- Joined
- Aug 22, 2013
- Messages
- 25
Hi guys! Well I am still in the hospital 10 days post-op. The surgery was more involved than expected (well than the doctor's expected, but I had my suspicions). The surgeon ended up taking close to 3 feet of my small intestine (cutting in 6 different spots) and cleaning out some strictures. There were 2 fistulae formed between my small and large colon. I was in a lot of pain following the procedure that took some time to get ahold of. I don't know if this is because my pain medication tolerance has increased so much in the last 6 weeks while waiting for surgery or what, but I had horrible back pain for about 24 hours following the surgery that was not responding to much more than hourly Dilaudid, which even didn't help as much as I would have liked. I think I was on the Dilaudid for 4 hours before switching to the morphine PCA for about 2 more days. Once off the PCA I was withdrawing a little from the pain medications, which sucked, but we are back onto oral pain meds that match what I was taking at home prior to surgery and the next hurdle will be to wean off those pain meds once I get home. Here is a break-down of my surgery foe easier reading:
Tuesday 9/10: Went into the hospital a day early because my blood results showed elevated WBC and my nutrition levels were not going up. Dr. gave me some antibiotics and fluids as a precautions.
Wednesday 9/11:Surgery started at around noon and lasted about 5 hours. My Family told me I was in recovery for almost 3 hours though because of my pain. My husband ended up staying over with me that night (and every night since then - this wasn't planned, but I think we were all scared about my how the surgery and recovery turned out). He and my nurse seemed to be up all night helping to get my pain under control - but this is all a blur.
*The surgery was a success even though I had a lot of pain!! They removed all the diseased portion of my small intestine and I did not wake up with a bag. The surgeon said I absolutely needed this surgery and I think everyone was impressed with how I was functioning without it. She was able to spare enough of my small intestine to avoid any type of short bowel syndrome, which was important to me. I did wake up with an NG tube that was in until Saturday - that sucked.
Thursday 9/12: In and out of it all day. My parents and husband were here helping to get the pain under control. I don't know if I'm a wimp or my tolerance was too high, but my back was KILLING me most of the day. By the end of the day I had managed to stand up at the side of the bed and take a few steps around the room and get washed up. That night I was kind of out of it as well.
Friday-Sunday 9/13-9/15: Still on PCA morphine, which is fully controlling my pain at this point. I had a bowel movement Saturday morning and the NG tube and catheter were taken out later that day. Feel much better after that was taken out.I am getting up and going on walks and washing up daily.
Monday 9/16: Taken off morphine PCA and immediately feeling ill all day from what turns out to be withdrawals. The day was spent regulating my pain meds - PA knocked me down to fast so my surgeon had to get me back to what I was taking prior to surgery.
Tuesday 9/17-Friday 9/20: Thought I would be home by Friday, but had some hick-ups. I am on prednisone and my WBC count is still a little high. They had to give me a CT scan Wednesday which showed a little fluid and inflammation, but nothing to indicate an abscess, so they just started me on preventative antibiotics. They also had to take my picc line out and my surgeon wants a new one in by Monday before I go home. So I am stuck here until Monday and will be going home on prednisone (to taper quickly, pain meds, and TPN). Will be on the TPN until my nutrition levels are stabilized.
Currently I am feeling pretty good. My pain is managed, but I am mad at myself that my tolerance has gotten so high and I am stressed about tapering off these meds and the steroids. I know I just need to do it slowly, but it is just another hurdle to get through. I CANNOT WAIT to get home, I miss my son sooooo much and am getting very bored here. Watching a lot of TV and trying to sleep - but my anxiety seems a little high at times. I have slowly began eating and am things seem to be moving pretty quickly through, which I guess is normal at first.
A few questions for you guys:
-What were your BMs like after surgery?
-How long did you have pain following the surgery?
-Did you have to wean off the pain medication once you got home? Did you find that difficult?
-What was your eating like following surgery?
-Did you have to take anything for nausea? I am finding myself nauseas after eating.
Thank you for all your support. This has been a rough road, but at least I feel like I am halfway there now. Just need to recover and get off this steroids and pain meds.
Tuesday 9/10: Went into the hospital a day early because my blood results showed elevated WBC and my nutrition levels were not going up. Dr. gave me some antibiotics and fluids as a precautions.
Wednesday 9/11:Surgery started at around noon and lasted about 5 hours. My Family told me I was in recovery for almost 3 hours though because of my pain. My husband ended up staying over with me that night (and every night since then - this wasn't planned, but I think we were all scared about my how the surgery and recovery turned out). He and my nurse seemed to be up all night helping to get my pain under control - but this is all a blur.
*The surgery was a success even though I had a lot of pain!! They removed all the diseased portion of my small intestine and I did not wake up with a bag. The surgeon said I absolutely needed this surgery and I think everyone was impressed with how I was functioning without it. She was able to spare enough of my small intestine to avoid any type of short bowel syndrome, which was important to me. I did wake up with an NG tube that was in until Saturday - that sucked.
Thursday 9/12: In and out of it all day. My parents and husband were here helping to get the pain under control. I don't know if I'm a wimp or my tolerance was too high, but my back was KILLING me most of the day. By the end of the day I had managed to stand up at the side of the bed and take a few steps around the room and get washed up. That night I was kind of out of it as well.
Friday-Sunday 9/13-9/15: Still on PCA morphine, which is fully controlling my pain at this point. I had a bowel movement Saturday morning and the NG tube and catheter were taken out later that day. Feel much better after that was taken out.I am getting up and going on walks and washing up daily.
Monday 9/16: Taken off morphine PCA and immediately feeling ill all day from what turns out to be withdrawals. The day was spent regulating my pain meds - PA knocked me down to fast so my surgeon had to get me back to what I was taking prior to surgery.
Tuesday 9/17-Friday 9/20: Thought I would be home by Friday, but had some hick-ups. I am on prednisone and my WBC count is still a little high. They had to give me a CT scan Wednesday which showed a little fluid and inflammation, but nothing to indicate an abscess, so they just started me on preventative antibiotics. They also had to take my picc line out and my surgeon wants a new one in by Monday before I go home. So I am stuck here until Monday and will be going home on prednisone (to taper quickly, pain meds, and TPN). Will be on the TPN until my nutrition levels are stabilized.
Currently I am feeling pretty good. My pain is managed, but I am mad at myself that my tolerance has gotten so high and I am stressed about tapering off these meds and the steroids. I know I just need to do it slowly, but it is just another hurdle to get through. I CANNOT WAIT to get home, I miss my son sooooo much and am getting very bored here. Watching a lot of TV and trying to sleep - but my anxiety seems a little high at times. I have slowly began eating and am things seem to be moving pretty quickly through, which I guess is normal at first.
A few questions for you guys:
-What were your BMs like after surgery?
-How long did you have pain following the surgery?
-Did you have to wean off the pain medication once you got home? Did you find that difficult?
-What was your eating like following surgery?
-Did you have to take anything for nausea? I am finding myself nauseas after eating.
Thank you for all your support. This has been a rough road, but at least I feel like I am halfway there now. Just need to recover and get off this steroids and pain meds.
