The Next Chapter: Post 1st Rib Resection Surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

My first rib resection surgery was scheduled for July 1st at 8:00 a.m. at St. Luke's in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The surgery was an hour long and it was successful.  The incision was under my arm and was 2.5 inches long.  They stitched a drainage tube underneath and took it out a day after surgery.

I spent two nights in the hospital due to a bad reaction to pill-form pain medication.  During those nights, my mom stayed with me.  She kept my water glass full and re-arranged my pillows for comfort.  The nurses laughed at how many pillows I asked for, but it was easier to find a comfortable position to sleep in.  A few hours after my surgery, my mom placed a sock monkey I now call 'Stitches' in front of me.  Between Stitches and my minion blanket, I felt very relaxed and comfortable.

I was very fortunate to have my mom stay with me for three days. She comforted me in the ICU recovery room while waiting for my hospital room, rubbed my back with a cold towel when I had the bad reaction to pain killers, and kept me calm when they took out my drainage tube.

Once I was stable, I was released on Thursday, July 3rd at 1:00 p.m.  I was irritable and groggy, but completely excited to be going home.  Since the car ride was 80 minutes, I brought pillows to support my arm from moving during the trip home.  We stopped twenty minutes before home to pick up my prescriptions, and I even convinced her to get Taco Bell!
 

My first night home went surprisingly smooth.  The pain medication knocked me out until a migraine started at 5:00 a.m. in the morning.  I thought it was just from dehydration so I drank a few glasses of water.  By 8:00 a.m. it was a full blown deathly tornado raging through my brain.  It hurt to speak.  It hurt to breathe.  I sobbed for hours and sat over the toilet waiting to puke.  I braced myself for the pain that was going to charge through my chest but thankfully, I didn't puke.  My mom had cold towels on my neck, forehead and cheeks.  Finally, I slammed a glass of mountain dew and took Excedrin.  She got me back in bed and exhausted from crying, I fell asleep. 

Incision 3 days after surgery

With my brother, Jake

With my cousin, Cody

By that night, I had just enough energy to get smoothies with my cousin and friend and went to the fireworks at a neighboring town with my family.  I wore a sling to warn others not to bump into me.  I was only gone for 3 hours, but my bed was calling my name.  I was extremely sore so I routinely took my pain medications the first few days.  I came to the conclusion I was more exhausted when I was in pain than on the medications.

Incision 5 days after surgery

I spent the rest of the weekend icing and in bed.  My body would grow tired after an hour of being up and about, and I would have to fall back asleep.  I would lay on my right side and had to take a deep breath in order to get back up.  It felt like my lungs were being squished.  I propped a pillow up behind my left shoulder and slept on my back when any other position failed.  That was my biggest struggle after surgery: finding a comfy position where I wasn't in pain.  But I was healing fast and that's all that mattered.  My neighbor dropped by with flowers, snack packs (my favorite), a balloon and an inspirational note which got me through the tough days.  I don't know if it was mentioned but I am obsessed with minions, so a good family friend made minions out of chip cans.  My support system was stronger than ever.

I had both of my cat's to comfort me.  The second I came back from the hospital, Dimitri (above) wouldn't leave my side.  Ellington (right) normally sits on my chest and walks over my shoulders to wake me up, but he refrained after my surgery.  That's the funny thing about animals;  they have that instinct and it is wonderful.  They would give me a reason to get up and walk around, or be a little bit more active each day.  Secretly I think they sped up my healing process exponentially.  

A week after surgery, I was able to get up and move around a lot easier.  I spent time organizing things in my apartment, growing my travel board on Pinterest and doing crafts.  I was able to shower on my own, even though it was a slow process.  There were definitely times that I sat in bed wondering what I should do, or how much I should do.  Nights I spent hanging out with a friend ended in mornings of pain and exhaustion. I got angry with my body for being so tired, but realized it was just part of the process.  I needed to let myself be tired and fall asleep and take 5 naps a day.  My body needed to recuperate.

Slowly but surely, I was able to ween off my pain medicines and barely take them.  That was my first goal post-surgery.  I tracked them on a dry-erase board so I didn't overdose or miss a dose.  To make sure I didn't get an upset stomach, I always had a snack with them, even though it was hard to eat.  I lost my appetite and forgot to eat certain days.  After surgery I lost 7 pounds within the first week.  It's a little ironic that I jokingly told my friend she had to make sure I didn't gain weight after surgery!

10 days post surgery, I was starting to get my energy back.  My incision sight was healing phenomenally and the pain levels were going down.  I started thinking more positively about the future.  It was easier to wake up in the morning.  It was easier to stay positive, even in pain.  St. Luke's called and said my check-up is set for July 30th and so I had another exciting day to countdown to.  

I started getting incredibly anxious sitting at home.  I started driving 10 days post surgery, off my pain medications, and returned to work 13 days after.  I've never felt this strong and determined in my life.  I'm excited for what the future holds, and I'm excited for the next chapter in my life. 

Equanimity,

Kelsey