I checked into my room as Tim ran home and was relieved it was nice and had a couch for him. Not much sleeping would be possible but at least he could lay. We got all checked in and started the night process. Saline IV was given but they said nothing by mouth and that meant no pain relief unless I risked morphine in prep for the HIDA test the next morning. I was thirsty and starving!! I managed to get ice by begging and fed O as needed. Early the next morning my infectious disease team and surgeon came in. He said four days of pump and dump after the nuclear medicine HIDA test. He left and called the infant risk hotline directly for me to double check the time and safety of the drugs and understood my concerns and most of all listened! They confirmed four days of pump and dump. With Tim here, he said he could operate without the test but they weren't certain the gallbladder function was impaired since we found no stones. Fluid could be from pregnancy and internal sludge maybe not affecting function. He was 85% certain.
Together we decided I'd pump a few ounces before the test then we'd move Oliver to formula when we ran out and have it done. We need clear answers and recovery with everything else happening in February. I need to recover and haven't been able to care for my kids which is devastating and has never happened before. We needed informed answers. Tim had to head home and take care of the big boys and Oliver alone now since no one was here to keep O with me. It was hard for all of us and hubby suddenly had a newborn and two bigger kiddos all on his own. On top of that a Newborn who had never had a bottle and just liked to be held! I'm so proud of how he rocked it even if that sounds cliche.
The nurses were great and asked where baby went. No one else ever pressured me or acted like it was a burden. They expected a four day old to be with mom!!
I waited with no pain relief until my scan. It couldn't be booked until Wednesday afternoon. Turns out it is a two part two hour scan. First injects me to see if I'm blocked then you lay still for 45 min under the machine for pictures. My gallbladder showed up so it wasn't fully blocked and we moved to part two the function test. Here I get an injection equal to fatty food and see how it deals.
My organ pain was under control naturally no meds since morphine a night ago but I'd started getting regular sore back and neck from this bed and especially from lying right where my epidural was. I feel it hasn't healed and some fluid was inflaming the area which is common. At the end of the test I called it five minutes early and had to sit up. I wasn't sure how to get through the next one lying flat but tried. We started the text and every minute was torture with constant ache across my upper back. At thirty minutes I couldn't continue. She said they couldn't pause then restart and take a few more pics at the end but I decided a partial test was better than none and he was willing to go with none so I was done. Then the tech says "we saw what we needed."
A short time after I got back to my room the surgeon came in. Surgery for removal was necessary and my gallbladder was functioning at 17%. The surgery cut off is 35% and I was way below that. Sadly doc was busy so surgery couldn't be until the next day and afternoon. He understood I wanted out ASAP and said I could be released as soon as pain was under control. Once again no food or drink after midnight but that evening I got liquid diet. For the first time since Tuesday I could eat and drink even if it was broth and jello!!
Oliver was at home with dad and took his breastmilk bottles like a champ. We haven't gotten to formula yet as I pumped about ten ounces before the testing but it's coming soon now. Just hope his belly tolerates the change. I hung out and got real pain relief that night in an attempt to sleep.
A great friend grabbed Oliver and brought him up Thursday morning while Tim managed the boys and Nolan's school drop off and pickup. We had some great friends drop meals so dad just had to reheat Wednesday night and hot dinner was brought Thursday. This is awesome after pregnancy of any kind but beyond amazing after our craziness!!! Everyone at the hospital knew my request to hurry and the surgeon moved patients around for me. At around eleven they came in and said "they are coming for you now."
Off went Oliver back to daddy wih my good friend and I was prepped. It was a but scary waiting all alone but I knew my babies were in great care and I need to get better. We did the whole process and I entered the OR and was transferred to the tiny gurney. My anesthesiologist and surgeon said hi pre-op but in the OR one second I was strapped in and the next I woke up in recovery an hour and a half later. It was now around 2:30pm. No one told meanesthesia was coming or anything. Totally crazy and my like other surgeries I had but I guess I didn't have anxiety then!
Recovery was rough. Everyone said I could go home when I could manage but I needed IV pain relief to fully wake even. I had to be up, walking, eating and on oral meds only. It was already evening and Tim and I talked. The nurses were understanding but really wanted me to stay. One more night here, take meds and get healthy. I transferred to oral meds only in the evening, got my liquid diet, and made it to the bathroom walking! Apparently after they make four incisions, they insert a camera in one and tools in the other.
Then they use CO2 gas to inflate our stomach to work in there. This inflation and gas was the main source of my pain. As it worked out, slowly I felt better. Now I have some residual gas in my shoulder but I think it's gone from my belly. Since I'm pumping and dumping I can take the oral strong meds and they help. Now I mainly feel the incisions and my abdomen is sore when moving. It was already separated from birth and now the gas and camera didn't help!
Pictures:
My fun non stop blood clot protection. It squeezes my legs and has been on since Saturday. I hope I'm buff now.
Well now we are to this morning Friday. Nolan is riding to school with a friend so baby O doesn't have to go in o school yet (thanks!!!). Oliver let dad get one chunk of sleep (he seriously hadn't slept more than 30min at night yet!) and I'm drinking breakfast, waiting to shower and then one dressed and up I'll hopefully be going home again finally. I won't be much help today and probably tomorrow but at least with a big pillow I can hold my baby and feed him (still bottles only until Sunday) and see my big babies again. I left them Tuesday after being home 48hrs and haven't seen them since. I've only ever been away overnight for births and short ones at that.
I'm hoping the rest of the story goes release midday and better every moment so I can love on my baby and get my big boys back to their calm routine with mommy home!! Grandma C is coming to help now too! Drive safe!!
Thank you to everyone who watched a kiddo, ran an errand for us, or simply just asked how they could help or even better volunteered a specific action!!! I'll post more pictures of the cute parts of baby O and his homecoming once I have non camera phone ones at home!!
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