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.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Tasted better on the way down
Yup, the title explains it all. I wasn't feeling all that great after breakfast (probably too much liquid sitting in my belly), so I wasn't too hungry for lunch. I eventually ate a bowl of melon chunks (cantaloupe, I believe). Not the best and I wasn't really feeling it but I felt it necessary to eat SOMETHING. So I did. I left everything else on the tray. The burger certainly wasn't appealing and nothing else really tickled my fancy.
Anyway, a couple of hours later I began to feel queasy. And I puked. A lot. 400 cc. Basically all cantaloupe. It smelled and tasted exactly like what went down. Completely undigested. So, we'll consider lunch a failure.
Not too disconcerting, just a bit of a disappointment. I think I need to take things a little slower. Eat much smaller portions for the next few days. Incidentally, not too long after the return of the cantaloupe, the dinner tray was brought in. Turkey slices and mashed potatoes. I ate a small portion and it seems to be sitting well. Still a little queasy but not as bad as before. I think in a couple of hours my gut will adapt and it will all pass through. At least, that's the hope.
The TPN has officially been discontinued. So I'm now responsible for my nutrition and hydration (more reason to get past this minor queasiness). They also discontinued the narcotic pain meds. So now I get zero pain management. The surgical incisions still hurt a bit but the narcotics really haven't been doing much anyway. I don't think this will have any noticeable effect. Perhaps when the doctors finally sign off on my gut functionality, oral pain meds will have better effect.
Anyway, a couple of hours later I began to feel queasy. And I puked. A lot. 400 cc. Basically all cantaloupe. It smelled and tasted exactly like what went down. Completely undigested. So, we'll consider lunch a failure.
Not too disconcerting, just a bit of a disappointment. I think I need to take things a little slower. Eat much smaller portions for the next few days. Incidentally, not too long after the return of the cantaloupe, the dinner tray was brought in. Turkey slices and mashed potatoes. I ate a small portion and it seems to be sitting well. Still a little queasy but not as bad as before. I think in a couple of hours my gut will adapt and it will all pass through. At least, that's the hope.
The TPN has officially been discontinued. So I'm now responsible for my nutrition and hydration (more reason to get past this minor queasiness). They also discontinued the narcotic pain meds. So now I get zero pain management. The surgical incisions still hurt a bit but the narcotics really haven't been doing much anyway. I don't think this will have any noticeable effect. Perhaps when the doctors finally sign off on my gut functionality, oral pain meds will have better effect.
Real Food
As of this morning, the docs upgraded me to a low-fat diet. Normal food, just a little bland. The order was put in too late for breakfast, but lunch is sitting in front of me. A burger (I think I'll skip), fruit, veggies, apple juice and iced tea. I'm still taking things cautiously, so I won't eat most of it but it's progress nonetheless.
At the end of the day they will discontinue the TPN, which means I will now be completely responsible for my own nutrition and hydration. Just like a real boy.
At the end of the day they will discontinue the TPN, which means I will now be completely responsible for my own nutrition and hydration. Just like a real boy.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Dinnertime!
After lunch, I had a nice visit from Lucy and the in-laws. It's great how she's always in such a cheery mood. None of this phases her. Just a fun adventure with her Oma and Opa.
Dinner came at around 5:15 tonight. Since lunch arrived late (about 2:00ish) I was still a bit stuffed from the chicken broth and grape juice. So I wasn't too hungry. But, to prove my gut is still working, I picked through a dinner that consisted of: beef broth, water ice (first to eat, mmmm) and ice tea. Again, I left the Jell-O. Call me superstitious.
Oh, another good poop before dinner. Just to keep you informed.
Dinner came at around 5:15 tonight. Since lunch arrived late (about 2:00ish) I was still a bit stuffed from the chicken broth and grape juice. So I wasn't too hungry. But, to prove my gut is still working, I picked through a dinner that consisted of: beef broth, water ice (first to eat, mmmm) and ice tea. Again, I left the Jell-O. Call me superstitious.
Oh, another good poop before dinner. Just to keep you informed.
FOOD!
