resection
04-17-2004, 03:13 PM
I am a 39 male. I am having my lap sig colon resection this Friday, April 23, 2004. I have had five bouts of diverticulitis under my belt. One landed me in the hospital. Three have been in the last four months: Jan, Feb, April.
My wife is afraid I will die if I do not get the resection. Besides, life with my gut is becoming a nuisance. So, I am not overly concerned about the pain. It will be what it will be and from what I read, it does not last forever. Don’t get me wrong, I am nervous, maybe even frightened somewhat, but worrying is not going to change the outcome. I read another post that helped to put things in perspective … at least it is not a terminal condition. The man with no shoes complained until he saw the man with not feet.
My last supper is on Monday. Three days without food seems like that might be pretty tough too.
Of course, I hope everything goes according to textbook. Beyond that, I hope I deal with it in a courageous and dignified way. Maybe there is no way to have a dignified colon procedure.
My purpose for coming to the boards today is to help with the fear. It is not crippling, but I am jumpy. Also, I do not have a good feel for what life after the first three or four months is really like. For some people, it looks like there diet is forever altered. How bad is it? What is totally out? What is the same? What is different?
Can someone who has been there hold my hand and tell me straight? What is life on the other side like?
Counting down the days to the resection …..
My wife is afraid I will die if I do not get the resection. Besides, life with my gut is becoming a nuisance. So, I am not overly concerned about the pain. It will be what it will be and from what I read, it does not last forever. Don’t get me wrong, I am nervous, maybe even frightened somewhat, but worrying is not going to change the outcome. I read another post that helped to put things in perspective … at least it is not a terminal condition. The man with no shoes complained until he saw the man with not feet.
My last supper is on Monday. Three days without food seems like that might be pretty tough too.
Of course, I hope everything goes according to textbook. Beyond that, I hope I deal with it in a courageous and dignified way. Maybe there is no way to have a dignified colon procedure.
My purpose for coming to the boards today is to help with the fear. It is not crippling, but I am jumpy. Also, I do not have a good feel for what life after the first three or four months is really like. For some people, it looks like there diet is forever altered. How bad is it? What is totally out? What is the same? What is different?
Can someone who has been there hold my hand and tell me straight? What is life on the other side like?
Counting down the days to the resection …..
Sponsor
ken1967
04-18-2004, 12:24 AM
well ill try to hopefully help you as best as i can, you said your having the lap proceedure, thats an easier and less painful way of having it done, i had the full abdominal incision, so your healing time will be much less than mine which is good, the few days before when you have to basically fast and then take the prep isnt fun but is tolerable, your body will adjust to not eating, the prep is kinda nasty but you do need to be cleaned out,depending on how much needs to be removed will depend on how long the surgery goes for, mine was 3 hours but like i said i had the full incisionplus had a stoma and a colostomy bag, you will be in some discomfort but they will give you meds for that,generally with lap surgery your out in 3 to 5 days as long as all goes well, you will most likely need to start eating a soft diet when you get home and gradually move to normal foods, from what ive been told you can resume eatng a normal diet, however i have chosen to eat healthier , more fiber in my diet,yogurts,veggies, hardly any junk food and ive quit drinking soda, i drink lots of water and juices,you will be out of work for a couple of weeks and shouldnt over do it physically ,youll need to heal,everyone is different, some heal faster, some have problems with certain foods after the surgery youll have to do trial and error,your bowel habits might change over time, im assuming since your having lap done they are going to cut out the bad section and reconnect you all in the same time which is a good thing,mine was so bad they had to give me a bag and wait 3 months before going back in for the reconnection, well im sure ive missed some questions so please feel free to ask anything else, the more info you have going in the better good luck
resection
04-18-2004, 01:08 AM
Thanks!!! Yes, I am going in for the one stop shop with reconnected plumbing. I do not anticipate a stoma with colostomy bag, but there is that risk. My aunt has a colostomy (12 years) and she reassures me that it is far from the end of the world. I am mostly concerned about whether or not "normal" bowel habits will return at some point.
I have been eating pretty good for some time. But, the underlying condition has deteriorated (diverticulosis). How long before "normal" BMs come on the scene?
I don't know, I guess I am just a little scared of what might be different about me and my lifestyle (whatever that means ... I am not sure).
Already this year, my life has changed dramatically. My left side of my gut is uncomfortable pretty much all of the time as though the muscles are in spasm. It is really not painful in the sense that I want to howl or something, it is just like I have a baseball under my belt. Driving is about the only thing that is really, really uncomfortable. I just can't seem to get into a good position in the car. My commute is not good.
Thanks again. We are all at various stages in dealing with our ailments. Any comments you might want to share would be appreciated.
While everyone is different, I think everyone is a little bit the same too. I am not good at watching the clock. If I could then I guess I would not be getting my gut cut out. I think lifestyle and stress has had a lot to do with my situation. Maybe more than diet.
My name is Frank and I am a workaholic .... :eek:
I have been eating pretty good for some time. But, the underlying condition has deteriorated (diverticulosis). How long before "normal" BMs come on the scene?
I don't know, I guess I am just a little scared of what might be different about me and my lifestyle (whatever that means ... I am not sure).
Already this year, my life has changed dramatically. My left side of my gut is uncomfortable pretty much all of the time as though the muscles are in spasm. It is really not painful in the sense that I want to howl or something, it is just like I have a baseball under my belt. Driving is about the only thing that is really, really uncomfortable. I just can't seem to get into a good position in the car. My commute is not good.
Thanks again. We are all at various stages in dealing with our ailments. Any comments you might want to share would be appreciated.
While everyone is different, I think everyone is a little bit the same too. I am not good at watching the clock. If I could then I guess I would not be getting my gut cut out. I think lifestyle and stress has had a lot to do with my situation. Maybe more than diet.
