# TT Yesterday - My Story



## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

Hi everyone! First, huge giant thank you's to everyone for your insight, advice and well wishes, I really appreciate it! I have learned so much from each of you in the past month or so....I don't know what I would have done without you! :hugs:

My tt was yesterday. We arrived at 11:45 and I was immediately checked in and put in pre-op. After I was all changed, iv started and such, my husband came back to wait with me. And we waited. And we waited. And waited! I was supposed to be boarded at 2 pm but the case in front of me ended up being much more complex than the surgeon anticipated and I didn't get into surgery until 5 pm. Thank goodness for the iv fluids (I was feeling very dehydrated from not eating or drinking since 10 pm the night before). :sad0007:

After surgery, which took almost 4 hours, the surgeon told my husband and I that I had a horrible thyroid. Yes! I was not crazy! She said she would have thought that I felt really bad for a couple of years. It felt so good to hear her say that, as I think that even my husband thought I was crazy at times. arty0009:

She said that my thyroid (which I learned is supposed to be soft) was layers of gummy and then solid like a rock. She said that she had to cut through each layer separately, which is what took so long. Gum. Rock. Gum. Rock. over and over.

I was checked into my room around 10:30 and was in and out of it for a couple of hours and then was starving! I ate a not-delicious sandwich and tried to sleep. I would sleep for about an hour and then be up for a couple of hours. This was my pattern until I came home today around 1 pm.

My calcium level is right below the 8, so I am on 1500 mg's 3 x's a day for now. I was also started on 100 of Synthroid, along with hydrocodone, Motrin and a steroid.

I am sore right above and right below my incision, which I thought was weird. The resident that assisted the surgeon told me this morning it is because the surgeon wanted to keep my incision as small as possible (it's about 4 inches across) and they cut through muscles. Also, she said that they stretch the skin a lot. I have been putting the ice pack on and off since last night. For now, I am feeling all right. My throat is sore from the breathing tube and I am assuming that will go away in a couple of days.

I can't believe that I am finally on the road to recovery! I have felt so horrible for a couple of years now and my primary care doctor just, I guess, never really believed me, only testing my overall TSH and although it was always within range, it was extremely low. I am so mad at my pcp and will be asking around for a referral for someone else. :aim25: It wasn't until he physically felt nodules a few months ago that he sent me for an ultrasound, which ultimately let to many tests, seeing an Endocrinologist and finally the ENT surgeon.

Again, thank you all for the advice and the calming of my fears. I feel like you all have been the only people that really understood what I was feeling for so long. arty0049:

Pam


----------



## jsgarden1 (Aug 29, 2009)

Pam, so glad the surgery is over for you! Take it easy for a while and keep that ice pack going. You really had a long surgery!

Debbie


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Great news! Take care of yourself (and be careful of that hydrocodone...it can really back up your system!).


----------



## KarenB (Jul 19, 2013)

It's great to hear from you Pam! Sounds like you're much better off with that nasty thing gone.

Keep the ice on - it will keep the pain and swelling down!

I hope you're recovering well


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Pam,

If you put cold packs on your incision it will help with pain and swelling.

I tried to get of the narcotic pain meds to avoid the "back up" and with all that calcium you are taking you may have issues. Add some extra magnesium which should help you.

I was taking 600mg of motrin by the 3rd day and it kept the pain away.


----------



## DustingMyselfOff (May 17, 2013)

Hurray - welcome to the TT Club! 

While I was reading the first paragraph of your post I actually had to stop and look up to see who wrote it... it sounded so much like mine I thought I might have been reading my own post! The only difference is that the entire time I waited in pre-op with the IV line in (6 hours) they didn't have any fluids hooked up to it so I was dehydrated, starving, and frustrated when they finally took me in about 5:00 p.m. I don't think I got to my room until a little after 9:00 p.m. but really don't remember much (except throwing up, which it sounds like you had the pleasure of skipping).

So glad it's behind you and that you got validation that your thyroid was bad. Yes, I'd be mad at my PCP, too.

I didn't use ice or pain meds.... only once did I take Tylenol. I am amazed at how painless the recovery was.

Good luck, rest up, and post when you can.
Sue


----------



## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

So I haven't posted any updates because I am in the hospital! I felt pretty good on Saturday, my incision looked good, my husband and I went out to dinner, etc. Fast forward to Sunday and I started to feel super tired and above and below my incision was sore. I thought maybe I did too much on Saturday and spent Sunday in bed. Sunday early evening I began vomiting. I ended up calling the surgeon who thought maybe my calcium levels were still not stabilized and told me to go get blood drawn first thing Monday morning.

By Monday morning I could barely move my head without crying out in pain. Above and below my incision was a mean purple-red color and warm to the touch. I just kept icing it and sleeping, knowing my follow up appointment was Wednesday morning.

My husband ended up bringing me to the ER Tuesday morning. I have a bad staff infection. It hurts like. Son of a gun! They finally found the antibiotic the infection is responding to, so it looks like I may be able to go home sighing the next couple of days.

Anyways, that's my update!


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

So sorry to hear about the infection. Great news that they have found an antibiotic to treat it.

I will be sending some positive thoughts your way - you are the first infected patient I have heard about in my time on message boards, which is 11 years.

I really feel for you - :hugs:


----------



## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

Lovlkn - I am not surprised that I am the first infected story. My husband and I are truly the poster pele for "random bad luck".

