Thursday, February 22, 2007

The Dark Side

Deep, dreamless sleep.
Abrupt ascent back towards reality...
I was thinking about oxygen,and it's over already?

"You're awake,c'mon, let's get a sugar."
Darn. How do they always know?
Can't a person catch a few more ZZ's?
Ok, 357. Infusion set is probably dead,
as I bolused a correction prior to surgery.
Request 5 units IV,
which isn't a major deal(Anesthesiologist quickly approves)

I'll never join the dark side, never!!!!!
"It is your destiny- especially if you keep running blood sugars like that,"
Darth Surgeon drily remarks.
I want to say something, like shut up you idiot..I just had surgery, what do you expect?
but I think my (listening)parent would be overly shocked/horrified if I said that. Besides, it's not nice to insult the person who just did surgery on you, even if it's true.
Open eye. "Surgery isn't exactly conducive to normal blood sugars, you know."
That was ok, just the right touch of overt sarcasm mixed with the stinging overlay of truth. And really not that rude, either...
"
Yes, but if you go on like that, etc...."
I've heard enough, time to tune out. Close eye. Everyone's an expert in Endocrinology. If
you think you can do better, you're more then welcome to get a pancreotomy and see what
a total joyride diabetes is.

4 PM-
Clinic time, time for the grand ripping off of the patch.
And, wow. Never seen that before, door and wall melt into one fantastic 3-D image. The door is covering the entire wall-yet it is on top of it. I was expecting something of the sort, so its not overly freaky.
"Ok, we've got that wayyy overcorrected, I see." Adjust a few stitches.

Things are looking straight again. Stagger off for an eye test, just to make sure things are good before the surgeon cuts the stitches. Pass eye test. Come out of test room, fall face first onto carpet. Maybe its the anesthesia that's making me so loopy, but stuff is periodically doubling every few feet + I'm not used to this. I'm ok, just dizzy. Get transported to exam room + scowling resident checks my blood pressure. "You're fine." I don't think he enjoys checking blood pressures.
Surgeon comes back in. Resident holds me down, while surgeon sets to work adjusting the stitches. The drops + tears flood down my face, run down the back of my throat, numbing my tongue, while it's tie, snip, and adjust to the perfect specifications. Cataract surgery was such a cakewalk, this is so differant. Surgeon says stuff might still double off/and on for the next few days, thats normal.
Geez. It's finally over. Finally, finally over. Eye is doing ok, the last of the anesthestics have exited my system + my blood sugars are (kind of)back on earth. I wasn't back to work the day after,though. I need to wear sunglasses-coworkers have been asking me A. who beat me up and B. do I have pinkeye. It isn't looking too pretty yet.
And why do Endocrine appointments always seem to fall on highly atypical blood sugar weeks?
(Either you've got really awesome #'s, or everything is complete crud + you're asking yourself where the heck you begin with it all..)
I don't wanna go, but I guess I gotta.

5 comments:

Minnesota Nice said...

Wow, Heidi. Always something - no?
I agree that cataract surgery is a cakewalk - I developed one as a direct result of my detached retina, and the removal was a non-event. In fact, I went shopping that afternoon.
The nurse-anesthetist was in charge of my insulin and had no clue what was going on. Just before I was discharged I asked her to hand me my bag so I could correct the 350 reading and she said "oh, we can't have you doing that -no unauthorized drugs allowed on the premises".
Feel better soon.

Drea said...

I hope you are feeling better!!!

Take care - I really appreciate you sharing your stories!!

Scott K. Johnson said...

Sounds like quite an experience! Hope you are feeling better soon!

I got a nice chuckle out of "pancreotomy"! :-)

Major Bedhead said...

Ish. Feel better soon. O always seems to have endo appointments a couple of weeks after all hell breaks loose, too. I hate that.

Chrissie in Belgium said...

Thank you for sharing. I am glad you are home again - hospital scare the living daylight out of me.