This is an update covering the afternoon/evening of 21 June, Deb's surgery day. I typed this out in the waiting room at the CMC while waiting to be summoned to the recovery room to be there for when Deb wakes up, though I'm only able to send it now, 1 day later:
Her surgery was scheduled for 13:00 on 21 June, but was actually started 3.5 hours late (due to the availability of the surgical theatre) and went a little longer than expected... but went well. As planned, we checked into the CMC and got brought in (to the recovery room area) to be 'prepared' for surgery at 09:00 in the morning. That was a long 'prep time' for a 13:00 surgery as it is, so when we delayed to a 16:30 start time, it made for a VERY long wait for Deb. However, the nursing staff in the OR prep/recovery area were excellent, very attentive, sympathetic, and understanding. She also had frequent visits from Drs Gerhart & Redan, the anaesthesiologist (Dr.) and anaesthetist (Nurse), all of whom had reassuring words for the upcoming surgery. I was permitted to be by Deb's side for the whole wait.
At 16:30, when they wheeled her in to the OR, I was asked to wait in the "Day Surgery - Family Waiting-room" and assured that someone from the surgical team would notify me as required. The waiting room was very comfortable (empty at this time of day!) and, twice, nurses from the OR came out to give me an update of how the surgery was progressing. The first update, about an hour into the surgery, made me rather anxious: to hear that what the doctors found was a mass of adhesions that would be quite difficult and time consuming to remove, to expect a lengthy procedure. The second update, about three hours later was to reassure me that the surgeons were making progress and would finish-up soon.
Dr, Gerhart just came by, with a smile on his face, to tell me that all went well. After going 'in' with the laparoscope, he soon realized that his team was faced with what they feared most: a "frozen abdomen" condition. Deb's entire abdomen had become a solid mass of scar tissue, effectively "freezing" everything, including the bowel, in place. This presented a very difficult, yet not insurmountable challenge for the surgeons. It also clearly explained the pain and discomfort, the 'tearing' feeling, that Deb's been experiencing over the past months.
In a painstaking, 4.5 hour procedure the surgeons broke through the 'web' and cleared the large majority of the adhesions... and did it all laparoscopically, which is the key to preventing recurrence. With three loops of bowel literally stuck to the inside front of the abdominal muscle, her condition was dangerously close to being inoperable by the traditional method previously used (the last 10 times, at home in Calgary), where the surgeon operates through one relatively large incision. Like Dr. Gerhart said: "It's a good thing Deb was able to come to us when she did."
He admitted to not being able to clean out 100% of the adhesions this time, without undue risk. The adhesions they did removed were definitely those causing the obstruction and pain, and those left behind did not seem too severe and may even prove to be 'liveable'. They may have to consider taking them down in several months' time, in a follow-up procedure (also laparoscopic).
It's a relief to hear how well the operation went and I'm sure Deb will feel physical relief from it as well.
I'm going to wait to be with Deb when she wakes up and to see her to her room. She'll stay in hospital, under Dr. Gerhart's care, for at least tonight. He'll re-assess tomorrow. I'll send another update when I can.
'bye for now, J-M.