My name is Frank and I am a workaholic .... :eek:
ken1967
04-18-2004, 01:59 AM
well as far as normal bowel movements,when i was in the hospital they wouldnt release me until i passed gas and had a bowel movement, also if you count the 2 days b4 the surgery i didnt eat or drink anything until 5 days after the operation(the 2nd op to reconnect) was just on iv's ,then put on a liquid diet and when i could pass gas i was able to try soft foods and then solid food andin my mind i was thinking how can you possibly have a bm when i didnt eat anything for a week but i did, not to be gross but it was especially weird because i had a colostomy for 3 months previous to the reconnection but you wont expirience the weirdness of a colostomy,you say you think your problems arose more from being a workaholic and stress more than diet, but were close in age, im 37 and i never ate healthy in my life, i thought i could eat pizzas and burgers and all the fast foods forever and thought i was invincable and also i think stress also had something to do with my diverticulits too,being sick from may of 2003 to having the emergency surgery in sept 2003 i lost 70 pounds i couldnt eat,i was stressed about being sick and its a vicious cycle,your body is like a car, how you treat it and maintain it and if you put bad fuel in the car its gonna break down same goes for your body, now i realize this was a wake up call and wished i had listened to the"grown ups" when i was young and took better care of myself so i eat much better excercise and also we all need to learn not to sweat the small stuff and im a firm believer in if we learn how to manage stress in life we will live longer, healthier and be happier,theres no dress rehersals in life we have only 1 shot at it, ok dont mean to preach just telling you what i got out of this whole expirience
resection
04-18-2004, 11:55 AM
You will probably not gross me out nor shake me up anymore than I already am. It seems almost everyone I talk to including the staff at the hospital is perhaps more concerned about the delivery of the message than the message itself. Kind of like the first couple of times I remember my folks talking to me about sex. A lot is still left to the imagination. :)
We ARE close in age. From what I can tell though, "old man's disease" is attacking Americans at an earlier and earlier age no doubt the result of our American diet.
My first bout arose after a long flight four years ago. I went from Houston to Hawaii. Prior to that event, like you, I pretty much just ate crap, no exercise, never listened to grown ups.
In the years between, my wife has done a good job of providing great meals. I don't always eat breakfast, sometimes don't eat lunch, and sometimes eat crap for lunch when I do, but mostly I am good. Dinners are always healthy. We eat as a family. I have a boy (4) and a girl (7). I really have a great wife.
My cholesterol was higher than a giraffe’s butt last year. The wife brought it down so much that I came off of the Lipator on December 31, 2003. The doctors said it was "impossible" for me to get off of the drugs. My panels indicated my genetic makeup was probably too whacky. She got me there with a pretty strict diet over a four month period.
One week later, January 6, 2004, I was in the hospital with diverticulitis. Lost 20 lbs. Got out, got scoped, went on the Discovery Health Challenge, working out three times a week. Boom, I get two more bouts in the midst of the healthiest living in my life.
For about six years, I have had hematuria (blood in the urine). It is microscopic, only present sometimes, and otherwise asymptomatic. The doctors cannot figure out why. They scoped my bladder last summer ... nothing.
If the doctors talked to my mother, she would say it is because I do not drink enough water. I think she is right. Maybe related to the diverticulosis too.
Back to the cystoscopy (bladder scope). I recommend you never, never get that done in a doctor's office. Wow, that was the most painful experience I ever went through. I also know NOW that your risks are about 10 times greater when performed in a doctor's office. Go to a special facility or hospital if you can. Otherwise you can expect to bite on a rope and suck it up for about ten to twenty minutes of pure hell.
I learned THAT when I got the colo-scope. The staff there could not believe I went “natural” on the bladder scope. :) They eased me in. After my bladder experience, I really was fretting pretty good. I had to wait about a month after I got out of the hospital before the doctor wanted to perform it. I never thought about not having it done (they needed cancer biopsies), but it was stressful waiting.
As it turned out, it was a great experience. The staff was great, AND, they hooked me up with pain meds and with Verset (a real date rape drug). Not only was I NOT uncomfortable, I don't remember the event. I just went down with a nice warm buzz and came back the same way. I had a few flash backs over the next two weeks of 10 second pieces of conversations in the procedure room, but it is still blurred.
For any macho-man in Houston that can't handle the thought, I can point him to the right facility.
Anyway, I have read about dumping syndrome, and people unable to tolerate meat and fresh veggies (I love veggies) after the resection for years or forever as the case may be. That is on my mind. Only one person I came across defined his new life as “miserable”. And, I think he is in big trouble physically. He has lost a 1/3 of his body weight, can’t work etc. Part of his problem is that he refuses to accept the colostomy. I am afraid he may be on his way out if they cannot stabilize him.
Intuitively, I think they would not perform resections for benign diseases if they resulted in a really low quality of life. So, I think my post-operative experience will be “manageable”. There are many supportive people like you, who have crossed the river, on this board that are helping others.
Like virtually everyone else on this board, I believe I will adapt at some point. I was just wondering about any changes in the quality of life. That way, I can go into denial sooner. :jester:
Just running over to see if someone has replied is very therapeutic. It is helping run the clock out before the big day.
I don't feel right telling my wife everything on my mind. She has enough to worry about. I have told everyone to skip coming to the hospital. The procedure itself is expected to take 2 to 3 hours. With prep and recovery, I can only imagine how horrible the waiting will be on the loved ones. That is everyone except my wife. She is my agent. So she has to be there and alert in case of any "decisions" that need to be made from colostomy to whatever.
If I could spare her this trip, I would. :(
We ARE close in age. From what I can tell though, "old man's disease" is attacking Americans at an earlier and earlier age no doubt the result of our American diet.
My first bout arose after a long flight four years ago. I went from Houston to Hawaii. Prior to that event, like you, I pretty much just ate crap, no exercise, never listened to grown ups.
In the years between, my wife has done a good job of providing great meals. I don't always eat breakfast, sometimes don't eat lunch, and sometimes eat crap for lunch when I do, but mostly I am good. Dinners are always healthy. We eat as a family. I have a boy (4) and a girl (7). I really have a great wife.
My cholesterol was higher than a giraffe’s butt last year. The wife brought it down so much that I came off of the Lipator on December 31, 2003. The doctors said it was "impossible" for me to get off of the drugs. My panels indicated my genetic makeup was probably too whacky. She got me there with a pretty strict diet over a four month period.
One week later, January 6, 2004, I was in the hospital with diverticulitis. Lost 20 lbs. Got out, got scoped, went on the Discovery Health Challenge, working out three times a week. Boom, I get two more bouts in the midst of the healthiest living in my life.
For about six years, I have had hematuria (blood in the urine). It is microscopic, only present sometimes, and otherwise asymptomatic. The doctors cannot figure out why. They scoped my bladder last summer ... nothing.
If the doctors talked to my mother, she would say it is because I do not drink enough water. I think she is right. Maybe related to the diverticulosis too.
Back to the cystoscopy (bladder scope). I recommend you never, never get that done in a doctor's office. Wow, that was the most painful experience I ever went through. I also know NOW that your risks are about 10 times greater when performed in a doctor's office. Go to a special facility or hospital if you can. Otherwise you can expect to bite on a rope and suck it up for about ten to twenty minutes of pure hell.
