I'm currently going through surgery and have been keeping a journal everyday. Thought I'd share my story.
Laparoscopic Ileocolic Resection with a partial Sygmoidectomy
August 1, 2018
Day 1: Surgery Day. Arrived at 6:30. Go back to room around 7. They take 4 vials of blood, and put in an IV. Give me a little concoction to make me sleepy, while they do a TAP Block. Basically it’s a pain killer between muscles on either side of the stomach. This tampers down the pain for 2-3 days. Off to surgery. I was in and out of consciousness when I went in. Completely out shortly thereafter. Two and a half hour surgery. They ended up taking more than planned. Tried to cauterize the resection, but it didn’t work, so she ended just stitching them together. Ended up not having a fistula. No stoma needed also! Was in recovery for about an hour. When I went back to my room, I was shivering like there was no tomorrow. My wife told me that she thought I was having a seizure because I was shaking so much. Put 4 blankets on me, and I was fine. Slept on and off until about 4:00. I’d put my pain level at a 6 or 7/10. They put me on Dilaudid for the pain. By 6:00, I was only taking half a dose. Alright right now, it just feels like a bad cramp. I’d say that I’m at about a 4/10.
Night 1: Couldn’t really sleep for extended periods. No more than 1 ½ hours at a time. No pain meds from midnight until 5:40. Pain was at a 6/10 by then.
Day 2: Catheter out at 7:00 in the morning. Switched pain meds to oxycodone. Pain right at 4/10 for most of the day. Did 11 laps around the floor on 4 separate walks. Finally passed gas around 11:00p.m. Had one container of apple sauce, one container of chocolate pudding, and half a chocolate shake.
Overall, pretty uneventful day.
Night 2: Slept better than the night before. Still only had about 4 hours of sleep.
Day 3: Had my first bowel movement at 7:00a.m. Pain is hanging around 2-3/10. Just had 2 tylenol at 6:15a.m. Doctors came in, were happy with my progress, and upgraded me to a soft food diet. Had scrambled eggs, and one pancake for lunch. Walked 4 more times today, even went outside in their garden area. Came back, got to take a shower. There’s a restaurant nearby that serves meatloaf and garlic mashed potatoes that my wife was given the thumbs up to go get for me. No oxycodone or dilaudid today, just Tylenol, Neurontin (for nerve pain), and Lovenox (blood thinner). Pain has been around a 2/10 for the whole day. No more IV. Left the needle in just in case. I’ve had about 8 bowel movements, and a lot of gas.
Bathroom tip: Use your IV cart as kind of a “squatty potty”. I put my feet on either tire, and could rest my head on the shelf. Helped me relax a lot.
Night 3: Not much change. Still only slept for bout 4-5 hours, in 1 hour increments. With no IV, I made it through the night without having to use the bathroom. Pain sitting at a 1/10. I know the pain is there, but very manageable.
Day 4: Received 2 Tylenol at 6:30. Given more Neurontin, and Lovenox. Doctor came in and reiterated how tough my surgery was. Said I was very close to having a stoma. Very happy with my progress. She’s sending me home! I have to remain on a soft diet for another week. Not much pain. Still sitting at a 1/10.
Laparoscopic Ileocolic Resection with a partial Sygmoidectomy
August 1, 2018
Day 1: Surgery Day. Arrived at 6:30. Go back to room around 7. They take 4 vials of blood, and put in an IV. Give me a little concoction to make me sleepy, while they do a TAP Block. Basically it’s a pain killer between muscles on either side of the stomach. This tampers down the pain for 2-3 days. Off to surgery. I was in and out of consciousness when I went in. Completely out shortly thereafter. Two and a half hour surgery. They ended up taking more than planned. Tried to cauterize the resection, but it didn’t work, so she ended just stitching them together. Ended up not having a fistula. No stoma needed also! Was in recovery for about an hour. When I went back to my room, I was shivering like there was no tomorrow. My wife told me that she thought I was having a seizure because I was shaking so much. Put 4 blankets on me, and I was fine. Slept on and off until about 4:00. I’d put my pain level at a 6 or 7/10. They put me on Dilaudid for the pain. By 6:00, I was only taking half a dose. Alright right now, it just feels like a bad cramp. I’d say that I’m at about a 4/10.
Night 1: Couldn’t really sleep for extended periods. No more than 1 ½ hours at a time. No pain meds from midnight until 5:40. Pain was at a 6/10 by then.
Day 2: Catheter out at 7:00 in the morning. Switched pain meds to oxycodone. Pain right at 4/10 for most of the day. Did 11 laps around the floor on 4 separate walks. Finally passed gas around 11:00p.m. Had one container of apple sauce, one container of chocolate pudding, and half a chocolate shake.
Overall, pretty uneventful day.
Night 2: Slept better than the night before. Still only had about 4 hours of sleep.
Day 3: Had my first bowel movement at 7:00a.m. Pain is hanging around 2-3/10. Just had 2 tylenol at 6:15a.m. Doctors came in, were happy with my progress, and upgraded me to a soft food diet. Had scrambled eggs, and one pancake for lunch. Walked 4 more times today, even went outside in their garden area. Came back, got to take a shower. There’s a restaurant nearby that serves meatloaf and garlic mashed potatoes that my wife was given the thumbs up to go get for me. No oxycodone or dilaudid today, just Tylenol, Neurontin (for nerve pain), and Lovenox (blood thinner). Pain has been around a 2/10 for the whole day. No more IV. Left the needle in just in case. I’ve had about 8 bowel movements, and a lot of gas.
Bathroom tip: Use your IV cart as kind of a “squatty potty”. I put my feet on either tire, and could rest my head on the shelf. Helped me relax a lot.
Night 3: Not much change. Still only slept for bout 4-5 hours, in 1 hour increments. With no IV, I made it through the night without having to use the bathroom. Pain sitting at a 1/10. I know the pain is there, but very manageable.
Day 4: Received 2 Tylenol at 6:30. Given more Neurontin, and Lovenox. Doctor came in and reiterated how tough my surgery was. Said I was very close to having a stoma. Very happy with my progress. She’s sending me home! I have to remain on a soft diet for another week. Not much pain. Still sitting at a 1/10.