Oct 22- I do hope that all who follow me have the same surgical experience I have had.
While any surgery that requires cutting, stapling, re-routing intestines etc...is going to leave you sore and a bit gassy. I have used no pain medication and trust me, I would if I needed it. My incisions are all healed, my black and blues have faded. Even the memory of the Hospital ordeal has become bearable because I feel so good.
I'm not as tired as I thought I would be , but I do get fatigued and have to remember what my body has been through and that it is still healing. That's hard to do when you feel as good as I do.
I made it to the post op meeting and everyone was very surprised to see me. That meeting for those who don't know is once a month, FREE, you don't have to go but they are informative and as pre-op patients you learn a great deal that can help you after surgery.After the meeting we usually go out to eat and this week was no exception (no I am not able to drive yet but Marilynn is a great driver) We also picked up Sue. I had potato soup and loved every drop. probably not a lot of protein, but I did enjoy being out with everyone. I now look forward to the mentors meeting and group that follows but that's in NOV and I'll be fine by then.
I'm still on full liquids and probably will be until at least next week. I'm eating baby food to which I add protein powder. In case anyone every needs more protein then you can get from your food, check out Unjury.com the best tasting stuff I ever had. Jello, pudding stuff like that. It's not forever, whats 3 weeks out of the rest of my life?
I have a lot of catching up to do so it will be a while before I am back in full swing on my Groups, I do miss everyone and my daily routine. Right now when I have energy I have to focus on healing and getting back into the swing of exercise as well as some projects that got set aside.
There is a long road ahead of me and if you have taken the Journey with me thus far...Welcome to the melting side and I hope you will continue to check in as I begin my metamorphosis.
My legs are doing great and the Symvisc is still holding...Life can be beautiful....
My Hidden Treasure
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
October 17-A day to remember
I was able to speak to Dr. Straus right away and she told me to get to the emergency room. I had no desire to return to that hospital as a patient, although I seem to be an exception to every rule.
Dr. Straus wasn't taking no for an answer and the urgency in her voice kind of scared me into giving in. She told me they would be expecting me at the ER.
We got there around 11:30 and it seemed like a big surprise to everyone, no one had gotten a call to "expect me". Rich was parking the car and a kind soul who was admitting her son ran and got me a wheel chair (she is a nurse at the hospital also, she explains) I'm so glad she got me a BIG comfortable one. I had to once again be a shrew in order to get into the ER, otherwise I'd probably still be waiting in the waiting room. Lots of staff walking around, but not doing too much. The nurse who asked me questions had a computer in front of her with all the answers. Why not just ask me if anything has changed in the past 12 hours. If this was a true Emergency why not start with some CARE.
Once in the ER a nurse came and started an IV (brutal) told me I had DEEP veins...now there's a new one. We waited, and we waited and time slowly moved on. The nurse came into tell me she ordered a chest xray, which a doctor later cancelled but that's how the day went. Rich said it was a good thing it wasn't life threatening. Finally a woman walks in carrying a huge container of liquid and proceeds to tell me how I'm going to "drink all this in two hours"....I don't think so, so I explain to her that I just had surgery and can only drink 30cc every 15 min at best. She didn't get it. She told me that just wouldn't do and went and got me a straw to make it easier. Bariatric patients can't use straws. Rich went to get Chris when he realized no one seemed to have a clue about taking care of me. Chris, like the guardian angel she is, came to the rescue and saved the day. I had to finally threaten to sign myself out in order to get my CAT scan. Dr Straus was there quickly after to explain I had a blockage and that I may need more surgery.
She told me what it could be or what it may be. We needed to talk because I just wasn't ready to re admitted to that hospital. It was with great reservation that she let me go home, with the promise that I would return if the retching started again...You bet I would have, but all I really wanted was to go home and get a good nights sleep. It was now past 6pm, I hadn't eaten all day and I was exhausted from the ordeal. Poor Rich, I can't even imagine how he felt.
Dr. Straus wasn't taking no for an answer and the urgency in her voice kind of scared me into giving in. She told me they would be expecting me at the ER.
We got there around 11:30 and it seemed like a big surprise to everyone, no one had gotten a call to "expect me". Rich was parking the car and a kind soul who was admitting her son ran and got me a wheel chair (she is a nurse at the hospital also, she explains) I'm so glad she got me a BIG comfortable one. I had to once again be a shrew in order to get into the ER, otherwise I'd probably still be waiting in the waiting room. Lots of staff walking around, but not doing too much. The nurse who asked me questions had a computer in front of her with all the answers. Why not just ask me if anything has changed in the past 12 hours. If this was a true Emergency why not start with some CARE.