I learned THAT when I got the colo-scope. The staff there could not believe I went “natural” on the bladder scope. :) They eased me in. After my bladder experience, I really was fretting pretty good. I had to wait about a month after I got out of the hospital before the doctor wanted to perform it. I never thought about not having it done (they needed cancer biopsies), but it was stressful waiting.
As it turned out, it was a great experience. The staff was great, AND, they hooked me up with pain meds and with Verset (a real date rape drug). Not only was I NOT uncomfortable, I don't remember the event. I just went down with a nice warm buzz and came back the same way. I had a few flash backs over the next two weeks of 10 second pieces of conversations in the procedure room, but it is still blurred.
For any macho-man in Houston that can't handle the thought, I can point him to the right facility.
Anyway, I have read about dumping syndrome, and people unable to tolerate meat and fresh veggies (I love veggies) after the resection for years or forever as the case may be. That is on my mind. Only one person I came across defined his new life as “miserable”. And, I think he is in big trouble physically. He has lost a 1/3 of his body weight, can’t work etc. Part of his problem is that he refuses to accept the colostomy. I am afraid he may be on his way out if they cannot stabilize him.
Intuitively, I think they would not perform resections for benign diseases if they resulted in a really low quality of life. So, I think my post-operative experience will be “manageable”. There are many supportive people like you, who have crossed the river, on this board that are helping others.
Like virtually everyone else on this board, I believe I will adapt at some point. I was just wondering about any changes in the quality of life. That way, I can go into denial sooner. :jester:
Just running over to see if someone has replied is very therapeutic. It is helping run the clock out before the big day.
I don't feel right telling my wife everything on my mind. She has enough to worry about. I have told everyone to skip coming to the hospital. The procedure itself is expected to take 2 to 3 hours. With prep and recovery, I can only imagine how horrible the waiting will be on the loved ones. That is everyone except my wife. She is my agent. So she has to be there and alert in case of any "decisions" that need to be made from colostomy to whatever.
If I could spare her this trip, I would. :(
resection
04-18-2004, 04:47 PM
Captain's Log: Sunday, April 18, 2004
Weight: 167.5 lbs. Down from my high-water mark of 205 lbs. And, down from 189 lbs. on New Year's Day.
Mood: Grumpy and irritable last night, for sure jumpy, but I am good spirits today.
Food: Wifey is making Mexican Caldo soup. It smells great.
Pain: Moderate discomfort. Concerned I will not get the infection out of the way before surgery date.
Weight: 167.5 lbs. Down from my high-water mark of 205 lbs. And, down from 189 lbs. on New Year's Day.
Mood: Grumpy and irritable last night, for sure jumpy, but I am good spirits today.
Food: Wifey is making Mexican Caldo soup. It smells great.
Pain: Moderate discomfort. Concerned I will not get the infection out of the way before surgery date.
Jenetti
04-18-2004, 05:37 PM
Ohhhh Love mexican caldo!! i am from south texas ya know!! corpus christi area, so know mexican caldo very well. In fact am hispanic/german mutt so know mexican food very well. LOL, loved your beginning, captains log, star trek fan here myself.
Enjoy the caldo.
Jen :)
Enjoy the caldo.
Jen :)
resection
04-19-2004, 12:00 AM
My wife is a gringa, and I am a bolio. Next entry tomorrow. We just made our list of things to get done this week including a new tight haircut (number 4 or less on the sides) so I won't have to fool with it in the hospital.
Left on its own, my hair would resemble Gene Wilder (Young Frankenstein) within hours. So, I am shaving my head in tight ala 1st Cavalry summer cut.
Left on its own, my hair would resemble Gene Wilder (Young Frankenstein) within hours. So, I am shaving my head in tight ala 1st Cavalry summer cut.
resection
04-20-2004, 01:53 AM
Captain's Log: Monday, April 19, 2004
Weight: 168.5 lbs.
Mood: Improving. Worked a full day, had a good evening with the family.
Food: Last real meal for awhile tonight. It was light junk, rather not disclose. Whipped up 8 cups of Jell-O (green) for next two days (cooked it myself). Ummmm!!! Getting a special treat on Thursday. Stay tuned for that piece of info. Finished my last Flagyl tonight. Last Levaquin tomorrow. Almost 50 days of antibiotics this year. Maybe I won’t be nauseous Tuesday and Wednesday?
Pain: Moderate discomfort when I sit in the same spot for about 20+ minutes. Otherwise, I was too busy to notice.
Days to Surgery Remaining: 4.
Weight: 168.5 lbs.
Mood: Improving. Worked a full day, had a good evening with the family.
Food: Last real meal for awhile tonight. It was light junk, rather not disclose. Whipped up 8 cups of Jell-O (green) for next two days (cooked it myself). Ummmm!!! Getting a special treat on Thursday. Stay tuned for that piece of info. Finished my last Flagyl tonight. Last Levaquin tomorrow. Almost 50 days of antibiotics this year. Maybe I won’t be nauseous Tuesday and Wednesday?
Pain: Moderate discomfort when I sit in the same spot for about 20+ minutes. Otherwise, I was too busy to notice.
Days to Surgery Remaining: 4.
Jenetti
04-20-2004, 10:48 AM
Youre doing great, hang in there fella. I always talk to my hubby about the people on here and he said he's asking some of his friends to pray for ya also. Hubby and i will be too. Look at it this way, when are you EVER gonna have probably 1000's of people praying for ya at one time??? im sure those who pray or believe in a higher power will be holding you and your family in good thoughts that day. Green jello?? :rolleyes: uhm er, oh oh like i said HANG IN THERE FELLA :rolleyes:
sending ya your :angel:
Take care of yourself today, looking forward to reading tomorrows captains log.
Later, hubby is home and we're gonna watch some videos :wave:
sending ya your :angel:
Take care of yourself today, looking forward to reading tomorrows captains log.
Later, hubby is home and we're gonna watch some videos :wave:
resection
04-21-2004, 12:32 AM
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I feel the prayers working on me. I had a really great day. Everything seemed to go so well. Tomorrow is all about orange Jell-O.
Captain's Log: Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Weight: 168. lbs.
Mood: Great.
Food: Eight cups of Greeeeeeen Jell-O, two Grape-Peach juice bottles, water, 3 cups of coffee, and I forgot about my diet during the day and I eat a couple of breath mints. Oooops. For last call, I will drink down some consommé.
