Where is the puking receptacle?

The night in the hospital was not a big deal. The only thing I found odd was that they put compression socks on me that are hooked up to this machine so they inflate and deflate all night. And every time I had to go to the bathroom, they had to come and unhook me from the socks. It makes sleep difficult but no blood clots is a good thing.

I had a catheter during surgery that they took out after I came to. Again, no one told me about this. I kept asking to go pee but they told me I didn't really have to go, it was just the catheter. Well, why wouldn't they let me try to go before they took it out then? Granted, these were thoughts I was having when I was high as a kite.

I was so thirsty when I got to my room, I chugged whatever they'd give me. And for whatever reason, in addition to water, I got cranberry juice. It took me forever to actually be able to go to the bathroom. I think I fell asleep sitting on the toilet a few times (super glamorous). The weird thing is that I puked. (This is my third surgery and the first time I puked. And with the other ones, I drank Diet Coke when I woke up.) And it was like no one was prepared for this at all. I was laying in bed and I asked my Mom and Seth to get me something to puke in and there was nothing. The feeling sort of passed and then I got up to use the bathroom and then I threw up in that garbage can in the bathroom that weighed like 15 pounds. (Think sitting on toilet, garbage can in lap.) Thank god I do CrossFit. But I still couldn't pee.

Later in the middle of the night, I was trying to pee again and I told the nurse that it made me nervous that she kept checking on me while I was trying to pee. So she left the room for a while. And I finally peed (!!!!!) and then stood up and puked. And then I puked again but the nurse was gone (because I asked her to leave), so then I started sobbing and saying "help, help, help" because I wanted to sit down because I thought I was going to pass out but I couldn't lift the garbage can to bring with me to my bed. What happened to those little plastic trays? I swear I played with my Mom's from her gallbladder surgery. The nurse came back and we got things under control. She was very excited that I had peed.

My initial reaction after surgery was that it was so much easier than chemo; that it was not a big deal. Also, there seemed to be way more of my boob left than I was expecting that didn't seem shocking either. I remember thinking, wow, this isn't a big deal at all. I am made of steel. I felt really good and actually happy. I wasn't even mad about the drain. More on that later.

(Hope that second picture below isn't too much for you, dear reader.)

None of this feeling of invincibility would last, however.