The surgerie.....s

I must apologize for the extended delay between entries however when you hear what has been going on the last month... You will better understand why it took me some time to type. I am using my iPad to update this blog because I am unable to type sufficiently on my laptop due to the immobility of my right hand and arm.

I must start by saying that you are all aware that a HUGE fear of mine before this hand surgery was the "team" that would follow me at the hospital. I wanted everyone to know that I was taken care of very well. My medical students ( hi to those "trolls and elves" who are reading this :) ), the Residents, and Attendings were all careful, attentive, extremely patient and nice with me. I was reassured when I was nervous and I was taken seriously. (If only my surgeon took me seriously... Well- I will get to that part in a bit).

I had successful CMC joint Arthroplasty. The pins were in place nicely, I was hospitalized for 6 days after the surgery to ensure no complications would arise. I am on high doses of blood thinners due to my clot disorder so a fine balance of blood thinners needed to be administered to make sure I did not bleed into my arm. Everything was on track and I left the hospital in a lot of pain (to be expected) but in good condition. I was discharged on a Sunday and I was to follow up with my surgeon the next day in his office. I just wanted to add a side note. For those of you who do not know me...I know my body VERY well! I have self diagnosed , DVTs, PEs, bleeding into joints, hands, and infections. I am rarely wrong...

When I saw my hand surgeon the next day...I knew something was not right. I had a lot of pressure building up in various places in my arm, significant bruising had started, but mostly the pain- it was intolerable. Yet when I presented to my surgeon, he said "I was fine... It is all normal, Stacy...do not worry" and I was resplinted and to go back in a week. During the week, I was progressively feeling worse. The pain was unmanageable so I called my hand surgeon's office Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday finally getting a call back from his sorry-to-say incompetent PA who told me he would discuss my concerns with my surgeon and someone would call me back. Well, by 8pm Friday night when I did not hear back from anyone, I decided to go to my local emergency room. (I had seen other doctors during the week...plastic knee surgeon, hematologist, regular knee surgeon) all of whom did not feel comfortable unwrapping this huge splint on my arm and told me to reach out to my hand surgeon! At the Emergency Room- immediately when they unwrapped my arm (I will spare you the pictures but I sure have a lot of them) I knew ut oh- I am going to need surgery to fix this. They rushed me into a Doppler ultrasound but when the tech said, "There is too much blood to see anything" my only thought was wondering if my Brother-in-Law, David, was going to be my ambulance driver.

Unfortunately, due to a case of the surgeon not listening to his patient...I had to have emergency surgery ... In the middle of the night (1:00am) for Compartment Syndrome. This is a very serious complication that if left untreated can lead to amputation. (Feel free too google it for a more comprehensive definition if you would like). After I was transferred back to the hospital that my surgeon operates out of at UMDNJ, and as I am being prepped faster than I have ever been prepped before for surgery.... My surgeon wheeled me into surgery telling me how I ruined a nice dinner at a restuarant he was at with his wife and how his secretary said she did not get my 5+ messages. Oh and he hoped I would not suffer any permanent damage in my arm..and then I was out.

7:45am, I was in my hospital room and was comforted by the familiar faces of my same medical students, residents....and attending doctors (The Trolls and Elves) who all felt so badly for me but I think they also had a new appreciation that my worrying about complications was not for nothing. ( right guys??). This new surgery left me with the most painful incision extending forearm side from the middle of my palm all the way down my arm to just above my elbow. There are 178 stitches. ( inside and outside combined) don't forget the 2 pins I still have in place from surgery #1. Due to my lack of Vitamin C Absorbtion (remember I have a port in my chest for daily IV infusions )... Healing this incision will be challenging for my body. I was hospialized for 10 days following the Compartment Syndrome surgery. During that hospitalization, it became July 1 which is the switching day for people who are in medical school and who are Resident doctors. I lost my most favorite medical students and residents who knew me, cared for me and understood the fragility of my situation. It was hard to have to re-teach new people about Stacy! And it definitely was a challenge the next few days until I was discharged.

To date: I have had 1 post- op visit and so far the surgeon is pleased. I am under poor pain control. It is debilitating. Usually when I have huge surgeries (such as the 3 knee replacements) I would go directly in-patient to Kessler Institute where pain is managed better acutely after surgery. This time, I came right home. It has been difficult to say the least. I remain in a splint that is non- removable and a sling 24 hours a day. I am still facing 8-12 weeks of a hard cast but I need all of the stitches out first ... This complication set me back about 1 month. I am facing a serious amount of Occupational Therapy to regain strength, mobility and function to be able to use my arm and hand again. I see my surgeon on Wednesday- I am praying everything is ok... I am so worried!

Hopefully the rest of this recovery will go smoothly. It is so upsetting that this could have been avoided had my surgeon just listened to me. I am praying for no permanent damage in the muscles, nerves, and tendons that were cut so emergently in the arm or hand...

On a different note, I will hopefully be going to Johns Hopkins to see Dr. Sack for a specialized CT scan next week. Perhaps there will be some answers to my extreme, unhealthy, weight loss , Vitamin malabsoption problem, and my general deteriorating condition. Someone has to have answers for me right??

As I end this blog...here is a quote that I recently heard..." If you are feeling blue, make it a bright blue..."

I am trying so hard not to give up....Good thing blue is my favorite color!

To be continued....
Stacy