Mixed "progress"

Sorry for not posting yesterday. It was actually a good day for the most part but I was in a bummed out depressed mood. I had been taken off TPN the night before and was starting to feel run-down and low on energy (now my responsibility, remember). Plus, I haven't been sleeping well for a few nights. So, I just wasn't in the mood for posting. I spent most of the day in bed or sitting on the toilet. One new twist, yesterday I was pooping like a geyser, which no doubt contributed to a little bit of dehydration. Seriously, I was on the pot every hour. Within a few days, my colon went from non-functional to overdrive. I think it's trying to find an equilibrium and it'll probably take a couple of days to adjust. Fingers crossed it'll happen sooner rather than later because I'm pooping more liquid than I'm drinking.

While I'll consider most of the day a successful step towards recovery, I had a minor slowdown late last night. I puked. A ton. And it burned. Came from my toes. Given all the pooping I'd done throughout the day, there's no way it could be anything I had to drink. Must have been digestive juices, acids, etc. A very disappointing end to an otherwise positive day.

Today, however my bowels seem to be acting a bit more normal. I'm not on the toilet more than half the day. Only every few hours today. Which I hope means the activity is normalizing. I actually woke up hungry and spent the day eating somewhat decent portions of mushy foods like oatmeal and creamy soup. Plus I've been drinking as often as possible to keep hydrated. I'm still not consuming large quantities (I probably eat as much as Lucy) but it's easier to eat than it was yesterday. The docs were rightfully concerned about last night's puking epidsode so will probably monitor me for an extra day or so (big bummer). But after nearly a month, an extra day isn't too big a deal. The wound is still infected. Today the nurse trained Erin and me to clean and re-pack it ourselves, since it won't be too feasible to visit a clinic 3 times a day when they ultimately spring me. Also, most of the drugs I've been on were discontinued and I was de-tethered from my month-long companion, IV pole "Fred." FREEDOM! They are definitely taking steps to wean me off of hospital care and it's having an effect on my spirits.

I've been in a much better mood today than yesterday. Without Fred, simple things like taking a shower are so much easier. When Lucy visited I had more freedom to play with her and bounce her on my lap. Even walking around the room is easier, without tubes knocking things off of shelves, etc. So, while there have been a couple of highs and lows the past couple of days, I'm generally in an optimistic mood and looking forward to taking more steps towards the Exit door.