Brain: Screwed on pretty tight today. Very calm. A testament to the power of prayer.
Pain: The knot is my gut is easing. That is really good news. Otherwise, I was too busy to notice.
Days to Surgery Remaining: 3.
Captain's Log: Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Weight: 168. lbs.
Mood: Great.
Food: Eight cups of Greeeeeeen Jell-O, two Grape-Peach juice bottles, water, 3 cups of coffee, and I forgot about my diet during the day and I eat a couple of breath mints. Oooops. For last call, I will drink down some consommé.
Brain: Screwed on pretty tight today. Very calm. A testament to the power of prayer.
Pain: The knot is my gut is easing. That is really good news. Otherwise, I was too busy to notice.
Days to Surgery Remaining: 3.
Annie100
04-21-2004, 04:17 AM
Hi,
I had the right side of my colon removed in Dec 2003 - plus the terminal ileum and part of my small bowel. I have Crohn's disease complicated by cancer - well, the surgery was fine (8 hours in total). I had an epidural for the surgery and 3 days after for the pain but was up and walking around within 2 days. I am 38 and I think that being relatively young helped with recovery. I was home within 7 days - the two ends were joined up and I was eating and having bowel movements before leaving the hospital. I had a slight complication with bleeding at the site of the anastomosis (where they join the two ends together) but that resolved spontaneously without treatment. I was back at work within 2 1/2 weeks - perhaps not the best decision with hindsight.
All in all I think that mind over matter is the key - good luck for Friday!!
I had the right side of my colon removed in Dec 2003 - plus the terminal ileum and part of my small bowel. I have Crohn's disease complicated by cancer - well, the surgery was fine (8 hours in total). I had an epidural for the surgery and 3 days after for the pain but was up and walking around within 2 days. I am 38 and I think that being relatively young helped with recovery. I was home within 7 days - the two ends were joined up and I was eating and having bowel movements before leaving the hospital. I had a slight complication with bleeding at the site of the anastomosis (where they join the two ends together) but that resolved spontaneously without treatment. I was back at work within 2 1/2 weeks - perhaps not the best decision with hindsight.
All in all I think that mind over matter is the key - good luck for Friday!!
LollyLolly
04-21-2004, 12:31 PM
Resection --
I have several reasons for writing and the first is to wish you well. Another is to thank you for deciding to chronicle your journey this way. It is exactly what I wish I'd been able to find when I was struggling with diverticulitis and an impending resection. I searched around a lot and found surprisingly few detailed accounts and info about such a common procedure. I hope you're able to keep posting, as it really is a service to others. Again, thanks.
My resection was at age 35, just over a year ago. Strong family history of early diverticulitis and resection is in place here, so I wasn't stunned to find myself in that position, in spite of years of water, exercise, high fiber food and fiber supplements. I had a lap resection that went off without a hitch. The prep was probably the worst part. My surgery lasted about five hours, and I also had no one hanging around at the hospital until it was over. The drugs worked out great and they (the drugs and the staff) had me walking a little bit within 18 hours of the surgery. Great anaesthesiologist and nurses make for a better experience.
I was in the hospital for nearly two weeks because I developed a complication (nerve damage at one of the lap port sites, but they couldn't figure out the source of the pain for a few days), but I was probably ready to go home by the regular standards in 7 or 8 days. The low residue diet was ordered and that worked out fine. Within a couple of months, I was able to resume pretty much all of my former favorite foods. There was only one food my doctor advised me to limit, but not completely avoid, and that was popcorn. The bad news is that even though they removed about two feet of bowel, I've still had multiple recurrences of diverticulitis since the surgery, the first coming after only six months of it. This is unusual, so I don't mention it to alarm you, but rather to make you aware that it can happen. They are NOWHERE near as bad as what had been happening before. I'm now seeing an acupuncturist and that seems to be helping, too.
Good choice on the haircut and lucky for you with the supportive wife. I spent an unexpected week in the hospital with long hair and showering was prohibited. It was about day five before I could even sit in the chair to get my hair washed. What an unpleasant mess. When I had my surgery, I cut my hair enough to make it tolerable while in the hospital for the surgery, as showering there wasn't allowed for a few days either.
Sorry for such a long post, but I hope it provides some further answers to your questions. Please feel free to ask if you think of anything else. Good luck, prayers in place and I look forward to reading your posts.
I have several reasons for writing and the first is to wish you well. Another is to thank you for deciding to chronicle your journey this way. It is exactly what I wish I'd been able to find when I was struggling with diverticulitis and an impending resection. I searched around a lot and found surprisingly few detailed accounts and info about such a common procedure. I hope you're able to keep posting, as it really is a service to others. Again, thanks.
My resection was at age 35, just over a year ago. Strong family history of early diverticulitis and resection is in place here, so I wasn't stunned to find myself in that position, in spite of years of water, exercise, high fiber food and fiber supplements. I had a lap resection that went off without a hitch. The prep was probably the worst part. My surgery lasted about five hours, and I also had no one hanging around at the hospital until it was over. The drugs worked out great and they (the drugs and the staff) had me walking a little bit within 18 hours of the surgery. Great anaesthesiologist and nurses make for a better experience.
I was in the hospital for nearly two weeks because I developed a complication (nerve damage at one of the lap port sites, but they couldn't figure out the source of the pain for a few days), but I was probably ready to go home by the regular standards in 7 or 8 days. The low residue diet was ordered and that worked out fine. Within a couple of months, I was able to resume pretty much all of my former favorite foods. There was only one food my doctor advised me to limit, but not completely avoid, and that was popcorn. The bad news is that even though they removed about two feet of bowel, I've still had multiple recurrences of diverticulitis since the surgery, the first coming after only six months of it. This is unusual, so I don't mention it to alarm you, but rather to make you aware that it can happen. They are NOWHERE near as bad as what had been happening before. I'm now seeing an acupuncturist and that seems to be helping, too.
Good choice on the haircut and lucky for you with the supportive wife. I spent an unexpected week in the hospital with long hair and showering was prohibited. It was about day five before I could even sit in the chair to get my hair washed. What an unpleasant mess. When I had my surgery, I cut my hair enough to make it tolerable while in the hospital for the surgery, as showering there wasn't allowed for a few days either.
