Surgery Success!

Well I survived and live to tell the tale :) - I thank my Heavenly Father. I had surgery and it was a success as of right now, I'll know more in a few weeks. If you had asked me 3 or 5 days ago how I survived I would have said I thought I was going to die. It is amazing to me how much something so small controls your body. The surgery went well with no real complications, my thyroid was the size of an orange (think of your fist) when it is suppose to be around the size of a ping pong ball. I now know why there was so much pressure in my throat/neck, my throat is still a little dry/sore and with the left over swelling food still gets hung up in there - not nearly as bad though. My mom said I looked like I lost 10 lbs just by how much thinner my neck looks, and seeing the sealing pictures I didn't realize how high up my thyroid went and how fluffy (nice word for fat) it made my neck look; why didn't anyone tell me? There are parts of my neck I haven't seen in quite a while, my collar bones are coming back! My voice even sounds a little bit higher, so all you choir singers watch out - choir is coming back with a vengeance (in a Christlike way :)). I had the surgery on Friday the 18th (Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad) and was released on Sunday night. I really wanted to be home to hold my son for his birthday, I think I pushed a little more then I should have. I didn't do very well the first 5 days home, I think had I been more patient I wouldn't have been released until Tues. That's water under the bridge and I'm still glad I got to hold Caden at home on his birthday. Your thyroid is next to your parathyroid glands and they control the electrolytes, calcium, and other levels in your blood. Those in turn effect your muscles and even your heart. I kept having this shaking feeling where it felt like my body was shaking horribly on the inside but didn't show on the outside. It was almost like being dizzy and disoriented coming off a merry-go-round. My head would be still but it felt like I was rocking back and forth and side to side. After some research and a trip to the ER I realized I needed to take some supplements for Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium. Taking those supplements and adding Gatorade made a big difference and I was feeling so much better. No matter how much water I drank my mouth still felt dry, I couldn't stay hydrated and ended up dehydrated in the ER. I've never been dehydrated especially after a surgery because of the amount of water I drink. It was the fact that I couldn't maintain my electrolytes and other levels alone so I needed more than just water. After about 5+ days of this I am fine now without anything, I think my body is figuring it out. Once the shaking stopped I could stand up and my muscles started responding instead of giving out on me. I was finally able to sleep and got 7.5 hrs of sleep for the first time in over a week. Then the next day I slept a little over 10 hrs, this is definitely what my body needed and it helped me start feeling better. I over did it of course because of the increase in energy and day three of feeling better was a step backward (this was 10 days post op). Monday was the girls first day of school and I was feeling well even driving, I had driven once before this but still felt a little disoriented and turning my head around to back up the van almost made me puke. I drove the van alone and out of desperation because I needed a Rx and Chad had been to the store a million times and needed a serious break to avoid meltdown. So I said a prayer and ran to Walmart which is exactly 1.0 miles clocked from my house, who knew a 30 min trip could be so exhausting? But Monday was a different and better day, I even walked to and from the school 3 round trips and hung 3 baby gates in addition to some housework. By 4 o'clock I was exhausted but finally felt victory and satisfaction for my accomplishments at the end of a day. It's been a long time since I've been well enough to do all of that and still be able to wake up early the next day. I did play the next day safe and tried to keep it to a minimal with anything...my body appreciated that. I'm really trying to pace myself and not over do it. I do that a lot because with the Lyme I would have a good day and did anything and everything I could so if it wasn't going to last very long I could have some things done. But the days that the fatigue set in I think they were worse because I did too much too fast. I'm practicing at keeping a balance and doing things in moderation, but I'm still learning. I still can tell my body needs rest, I just have to remind myself it has only been 1.5 wks since surgery; it can't come back imediately and all at once. Lord, please grant me patience...I really need it NOW!

I'm sorry to say I don't have any pics of my neck, I wasn't steady enough to take them. And Chad didn't have the stomach to take them. It is healing nicely now and I hope the scab is gone in the next week - I can hope. It is a bit tender at times, but over all the incision wasn't too painful; just for the first 4 days (I had a reaction to the steri strips). I haven't been on any Narcotics in about a week and I am Ibprophen free too!! I'm taking fewer Rx and pills, it's easier to keep track of it all. The best thing I have noticed this far is that I am sleeping so much better - the insomnia is getting better but I also sleep deeper. I know it is really late now, but I wanted to blog something and give you an update.