NeuroTalk Support Groups - I had my thymectomy !!!! with details

Hi everyone,

firstly I have to apologize for taking so long to post but up until 3 days ago I did not have the energy to post, so here is my story for those interested.

I arrived in hospital on 2nd July very nervous, and began been prepped at around 1pm Surgeons attempted giving me a epidural but after 2 attempts gave up, I got wheeled into the OR at 1:40pm, 2 cannulas inserted was given something to relax me 3hrs later, full sternotomy 20cm incision, 3 wires. I woke up in ICU, stayed in ICU 24hrs and during that time stopped breathing on a few occasions, I vaguely remember screaming in pain when be shifted from OR bed to ICU Bed, I had 2 chest tube drains inserted, cannulas in each arm and one im my next which was in the artery (very uncomfortable) slept thru most of thursday night, was awake for about 5 min friday morning to say hi to my neighbor and then continued sleeping all day friday, went up to normal ward friday afternoon, and again awake for about 10min to see my kids, was given a PCA for pain but I was to weak and sleepy to press the button, at some point the nurse fed me some yogurt but apparently I kept falling asleep after each spoonful hahaha continued sleeping all friday night, woke up saturday which was my birthday thankfully I was a lot more alert, tried to go for a walk, but I could only get far as standing up, I was too weak, and once again slept most of Saturday 2 chest tube drains were also taken out that day, sunday I finally got up out of bed and had a shower that was awesome I felt half human again and it was also the first time I got to see the wound, which looked pretty neat, pain at that stage was about a 4 at rest and 8 on movement. as the days went on the pain subsided, Tuesday Day 5 my PCA was removed, continued receiving morphine injections for pain at night till day 9 otherwise it was a course of 2 lots of slow release pain killers and 1 lot of quick release, daily morning and night injections of heparin (my legs are still bruised) gout excited about the idea of maybe going home on thursday 1 week after operation but that was not to be the case, got a mild infection so that needed to be taken care of so it wasn't until day 11 that I got released to go home, I tell you what though it was easier in hospital, especially when your a single mom of 2 toddlers, but somehow I managed first 5 days after coming home after dropping children to daycare I slept it was not until 15 days post op that I was able to stay wake the whole day without needing a 3-4 sleep, last night was the first time I slept in my bed, till then I slept propped up on the couch and that too was getting uncomfortable im good now have been off all pain meds since last saturday, my energy levels slowly increasing had my 1st appointment with surgeon yesterday and I been given the all clear yayy pain is almost all gone except when getting up out of bed. Its been a long few weeks but I think all well worth it, as far as the myasthenia is concerned not too sure yet symptom wise so far so good only time will tell,

anyways its been a long day and I am about to fall asleep on the keyboard so I will go now, I hope everyone else is well,

Chat soon

Melissa:D