Sorry for such a long post, but I hope it provides some further answers to your questions. Please feel free to ask if you think of anything else. Good luck, prayers in place and I look forward to reading your posts.
resection
04-21-2004, 01:52 PM
Dear Sugarpop,
Well, I am assuming a longhaired Lollylolly is a female handle. May I call you SugarPop? :) I find voices like yours from the other side very encouraging. It sounds like you are better off now and you are pleased you got it done. I have additional divers along the rest of my large. I am at some risk of sharing your story. The doc told me not to worry too much about them though. Low incidence, and they are generally manageable.
Not being able to find the skinny on what I was facing is one of the reasons I created the journal.
For those that have been, this is probably a useless, dry and uninformed diary, but for someone in my shoes it would have been a "must" read.
I have gotten a lot out this. Guys never admit that talking much less witting can make them feel better. Oh no!!! Maybe I am losing my guy-hood. Just kidding. This is just not for posterity. It is good for me to write, and the follow up posts are good for me, whether I like the news or not.
Even if someone else where to find this diary useful, I would encourage them to post. The support feels very personal and sincere despite the anonymity of the faceless board.
I expect to have a successful procedure, and this board will probably be responsible for 20% to 30%. Yep, after God, right up there with the family, the docs, the facilities and whatever else is a factor.
The patient has a stake and responsibility. For something this drastic, I must have come to the conclusion along the way (although I do not remember thinking about it), that me, the patient, needs to be a part of the solution. I have to be a part of minimizing the risk and the maximizing the good if I am to overcome.
Everyone including me does pity themselves from time to time. But, we do not have to get stuck there. So, this is a big, freak-a-person-kind-of-surprise to get for your 40th birthday. But so what? I am just not done. Maybe I will be different, but I am not done.
Maybe I will get a great BM for my b-day and be so excited. How absolutely hilarious is that? All I want for my b-day is a great BM.
I can just hear the voice of the little old Jewish man from the shorts in “When Harry met Sally?”
<Man>
What?
What?
No?
I said BM!!!!
I just want a freakin’ BM for my birthday.
No herring.
No plaid jacket.
Just a BM! Like I used to have when I was a boy.
<Wife>
Oh? Well, I went Nordstom's. They didn't have any BMs, but I got a new pair of loafers. I hope you like them.
<Man>
Aaaaah, Thank you, but I still want a great BM just like when I was a boy.
<Wife>
Yeah, me too. Try them. Put the shoes on. We'll go for a walk.
<Man>
Yeah, ..... but I still want even a good if not a great BM.
Well, I am assuming a longhaired Lollylolly is a female handle. May I call you SugarPop? :) I find voices like yours from the other side very encouraging. It sounds like you are better off now and you are pleased you got it done. I have additional divers along the rest of my large. I am at some risk of sharing your story. The doc told me not to worry too much about them though. Low incidence, and they are generally manageable.
Not being able to find the skinny on what I was facing is one of the reasons I created the journal.
For those that have been, this is probably a useless, dry and uninformed diary, but for someone in my shoes it would have been a "must" read.
I have gotten a lot out this. Guys never admit that talking much less witting can make them feel better. Oh no!!! Maybe I am losing my guy-hood. Just kidding. This is just not for posterity. It is good for me to write, and the follow up posts are good for me, whether I like the news or not.
Even if someone else where to find this diary useful, I would encourage them to post. The support feels very personal and sincere despite the anonymity of the faceless board.
I expect to have a successful procedure, and this board will probably be responsible for 20% to 30%. Yep, after God, right up there with the family, the docs, the facilities and whatever else is a factor.
The patient has a stake and responsibility. For something this drastic, I must have come to the conclusion along the way (although I do not remember thinking about it), that me, the patient, needs to be a part of the solution. I have to be a part of minimizing the risk and the maximizing the good if I am to overcome.
Everyone including me does pity themselves from time to time. But, we do not have to get stuck there. So, this is a big, freak-a-person-kind-of-surprise to get for your 40th birthday. But so what? I am just not done. Maybe I will be different, but I am not done.
Maybe I will get a great BM for my b-day and be so excited. How absolutely hilarious is that? All I want for my b-day is a great BM.
I can just hear the voice of the little old Jewish man from the shorts in “When Harry met Sally?”
<Man>
What?
What?
No?
I said BM!!!!
I just want a freakin’ BM for my birthday.
No herring.
No plaid jacket.
Just a BM! Like I used to have when I was a boy.
<Wife>
Oh? Well, I went Nordstom's. They didn't have any BMs, but I got a new pair of loafers. I hope you like them.
<Man>
Aaaaah, Thank you, but I still want a great BM just like when I was a boy.
<Wife>
Yeah, me too. Try them. Put the shoes on. We'll go for a walk.
<Man>
Yeah, ..... but I still want even a good if not a great BM.
resection
04-21-2004, 10:52 PM
Captain's Log: Tuesday, April 21, 2004
Weight: Amazingly, still 168. lbs.
Mood: Great. But, I am a little tired.
Food: Only 2 cups of Orange Jell-O, four Apple juice bottles, plenty-o-water, 3 cups of coffee, same last call: I drink down some consommé. It was OK. Surprisingly, I am not as hungry as I was yesterday. Either mind over matter, or maybe the stomach just stops barking so loud after a couple of days.
Brain: Still cool, but I am tired. Got a couple of nice posts on another thread. Keeping me going.
Pain: None really.
Work: Good day. Worked ľ. Notary at the office stamped an updated will, power of attorney, and affidavits. Necessary and prudent. Not pleasant. But, not bad. We are all still pretty positive.
Days to Surgery Remaining: 2.
Errata: Wife is tired too. We are going to bed early. Kids are already down. I think I am going to pay dearly for foolishly “eating” all of that apple juice.
Tomorrow is prep day. I can hardly wait. Not really, but it is only for one day. :eek:
Weight: Amazingly, still 168. lbs.
Mood: Great. But, I am a little tired.
Food: Only 2 cups of Orange Jell-O, four Apple juice bottles, plenty-o-water, 3 cups of coffee, same last call: I drink down some consommé. It was OK. Surprisingly, I am not as hungry as I was yesterday. Either mind over matter, or maybe the stomach just stops barking so loud after a couple of days.
Brain: Still cool, but I am tired. Got a couple of nice posts on another thread. Keeping me going.
Pain: None really.
Work: Good day. Worked ľ. Notary at the office stamped an updated will, power of attorney, and affidavits. Necessary and prudent. Not pleasant. But, not bad. We are all still pretty positive.
Days to Surgery Remaining: 2.
Errata: Wife is tired too. We are going to bed early. Kids are already down. I think I am going to pay dearly for foolishly “eating” all of that apple juice.
