Going into the operation I was pretty terrified.
I didn’t get a massive amount of sleep over night. They came and gave me pre-op medication then I settled in for sleep. A lady opposite me was going into labour and although she was fairly quiet there was quite a lot of moving about around her. The woman in the bay next to me was a lot more of a fuss, she kept walking around and was clearly in pain. Kept talking to her husband about her bowl movements and essentially kept me up over night. I know it wasn’t her fault, labour isn’t easy but this is why I hate being on a ward!
I woke up early, had a shower and got dressed ready to go down for surgery. My husband also arrived bright and early having had breakfast on his way over from MacDonalds, I wasn’t allowed anything to eat, but wasn’t very hungry. Was just thirsty and wanting to keep going preparing myself for the surgery that was about to come!
After being taken down to the HDU which was opposite the theatre I had drs coming in to see me before the op, with one having travelled down from my local hospital to watch the surgery and follow my case. This was unexpected but really nice/reassuring to see.
The waiting around for surgery and being taken into surgery was a strange moment, I wasn’t really sure what was going on so I didn’t actually say bye properly to my husband. The drs laughed and I was told, he’s got to stay here I’m afraid so I’ll shut the curtain for you to say bye properly.
I also asked if I should take my underwear off and was told to leave it on. I said goodbye to my husband and went to have my epidural put in. They then told me I needed to have my nickers off, so my husband was delivered them in a lovely little bag! Delightful I’m sure.
The epidural didn’t go in quite as he would have liked the first time, so out it came and back in but a vertebrae down this time. It worked! Then lay on the hospital bed in theatre with soooo many people around doing their bits.
Everyone was kind of in their zone doing their job, and I was attempting to keep calm. I was doing breathing exercises whilst focusing on the tiles on the ceiling, breathing in along one side and out down the other.
The amazing anesthetist was so nice, kept me calm and put me to sleep. “See you on the other side guys”
I woke up from the op in pretty good spirits. I managed not to hemorrhage (yeyyy!) And the baby did amazingly (massive yeyyy!!!) Within 20 mins of waking up I was cracking jokes at my husbands expense. He was relieved though and said only I could go through major surgery and come out laughing.
The Drs said they were amazed at how well I was doing and that it couldn’t have gone better. The pictures they took of the surgery are insane! I can’t believe that’s our little baby there!!! I know I’m still on the epidural, but my leg is completely numb. I can’t move it, so it’s a dead weight and feels really weird!
So good to see my husband again too. I was so worried this wasn’t going to happen. As much as I pretended I was ok, and our goodbye was pretty brief (we’ll be ok, I’ll see you in three hours, love you) I was terrified of everything going wrong and being that statistic. (I cried saying goodbye to my babies yesterday when we were driving to hospital for the same reason). But to my amazement everything has gone perfectly.
Now for more of the same throughout recovery please!!!!
Spina Bifida Baby 