And The Winner Is... - Page 2

KDR · 07-06-2013, 04:02 AM

Major accident in the Operating Room. I almost bled to death. Got transfusion. Still in hospital...will check in as I am able. News on cancer front is good, but whole story later.

CarolineC · 07-06-2013, 11:09 AM

Holy CRAP!!!!!! I'm so glad you're alive! I am sending ALOT of positive healing light across the country and over the border to you!♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Caroline

NEDenise · 07-06-2013, 07:05 PM

Good God!
Can't anything ever be easy?!

Praying with all my heart for a quick and easy recovery. Please post an update as soon as you are strong enough.

Sending love your way!
Denise

BonnieR · 07-06-2013, 10:03 PM

Just unbelievable! Thank God you came through. So shocking. We want the details when you are up to it. Keep the faith, now more than ever

Andrea Barnett Budin · 07-07-2013, 07:34 AM

No such thing as a simple surgery. Accident in operating room is so not what any of us want to her. Almost bled to death. Transfusion. NOT WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR! So so sorry, Karen. Shocking...

But -- I see good news in there on the cancer front. And for that we must all rejoice! There is a pony in there under all this crap!!

Love, Light, Healing Energy and torrents of strength being rushed to you up there!

ANDI

KDR · 07-07-2013, 07:41 AM

Good morning,
Leaving hospital today. What a long, strange trip! Just when I thought a had down a good understanding of life, I realize the radical change one split second can mean.
I went in Wednesday for the ablation of the met, and at this point, I am still piecing together the story (everyone is on vacation; I'll never schedule a procedure over a major holiday again). What I do know, is that the biopsy of the met 10 days' prior was positive and was removed. Two CT-immeasurable spots were there for the taking. Doctor just finished No. 2, and was moving toward No. 3 when an artery was accidentally severed. Tiny little No. 3 is now winking at me. The blood came so fast and furious that it took a total of eight hours to stabilize me with blood products. I do know that I did not flatline, because I asked, but had a major "close call." I woke up and a good man in a white coat with red embroidery was holding my hand--as I opened my eyes, he said, You Did It! You Did It! That's when the information started coming in bits and pieces. My confidence has been shaken, but I've got to go back for Little No. 3. It's all there is!
So, I'm in a new phase. I've had a transfusion. Blood: the Gift of Life. I find my mind wandering...with 50% of new cells, who am I? What's changed in the landscape, if anything. Who is in my body with me?
I also have a five-inch scar and two matching ones for the chest tube and one other incision. My derm can take care of those, but has anyone used Arnica? Is it better than Mederma?
Thanks all,
Karen

NEDenise · 07-07-2013, 08:30 AM

Wow!
Can't tell you how glad I am that things are back under control!

Sending love and prayers
Denise

BonnieR · 07-07-2013, 10:44 AM

I am still stuck on Denise's earlier remark. "Can't anything ever be easy?" Seems not, sometimes. We have been truly tested as a group. And as a group we keep standing strong.
Keep the faith

phil · 07-08-2013, 08:16 AM

Wow ! Keeping you in my Prayers

Cat · 07-08-2013, 08:37 AM

Thank God it all worked out ok. What a scare! Good thing it's not the norm. Get better.
I've never used arnica and I started out trying mederma and got tired of applying it. I now wear my scars like the war wounds that they are. Sorry I can't help there. The scar I have at the base of my neck has faded with time and hardly noticible. The one on my upper chest has faded but will always be noticible as the ribs needed to be broken and there will always be a dent there. The rest of the roadmap on my body is hidden by clothing and also faded. I have heard the creams do work if used faithfully.
Cathy

Mandamoo · 07-08-2013, 02:49 PM

How frightening! So glad you woke up! Healing energy sent to you. Xx

StephN · 07-08-2013, 04:01 PM

You did not yet have your Ninja Name, but you have certainly EARNED one! Glad you kick-boxed your way out of that little slip up ... and are back among the rest of us walking wounded.

Someone had better be holding your hand after that event. How many units of blood did they have to give you? 50% is a significant amount. Which probably means you have several "someone's" blood. So don't go all split personality on us now. We love you as you were!

Maybe that third little met scared itself to death?

Lani · 07-08-2013, 04:12 PM

not only shouldn't you have a procedure during a long holiday weekend you should be extra sure it is not the July 4 holiday weekend because all the new interns and residents start on July 1 and may not have enough supervision if they are on call that weekend and very little experience to fall back on. Luckily your complication occurred during your procedure and not when you were back in your room--so there were lots of experienced people to do what was needed it seems. Must be your Genie powers! Congratulations!

cheery · 07-08-2013, 09:16 PM

Sorry to hear that you'd to go through such a scare..and glad that you're back home now resting. Great news that the main spot has been zapped off successfully! Please take care.

StephN · 07-08-2013, 10:11 PM

Overlooked your request about Arnica.
I have only used it after my angioplasties and for sore muscles. OH - and after my disk surgery. I used the kind you take internally for those purposes. I seemed to heal very fast with minimal scars.