Once in the ER a nurse came and started an IV (brutal) told me I had DEEP veins...now there's a new one. We waited, and we waited and time slowly moved on. The nurse came into tell me she ordered a chest xray, which a doctor later cancelled but that's how the day went. Rich said it was a good thing it wasn't life threatening. Finally a woman walks in carrying a huge container of liquid and proceeds to tell me how I'm going to "drink all this in two hours"....I don't think so, so I explain to her that I just had surgery and can only drink 30cc every 15 min at best. She didn't get it. She told me that just wouldn't do and went and got me a straw to make it easier. Bariatric patients can't use straws. Rich went to get Chris when he realized no one seemed to have a clue about taking care of me. Chris, like the guardian angel she is, came to the rescue and saved the day. I had to finally threaten to sign myself out in order to get my CAT scan. Dr Straus was there quickly after to explain I had a blockage and that I may need more surgery.
She told me what it could be or what it may be. We needed to talk because I just wasn't ready to re admitted to that hospital. It was with great reservation that she let me go home, with the promise that I would return if the retching started again...You bet I would have, but all I really wanted was to go home and get a good nights sleep. It was now past 6pm, I hadn't eaten all day and I was exhausted from the ordeal. Poor Rich, I can't even imagine how he felt.
Shedding the Cocoon
Oct-14....
Everything went as planned, we stayed at a motel the night before so we were atthe hospital by 6 am and I was in surgery by 7:30. Dr. Straus found Richard to tell him the surgery had gone well and they would be out to get him shortly.4 hours later Dr. Straus saw him and asked why he was still there. It appears that I just didn't want to recover on schedule, I was enjoying my sleep too much. They simply could not keep me awake. I remember seeing him and him saying he was leaving me and would see me "tomorrow".... I feel nothing...I just want to sleep.
Oct15... It feels like someone woke me every hour to check vitals or sugar #'s...Feeling very tired but no pain. The nurse shows me how to hit the morphine pump but I'm pretty comfortable, very dry, I just need water which I'm told I can't have. They do offer me chipped ice (guess it's better to choke on that) not sure what thats about but that sure does feel good in my mouth. I savor the cool and swallow the melt carefully.Later on someone gives me a cup of water with a sponge on a stick...I'm loving it. Each time someone comes in the room to check my vitals or check blood they hit that pump. I guess they don't believe I have no pain. I am swollen and my belly is sore, it hurts to move around or use stomach muscles, but otherwise no pain. I have compression boots on , they said I would to prevent blood clots. They stressed walking and a nurse has already told me someone will be in to remove the catheter and get me out of bed.
I keep having to ask for more water/sponge, they must be very busy. Someone did come in to remove the catheter but I can't get out of bed, can't really lean forward with the oxygen on.
Student nurses are on the floor and I have a little one called Mavis...what a cutie. She took me down for the swallow test, I've gotten an extended oxygen tube so I can sit up comfortably, my breakfast (jello and tea) was put so far away I couldn't reach it, but I really wasn't all that hungry. I keep asking to get up and walk but no one comes to undo my boots or disconnect the pump thing from the wall, the bottom half of my bed deflated, but Karen and Marietta made sure they found enough pillows to put my legs up and make it more comfortable. I must say, I am a bit disappointed in the care here. Seems to be quite a lot of staff so you'd think someone would have the bed fixed, toilets acting up too so the brought me a potty. Probably better off because I can't even imagine having to go and having to wait for someone to release me from my machine as well as the boots. I asked Rich to take me home, I know I'd get better care there. I feel so frustrated. On the bright side I did get to see Chris and Tiffany, Karen, Marietta and Sue..
What a nice surprise, not to mention a comfort having some help.
Oct 16- Got a surprise visit from Jules on her way to work. She sort of splashed her way in, seems the toilet overflowed. I heard one of the poor nurses say she called maintenence 3 times. That must be the guy who is also fixing my bed. Jules can't believe whats happening but she claims I look good. Must be that shower a kind person let me take last night. Dr Eckel came into my room while Jules was there to inform me that I no longer have diabetes. Needless to say there was a joyful noise. he also said I was on the "discharge list"...Thank you God!!!
