The Day After: My Liver is Clean

Don't I have the greatest team at work?? They are soooo cool . . .

WOW!! That's about all I can say at this moment in time. It was an interesting experience to say the least. I feel like an entire broadway cast did a tap dance number on the left side of my body, but other than that all is well :) Below (I didn't put it at the top) is believe it or not, a picture of the band IN my body. It's not that gross (blood wise) but didn't want to gross you out if you are squeamish.

Anyway . . . in true "Joe Joe" tradition, this too, was an entertaining adventure.

The day started with me heading to the pharmacy. The doctor told me he'd call my prescriptions into the pharmacy so we could pick them up, and I figured I'd try and do it before I got to the hospital and all drugged up. So I walk into the pharmacy and ask for my meds. She looks at me quite confused and says she doesn't have anything for me. Hmmm, okay I tell her. I let her know that my doctor will probably call you later. (Come to find out -- I went to the wrong pharmacy. There's only 2 in the town my parents live in, and I went to the wrong one -- go figure)

I enter the lobby of the building and right there is a Subway. Now, that's very good for everyone that can eat, but I've been fasting since 9pm the night before, and it's now 10:30am ... and I have to walk into a lobby that smells like freshly baked bread! Are you freaking kidding me???? I was like this is some freaking torture.

So, I get there and get into the fashionable buttless robe and get all hooked up to the machines that do heart and blood pressure. I also get an IV started. My two nurses "The Joans" because they are both named Joan, are two middle aged women that are hilarious. One takes to calling me "Lil' Bit". She asks me how long it's been since someone called me that, and I stated no one has EVER called me that. She laughs and then does a shimmy, shakin' her boobs at me. THAT was a bit odd, and she laughs again and asks if I feel better now. I just said sure because I was scared of what else might happen if I didn't . . .

The other Joan puts these leg compressor things on my legs to keep the blood in my legs moving during surgery to ensure I don't get any blood clots. What they do is compress each leg alternately, like you are walking. It was kind of a weird feeling because it really did make me feel like I was walking even though I was laying down. Almost like a calf massage . . .

Then the anastesiaologist comes by and wants to check me out. He puts the stehoscope on my bare back and DAMN it was cold!! Then the front . . . He then asks me to open my mouth up wide and tilt my head way back, and then says "Oh yeah. That looks great." Ummm, did anyone else's mind go where mine just went?? He then walks out.

My doctor shows up and says let's go, so they start injecting my IV with all kinds of stuff, including something that will either make me dizzy or laugh. Well -- I laughed . . . alot. The only thing I remember is that there are lights and gizmos beeping and everyone asking me what's so funny.....

And then I wake up in the recovery room. I have to drink some Barium while they zap my tummy to make sure that I can swallow (which I do) and then it's time to go. We left the hospital at around 2:30pm. Huh . . . not too shabby....

So now, I'm 24 hrs into a 48 hr broth, popsicle, jello, water diet. Odd thing is, I'm not overly hungry . . . at all. This thing is weird . . . but cool. I can only eat a half can of broth and a jello cup and I'm full for like 2 hrs. I graduate up in food intake over the next month. . . but this is gonna be interesting. Oh -- and I lost 17 lbs from my preop-diet.

I find out last night that the doctor was VERY impressed with my liver. He said it is VERY clean. So, that's why I attached the picture at the bottom, I wanted to show off my clean liver. It's the bright pink organ with the silver insturment touching it. I'm quite proud of that because I'm sure NO ONE has ever been told that before. And, I have proof . . . :)