My lunch of broth and grape juice arrived a bit late, around 2pm. I was careful and took quite a while to eat it. But eat it I did. And it was good. (Note, I skipped the Jell-O. Best not to press my luck.)
So far, feeling fine. About an hour after eating everything, I pooped. So the guts seem to be still be functioning well. Hopefully that will continue.
So far, feeling fine. About an hour after eating everything, I pooped. So the guts seem to be still be functioning well. Hopefully that will continue.
Homestretch??
Maybe the title is a bit optimistic. Up to this point, we've been taking things very SLOWLY with regards to the aggressiveness of my treatment. Which is why posts have been few and far between. Not much to report when nothing changes from day to day. But yesterday I hit a couple of great milestones.
1) I pooped. Big. More than a few times.
2) I farted. A lot. So no, 55% less colon does NOT mean 55% less flatulence.
To recap, the NG tube has been out for about 5 days now. The "poops" that I reported last week were real but sort of false alarms. More anomalies from the surgery than anything legitimate. Trust me, yesterday's were real. So from last week until now, nothing new has really happened. Lucy's been doing great and I've gotten to see her almost every day. She's the shining point in every day. But now, with these new milestones, I've got a lot more to look forward to. Like daylight.
As of yesterday (really starting Friday), my gut feels "normal." As normal as it can feel with 24+ staples and an oozing pus infection. Oh, I did forget to update about that. I got a minor infection at the incision that is being drained and treated with antibiotics. No big deal but nasty gross. Anyway, since I'm now beginning to feel normal and, as attested to in #1 & #2 above, function normally, I feel confident in the title of this post. I'm nearing the homestretch. Don't have any specific timeframe and still want to play things slowly and cautiously but I can finally see a light at the end of this long, dark, depressing tunnel.
This morning the docs were pleased with the progress. They ordered that I start clear liquids, the first step towards eating real food. I'll be careful and not go overboard. We certainly don't want a repeat of the earlier jell-o fiasco.
Will keep posting as more news crops up. Nearing the homestretch, things will hopefully start to get a bit more exciting and I should have reason to post more frequently.
1) I pooped. Big. More than a few times.
2) I farted. A lot. So no, 55% less colon does NOT mean 55% less flatulence.
To recap, the NG tube has been out for about 5 days now. The "poops" that I reported last week were real but sort of false alarms. More anomalies from the surgery than anything legitimate. Trust me, yesterday's were real. So from last week until now, nothing new has really happened. Lucy's been doing great and I've gotten to see her almost every day. She's the shining point in every day. But now, with these new milestones, I've got a lot more to look forward to. Like daylight.
As of yesterday (really starting Friday), my gut feels "normal." As normal as it can feel with 24+ staples and an oozing pus infection. Oh, I did forget to update about that. I got a minor infection at the incision that is being drained and treated with antibiotics. No big deal but nasty gross. Anyway, since I'm now beginning to feel normal and, as attested to in #1 & #2 above, function normally, I feel confident in the title of this post. I'm nearing the homestretch. Don't have any specific timeframe and still want to play things slowly and cautiously but I can finally see a light at the end of this long, dark, depressing tunnel.
This morning the docs were pleased with the progress. They ordered that I start clear liquids, the first step towards eating real food. I'll be careful and not go overboard. We certainly don't want a repeat of the earlier jell-o fiasco.
Will keep posting as more news crops up. Nearing the homestretch, things will hopefully start to get a bit more exciting and I should have reason to post more frequently.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Weekend update
No new posts because, to be honest, there was nothing new to report, until now. I was kept on the non-narcotic pain control through the weekend, which worked quite well. On Saturday, we had two sets of visitors. Todd and Kimmie, friends from college, drove up from DC to spend a few hours with us. They later visited Philly and made a full day of the trip. Later in the afternoon, my sister Kim and brother-in-law Mark drove in from the far reaches of Connecticut. They enjoyed visiting not only with us but their niece Lucy as well (my sister being 5-1/2 months pregnant herself particularly enjoyed playing with Lucy). The stream of visitors continued on Sunday when my friend Maddog! and his wife Lisa (my e-parents...long story) stopped by for a few hours. They live nearby in Kensington, Philadelphia so the trip wasn't too much of a commute. Unfortunately Lucy wasn't with us at the time so when I feel better we might visit them before flying home.
