Thursday, February 25, 2010

Post Op visit

Well I had my post op visit today for the second surgery. It was suppose to be Monday but silly me forgot. I have a good excuse....I have a total of 11 months to recover from anesthesia brain. I was told by a fellow patient that for every hour you are under you have to take that many to recover memories or memory. So....yes I will recover but being forgetful now has a good excuse. Grin.

So the appointment was reset for today. I immediately asked what to expect from this appointment. I was transferred to a nurse. The nurse assured me that I would not need to take an anxiety pill because there would be no....well....no butt exam. That the appointment would be all about looking at my incisions. So relief is what I sought and that is what I got. I was just not interested in having my bottom examined. It is "working" so to speak. So much better than I ever expected. I have heard some pretty scary stories but I have heard some good stories too of what to expect post surgery. I am thinking I fall closer to the good stories at the moment than the bad. I praise God for that because I am already dealing with more bathroom trips than I have had in years. I was warned about this. All the surgeons I interviewed told me that while I recovered from final surgery and maybe for months afterwards that I would feel like I did when I had active colitis. That I would be in the bathroom a lot more than I had been over my three wonderful years of remission. Well. Well they were right. Once my bowel woke up, the last day and a half I was in the hospital I spent A LOT of time in there. In fact I did for the first week I was home. Let's just say my children know where to find me. Thank God my mom is here for the recovery part. Thank God she has been here through this whole thing. Now though, now it seems as if it is starting to know what to do. I have spent much less time in the bathroom this week so far and have gone out on some outings w/o fear of having to know where the bathroom is. That was something I always had to know when I was really sick. Not so much when I was in remission but I always visually looked for them, guess it just gets in your blood. I actually went to a kindergarten and grade school tour yesterday that took 2.5 hours and I never once felt like I need to quickly find a bathroom. I think I got a good one....I got a good pouch.

So back to the visit. Got there and Dr. H was running on time. I got in right away and then waited for about 12 minutes or so in a room for my turn in with the ole doctor. He came in and we talked. The first thing out of his mouth was "so we got ya out of the hospital....under ten days" and smiled. We had joked prior to surgery that I had set the office record for most time in hospital post surgery for surgery number one and that there was no need for me to break records this time. I think I got close. We both had a good laugh over it.

So Dr. H looked over my belly incisions and I mentioned that I thought the prior ileostomy site might be a bit infected because it was starting to bleed and puss. He took a look and said for me to be still and take some deep breaths...to think about the beach. Well I can tell you that as soon as that was said alarms went off and I was in no way thinking about the beach. He snipped at some scab covered stitches and peeled back the stitches. OUCH!!! He said "well you're right. Small infection." I should have charged him for the office visit. Grin. He than told me that he was going to place some pressure to release some fluid that was built up. It was kinda painful. He than packed the site and said "the kids will have a good laugh when I pull a shoe string out of my belly." I said "that's gross." Laughter filled the room and I didn't notice the quick packing and before I knew it he was placing a bandage over the wound. He's good.

We then discussed my bottom. I told him about the burn. Common. He mentioned what I was doing was correct in caring for it. Never in a million years did I think I would be placing diaper rash cream on my adult bottom. But it works. It helps. So I will continue for the mean time. Hopefully it wont be forever. We also discussed my "going" and how it was going. He was impressed. He said things sounded really good. So again...I have a good pouch!!!

He shared with me some other positive news but I am choosing to keep that to myself and my family for the time being. I hope you understand. But I can tell you that it made me very happy. God is listening and making my life better even after I used his name in vain way back when this past summer when all of this dysplasia/cancer/surgery stuff started. I can say I was angry. So angry. But I should have never used His name like that but I did. I know He has forgiven me.

The visit today was a good one. I have a bit of discomfort at the incision site and still the surgery soreness going on. But all in all things are looking/feeling really good.

Dr. H gives good pouch!!!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

What on earth...

What on earth am I doing up at 1:51am!!!!

Well.....

I got up to "go" potty for like the third time since 1opm and my husband is snoring and my tummy is gurgling and well I don't know which is louder. Except I don't think it's really my tummy as it is gas. Locked gas that hurts.

The kind of locked gas that makes you freeze one moment in pain but then sprint to the bathroom because if you release it you are not sure at this point if it is locked gas or well....poop. Yes, yes, refer to the right hand side of this blog. There is a lot of poop or butt references here. Deal with it.

I am also up because of butt burn. Which might not be so bad once the pain pill kicks in. No I didn't take it for the burn but actually for the pain and well in hopes that maybe it would knock me out and I would sleep despite the snoring plus gain comfort from the pain.

I will talk more about butt burn and the cause in another post but just know....it's not pretty. Worse than a sun burn....a really bad sun burn. I promise you that.

So that's what I am doing up. If you are up at crazy hour reading this than you must post a comment answering this question....what on earth????

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

HOME!!!

I am home! Couldn't be happier about it.
I slept well in my own bed. Got up twice last night.
I am feeling worn out today though. Must have been the excitement of coming home!!!

