Lessons Learned

It's been awhile, but I'm FINALLY walking!  It was so exciting to be able to carry Laurel down the hallway and hold her hand while we walked across the street for the first time in nearly 10 months.  So, after everything that happened I figured I'd put together a top 10 list of things I learned to help the rest of you old people suffering from similar ailments.


1) Have surgery in the winter.  Wearing TED hose in the 100 degree Summer weather was not my favorite thing.  You can also hide your unshaven legs better in the winter.

2) Unless you live in a tiny tiny town (or anywhere in Oklahoma) have the surgery in the city where you live.  While most surgeries go fine, if you're one of the unlucky ones that have complications, you need to be able to make constant trips back to the doctor and the travel can get wearisome and expensive.

3) Find a surgeon who knows his limitations.  Find out what he/she would do if you do get an infection or have complications and then find someone who will call in experts.

4) Ask your surgeon if they have any plans to be out of town immediately following your surgery.  Being told they are hopping on a plane to go across the globe the morning after your surgery is not how you want to find out.

5) The staff at the hospital you choose is almost as important as the surgeon.  You want people who will question a doctor's orders if your condition changes, people who will think for themselves, and people who will LISTEN to you after the surgery and find out answers when you need them.  I highly recommend Seton on 38th Street in Austin.  Excellent nurses and staff all around.

6) If you do go to Seton, plan to bring your own meals- the food is not only inedible, it's unidentifiable.   A tip if you do plan to eat there- just ask for a big salad for dinner (skip the main course) and ask for a plain turkey sandwich at lunch.  At least you'll know what you're eating.

7) Ask for some calming meds while you are in pre-op.  By the 4th surgery I was so nervous that I thought I might have a panic attack before I ever made it into the O.R. 

8) If you are getting IV meds (especially strong ones) get a PICC line.  My poor veins couldn't take the meds and got blown so badly I couldn't even get pain meds via the IV because it was too painful.  While having a spaghetti sized tube pouring meds out right next to your heart is a little creepy, it's better than the clots you'll get in your hands from the IV.

9) Don't assume any doctor or nurse knows what's better for you than you do yourself.  Always question something if you don't understand it and offer information that you think is relevant even if you think they don't want to hear it. 

10)  Opt for home health if it's offered.  The first few weeks of PT suck enough as it is- you might as well get to do it in your PJs.  Plus, it's nice to have a nurse or someone coming by to make sure you're still alive for the first few days.

On a side note, if anyone needs durable medical equipment, I've got a small collection I'm willing to rent to the highest bidder ;)