Surgery Nightmare

What do you do when a "simple" surgery turns into a medical nightmare? Back in January I went for my annual mammogram. To my horror, a mass was found and an appointment was scheduled with a breast surgeon. Of course, I am freaking out because there is a great deal of breast cancer history in my family PLUS I am a cervical cancer survivor. Consultation with the surgeon came within two weeks of the mass being found. My husband accompanied me to the appointment. She goes into the density and this and that. Words that I heard but was not listening to. Then she recommended a simple lumpectomy because she did not like the look and shape of the mass. Hubs and I agreed to have it removed. Surgery was scheduled not even a month after the consultation. The surgery was scheduled for 9 am but at 12:15 pm, I was still waiting to be taken into surgery. This caused my anxiety levels to rise thus making my blood pressure elevate (not good prior to surgery). Let's fast forward. Slowly coming to myself (or so I thought) from the anesthesia. I could hear the nurse to the left of me say to my husband, "It is taken her much longer than we expected for her to wake up." I could hear the panic in my husband's voice when he asked what could be the cause. As my eyes finally flutter open, the nurse says, "she had some issues during and after surgery."

The surgeon came in asking me a ton of questions. As I opened my mouth to speak all I could hear was just a bunch of jumbled up words! I attempted to raise my left arm and it fell back to my side. I could see the alarmed look in the surgeons eyes. Within what seemed like seconds a team of doctors were crowding my hospital bed and pushing my husband out of the room. Everyone seemed to be talking at once. One word that stood out to me over all others was STROKE! Stroke?! This can't be happening. I am only 43 years old. I'm a mimi of 2 beautiful little girls. I'm a wife, a mom. My health is not the best but a STROKE!? The next thing I know I am being wheeled down to have a CT Scan conducted on my brain. After the CT Scan, I am notified that I would not be going home. I was being admitted. This did not go over well with my husband especially since he could not stay at the hospital with me. Due to COVID-19 and the hospital being on a red alert he simply could not stay. He was hurt and livid. Here was his wife that came in earlier that morning for a simple surgery to end up having to leave her overnight due to a stroke. I reassured him finally that I would be ok and to go home and get some rest and I would call once I got settled into my room.

About 45 minutes later, I am in a hospital room. Breast surgeon comes in first tells me that the surgery was "fine," but a TIA or transient ischemic attack had occurred. I'm like TIA? She said a mini stroke! She reassured me that they only lasts for a few minutes and there isn't any permanent damage. I was relieved to an extent but I wanted to know what caused it to begin with. Before she could response a team of cardiologist entered the room. My thought was what the heck do I need cardiologist for. Well, at some point an echocardiogram of my heart was conducted. Results showed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. What in the world is that I asked. In lame mens terms, thickening of my heart wall. I'm like what else are you all going to tell me that I do not want to hear. Basically, my continuous elevated blood pressure is the main cause for this thickening. I'm about floored and at this point do not want to hear anything else. Everyone finally leaves my room and I have time to register what all has been told to me. Now, I have to call my husband and then my mom. My husband is freaking out and so is my mom. Asking me 101 questions that I only know the answer to maybe 4 of them. I still cannot believe that any of this is actually happening to me. I have had numerous procedures and surgeries that required anesthesia and I have NEVER experienced anything like this before. Needless to say, I was in the hospital for 4 days and 3 nights after this. On the last day I was beyond ready to get home into my own bed.

This was my surgery nightmare. This does not happen to everyone!