24 Hours...here it goes! GCS Thread

[Heather Shay]

I am so happy about your progress and you wise planning. Anyone under your care as a nurse is lucky. Matty is meowing and waiting for mommy

[Lexi C]

wow that's great to Kylie. Every penny counts esp now.

Hope all is well

[Kylie]

Day 10-

 

I am EXHAUSTED and sore. Over the past few days I’ve developed a routine that has helped make my dilating sessions a little easier to endure. Still no real pain when doing dilation, just generalized soreness. I’ve had the normal bleeding, which at first made me nervous, but now I am learning to deal with. Just routinely changing pads and keeping clean. Nothing really big to report. Sort of only thing is just the routine. Everything seems to be healing well, I’ve noticed some sutures have already dissolved. So crazy that I see where I am healing at the incision lines and how clean it looks. 
 

Kylie

[Heather Shay]

You have an incredible nurse taking care of you - YOU. So you should feel happy and re-assured. Most of us will never know the comfort of having such a beautiful and talented nurse take care of us. I am so happy for you I am almost busting. So is Mattie, I'm sure.

[Kylie]

Sometimes it is hard even as a Nurse. I really don’t know how to handle the ‘wound’ because everything I’m so used to doing for a wound, such as promoting closure is different with this! So having to relearn is difficult. Trying to keep the exterior clean and dry is a lot of work because of I don’t feel much yet so I look every hour or so and make sure it sill isnt saturated and such. Hoping the next few months can continue such as these past two weeks have, with no big issues. 
 

I am getting excited that Tuesday is almost here, means I get to fly home!

[Heather Shay]

Still - you sound like a nurse and that is good.

 

Fly high FREEBIRD....?

[Lexi C]

Congrats Kylie .

Always good to hear good news. 

Cats Rule!!!

[Kylie]

Few words...the nerves waking back up. 
 

Not painful, but talk about discomfort! 

[Emily michelle]

I bet that could have some very interesting sensations and feelings 

[Kylie]

@Emily michelle It is like a jolt going through my body. Pain is irritating but short lived. Rather they just hurry and get over with!

[Heather Shay]

This to shall pass and you are nearly at the finish line.

[Kylie]

Today is the day!

 

Post-Op appointment at 9:45am and then headed to the air port. Hoping everything goes well at the appointment and nothing looks off to my Surgeon that would be of concern. 
 

Lots of prayers and good vibes ❤️

[Heather Shay]

It will and I wish I could see the wonderful job you do on your make. 

Congratulations....you are almost home...

[Jackie C.]

58 minutes ago, Kylie said:

Today is the day!

 

Post-Op appointment at 9:45am and then headed to the air port. Hoping everything goes well at the appointment and nothing looks off to my Surgeon that would be of concern. 
 

Lots of prayers and good vibes ❤️

 

Good luck! Honestly, for me this session was pretty brief. The surgeon removed the catheter and the packing, showed me where everything was and sent me on my way. Then I got back to the hotel and had a shower. I really, really needed a shower.

 

Hugs!

[Kylie]

Ah. I had my packing and catheter removed at my last appointment @Jackie C.  I think this one is to make sure I’m healing good still. Ready to get it over with so I can get the all clear to fly

home!

 

@Shay if I remember I’ll take a photo of myself today! Had a bit of a morning in the shower, felt woozy - but for our immediately and laid down. Pretty sure I just over done it yesterday with packing and getting things ready to go home. I feel much better now. Ready to get this day started and OVER. 

[Jackie C.]

You got to walk around AND you get two sessions with the doctor? I'm jealous. ❤️

 

You were also smart enough to fly home. Double jealous. ?

 

Hugs!

[Kylie]

Well I was scheduled 3 sessions for post-op. My surgeon however said she almost always lets her patients go home at the second post-op visit. 
 

I am going first-class too! No better way to celebrate the new me by flying comfortably! I flew to Austin First too. It was the first time in many years I didn’t fly economy. I think I’m spoiled now!

