Well, today is May 15, and I had my tubal ligation this morning at 0800. It is now 1236, about 4 hours after surgery, and the car ride took about an hour. I am happy to report that all went well, thanks to the tips and "heads up" information that everyone gave me on this forum and on other newsgroups. I decided to describe my experience in detail and share it, just like Shari Bernhard did (I owe her a big thanks--her description made the experience sound less threatening.)
On Saturday, 10 May, I went to see my GYN, Dr. Lindley, for my preop exam. We discussed the procedure and he told me what would happen. I also asked him to explain once again how he was going to tie my tubes -- he burned and divided them. Before I left, he gave me a prescription for Darvocet with Acetaminophen (sp?) as a postoperative painkiller, as well as a 3-day yeast infection treatment because I got a raving yeast infection due to stress of finals. I got both filled--cost me $8.00 at Walgreens, TRICARE Prime (military health insurance) picked up the bulk of the tab. I have 12 Darvocets and one refill--hopefully I won't need to many of them.
I finished my last final exam and ended the semester on Monday. Tuesday, 13 May I drove out to the hospital again, for my preadmission paperwork and my blood work and urinalysis. The clerk who did my preadmission was so nice--she asked me if we had any children, and I told her no, we had decided not to have any. She said she was just being nosy, and apologized, and I told her that was OK. She explained that she and her husband are trying to get pregnant with #3 and are having a hard time. She is taking Clomid and hasn't had a period in 2 years. I told her I'd be thinking of her and trying to think ++++ thoughts. TRICARE picked up the cost of the hospital--it cost me $25.
The blood draw was a different story--the women at the lab were wonderful, but I am really terrible about needles. I warned them in advance and asked if I could pee first, which they let me do (thank goodness!). Then we went to the blood draw. I was OK as they drew the first two tubes of blood, but by the time we got to the third tube, I had turned pale, sweated so much that my dress was soaked, and just about passed out. They put an ammonia inhaler under my nose and cold soaked towels on my forehead and brought me some cold water to drink. After the lady finished she let me sit there for a few minutes--she felt really bad. I told her that that is just the way I am about needles--always have been (once in the Army I passed out getting shots to deploy--didn't warn the poor medic and she refused to give shots the rest of the day, she was so shook up!)
Couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight Wednesday night--I made sure DH & I ate late (salisbury steak & noodles) & I drank tons of water. Woke up this morning at 0430 and had a really dry mouth--ick. We left at 0530 for the hospital--I decided to drive, since DH didn't know where we were going and I needed something to occupy me and keep my mind off the surgery.
Got there at 0630---the nurse took me & DH back to a bed & had me change--I was allowed to keep my socks on, I just had to slip these little paper footle things on over my socks. I had to put on one of those cloth shower-cap looking things too to cover my hair. My doctor had written "needle phobic" on my admission orders, and I had talked with the anesthesiologist, so the nurses put something called "emla cream" on both of my hands to numb them--the cream is a local anesthetic to numb the skin so you don't feel the IV. They also took my temperature in my ear and applied a sticky thermometer to my forehead (this reads skin temperature--my ear temperature was 96.1 and my skin temp was 102--don't quite understand but OK). I changed into a gown & DH helped me get all tied up--he was so cute.
At 0650 an older nurse came back to give me the enema--a Fleets enema. It wasn't so bad--they lay you on your left side and have you tuck your knees up to your chest (or as far as you can). The nurse warmed it up, so it wasn't so bad. I was supposed to lay on my back & "hold it" for 10 minutes before going to the bathroom, but I only held it for about 8 minutes before I jumped up & said "Gang way--I'll coming through!" No big deal--made it to the can!
After that, I went back to my bed & waited. We watched the morning news on the TV they had there. At 0710 a nurse came in and gave me two Valium (5 mg apiece) and let me swallow as little water as possible to wash them down (they're about the size of birth control pills, maybe a little bigger). I had been shaking a little and cold, from nerves, a little earlier, but about 15 minutes after taking the Valium I started to calm down & stopped shaking/freezing--they also had me covered with a big warm blanket & sheet. DH said my eyelids were looking heavy.