Tomorrow is prep day. I can hardly wait. Not really, but it is only for one day. :eek:
resection
04-21-2004, 11:36 PM
Welcome to Prep School
Only One, One-Day Class In This School:
High Class Offered Only on April 22, 2004
Music Theory – Post-Modern Analog of Steppenwolf’s Magic Carpet Ride – The Bowel Cleanse
Prerequisites:
Clear liquids for the prior two days.
Syllabus:
6:00 AM: 500 Mg of Neomycin and Erythromycin Each
2:00 PM: 500 Mg of Neomycin and Erythromycin Each
6:00 PM: 2 Dulcolax
9:00 PM: 1 Fleets Enema
10:00 PM: 500 Mg of Neomycin and Erythromycin Each
4:00 AM: 1 Fleets Enema
There will be several pop quizzes. Maybe many pop quizzes. You can expect one for sure after 9:00 and a final exam the following morning. Flunking the exam will result in a major failure.
This class might be of special interest to the 50 plus or minus divers. Yeah, we have a prepared a single chair class room setting where you can ponder the allegorical undercurrents of Magic Carpet Ride and the Bowel Cleanse process. This class will move much deeper than the surface recreational drug culture layer all the way down to number nine – The Bowel Prep Layer. Low teacher to student ratio. 0:1
Materials: Bring at least two rolls of carpet, 2 ply or better recommended.
Cost: Don’t Even Ask :jester:
Only One, One-Day Class In This School:
High Class Offered Only on April 22, 2004
Music Theory – Post-Modern Analog of Steppenwolf’s Magic Carpet Ride – The Bowel Cleanse
Prerequisites:
Clear liquids for the prior two days.
Syllabus:
6:00 AM: 500 Mg of Neomycin and Erythromycin Each
2:00 PM: 500 Mg of Neomycin and Erythromycin Each
6:00 PM: 2 Dulcolax
9:00 PM: 1 Fleets Enema
10:00 PM: 500 Mg of Neomycin and Erythromycin Each
4:00 AM: 1 Fleets Enema
There will be several pop quizzes. Maybe many pop quizzes. You can expect one for sure after 9:00 and a final exam the following morning. Flunking the exam will result in a major failure.
This class might be of special interest to the 50 plus or minus divers. Yeah, we have a prepared a single chair class room setting where you can ponder the allegorical undercurrents of Magic Carpet Ride and the Bowel Cleanse process. This class will move much deeper than the surface recreational drug culture layer all the way down to number nine – The Bowel Prep Layer. Low teacher to student ratio. 0:1
Materials: Bring at least two rolls of carpet, 2 ply or better recommended.
Cost: Don’t Even Ask :jester:
auntjudyg
04-22-2004, 10:45 AM
Ooooh, you're bring back memories, resection. Good old Fleet! And Steppenwolf!
They sure did have you on a liquid diet for a long time. I have heard of two days in ONE case, but THREE? Did they think you had a big load to s...tuff in there? ;)
They sure did have you on a liquid diet for a long time. I have heard of two days in ONE case, but THREE? Did they think you had a big load to s...tuff in there? ;)
resection
04-22-2004, 11:08 AM
Captain's Log: Thursday, April 22, 2004
Weight: 165.5 lbs. That is a drop of 2.5 lbs overnight.
Mood: Kind of tired. It is only 8:40 AM. ????
Food: I had planned on a special Jell-O treat made with ginger ale, but I am going to skip it and stick to the plain fluids. I don’t feel as well as I did in my belly.
Brain: Still cool, but I am tired. Maybe there is a hint of jumpy nerves, but I may be mistaking both my tiredness and mood when the real issue is in my belly. Or maybe, the real problem is stress on the brain, and it is making me tired and my belly knot up. Either way, I “think” I am cool, just tired and uncomfortable.
Pain: My gut is flaring up this morning. Could be stress or the antibiotics I took early this morning. I started feeling good after my last antibiotic earlier in the week. Maybe there is a connection between my mood and the pain and the antibiotics. Maybe I only “feel” tired because of the discomfort.
Work: No work. Just killing time and getting the bowel prep out of the way. Need to get my haircut today. I think I am going to pray, stretch and breath. Regardless of the source of my discomfort, tiredness, and slight edginess, that would be good medicine for all three.
Hours to Surgery Remaining: 23.
Errata: Wife is on a couple of sales calls and then going to spend the day here. Maid coming in one hour. I had two last Saturday for major spring cleaning. Windows, baseboards, all of the ironing. Today will be another major workup. That way, I can give my wifey a head start on the anticipated decay in normal routine. They will be coming back next week too, and maybe the week after just to make sure. If I can, I am going over to the school for my daughter’s lunch. She loves when I come by. Poor darling is a little stressed. But she does not show it very much. My little guy is OK. He asked me if I was going to the hospital and for how long this AM. So, I know he is aware, but he moved on to something his sister did to him before I could answer. :)
Tomorrow: Tomorrow is the big day. I am not too anxious and I am not to edgy. Need to take care of the brain, and make sure I stay that way. In just a couple of more hours, the dice will be in the air, and my months of waiting for the surgery will be over. Then, I can start the waiting game to figure out when the pain stops. Then, I can wait until I get out the hospital. Then, I can wait to figure out when the diarrhea stops. Then, I can wait to figure out what I can eat.
Unfortunately, my personality does not lend itself very well to just being content with the situation I am in. I will try to enjoy each stage instead of “waiting” for the next, but that might more difficult than anything else I have going on.
Weight: 165.5 lbs. That is a drop of 2.5 lbs overnight.
Mood: Kind of tired. It is only 8:40 AM. ????
Food: I had planned on a special Jell-O treat made with ginger ale, but I am going to skip it and stick to the plain fluids. I don’t feel as well as I did in my belly.
Brain: Still cool, but I am tired. Maybe there is a hint of jumpy nerves, but I may be mistaking both my tiredness and mood when the real issue is in my belly. Or maybe, the real problem is stress on the brain, and it is making me tired and my belly knot up. Either way, I “think” I am cool, just tired and uncomfortable.
Pain: My gut is flaring up this morning. Could be stress or the antibiotics I took early this morning. I started feeling good after my last antibiotic earlier in the week. Maybe there is a connection between my mood and the pain and the antibiotics. Maybe I only “feel” tired because of the discomfort.
Work: No work. Just killing time and getting the bowel prep out of the way. Need to get my haircut today. I think I am going to pray, stretch and breath. Regardless of the source of my discomfort, tiredness, and slight edginess, that would be good medicine for all three.
