon doesn't know how I ever survived this long. He said that anyone in my condition would have normally died a long time ago, it has been going on even longer than we thought, not since birth but longer than Lukes birth for sure, he would give it at least 5+ years that this thing has been "brewing" inside of me, just waiting to surface and waiting to kill me at any time, why it didn't....The surgeon just shrugs and looks mind blown and he said he couldn't believe his eyes he has never seen anything like it, I looked him right in the eye and said I am alive b/c of the good Lord, prayers, and that is all I Know. My friends, family, and so many people we don't even know have been praying for you Dr. Aboujould and we praise God for your hands that have helped me thus far!

Its Monday morning April 11. Surgery day. I couldn't eat after 10am Sunday morning so I am hungry. I HATE not eating and I thought the drive all the way to Detroit with no coffee would kill me. For the most part I was very at peace. I have a few break downs of emotional stress but overall I was facing it strong, I couldn't think any other way. Arrived just on time to surgical family waiting room and were quickly escorted to our surgery prep room. IV #1 started and fluids, IV #2 started just "incase" and then a 3rd arterial line (something I have never had before was started and sutured into my wrist so it wouldn't go anywhere) they use it for monitoring my blood pressure and blood loss. Cried with Steve, prayed, and after my nurse gave me a special "mojito cocktail" as he called it, I was gone.

I remember waking up to intense pain, crying, and begging someone to help me. I have no idea where I was but they kept telling me to relax it was all done. Why aren't they knocking me out then? The pain was so bad, all I remember saying is "help" I couldn't hardly say it b/c I lost my voice b/c of my breathing tube placed for surgery. After that, most is a blur. I was in ICU for 2 days for close monitoring. Surgery actually took 4 hours.

I transferred and ended with a joint room. *ALWAYS ask for a private room if you are going to have a long surgery and be there a long time I learned this a long time ago after my colon surgery and someone passed on the advice to me. I did ask my surgeon prior to surgery day so after 1/2 a day they realized they made a mistake and someone was discharged and i got my own room. Thank goodness b/c I was there for 5 more days.

I have NEVER had such a bad experience with nurses in all my life. They must really hate their job and it was so hard. No one was pleasant, helpful, kind, loving except for ONE and I thank the Lord that I had my husband at my side the whole time b/c most of those patients on that floor never have anyone and if the nurse is the only one they ever see, it has got to be even more depressing than it already is. It was obvious they were there for a job, they treated you like a number and it was very sad for me to see. They were rude, and even mocked another patient while I was walking by. "Suzie, if you keep complaining, I'm gonna start calling you samantha" another nurse said, and they all started laughing. Samantha was the patient in the room next to me and was discharged the day before. Call buttons, Monitors would go beeping for 10 min at a time no biggy!! Drug schedules were missed, orders were forgotten, I even threw up on myself and sat in it for 5 minutes with my call button pushed before anyone came.

I had rides to and from radiology that were like a nightmare. The driver must have thought they were in a race and would go soooo fast down hills, bumps, banging doors and when you just had your stomach cut open that is the LAST thing you want. I even cried on several occasions, begging them to slow down. I had my pain meds monitored so that hopefully I could make it thru the test before needing my next dose, one time I layed in a dark hall for 45 min. alone waiting for someone to take me back to my room. Transporters would walk by, even sit down in the chairs next to me watching me crying and said they couldn't take me b/c I wasn't their patient. I had 3 rides like that! I cried every single time! Everyone took well over triple the time they said it would take. Moving was bad, and when you are in pain, you just want to be in your room, not pushed around, pulled on, stand, walk, take in deep breathes...I can't!

I kept telling steve that I couldn't see the light, things weren't getting better....When was I going to feel a little better? By day 6 I finally could see it. Figured out what drugs I couldn't take, which ones made me even sicker, which ones finally worked for pain and things were beginning to look up. Day 7 I got my discharge papers, instructions, loaded up with my pain meds and was ready to go home. I felt ready. I wasn't scared anymore to go home, I KNEW that God would help get me there.

Hows it look? My Dr said that things were MUCH worse in there than he thought and my veins (which should be thin and soft) were tough and thick, coarse which to him, told him that my pressures have been high for a VERY long time, this has been going on even longer than we thought. He made a 7-8 inch cut that makes the shape of a "J" starting just below my sternum to my left lower side, an angle. He has to push all my intestines out of the way so I will be sore for a long time b/c the second you touch your intestines, they go into a temporary coma sleep. He placed the synthetic shunt (8mm) which has a higher rate of clotting and goes from 95% success rate to 85% compared to an 10mm. 10 couldn't be used b/c it would release tooooo much pressure and we don't want that b/c then the blood flow would reverse in the wrong direction and we could lose my liver. My internal pressures were 27. 14-16 considered dangerous, 16+ will bleed again and again. I was a ticking time bomb and no doubt would have bled again. He released that pressure from 27 to 11. He said it was working perfectly, text book, my veins in my throat were cut off so they will hopefully never be able to come back again, all the extra vessels created have already started to disappear! He also said that while he was in there, something happened that he has NEVER seen. My spleen is enormous and the same size as my liver, and when they are that big at the beginning he tapped it and it was hard, firm, tough like a rock. AS SOON as he placed that shunt, he saw something move, he asked an assisting surgeon to check my spleen b/c he thought he saw it move. (it can take MONTHS if not years for a spleen to go back to its original size after you have released its pressure) The assistant surgeon tapped it and it was soft, mooshy, and pliable, it deflated like a balloon and my left kidney which once was forced down into my pelvis b/c of it size, they had to find it a new "home" higher up in my abdomen. Dr Aboujould said it was amazing. He just stood and held his hand to his face shaking his head, I honestly do NOT know how you managed to stay alive this long....I told him its b/c I have the great Lord above and I had millions saying prayers on my behalf for that day and for my awesome surgeon and his hands to do a great job and I told him that I KNEW he would.

Learned I will never be able to go off my blood thinners, which was a bit discouraging...lifelong pokes...oh well. I can't complain b/c I am ALIVE!!!! How can I ever complain???? Really each of us could be dead at any moment I don't care what the age! The LORD has been my rock, my ground, and all of you have been my wings, helping to carry me through this. To all I say "THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU, PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY LORD!!!!" Thank you for all your prayers lifted when I didn't have the strength to go on and couldn't do it alone. I have suffered, but I always think to myself, I cannot believe how much pain I caused the LORD to go thru. If he went thru this much, I feel so bad, so thankful, so speechless and sooooooo blessed. By His Grace I am saved, He did the ultimate sacrifice and what a way to celebrate this Easter!!! It just took on a WHOLE new perspective and meaning for me b/c I firmly believe God knows, God is there with us, He feels our pain and sadness, he knows our struggles, afflictions b/c HE too has been there!!! He gave me time only by grace, but my time will end and I can't wait to thank Him and praise Him forever.