A little outside of the BC world, but not far
 

Hi Ladies
On monday morning I am going in for a TAH/BSO. After talking with my surgical nurse today, I'm a little freaked out. I guess standard protocol for my GYN is to do a spinal block that will give me pain relief for 24 hrs. along with a drip and orals. Having something stuck in my spine does not sit well. I'm sure with what we have all been through it can't be that bad but still. Any words of wisdom? Do I really need it or will other methods work? Thanks in advanced. I know several of you have gone through this.
And on to another topic. With the surgery and then my first set of mamograms since my partial mastectomy to be done on the 2nd I am celebrating what I know will be a good outcome. So like Marejo I am getting a new tattoo on saturday. I already have one on my left foot so am going on to the right. I am doing a mendala of flowers on the top of my foot and a bindi looking band across my big toe. I wanted something to represent a new begining and blossoming. The band will have a ribbon woven into the design to remind me of how far we have come. I will share with all of you when I am up going.
Please think of me Monday morning. Thanks and blessings, Kriss

Hi Kriss
 

Hi Kriss,

I don't know what TAH/BSO is but I wish you luck with whatever it is. It surely doesn't sound fun but like you said after all you've been through I KNOW you can handle this.

As for the new tattoo - AWESOME. I already have my 5 year NED present picked out. It is a flower with a simple green stem. Each flower petal is filled in with a small pink ribbon. It is so pretty. My 2 year NED was my pink ribbon on the top of my left foot and this flower will go on the outside of my right ankle. I WILL be celebrating that anniversary on July 28, 2010. (God Willing http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin...cons/icon7.gif)

Let me know what TAH/BSO is, ok?

God Bless you Kriss,

Mary Jo

Kriss
The good thing is you will already be asleep when the Anesthesiologist gives you the spinal. They must have some new drugs that now work for 24 hrs. When I was an OB tech, spinals were used for emergency c-sections. If there was not an emergent need, the patient was given an epidural. Spinals are a one shot dose. Epidurals leave a soft plastic catheter in the epidural space OUTSIDE the spinal cord that can be redosed as needed. Spinals also carry the chance of having a spinal headache due to spinal fluid leaking out. The remedy for that is called a blood patch. I had an epidural for my bilateral free flap. (They take skin, fat and a vessel from your abdomen - and do a tummy tuck at the same time - that was the best part of the whole thing). My stomach was still very sore, but I'm glad I had the epidural. Talk to your anesthesiologist before you have surgery to make sure a spinal is the best option for you. Hope this helps.

I had the spine pain relief when I had a c section for my second child. They work GREAT. It doesn't hurt to get it put in for the surgery and all they leave in is a cannula (tube) that they keep injecting the medicine. Since it works so well, you unfortunately cannot get up and walk around so they have to leave in the tube for the bag that urine goes in (I forget the "technical term for this - one of our nurses on the site will know). This is the main reason you can't keep this kind of pain relief for longer than 24 hrs as the bag could promote infection. You might feel queezy thinking about this kind of pain reliever but trust me, its wonderful and you won't regret it. It will take that first day of the stress of pain completely away and you will get the rest you need. After that, you will do the c-sec shuffle but it will be alright.

Thank you all once again. I'm sure I will have lots of questions monday morning, but I feel more aware.
Oh Marejo, TAH, total abdominal hysterectomy and ovaries. Thanks for your kind wishes, and can't wait to see your new tattoo in a few years, Kriss