I was just looking in the restroom mirror and my necks almost comical. I look like I have on stage make up for a bad horror movie. It's like there are extra layers of fat on my neck. It's so swollen it sorta looks like if you use the app on the iPad that makes your face look really huge when you take a picture. Lol


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

You poor thing - :hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs:

I hope this resolves quickly for you.

Do you work or can you take sometime off while this is resolved?


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Oh no!!!! I agree - my surgeon told me TT incisions almost never get infected...so you really are one in a million!

I hope you feel better soon.


----------



## Velcro (Jul 26, 2013)

Awww.....sending good thoughts to get that cleared up quickly!


----------



## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

Thanks everyone! The resident aspirated seven or eight big syringes of took this morning again and I feel so much pressure off of my neck. Yeah! She also said that I will probably be able to go home today, as my WBC has gone back to the normal range.

I do work and originally was supposed to go back on 8/26. I am hoping that my short term disability is extended a week, as I am in a stressful job and responsible for a lot of people and processors. I should know more on that next week.

Thanks again for all the support....you all have made this whole thyroid craziness so much better! You all understand thT I am not completely crazy....LOL!


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

partyofsix said:


> Lovlkn - I am not surprised that I am the first infected story. My husband and I are truly the poster pele for "random bad luck".
> 
> I was just looking in the restroom mirror and my necks almost comical. I look like I have on stage make up for a bad horror movie. It's like there are extra layers of fat on my neck. It's so swollen it sorta looks like if you use the app on the iPad that makes your face look really huge when you take a picture. Lol


Oh, you poor dear!!! Do they know for sure the infection is now cleared up?

Sending gentle hugs,


----------



## Eliza79 (Jul 23, 2013)

I am so sorry this happened to you!! I thought all was well and missed the entire drama. It is a good thing you had this taken care of and didn't put off going to the hospital. My thoughts are with you. Feel better soon!


----------



## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

Well Andros, they weren't sure that the infection was cleared up because after I was released on Friday and off of the IV antibiotics, as I again started to build up infection all around the site. Again it got reddish/purple, hot and was about the size of a golf ball. My husband took me back to the hospital evening and I told everyone - from the front desk check-in at the ER, to the triage nurse, to the doctor to the tech - that I was NOT leaving until they figured out how to help me. (I was super prepared this time.....took four pairs of clean panties with me! LOL)

I was then checked in and the tech came to start an IV. Because I have had so many IVs in the past ten days, they could not find a vein that would hold. It took six tries to finally find one. My arms are all bruised up, but I guess I should just look at it as it matches my stomach that is filled with bruises from the heparin shots I was getting every eight hours while I was admitted Tuesday to Friday.

I was then sent to have a CT scan with contrast and of course it showed that I again had infection build up. The two resident doctors that assisted with my surgery and saw me everyday while I was admitted were called to come in to determine what to do.

They decided that they were going to open up my neck, suction out everything that they could and then insert a drain. What a scary experience that was! They performed this mini-surgery right in the ER cubicle and gave me shots to just numb the top layers of my skin. I kept my eyes closed the entire time, as it was very weird watching them work on your neck. As soon as they began suctioning out the infection blood/puss, I immediately began to feel instant relief from the pressure. They then inserted the drain, stitched that in and then put separate stitches on each side. My neck is absolutely disgusting looking! I was then released with a different antibiotic that is a combination of two in one.

I have to change my dressing about every two hours or so because so much drainage still is coming out. I see the Endocrinologist tomorrow morning and need to make a follow up and see the surgeon tomorrow too. All of this on top of the crazy hormone swings I am having has me a hot mess. I just want to start to feel no pain.


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Oh my word...

I have never heard of anything like that happening! You must feel atrocious!

I'm so sorry and I hope this all clears up soon.


----------



## megan (Jul 11, 2013)

I feel so bad for you! What a rough time you have had! I hope that this will do the trick and that you start to feel better very soon!


----------



## melissafitz (May 5, 2013)

I'm so sorry you have been going through all f this! I do hope you are better soon!


----------



## DustingMyselfOff (May 17, 2013)

Nothing original to say and probably nothing anyone can say will make this better, but add me to the list of people who is SO SORRY you are going through this!

I hope you will be able to take lots of time off to recover..... your body is going to need lots of sleep after this experience.
Sue


----------



## Velcro (Jul 26, 2013)

Bless your heart. Add me to the list of people that feel bad for you. Sending healing thoughts!


----------



## haimia (May 9, 2012)

*Oh, so sorry this happened to you. I was readmitted 26 hours after leaving hospital from my TT because of a hematoma (collection of blood like a blood clot) at my incision. I had the fullness pain but not infection pain, which - I am sure - is a whole lot worse! I stayed an additional 2+ days in the hospital floating from ward to ward (started in ER, moved to heart floor - I had prior deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism- then, back to floor where ENT sends all his thyroid surgeries). I hope this most recent visit is your last! Feel better SOON!*


----------



## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

My second drain was taken out today and now I am just sporting the white gauze look! arty0006:

My infection is slowly clearing up thank God! This being one in a million that this happens to is for the birds. I hope that since one in a million chances are so slim that I hook this for my board friends and none of you will go through this. :anim_63:

Thaks for the well wishes everyone - they mean a lot to me!

Pam


----------



## melissafitz (May 5, 2013)

Glad to hear that the drain was removed and the infection is clearing up. So sorry you had to go through all of that. I hope everything is on the upswing now!


----------

