This is what it looks like now, one week later. The bruising is gone, but the swelling remains and it still hurts like the dickens! With the first fistula I took one pain pill, that's it. I'm still taking them a week later with this one and am still in much pain. One difference is that this surgeon said he went much deeper to locate a big vein. The first one that was done by another surgeon was not a large vein. That leads me to believe that all of my problems probably stemmed from that fact. When the first one was done, I was suppose to be at the hospital at 11:00 AM and surgery was for 11:30. At 6:00 PM the surgeon happened by the nurses desk (I was right in front of it) and saw his name on my door. "Is that my patient?" "I forgot about her." So what was suppose to be an outpatient surgery turned into an overnight because it was about 9:00 PM when I returned to my room, and they didn't want to dismiss me that late. So the whole thing makes me wonder: It was the end of his day so was he tired? Or maybe had plans? Was he in a hurry? Did he take the first vein he came to? They did a venogram the week before to map out the best veins, which I was told would be in my lower arm. Then he told me after surgery that the best vein was in my upper arm. All the incisions were in the upper arm. I'm not saying he lied. I'm just saying it makes me wonder, and how are we suppose to know all the right answers? Or even the right questions. I guess I'm medically challenged and I just say 'here I am, just do whatever you want to do to me.' Actually, I try to trust and believe that they know what they're doing. And I should know better than that. I think every surgery patient should have a personal liason to walk them through it and be there to ask the right questions for the patient. Handing out pages and pages of consent forms and lots of gobble-de-gook should NOT be used as a catch all for the hospital that the patient has been informed and understands everything, and are taking their own chances. All it does is cancels their liability.
This is a picture of my first fistula with some impressive stitchwork.
4 comments:
It *does* look better now. I hope the pain goes away soon. I love you.
Wow, i'm pretty shocked at all the stitch work and bruising! When I got mine done (it's an upper arm fistula) the only incision I had was at the inner bend of my arm and that was it...and i'm very prone to brusing and i didn't have any!
I hope your arm/the pain gets better soon! <3
--Flo
here it is almost 4am I am to have my first fistula at 10:45 this morning and am scared like the dickens I hope it goes smooth just pray for me and I hope all is going well for you now, I have had a cathader in my chest for 6 months and will look forward to taking a shower without haveing to use one of those cahtader covers that takes soo much to get into place. Well wish me luck and again I hope you are feeling better.
Tina
Well here I am about 4am just 6 short hours away from getting my first fistula and I'm not going to lie I'm pretty hestitant about getting this although using this and being able to jump into the shower unlike now with a chest tube sticking out and always having to cover it to take a shower. Ihope all goes well and I hope you are feeling better.
Tina
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