Okay, so I asked the man, how much cutting is involved? And when will I be able to return to work? And how will this limit my use of that arm and for how long?
He responded with a shrug and said, "Well, it's outpatient surgery, you should be able to go back to work at what you do, immediately." But, hey, we'll schedule it for Friday, that way you'll have the whole weekend to recoup. The "you idiot!" was implied. Of course, he says, there's always the chance he won't be able to do the fistula, in which case, he'll put in a graft. You know, instead of connecting the vein to the artery, he'll have to insert an artifial vein. But not to worry.
I asked him about sleeping, because I had read that it might be a problem if I was side sleeper. He waved his hand at that and said, "Oh, don't worry about that. It's not even an issue."
This was the extent of my preparation for this life-changing surgery. And that is why I hate surgeons. No matter how you ask, they will not tell you what you need to know. And you will be surprised at what they have done to you, when you wake up. (Having said this, I warn anyone who writes to me and says anything about having to be your own advocate - you give me this advice at your own risk. I did research on the internet and I did ask the questions.)
He did not tell me that I would lose all the strength in my arm (I hope that's temporary). Or that it would be four incisions, three of which have 9 or 10 staples. Or that my skin would be pulled so tight, my arm kind of sticks out away from my body at a strange angle. It almost feels like he detached my arm and sewed on someone else's.(Someone asked me if I had hurt my back, because of the way I was walking.) I usually carry a pillow under my arm in order to prop my arm at the right angle so it isn't pulling the skin too hard.I cannot sit or stand comfortably.
As for sleeping, which I asked him about specifically - I have been unable to sleep in a bed. I have to sleep propped up in a recliner. I don't know when I'll be able to lie down again.
After the surgery, as you'd expect, my arm was swollen huge and all black and blue, but it's been a week so most of the discoloration is gone. I still have swelling and constant pain in my arm, though. I cannot lift my arm easily.
My poor skin reacted to the bandaids and so I can't cover the incisions. When I took one of the bandaids off, it pulled some skin with it, leaving an open sore in the elbow bend.
While my arm feels hot to the touch, my fingers are cold. This is a circulation problem, and cold fingers in this hand may be something I'll have to live with forever.
It feels like I have giant tubes under my skin and it itches just below the surface of the skin (you read right) where the graft is.
I'm posting a couple of picture so you can see my Frankenstein arm. Yes, I know it's red around the staples of two of these incisions and that may be sign of infection. But the redness started yesterday, and being a holiday, I was advised by the doc's answering machine to wait until Monday or call 911. I am taking levaquin, which I just happened to have on hand, and I will call on Monday.
Thanks for letting me vent. Now it's time for more pain meds. I hate to take too many of these, so I go as long as I can without taking them, and then I cave, pop the pills, and turn on the TV.