Sure enough Dr. Straus signed me out and came into to chat. What a wonderful surgeon she is. She said I was doing exceptionally well and she was delighted to hear about the diabetes.
I don't think Rich was all that crazy about the early release call, I think he expected it in the afternoon. Poor guy it ended up being afternoon anyway before the slow wheels of progress finally turned.
It sure was nice to get home and into my own bed.
About 10 at night I didn't feel very well, by 11 pm I was in the bathroom retching. Once it settled down I took a sip of water and prayed it wouldn't happen again. It did, about every hour. Rich keeps asking if it's normal. How do I know? I wouldn't think it's normal but then again I never had my stomach made the size of a walnut before...so whats normal? All I do know is that it hurts when it happens, like a sledgehammer. I will call as soon as people begin to wake up...it finally stopped at 4 am, now I just feel sick.
Everything went as planned, we stayed at a motel the night before so we were atthe hospital by 6 am and I was in surgery by 7:30. Dr. Straus found Richard to tell him the surgery had gone well and they would be out to get him shortly.4 hours later Dr. Straus saw him and asked why he was still there. It appears that I just didn't want to recover on schedule, I was enjoying my sleep too much. They simply could not keep me awake. I remember seeing him and him saying he was leaving me and would see me "tomorrow".... I feel nothing...I just want to sleep.
Oct15... It feels like someone woke me every hour to check vitals or sugar #'s...Feeling very tired but no pain. The nurse shows me how to hit the morphine pump but I'm pretty comfortable, very dry, I just need water which I'm told I can't have. They do offer me chipped ice (guess it's better to choke on that) not sure what thats about but that sure does feel good in my mouth. I savor the cool and swallow the melt carefully.Later on someone gives me a cup of water with a sponge on a stick...I'm loving it. Each time someone comes in the room to check my vitals or check blood they hit that pump. I guess they don't believe I have no pain. I am swollen and my belly is sore, it hurts to move around or use stomach muscles, but otherwise no pain. I have compression boots on , they said I would to prevent blood clots. They stressed walking and a nurse has already told me someone will be in to remove the catheter and get me out of bed.
I keep having to ask for more water/sponge, they must be very busy. Someone did come in to remove the catheter but I can't get out of bed, can't really lean forward with the oxygen on.
Student nurses are on the floor and I have a little one called Mavis...what a cutie. She took me down for the swallow test, I've gotten an extended oxygen tube so I can sit up comfortably, my breakfast (jello and tea) was put so far away I couldn't reach it, but I really wasn't all that hungry. I keep asking to get up and walk but no one comes to undo my boots or disconnect the pump thing from the wall, the bottom half of my bed deflated, but Karen and Marietta made sure they found enough pillows to put my legs up and make it more comfortable. I must say, I am a bit disappointed in the care here. Seems to be quite a lot of staff so you'd think someone would have the bed fixed, toilets acting up too so the brought me a potty. Probably better off because I can't even imagine having to go and having to wait for someone to release me from my machine as well as the boots. I asked Rich to take me home, I know I'd get better care there. I feel so frustrated. On the bright side I did get to see Chris and Tiffany, Karen, Marietta and Sue..
What a nice surprise, not to mention a comfort having some help.
Oct 16- Got a surprise visit from Jules on her way to work. She sort of splashed her way in, seems the toilet overflowed. I heard one of the poor nurses say she called maintenence 3 times. That must be the guy who is also fixing my bed. Jules can't believe whats happening but she claims I look good. Must be that shower a kind person let me take last night. Dr Eckel came into my room while Jules was there to inform me that I no longer have diabetes. Needless to say there was a joyful noise. he also said I was on the "discharge list"...Thank you God!!!
Sure enough Dr. Straus signed me out and came into to chat. What a wonderful surgeon she is. She said I was doing exceptionally well and she was delighted to hear about the diabetes.
I don't think Rich was all that crazy about the early release call, I think he expected it in the afternoon. Poor guy it ended up being afternoon anyway before the slow wheels of progress finally turned.
It sure was nice to get home and into my own bed.
About 10 at night I didn't feel very well, by 11 pm I was in the bathroom retching. Once it settled down I took a sip of water and prayed it wouldn't happen again. It did, about every hour. Rich keeps asking if it's normal. How do I know? I wouldn't think it's normal but then again I never had my stomach made the size of a walnut before...so whats normal? All I do know is that it hurts when it happens, like a sledgehammer. I will call as soon as people begin to wake up...it finally stopped at 4 am, now I just feel sick.
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