I completely smashed my elbow and had to get surgery to have it rebuilt. Coming out of the surgery, I remember the moment the anaesthetics faded. I went in to complete shock. I remember my only thought being "don't let my mother see me". They had to cover me in warm blankets and stuff me full of morphine. That's how we found out I have a very high opioid tolerance. Unfortunately my body began to shut down from a morphine overdose. They had to put me on mechanical breathing and I couldn't walk for over 6 hours. I remember begging the nurse for a Tylenol, anything, but she said she couldn't give it to me because of the morphine. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. I was trapped in a dark room by myself, in excruciating pain for hours, unable to even move. As it wore off, all I could do was vomit pure bile.
Two years later, I had to have a second surgery done to fix all the stuff they messed up with the first one. I went to an entirely different province with a highly reputable surgeon. I told him about my last experience and this time they used fentanyl from the get go. Even though my second surgery was significantly more invasive, the surgeon and nurses did a fantastic job and it didn't even compare to my experience at the first hospital. It REALLY made me realize the difference between good health care and poor health care.
I completely smashed my elbow and had to get surgery to have it rebuilt. Coming out of the surgery, I remember the moment the anaesthetics faded. I went in to complete shock. I remember my only thought being "don't let my mother see me". They had to cover me in warm blankets and stuff me full of morphine. That's how we found out I have a very high opioid tolerance. Unfortunately my body began to shut down from a morphine overdose. They had to put me on mechanical breathing and I couldn't walk for over 6 hours. I remember begging the nurse for a Tylenol, anything, but she said she couldn't give it to me because of the morphine. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. I was trapped in a dark room by myself, in excruciating pain for hours, unable to even move. As it wore off, all I could do was vomit pure bile.
Two years later, I had to have a second surgery done to fix all the stuff they messed up with the first one. I went to an entirely different province with a highly reputable surgeon. I told him about my last experience and this time they used fentanyl from the get go. Even though my second surgery was significantly more invasive, the surgeon and nurses did a fantastic job and it didn't even compare to my experience at the first hospital. It REALLY made me realize the difference between good health care and poor health care.