While the visits from friends and family definitely kept me in good spirits, there was nothing new to report on the medical front. Nothing at all. The pain was still bad without the medicine I was getting. Still no bowel activity. In short, nothing had changed. Compared with after the first surgery, the doctors have been a bit more cautious and slower-going this time around. I agree with this and don't want to rush myself into another setback.
Finally on Monday progress became evident. I got the catheter out (yay!) and was able to pee right away (double yay!!). Bowel sounds had been heard throughout the day and, joy-of-joys, I pooped! Twice! YAY! My gut was now back to the point where it was pre-jello after the first surgery. Now, we just have to be extra cautious to make sure the bowel activity will remain constant and not decrease (or worse, disappear). So, the docs decided to keep NG suction on for another day, in order to give my weak digestive system more of a rest.
One bit of bad news occurred last night. The non-narcotic drug that had been so effective at managing my pain had to be discontinued. Unfortunately, if taken for too long it's known to cause kidney problems. The pain was still bad, but now the only option was to go back on the narcotics. The docs were able to effectively double the dosage, which did bring the pain to a manageable level. However, it also kept me completely doped and groggy. I couldn't keep my eyes open for more than 10 minutes at a time.
This morning, after waking in a narcotic-induced haze, I met with the docs and they decided to clamp the NG tube for the morning. The logic being, if I can tolerate a long period without suction, then my bowel activity is beginning to function normally. Well, the test was a success. After reconnecting to suction, very little fluid was observed which means things are operating somewhat normally. So, early in the afternoon, another decision was made to completely remove the NG tube. The docs want it removed for at least 24 hours before I start eating. We could have clamped the tube overnight to make sure bowel activity is proper. But that would be an additional day of waiting. To this point we've been slow and cautious. Now I'm optimistic that the activity is returning, so pulling the tube was, I believe, the right decision. We'll see what tomorrow brings. So far no serious pains or discomfort. Fingers-crossed, all will continue to go smoothly.
While the visits from friends and family definitely kept me in good spirits, there was nothing new to report on the medical front. Nothing at all. The pain was still bad without the medicine I was getting. Still no bowel activity. In short, nothing had changed. Compared with after the first surgery, the doctors have been a bit more cautious and slower-going this time around. I agree with this and don't want to rush myself into another setback.
Finally on Monday progress became evident. I got the catheter out (yay!) and was able to pee right away (double yay!!). Bowel sounds had been heard throughout the day and, joy-of-joys, I pooped! Twice! YAY! My gut was now back to the point where it was pre-jello after the first surgery. Now, we just have to be extra cautious to make sure the bowel activity will remain constant and not decrease (or worse, disappear). So, the docs decided to keep NG suction on for another day, in order to give my weak digestive system more of a rest.
One bit of bad news occurred last night. The non-narcotic drug that had been so effective at managing my pain had to be discontinued. Unfortunately, if taken for too long it's known to cause kidney problems. The pain was still bad, but now the only option was to go back on the narcotics. The docs were able to effectively double the dosage, which did bring the pain to a manageable level. However, it also kept me completely doped and groggy. I couldn't keep my eyes open for more than 10 minutes at a time.
This morning, after waking in a narcotic-induced haze, I met with the docs and they decided to clamp the NG tube for the morning. The logic being, if I can tolerate a long period without suction, then my bowel activity is beginning to function normally. Well, the test was a success. After reconnecting to suction, very little fluid was observed which means things are operating somewhat normally. So, early in the afternoon, another decision was made to completely remove the NG tube. The docs want it removed for at least 24 hours before I start eating. We could have clamped the tube overnight to make sure bowel activity is proper. But that would be an additional day of waiting. To this point we've been slow and cautious. Now I'm optimistic that the activity is returning, so pulling the tube was, I believe, the right decision. We'll see what tomorrow brings. So far no serious pains or discomfort. Fingers-crossed, all will continue to go smoothly.
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