At 6:00 AM, I got the official OK from my doctors to be discharged from the hospital. However, I had to wait for the paperwork. It was somewhat more complicated and delayed due to the change-over the previous night to a new computer system.
To pass the time, I sat inhaling on my incentive spirometer, a nifty plastic device that encourages deep breathing after surgery. There's a small ball that when I inhaled the ball rises and I try to get it to hit a certain range. Reminds me of an arcade game, where the prize is healthier lungs.
The nurse showed me how to empty the JP (Jackson Pratt) drain, which was attached to my abdomen, and was used to remove unwanted fluids that build up in my body. The JP drain is made up of a thin rubber tube (inserted near my belly button) and a soft round squeeze bulb. About three times a day I drained the JP and recorded the amount. It was removed during my first post-op visit a week after discharge from the hospital. There was no pain and for the most part, I didn't notice the JP drain during that week.
Mementos from the hospital:
- Special support stockings to prevent blood clots and pulmonary embolism, that I wore while in the hospital.
- Pill Crusher - this is a simple device, consisting of two nesting small plastic cups that when you twist and turn, crushes the pills. A really good pill crusher that actually works very well.
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