Hours to Surgery Remaining: 23.
Errata: Wife is on a couple of sales calls and then going to spend the day here. Maid coming in one hour. I had two last Saturday for major spring cleaning. Windows, baseboards, all of the ironing. Today will be another major workup. That way, I can give my wifey a head start on the anticipated decay in normal routine. They will be coming back next week too, and maybe the week after just to make sure. If I can, I am going over to the school for my daughter’s lunch. She loves when I come by. Poor darling is a little stressed. But she does not show it very much. My little guy is OK. He asked me if I was going to the hospital and for how long this AM. So, I know he is aware, but he moved on to something his sister did to him before I could answer. :)
Tomorrow: Tomorrow is the big day. I am not too anxious and I am not to edgy. Need to take care of the brain, and make sure I stay that way. In just a couple of more hours, the dice will be in the air, and my months of waiting for the surgery will be over. Then, I can start the waiting game to figure out when the pain stops. Then, I can wait until I get out the hospital. Then, I can wait to figure out when the diarrhea stops. Then, I can wait to figure out what I can eat.
Unfortunately, my personality does not lend itself very well to just being content with the situation I am in. I will try to enjoy each stage instead of “waiting” for the next, but that might more difficult than anything else I have going on.
resection
04-22-2004, 11:16 AM
Hey Aunty,
Maybe they did think I was full of it. No doubt, they figured that out as soon as they met me.
Well, I was just coming down from a full blown case. I just finished the antibiotics on Tuesday. Yes, to get me squeaky clean, and to give my gut a rest.
I messed up and ate my last meal Monday night. Could have gotten one more meal in Tuesday early, early AM, but it is OK. I am not hungry. So, I am will be up in the 80 hour range.
Close your eyes girl, look inside girl, …..
The real magic carpet ride starts tomorrow. I am getting a little excited in a good way. It is not all just edgy. There is a little bit of both energies flowing through me.
Maybe they did think I was full of it. No doubt, they figured that out as soon as they met me.
Well, I was just coming down from a full blown case. I just finished the antibiotics on Tuesday. Yes, to get me squeaky clean, and to give my gut a rest.
I messed up and ate my last meal Monday night. Could have gotten one more meal in Tuesday early, early AM, but it is OK. I am not hungry. So, I am will be up in the 80 hour range.
Close your eyes girl, look inside girl, …..
The real magic carpet ride starts tomorrow. I am getting a little excited in a good way. It is not all just edgy. There is a little bit of both energies flowing through me.
Jenetti
04-22-2004, 12:42 PM
Hang in there resection. Im waiting on a call from my doc telling me when my surgery is. Only thing is im HURTING LIKE HELL!!! and i think something is going on as well. Feel like when i ended up in the ER on dec 29 so whatever the hell theyre gonna do theyd better do it QUICK. I am shaking in pain and she is talking to the surgeon and together they will be doing the surgery. Soon, i pray, SOON.
You sound like youre doing great so far, keep up the good work, and i completely understand as well when you say a bit of both energies flowing through ya, thats kind of how im feeling right now. Just a bit more on the negative right now, since what is going on is acting up and i hope nothing major happens before theyre able to go in.
Please take care. I doubt i'll be on much today the way im feeling. So , say a prayer for me too will ya??
Jen
You sound like youre doing great so far, keep up the good work, and i completely understand as well when you say a bit of both energies flowing through ya, thats kind of how im feeling right now. Just a bit more on the negative right now, since what is going on is acting up and i hope nothing major happens before theyre able to go in.
Please take care. I doubt i'll be on much today the way im feeling. So , say a prayer for me too will ya??
Jen
resection
04-22-2004, 02:18 PM
Je-Nay La Porte (F. Gump),
I bet you hate when people call you Je-Nay. Sorry to hear about the pain. I am sure they want you healthy and less inflamed prior to surgery. You have adhesions, right? I don’t think I have any. I am really not sure. Get some meds for the pain. Where are you in the process? Have you selected a surgeon? Are you waiting for OR scheduling? Getting opinions?
I took a very active role in surgeon selection and am very glad I did. Procedures and techniques vary by individual, as do mortality and morbidity (complication) rates. In addition to mortality rates, check out average length of surgery, average hospital stay, rate of blood transfusions etc…. How many lap procedures does he/she have under her belt? Then what about the facilities?
Both of my arms experienced thromboses from the emergency stay I had in January. Granted it was an emergency stay with a couple of pick-up doctors. But looking back, doctors that were plugged into my situation at a better facility might not have left both of my arms burnt up.
My mama told me...you better shop around.
I bet you hate when people call you Je-Nay. Sorry to hear about the pain. I am sure they want you healthy and less inflamed prior to surgery. You have adhesions, right? I don’t think I have any. I am really not sure. Get some meds for the pain. Where are you in the process? Have you selected a surgeon? Are you waiting for OR scheduling? Getting opinions?
I took a very active role in surgeon selection and am very glad I did. Procedures and techniques vary by individual, as do mortality and morbidity (complication) rates. In addition to mortality rates, check out average length of surgery, average hospital stay, rate of blood transfusions etc…. How many lap procedures does he/she have under her belt? Then what about the facilities?
Both of my arms experienced thromboses from the emergency stay I had in January. Granted it was an emergency stay with a couple of pick-up doctors. But looking back, doctors that were plugged into my situation at a better facility might not have left both of my arms burnt up.
My mama told me...you better shop around.
resection
04-22-2004, 04:23 PM
Captain's Log: 2:00 PM - Thursday, April 22, 2004
Weight: 165.5 lbs. Holding, down from 168 at the start.
Mood: Good. I got over the being tired thing.
Food: Lots of fluids. No Jell-O, No soup. Just the pure fluids.
Brain: Still cool. Getting a little excited in a good way.
Pain: Sore.
Work: So far the day has been a piece of cake. I am sore, but I have not been nauseous or trotting too much. Got the military haircut ... look sharp, be sharp. Who is Harry Crumb is on the Comedy Channel. Just went through the 2:00 pill deal. 2 steps down, 4 to go. Maid just finished up. Parents will be here in a few hours. Everything is right on schedule.
Hours to Surgery Remaining: <18.
Errata: Nice call from the Aunt with the colostomy. She said it going to horrible for a couple of days, but it will all be worth it. Her sincere empathy was comforting. Maybe it won’t be so horrible for me. I am much younger than she was, and I am going lap versus open. Plus, I have been working the abs for a couple of months to get the muscles in shape. I think I might even have a muscle. Wife is teaching her Junior Achiever volunteer class at the elementary. Then she and I will be on ice until tomorrow.
