Jeff's Journal

Deportation

It has been a week since I was de-ported. The surgeries went well and all the ports are removed. I am collecting my thoughts about having all the ports, doing dialysis and relying on a machine to stay alive.

The post-op folks had trouble getting me awake and when they had me up; I had the shakes and was sick for the rest of the day. The discharge nurse said almost all the patients were having trouble. She mentioned something the anesthesiologist was using. (I do remember something on my face, but once I get hazy, it’s all over. We got to a “holding area” right before going in the OR and Shelley kept telling me I was in that area right before they took me into the OR for the transplant. I did not recall ever being there. When I go, I go.)

My shoulder and chest have been bruised and sore all week. But after a couple of days, I did enjoy a hot shower! I head back to the hospital this week for stitch removal and more tests.

It is odd not having the catheters in my chest and the tubes running under my skin. I guess I became accustomed to them. (I catch myself trying to feel the tubes to “check” on them.) I’m not complaining that they are gone, but it will be more of an adjustment than I thought it would be.

posted by Jeff Waldo @ 8:19 PM