 

 

[Heather Shay]

I am glad you took it easy when you got woozy. I know you will be fine and I can't wait to hear about Mattie's reaction.

 

AND you deserve to spoil yourself. You have done an incredibly hard thing to do. I am proud of you and hope I am be even half the woman you are and draw upon your strength to complete my journey.

 

[Kylie]

I’m home. 
 

Unfortunately during my long day yesterday I lost a stitch and had wound separation at the base of my canal. While I know this is a common complication because of the tension; I have been devastated. I bled for a while. The wound dehiscence isn’t bad, just looks weird and I’m worried one wrong move will mess up my progress. The most upsetting thing is now I’m back in N.C. and my Surgeon is in Texas. I am just going to take it easy the next week an stay in bed and hope I notice improvements. My surgeon isn’t worried, I’m just disheartened this happened. 
 

Brighter note; my cat and significant other were happy to see me back. Feels good to be home! Here is to doing nothing for a week except dilation, shower, sleep and eat!

 

If anyone has had similar issues reach out, you ladies are all I know! 

[Emily michelle]

I’m glad to hear your home. Hopefully you start healing again and have no more setbacks.

[Heather Shay]

You have an excellent nurse taking care of you....namely you. I would be clueless. You know what you need to do . have faith in you and all will be good. Both kitty and significant will add the other needed love. Those ingredients will heal you faster to an even better you.

 

Forget the make up for now unless it brings you more comfort.

 

Relax trust and know all is well 

 

[Abi]

I hope all continues to go well. Thank you for sharing this part of your experience. Knowing what to expect is an important part of being comfortable with the process. You sharing this makes it easier to know the pitfalls of what dealing with long distance surgery can be. Just heal up and stay positive. 

 

~Abi~

[Lexi C]

sorry to hear about the small inconvenience  , but Shay is right. Thank God your a nurse...i would be freak out. Feel better..Cat's Rule

[Kylie]

WEEK 3

 

Week 1 & 2 were pretty uneventful. Just basically getting the normal post-operative things in order. The struggle really started for me the past few days. I developed a wound dehiscence, which as many of us know is common - so far it isn’t too large and seems to be trying to heal. Saturday night a small part of my skin graft on my vaginal opening came off after being rejected shortly after surgery. I knew this was going to occur. But the pain that came after was unexpected! I found it impossible to dilate Saturday night, after one tear-ripped phone call to the surgeon on call he told me to sleep that night and try dilating again in the morning. Sunday morning I ended up taking some gauze and covering the left part of my vaginal opening and was able to successfully dilate, while pain was still present - it was a bit more manageable. The granulation tissue is super painful during the initial phase, but I think a lot of healing is taking place and the pain and bleeding is starting to slow down a bit. 
 

Speaking on pain - the first and second week I did pretty well on pain management with mainly Tylenol and ibuprofen, with a oxycodone two times a day typically. After the wound issues, I found myself having to take 6-8 in those 2-3 days just to keep the pain at a dull level of 5. Now, I am coming back down on them with now using CBD oil per my Surgeon recommendation.  Now, the huge struggle is the constipation that is roaring it’s ugly head and causing some additional discomfort. Started Colace for that - still no luck x3 days - gonna need to address that tomorrow on my phone call with my surgeon. 
 

The last thing, the OMG can’t believe this is definitely the smell from the slough tissue. I can not even describe the smell. Despite following everything to a strict T from my surgeon - that smell is something else. I did notice the slough tissue is trying to detach itself and is starting to dry up some, hoping sooner than later. I have to do a Summer Eve water/vinegar *cleanse* this afternoon after I dilate so I hope that speeds up the ‘let go’ of this yellow disaster. 
 

As far as dilating, I started off on blue immediately after surgery. But I am on the purple one now because of discomfort. So goal is to maintain depth, will go back to blue once I feel more comfortable with healing and pain. 
 

Tried to update some : been MIA.

 

 

 

[Heather Shay]

@Kylie hang in there girl it's darkest before the dawn but it will be soon even. Hug Matty closer and we all are thinking of you and wanting you to heal.