For my sore muscles or leg cramps I have a gel that I sometimes use. So, I think it is a good product for me so far.

P.S. My mother has her 10 Gallon Pin from the blood bank for giving that much blood over the years. I know another lovely lady in my area who has the same.

SoCalGal · 07-08-2013, 11:43 PM

Karen,
This always just astonishes me: World Trade Center Survivor (56th Floor/North Tower)
You are meant to be here! I'm glad for that. What a freakin' ordeal-nightmare...
Am thinking about your 50% fill up.
:-)

KDR · 07-09-2013, 01:38 PM

Friends,
Thanks for your all your thoughts. Concerns. Interest. Calls. PMs.
I found out, too, via discharge nurse, that I had a collapsed lung and a hematoma removed from the right one. I have no feeling in the right side of my abdomen. They say it will return.
Each day, I am stronger. My upper body took a huge unexpected hit: chest tube, lung collapse, emergency thoracotomy (that comes with a five-inch scar and a smaller one where tube was), and then another small incision in abdomen for the ablation. So I do upper body yoga exercises, reaching to get out of this place, letting my body tell me my limits. However, I am no stranger to PTSD, that is post traumatic stress disorder, and I have it AGAIN. I remember being wheeled into surgery, so calm, so reassured, so READY with such confidence. In a split second my world was hijacked again. More work to be done on that front. I will get to the bottom of it: how it happened, who was at the controls, etc.
It is a given. We are here to learn from each other: no procedures around July 4. Not a doctor to be found, except some mature ones well into their fellowships have seen me since I nearly died. Right after I was put in a room, every doctor was gone, gone, gone.
Every day I push a little more. Intubation area still painful as I have that chemo thin-skin. All this and I was still recovering from the liver biopsy between the ribs, done ten days earlier.
As I've learned, the blood, from many sources, will become my own. I never had a position on transfusing, but glad someone was there to make the decision for me. It was one of those items I could never really commit to--whether to accept blood or not. When I get the final report, I will know how many pints I received.

I am walking, doing breathing exercises, but missing the pool and ocean and will for two more weeks, at least. I am very active and this really stole a chunk of my summer.

I keep listening to Pink's GREAT ESCAPE. I really feel like the King Of The Great Escape, at times. Then I listen to it because I need to know I CAN BE the King Of The Great Escape. We get our inspiration where we can, right?

Listen if you'd like, it may be your inspiration, too--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wl5-audkPY

Added: When my daughter was three, she had heart surgery and her thoracotomy scar curves around her left shoulder. It looks like an exclamation point. The surgeons worked from her back so she would be saved an unsightly scar in or around the breast. Now we match, but mine is on the bra strap curve. Just spoke to my dermatologist, and she is going to erase as much as possible. I LOVE HER.

Love
Karen

NEDenise · 07-10-2013, 09:45 AM

Karen,
I'm so thankful that everything turned out "okay" BUT...
it makes me so angry that what should have been a relatively straightforward procedure turned into such an ordeal.
I'm glad to hear that you're going to get to the bottom of what happened. You survived, but it doesn't sound like that was certain while you were still in the OR. Scary... un-necessary... and perhaps your asking the right, uncomfortable questions will assure that this sort of debacle doesn't happen to anyone else.
I'm not normally a litigious person, but this seems too extreme to just let it pass. You know far more about the law than I do, but my trustworthy gut says you should sue.

I'm offering prayers of thanks that you made it through this mess in one piece...
and prayers for a quick recovery before you go completely stir crazy!
with love
Denise

BonnieR · 07-10-2013, 01:10 PM

I agree with Denise. But when I considered suing over my mistaken lung diagnosis and subsequent surgery, the only questions lawyers asked was what were my damages? Did I have long term, lasting effects? Since I fortunately had a full recovery, I was not entitled to any compensation! I suppose if I had monetary damage I could have tried for that. Out of pocket expenses. And in Calidornia, at least, one can sue a doctor for, like $39K, without it being reported to the medical board. So they often will settle for that rather than a lawsuit or a blemish. The only lawyer who would even consider perusing that was kinda sleazy and I didn't want to deal with him. And he would have received half. I let it go
But your situation was much more aggregious so hopefully you can seek compensation
I will be interested in hearing the outcome
Mainly the most important thing is your recovery. And don't be surprised if you get depressed. I was in a state of almost despair. I could not believe such a mistake had been made. I later realized the emotions were partly due to the painkillers
Keep the faith

KDR · 07-10-2013, 02:03 PM

Oh my goodness, it's a new day and a happy one...it's my birthday! And am I ever glad to have this one!
Well, today I finally found out who did my thoracic surgery. OMG! He'd been walking around the hospital floor doing rounds for the four extra days I was lying there and NEVER CAME IN to check on me! WTF?
My only emotion right now: shock. My goal: get better. My personality: come out swinging. Don't expect anything less!
Right now, Jeannie is in her green costume. Back in the bottle, deciding which potion to use. You can bet.
Love you all,
Karen