Day of the op - Day 0

Zooming back to the day of the operation, day 0...

Haha, weirdly I am posting photos of the operation on the actual day only 6 weeks after the operation. A photo of me in my 1st-night stay dress code. Haha.

I did complain about the xxxl size pants...

Well, so let me describe how the day went on the day of the operation and I am pretty sure that is what everyone whom is going for jaw operation would want to know.

Lying on the comfy personal ward bed in Changi Hospital, I looked out of the windows at the blue lights shining from the 'Changi' logo. I slept not alot, maybe only 1 to 2 hours. My droopy eyes focusing on the numbers on my phone, 6.50am. 3 minutes later, my nurse walked into the room to 'wake' me up. I smiled and crawled out of bed, the cool aircon air swiped my feet and I slipped into my slippers, getting ready to wash-up and get ready for my operation. But before I could wash-up, the nurse requested me to pack up my stuff so that she could lock my stuff into the locker while I am in the operating theatre. The nurse went off with my barang and came back soon later with a set of blue clothes, my operating gown. 'This was it', I told myself.

I picked up the gown, dragged my feet and went into my personal toilet. I looked into the mirror and breathed heavily to relax myself, telling myself that 'after today I would be a different person and this was what I had been waiting for for years'. I was eager, really looking forward to it. Then, I washed-up myself.

Just as I was done and walked out of my toilet, my parents came into my room. They looked anxious and really tired as they had to wake up really early to meet me before my operation. We chatted, while my mum helped me look better in the operating gown. The gown is super hard to wear, no buttons, no zap, just some strings and we took long to figure out how to wear the gown correctly. We waited till around 7.50am, a nurse walked in to check my heartbeat and asked me a few questions, whether I drank water over the past 8 hours and stuff. Another super friendly auntie chatted with my mum and guided me up my bed (the kind of bed when you see my movies/shows and being pushed into the operating theatre kind). I was slowly pushed out of my room and there I departed with my parents. My mum said 'Jia You Bao Bei', but my mind was in a whirl and I was too excited to be sad of the departure.

Trust me, the pushing of the bed as the friendly auntie chatting with me all felt so surreal. The ceiling lights flashed above me like those below. I thought those things only happen in movies. Hahaha. 

Soon I reached the waiting area, where all the patients going for operation wait for their surgeons to get ready and be pushed into the operating theatre. A few nurses approached me asking the same questions that the other nurse asked when in my ward. Friendly auntie saw me with my pale face brought me 2 warm and thick towels and placed over my whole body. For once, I felt so much warmth throughout my stay in the hospital. I was then left alone and got bored and eavesdropped on a grouchy uncle's conversation with other nurses as he explained his leg pain and why he needed the operation and kept repeating to make sure the nurses understood him. Not too long later, I heard a phone call to the nurse desk and the nurse replied 'Ok, Dr Lai is ready, can push patient into the operating theatre already'. So, off I went, pushed into the operating room.

Things were getting more exciting for me, as I knew it is a route of no return. I made the decision and I would definitely do it. Anesthetic doctor spoke to me and asked me about my profession, as he chatted he was already working on my hands, inserting needles left and right, ready to make me sleep. Alot more devices were placed on my body by 2 female nurses to monitor my breathing, heartbeat, etc. I was again pushed into a larger room, the room was huge. Not kidding, really huge, something like the one below. I was asked to shift my body to the operating table. I made myself comfortable and really soon (less than a minute), I was knocked off. Before the operation, I even told myself I wanted to say a few prayers before I get knocked out, but it was too fast and I just didn't have enough time. 

So my operation was about 10-11 hours long, but my family waited for about 13 hours before they could come see me, as I had to be placed under observation after the operation. My family below enjoying their wait with some wefies while I was still not awake.

Sis, Mum and Dad waiting for me. They were really worried, despite the smiles.

So fast forward, this is me after my op. After the op, I had blood transfused back into my body as I lost too much blood during the op. I woke up really groggy during the night around 10pm. Cotton buds placed in my nose and I couldn't breathe. Throughout the night, multiple times waking up just to request nurses to stick the suction tube into my stomach to get rid of the excess blood collated. It was like packs of blood being sucked out, abit exaggerating here. But the suction was the worst part of my entire operation. Throughout the night, my heartbeat was not stable, so dad and mum got worried and stayed for the night to take care of me. I had pulse taken every 5-10mins, I had pain medicine injected every few hours. I breathed hard, coughed and choked and managed the bed sore on my back.  I also had urinary bag attached, so had some discomfort too. Those few hours to the very next day was the most tortuous part, it felt like eternity and I always hope to see the sun the next moment I opened my eyes.

Oxygen mask to help me to breathe...

Dad and Mum, worried sick...

Dad held on to me whenever I couldn't breathe.

The next day waking up was so so good, because I had my urinary bag taken out and I went to get some x-ray taken. The best part was taking my cotton buds in my nose out. When those cotton buds 'popped out', I inhaled as much air as I could, like I had not breathed for years. I shall not share much what happened later, but below is me pushed back to my ward to drink water after meeting my surgeon and breathing normally.

I shared my happiness with a 'twist'.

I had not regretted making that decision to do the operation and I knew it would be tough. Embrace the pain, tolerate and everything would be over. I told myself, if others can do it, so can I. So can you too!

Ciao,
Rachel