For those who haven't heard, Erin, Lucy and I were visiting her folks in south Jersey, while participating in an ultimate frisbee tournament. Sometime Saturday night I experienced a minor stomachache. No big deal, since I'm used to digestive turmoil. On Sunday the pain and nauseau got worse and I sidelined myself for most of the tourney. Sunday night I was unable to sleep and spent most of my time in the bathroom, trying to puke or crap or both. None of which happened. I recognized that the symptoms were similar to what I experienced in the past, when I was a kid in Oklahoma. As in the past, I hoped that by falling asleep I would wake up in better condition. But I was unable to sleep at all. So late Monday morning Erin and I made the decision to visit the ER. Note, our flight home to St. Pete was supposed to be Monday late afternoon, so by this time we changed our flight to the following day. Little did I know...
In the ER, stomachache patients aren't too high up on the triage scale. But after I finally got X-Rays taken, I shot quickly to a high priority. Apparently one section of my colon was extremely distended and swollen. Gastroenterologists and surgeons were consulted to determine the severity of the symptoms. Surgery was concerned that if the colon swelled too much it would perforate, which would cause another set of problems. So, after the X-Rays, I was sent for a CT Scan to get better details of the "injury." Less than one hour after returning from CT, the surgical team came in and told me I need surgery ASAP. By now it was about 10pm. They said it couldn't wait until morning. My colon was twisted like a sausage casing and no body fluids (bile, secretions, etc) were able to pass the obstructed area, causing it to further swell.
After the shocking realization that I would be rushed for major surgery without much thought or discussion, things began to happen quickly. Erin followed me to the surgical floor at around 10:30 and she waited with her father until surgery finished at 2:00am-ish. The details on this part of the timeline are a bit fuzzy, but you get the idea. In a matter of a few short hours, approximately 55% of my colon was removed and left in Camden, NJ, a place where most things shitty belong.
For me, Tuesday was pretty much a doped up wash. I didn't get out of bed and was in excruciating pain. The levels of dilaudid were so high that I was constantly doped into oblivion. On Wednesday, after spending some time working with the nurses and docs to adjust the pain med, the pain became more bearable and I was able to move around the room a bit. Finally by Thursday I was becoming more "human." Still not peeing or pooping but coherent and functional. The highlight of the day was when the in-laws brought Lucy to visit me downstairs in the hospital's pavilion. I hadn't seen her since Monday and she lit up my day! My throat to this point has been extremely scratchy because I've been so dehydrated and hadn't consumed anything by mouth. They removed my catheter early Thursday morning but it was premature. The muscles were still in too much shock to function properly and I was unable to pee. So, unfortunately, they had to shove a fresh tube in my winkie Thursday night.
By Friday, I was definitely on the road to recovery. Docs heard the first faint bowel sounds, indications that the patched colon was starting to function again. They removed the catheter again and I was actually able to pee. What a milestone! Still difficult, but manageable. For the first time, I was taken completely off all pain meds. BIG MISTAKE! I didn't realize how doped up I had been until this point. The pain was not so much in my gut, but from the incisions of the surgery itself. I couldn't move, it hurt so bad. Erin and I tried walking around the hallway and I cringed the entire time. Nearly passed out when I returned to bed. We were able to convince the docs to give me a lower level of pain meds. Still excruciating, but bearable enough that I can function. A problem with narcotics is that they inhibit bowel activity. So it's a Catch-22. Live with unbearable pain and your gut starts to work, or getted all doped and happy but stay in the hospital an extra few days. I think we found a happy compromise. For the first time, I was able to sleep well through the night (with the help of sleeping meds).
Oh, the biggest milestone of all occurred on Friday. I POOPED! Twice! The first time was late in the afternoon. Trying to pee, something else snuck out just a bit. "Holy crap!" I though, it's crap. The first "proof" that my bowels are finally starting to work normally. And about 4 days post-surgery, which is supposedly the common time for such things to start happening. Then, just before bed I was treated with another "movement" of joy. Ahh, sweet dreams!
I woke on Saturday after my best sleep of the whole ordeal, in good spirits. My father in-law Jim stopped by with a change of clothes. I got a new IV (from a rookie nurse who took 3 tries). Later this afternoon Erin will trade out with Jim and then a few hours later Lucy is supposed to visit again. Better go clean myself up and get presentable for my ladies!
(P.S. For those wondering, Jim was able to talk USAirways into refunding all flight change fees and issue us open-ended returns. So for all the trouble we've had with them in the past, I commend their small bit of humanity this one time.)
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