At 0740 the anesthesiologist came in to say hello and talk to me. He was the nicest man in the world--he put the sticky-back EKG pads on me and talked to me. (I had met him during my Tuesday appointment--on the alt.support.childfree group someone posted about being mentally awake during surgery and I showed him the printout, and he promised not to let that happen to me). He left, and at 0745 he came back to start the IV. He asked me if I needed anything and if I would like to pray--I said OK and he said a short prayer of blessing. I thought that was nice, and made me feel comfortable and secure, even though I'll not rabidly religious I liked the idea that this man invited the Divine into my surgery and my decision.
The IV wasn't bad--this emla cream had numbed my hand, and the anesthesiologist put some novocaine in a little needle and put it in and waited a few seconds as my hand numbed. He then sprayed it with MORE topical anesthetic, then started the IV. I didn't feel a thing. DH was holding my hand the whole time, which was nice. The anesthesiologist grabbed my arm and said, "See you in a few."
At 0755 they wheeled me to surgery, and I said hello to everyone--my GYN was already there. The anesthesiologist said "I'll going to give you a shot, and you're going to feel different." I saw him put the shot into my IV tube and I started to feel a burning sensation, then said to him, "You're right about that." I felt my eyes close, and the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room, looking at the clock, which said something like 0900.
DH said the doctor came out to talk to him about 0850. While I was in recovery I focused my eyes on the clock and tried to take stock of what hurt/didn't hurt, and tried to figure out how long the whole procedure had taken. One of the nurses asked me if I was OK--I was, and asked for something to drink. She brought me some ice water which felt good (my throat was a little irritated, probably from the breathing tube and being dehydrated). I sneaked a peek at my stomach--there is a small Band-Aid above my hairline and a big one right below my navel. I looked at the IV and it was still OK. I remembered that there might be a catheter and reached down between my legs--sure enough one was still there (didn't hurt). I asked the nurse if it could come out and she said yes--she came over and pulled it out (didn't hurt either--was glad After a while the nurse asked me if I was getting bored, because she saw me looking around and checking things out and giggling as I listened in on other conversations. She asked me how many children we have and I said none, and she said "I admire that decision--it is socially a hard one to make but kids are a lot of work--I have two and you have to really want to do it." I told her I was glad to hear someone say that and support my decision.
I was wheeled out of recovery at 0939, back to the space where I had started. DH was there, smiling. They brought me 2 glasses of cranberry juice (I had a choice--apple, grapefruit, or cranberry--thought cranberry was probably a good choice, especially given that I'D had the catheter and cranberry is supposed to be good if you have a bladder irritation/infection--preventative measure). The nurse checked on me a few times, then came to remove my IV (didn't hurt--my hand was still numb from the cream & stuff they put on there). By 1030 I was done--wheeled out to the car. The ride home took about an hour or so.
So far so good--it is now 1:38 pm and I'll OK--have to be careful not to let the dogs jump on me or anything, but just a little sore. I feel the beginnings of some shoulder pain in my right shoulder, and I've read that moving helps and that a heating pad helps. Nothing unbearable, though--I'll sitting at the computer as I type this and am OK. I had a cup of coffee and something called cinnamon salad with Cool Whip for lunch--Jell-O & applesauce salad made with Imperial candies (made it yesterday in case I was too sick to eat). Doctor told DH I could be back to work on Monday--I don't have to return to school until May 27 & DH will be in and out for the next week, so I'll just take it easy. My follow-up appointment is June 6--not supposed to have sex until then, which is OK if it means I won't get an infection. We'll see how long we can hold out!
Anyway, that's how it went--I'll the biggest wimp in the world about surgery, and I was pleasantly surprised. The anesthesiologist, the nurses, and my GYN were all terrific. I think I'll send a thank-you note or a basket of flowers to the Outpatient Department thanking them for their personal attention and caring---it really made a difference.
Thanks everyone for your support as I went through this--it meant a lot. Let me know if you have any questions, and I'll keep you posted on how things are progressing!
PPierce2