Recovery Road

After I was all sealed up I was taken off the operating table and wheeled into a recovery room for thirty minutes where my vitals were closely watched by a nurse stationed at my bed side. The doctor came over after cleaning up to check on me, and then went up to let my husband know that I would be up in the room shortly.

I didn’t have the itchy feeling from the medicine, so I wasn’t given any Benadryl right away. After a few hours though, I started to itch on my back and then my nose and my arms. I got some Benadryl which helped for a little while, but I suppose I let it get a little too far out of hand before asking for the Benadryl…even though the nurses continually told me in Lamaze class and before the surgery and even right after that if I felt any itchiness at all, just the tiniest tingle, then I needed to ask for Benadryl right away.

:::My Advice::: Get the Benadryl as soon as the nurses offer it to you and just nip the whole problem in the butt before it even begins.

The nurses transferring me to the bed in the room was the worst part after the surgery up till my milk came in on Saturday. I’m not sure those two should ever be allowed to maneuver someone like that again… and I’m really not all that big. One pushed, the other pulled. My limp legs moved over, my head moved over, but my really sore incision half stayed put and I could really feel a burning sensation.

:::My Advice::: Ask for another person to help move you if you’re in doubt that the nurses  getting ready to do the job may not be enough. You won’t regret it.

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It took about 12 hours for me to be able to fully (but very slowly) move my legs again. The catheter came out after 16 hours, and I was able to begin to become mobile once again. The nurse immediately had me stand and walk to the restroom after removing the compression boots. She had me sit on the toilet until I was able to urinate.

This was an odd feeling task to complete.  It almost seemed as though those muscles had disappeared and I had to find them again. After about 10 minutes of twisting, and trying to flex various muscles in the region, I was able to tinkle just the tiniest bit. I waited a few more minutes and tried again releasing more. Like I said, it was an odd feeling and I had to keep stopping midstream because it honestly felt slightly overwhelming.

Do not plan on getting much sleep. With all the nurses coming and going and the Blood Pressure/Temperature checks (every 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 and then every hour at first) every 4 hours you get up a lot.

The Chaplain came in several times, an inspirometer was brought in and a clip was put my finger to gauge my oxygen…(This was later moved to a toe so that I could easily nurse the baby without it constantly being in the way and falling off,) and the Lactation Consultant came to see how nursing was going. (Another Post)

After 24 hours I was offered a stronger pain medication other than the 600mg of Motrin I had been getting every 6 hours. I’m not much of a fan of pain medication that I don’t need, so I stuck with the Motrin and had very little pain. In fact, the “pain” was not as bad as just the uncomfortable feeling that I had. Even after we were discharged, and I was given a prescription for both pain medications, I only filled the Motrin, but if you need the narcotics – get them.

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My doctor came in on Friday to check the incision and see how I was doing. I was sitting on the edge of the bed  when he came in, and he was pleased to see me up and about. I had to have assistance rolling out of the bed each time on Friday, and standing was a slow and uncomfortable process. After I took a few steps hunched over things relaxed in there and let me stand much straighter… It was nice.

The doctor said we actually filled all the requirements to leave that evening, but he was not comfortable letting a first time C-section patient go home so early. (We had ZERO complaints about that, I wasn’t ready to go home.) However, he did say that he would let the nurses know we’re cleared to go home on Saturday instead of having to stay until Sunday.

The baby was also cleared to go home after a short inspection by the pediatrician on Saturday morning, but we (my husband and I) decided to take the advice of the many moms before me and stay the recommended three nights. (Now we’re going home on the scheduled day of Sunday.)

Let me tell you…. I am SO GLAD that we stayed. My milk came in Saturday and within seconds it felt like, I was engorged and in so much pain. My breasts were literally HOT to the touch while my body temperature was normal. The baby couldn’t eat enough to give me any relief at all, and broken to devastating tears I finally whimpered for my husband to “please, go find someone to help me.” The nursery ladies (one in training) came in and put me on a double electric pump. I didn’t want to pump, but it was just terrible, I knew I had to.

Finally, with relief – I managed to make it through the night. I had Katelyn in the nursery, but around 1am when I felt full again, I called to have her brought down to me at her next feeding time. It was a battle, but I survived – and Sunday morning by 11 o’clock – we were heading home for the first time with our baby girl.