The Surgery

I'm sorry it's been so long since we last updated. It's been an interesting week, without a lot happening and so it's felt pointless to update. But I am sorry to those of you that check this for any kind of an update! Travis was in quite a bit of pain following surgery. He had been taking lortab til yesterday, and is in a bit of pain with the ibuprofen. But, he is healing. We find out tomorrow the results of the surgery, which will be easier to blog about!!
Trav ran the prep on Wednesday. This was the third time in a month and I have to say he is quite the pro! He got a bit dehydrated and hungry. Which was funny because he hasn't had an appetite since February, until he can't eat! Trav and I were both nervous and excited. He couldn't get to sleep, and I had a bit of a restless night as well, partly because Trav kept moving!

Surgery day was a bit emotional for me, more so then I expected! I woke up excited, knowing we were going to get rid of the cancer, and move on. I also was a bit nervous, I think it's impossible to head to the hospital for your husband to have surgery without being a bit anxious! The surgery was early on Thursday, so we got up and got to the hospital and checked in. We had to wait a bit before going back. While sitting there we decided I was going to say goodbye to Trav, and not go back to pre-op with him. At the last second we changed our minds and decided if they let me go back might as well! Thank goodness we changed our minds because I went back there and they did the vitals check and then went to the pre-op room. It was a hospital room with a curtain door and a TV, which Trav enjoyed some Sports Center on! Two nurses came in; one asked questions and gave Trav the run down on the process, while the other put in an IV. He barely noticed the IV being put in, I'm not sure if he has just become desensitized or if the other nurse just did a great job distracting him! The nurse who gave us the run down, Trav said it was her job to talk as fast as she could to him (like the micro machines guy), said it was going to be about 45 minutes before he went into surgery. So, they hydrated him a bit and Trav and I had a nice talk! We talked about the Broncos, the surgery and life! It was a great chat! Trav and I have had so many deep conversations lately and I have really enjoyed them! Wish it didn't take something so traumatic to really think about things and appreciate them!

Anyway, our Surgeon walked in and told us that the surgery before us hadn't gone so well. He was just going to remove some Hemmoroids, but the 65 year old lady had never had a colonoscopy before and so they decided to do that first. He ended up finding cancer and I glanced over and saw the picture and it looked horrible. He said it was going to be a really rough process and it is probably in more organs. He once again reminded us how blessed we are to have found the cancer in Travis so early. Now, the surgeon probably gave us too much information about another patient, but he didn't think we would ever know who the patient was, so I guess it probably wasn't crossing any rules! The surgeon let me know that it'll be about an hour surgery, and then they'll come and get me for him to talk to me. He told me not to panic if it takes more then an hour, but it should be about that. The surgeon left to go break the news to this ladies husband and the Aneasthesologist came and rolled Travis away.

I headed out to the waiting room, and when I was almost there I saw our Surgeon walk out, with the husband of his previous almost surgery. I was already heartbroken for this person, but to put a face to it was too much for me. I was already in an emotional state, Travis would ask when I am not, but I started crying/fighting tears. This ended up going on for the next twenty minutes! The guy was a big tough guy and he kept wiping his eyes. He called a few people and I listened to his voice crack to say hello as he stepped away to share the news. People probably thought I was crying as I waited for someone else, but at that moment I was praying and worried for these strangers that I felt connected to at the time.

It was an emotional roller coaster over the next hour. I paced enough to put Hunter to sleep, which was a nice break! I brought my homework, but read one page 10 times before I decided I couldn't concentrate enough! In the waiting room they have a TV that list the first name of every patient and their status. So, I watched it very intently and when 60 minutes hit I got so excited that I was going to be able to see Travis soon. Then 70 minutes hit and I remembered the surgeon telling me to not panic after an hour...but worrying a little still! I remember when I saw 80 minutes on the clock I really started to get worried. I mean I knew everything was going to be alright, I have faith in the Lord and I knew it was going to be alright, but at what cost? Was Trav going to come out with a colostomy? Was it worse then they expected? Is he not coming out of the anesthetics? Did something else go wrong? Then 90 minutes, 110 minutes, a few minutes shy of two hours they called me to go back and wait for the surgeon. They send you to another room with a few chairs and a phone with a sign that tells you if you have waited more then 30 minutes to call a number. I checked my watch, then paced! The surgeon came in after a few minutes and apologizes for taking so long. He said they had a few technical issues, with the camera and such and so it took longer. He said it would've been really quick had everything gone right. He apologized so many times. He also told me that everything went great. The cancer was about the size of a penny and it came out great. He was sending us home with some pain pills and stool softener and we needed to follow-up with him in 10 days. He told me that he really felt good about it and was extremely positive. That was basically it; he sent me back to the waiting room and said it should be about 20 minutes before I can see Trav.

Well, back in the waiting room again I started to pace, you were surprised I said that weren't you?!! :D They had him in a recovery room and once he was awake they would move him to an outpatient recovery room that I could meet up with him in. I called both my parents and gave them the sort of news, my Dad was watching the kids so I told him I should be home in about an hour! Then I called Trav's parents and texted my siblings, and Trav's sisters that I knew texted! That took a whole 10 minutes! So, I watched the clock and it hit 20 minutes...still waiting...30 minutes...you got to be kidding me! I told him before he went in that he better wake up and not enjoy the nap time! Well after about 45 minutes they finally took me back. I was expecting to walk back and see a loopy Trav and be able to give him a hug and kiss and take him home! Nope! I walk in to see him cringing in complete pain. I tried talking to him, I asked him if they gave him pain medicine, had he called the nurse, does he want me to call the nurse, can I do anything. He didn't say anything, and then tears started coming down his face, so I obviously started crying and just pushed the nurse button and asked for some medicine. The nurse came in seconds later saying she was just about to bring in some morphine! I was a bit irritated with the fact that they had brought someone who was not very conscious back, threw them into a room and shut the curtain. He had no way to tell anyone he needed anything, and had I not been standing there waiting to be let back to see him, who knows how long he would've sat there crying. He left to attempt to go to the bathroom, and then came back a VERY happy Trav!! I'll make a separate post for funny Trav on morphine!

To this point Travis's side of the story is...they took him back, he fell asleep! He never woke up in the first waiting room...the 45 minute one, or atleast he does not remember it. In the second waiting room he remembers them saying "Okay, our goal is that chair", it being a few inches away, but yet the task seemed so impossible! He then got moved and threw up.

They would not let Trav leave until he was able to keep some food down, and a lortab! So, they brought in crackers and some soda, which he ate up in a hurry. The nurse then brought him more crackers and a lortab, but told him to not eat them so fast this time. He ate it, and was able to keep it down. So, after what seemed like an eternity, they sent us home!

The first few days Trav had a lortab every two hours. He then tapered to 1 every 4 hours, and then every 10 hours, and is currently on ibuprofen. He has taken a ton of baths, and is still in a little pain, but getting closer to getting back to his normal routine! Hopefully this next week will find some normalness in our family, despite the doctor’s appointment on Tuesday and Trav being on the radio and a fundraiser on Wednesday! Okay, maybe May will be normal! :D Do you think I'll remember it or know what to do with myself when things are normal again! Been one of the longest 2 1/2 months of my life!