Look for a up to the minute, factual, what happened post in the next day or two.

THANK YOU for all your prayers!!!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Set Back

Hi all,
Merry Lynn is having some set-backs after this surgery. I have not reported much this week because it seemed like everything was going well despite her constant gas in her abdomen and pain tolerance. She went #2 in the potty and that was a huge victory. It felt very natural and she felt like she "needed" to go and she did. HUGE! I asked her if she wanted a m&m when she got home for her success on the potty! Her two-year old would be so proud of her!

However, last night she spent the entire night throwing up and they have taken a cat scan or xray (not sure which) to see what is happening in her stomach region. She seemed very defeated and nervous today on my voice mail for what could be happening.

So, maybe I will have more information later when we know what is going on.
Michelle


Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Second Surgery Completed

Yesterday the surgery took about 4 hours and was a little longer than expected because of scar tissue. However, it was very successful and ML has the bag off!!! She is very relieved but still feel as if it is a phantom bag because she feels like it should still be attached.

She is in good spirits and sounds much better this go around. She has 4 more laparoscopic scars and her stoma is sewed shut! She is dealing with pain of course and is taking it slowly. She has gone on two walks already! The doctors are hoping she will be home by Friday, but she does not mind staying through weekend just to make sure everything is working properly. ("grin"...as ML would put it.)

The hospital that she is at is way more accommodating and they are respecting her as a patient much more. They are checking on her more often, not letting the door slam behind them in the middle of the night, and have way better bed side manners. However, she would like internet connection. You can't have it all, right?

Continue to pray for her that no infection arises and that her pain will begin to subside. She is a trooper!!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Less

less than 24 hours until the take down.
What is the take down I can hear some of you asking. I will try to post on that after I finish up some last minute details this evening.
But basically it is reconnecting my internal plumbing.
Taking it from the outside drip to the inside drip so to speak.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

5

Five. Cinco. 5.

5 days until my surgery. The big Take Down!

So very excited about it. But have a lot to do in 5 days. I want to make sure all is order because although I am told I will only be in hospital for 24 hours I know that wont be the case. Ugh, I was in last time for 10 days plus some extra hours. I am banking/betting I will be there at least five. Humph. Now wouldn't that be ironic.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Ticker

So I looked for a fun little ticker. But no luck.
Apparently a ticker for a surgery count down doesn't exist.
But that's OK. I know the clock is tick tocking down.
Hope y'all had a great day!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

11th week

It is hard to believe that 11 weeks ago I was spending my first night in the hospital after over 7 hours of surgery. 11 weeks has gone by really, really, really fast. 11 weeks ago I would have told you that 11 weeks would go by really, really, really slow. Interesting.

So with 11 weeks down what do I have to look forward too? One week. One week is what. I will be counting down the days. Maybe I should put up one of those fun tickers.
9 weeks ago I was counting down to the 12 week mark. That seems so long ago. Interesting.

12 weeks ago these were my thoughts. Interesting.

What is the most interesting is this. Peace. The peace that I have felt overcome my heart during this journey. How is has paved these weeks. How peace has entered my home in many ways. Their is a calm that wasn't there prior. Maybe because I was so on edge. Hating. Angry. Resentful. This peace has worked its way in. It did not just show up now at this 11th week. I believe it has been working its way in since June. That was weeks and weeks ago. Peace. It's been busy working it's way in for a really, really, really long time on my heart, mind and soul. It has been working hard to find it's way into my home. I hope it stays because in one week, this 12th week mark I have been hoping to arrive to will be not be with out it's own worry. There will be a surgery although not as dramatic as the one before but no surgery is with out some worry. There will be anticipation. There will be fears. There will be little ones left at home wondering where mommy (and daddy) are. There will be a mom (Nana) left at home caring for grand kids while worrying for her own baby. There will be a husband that is sitting, pacing, updating, waiting. There will be me....praying for a safe attachment to the new plumbing, praying for steady hands of a surgeon and staff, praying that the new plumbing works, praying for my family. There will be me in surgery in one week. So I do hope, I hope this peace stays.

I finally got to this place. Interesting.

Monday, February 1, 2010

check.

I took care of the pre operative blood work and screen today.

It felt nice to get it done and know that I was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel from step one of two surgeries.

Lately I have become confident that step two is approaching and will happen in can you rejoice with me in just a week and a few hours left in what we know as today. It is amazing the journey your mind takes when walking down this surgery road. Depending on where you are you might want the surgery. Or in my case hate every minute of having to have it. But you know what....I needed it! It, with the hand of God, saved me and my family from some very dark days. I believe this surgery saved my life!

Now that I can see that and I have survived over 10 weeks with my friendly appliance I can honestly say that it HAS NOT been as bad as I had imagined it to be. I have been very prayerful that these weeks would pass with healing and no drama. That prayer has been answered. I think your prayers for me have been answered too as I know many of you prayed for me to get well, to be patient and for my family. We have survived these last few weeks and I am so thankful for your prayers!

So clock is ticking down and soon I will hit 11 weeks.
11 weeks post surgery with one week to go for surgery two!