I come round from the operation to see a Nurse either side of me sitting there looking down at me like vultures, smiling, 'Hello' says one of them I remember trying to speak that Is when I realised I had a tube going up my nose and down my throat into my stomach, I lifted the covers and saw a VERY large dressing covering 90% of my Tummy, and another tube coming out of a hole they had made specially! a Drain tube to the site where a kidney used to live.
I was also catheterised, and I had a Hickman line this is a tube into the main artery in the neck, on the end of the tube is a multi connector so that they can administer drugs if needed and fluids as I am now not allowed to eat or drink for 3-4 days, this fitting also has a line direct to my heart in case of it stopping! (It did not), despite how horrid this fitting going into your neck sounds I did not feel it at all, by day 4 it was a little sore but that is all.
I was being fed water via the tube in my neck at about 2 litres per hour this is to keep the kidney area and the remaining kidney well flushed.
I was taken down to the ward, and the first thing I did was phone my partner to let him know I was all OK and feeling fighting fit... I was very surprised how quick I recovered fro the operation after nearly 5 hours under I was awake and watching TV and phoning friends within 2 hours of waking up...
The ward was wonderful as were the staff, each bed had a private TV and Phone on an arm at the side, you brought vouchers to watch so many hours of TV and for phone calls, I hasten to add it was not cheap but worth it and a VERY good idea should be in all hospitals.