Tomorrow: Counting down. It’s getting closer.
Weight: 165.5 lbs. Holding, down from 168 at the start.
Mood: Good. I got over the being tired thing.
Food: Lots of fluids. No Jell-O, No soup. Just the pure fluids.
Brain: Still cool. Getting a little excited in a good way.
Pain: Sore.
Work: So far the day has been a piece of cake. I am sore, but I have not been nauseous or trotting too much. Got the military haircut ... look sharp, be sharp. Who is Harry Crumb is on the Comedy Channel. Just went through the 2:00 pill deal. 2 steps down, 4 to go. Maid just finished up. Parents will be here in a few hours. Everything is right on schedule.
Hours to Surgery Remaining: <18.
Errata: Nice call from the Aunt with the colostomy. She said it going to horrible for a couple of days, but it will all be worth it. Her sincere empathy was comforting. Maybe it won’t be so horrible for me. I am much younger than she was, and I am going lap versus open. Plus, I have been working the abs for a couple of months to get the muscles in shape. I think I might even have a muscle. Wife is teaching her Junior Achiever volunteer class at the elementary. Then she and I will be on ice until tomorrow.
Tomorrow: Counting down. It’s getting closer.
LollyLolly
04-22-2004, 04:36 PM
Hi there Resection --
Glad to see you're hanging in so well. I think I figured out why you had the three days of clear liquids. If I'm reading right (always a question), it seems you have been spared drinking the full gallon of GoLightly that I had to drink the day before my surgery. That was in addition to the laxative tablets and antibiotics. I think if I'd had the choice, I might have chosen the route you seem to be going.
I, too, experienced no problem with the hunger. Several times during the process, I was unable to eat for a full week and I didn't even care. Readjusting to food takes some time, but they'll get you through that in the hospital.
The waiting is tough, but I expect you'll be pretty busy very soon. :dizzy: I think the tiredness comes with the territory. Your nutrition has been understandably poor this week, combined with the fact that you have a sick piece in your body. That was one thing I don't think I'd considered previous to my surgery - how much better it was going to be without having something so wrong in there. Because the "sickness" of your colon was likely gradual (mine was), you probably don't realize the bigger picture impact it's having on your overall health, beyond the obvious pain and inconvenience.
You sound well prepared and like you're in a good place mentally. It's understandable to be a little edgy. You mentioned you were going to spend some time praying today. I think you should add your surgeon and his/her staff to your list. I prayed for mine to have a good night's sleep, all their best skills intact and for them to be at peace. It certainly couldn't hurt. I'll pray the same for yours, as well. I wish you all the best and expect to hear of your successful outcome soon.
Lolly
Glad to see you're hanging in so well. I think I figured out why you had the three days of clear liquids. If I'm reading right (always a question), it seems you have been spared drinking the full gallon of GoLightly that I had to drink the day before my surgery. That was in addition to the laxative tablets and antibiotics. I think if I'd had the choice, I might have chosen the route you seem to be going.
I, too, experienced no problem with the hunger. Several times during the process, I was unable to eat for a full week and I didn't even care. Readjusting to food takes some time, but they'll get you through that in the hospital.
The waiting is tough, but I expect you'll be pretty busy very soon. :dizzy: I think the tiredness comes with the territory. Your nutrition has been understandably poor this week, combined with the fact that you have a sick piece in your body. That was one thing I don't think I'd considered previous to my surgery - how much better it was going to be without having something so wrong in there. Because the "sickness" of your colon was likely gradual (mine was), you probably don't realize the bigger picture impact it's having on your overall health, beyond the obvious pain and inconvenience.
You sound well prepared and like you're in a good place mentally. It's understandable to be a little edgy. You mentioned you were going to spend some time praying today. I think you should add your surgeon and his/her staff to your list. I prayed for mine to have a good night's sleep, all their best skills intact and for them to be at peace. It certainly couldn't hurt. I'll pray the same for yours, as well. I wish you all the best and expect to hear of your successful outcome soon.
Lolly
resection
04-22-2004, 04:48 PM
Lolly,
You are correct. That is a negative on the GoLightly. I am not familiar with that product, but it sounds like a euphemism for a nuclear bomb. Since I am not crazy hungry, I tend to agree with you. I think I drew the better card.
Yes, I am praying for the doc’s and staff. And, for them to stay home and not go out tonight.
Thank you for the prayers coming my way. I really appreciate them. At the end of the day, if I am not frightened, it is because of my faith and good people like you. Reading some Psalms today as well.
You are correct. That is a negative on the GoLightly. I am not familiar with that product, but it sounds like a euphemism for a nuclear bomb. Since I am not crazy hungry, I tend to agree with you. I think I drew the better card.
Yes, I am praying for the doc’s and staff. And, for them to stay home and not go out tonight.
Thank you for the prayers coming my way. I really appreciate them. At the end of the day, if I am not frightened, it is because of my faith and good people like you. Reading some Psalms today as well.
snodove
04-22-2004, 05:08 PM
Hi, I haven't posted much but will be praying for you and that everything goes well.
I have been reading some post on stomach probems. I have had IBS and have had alot worse pain lately and am concerned. I am planning on going to the doctor Monday.
Hope everything goes well. Keep us posted. Prayers and reading sure do help don't they.God will help you.
Polly
I have been reading some post on stomach probems. I have had IBS and have had alot worse pain lately and am concerned. I am planning on going to the doctor Monday.
Hope everything goes well. Keep us posted. Prayers and reading sure do help don't they.God will help you.
Polly
resection
04-22-2004, 08:12 PM
Captain's Log: 6:00 PM - Thursday, April 22, 2004
Weight: 164.5 lbs. Slip a another pound this afternoon. Down from 168 at the start.
Mood: Good. Maybe starting to get a little nervous.
Food: Lots of fluids. Gatorade and Water.
Brain: Mostly cool. But, I would not describe myself as super calm any longer.
Pain: Hungry.
Work: Very little left to do. Pack. Pray. Stay in prep school. Just took the Dulcolax. It won’t be too long before I have things to take care of.
Hours to Surgery Remaining: 10 to wake up. 12 to check in. 14 to surgery.
Errata: Kind of quiet. Alone right now. Wife took the kids to eat and then over to my sister’s house for the night. Parents coming by in a little while to see me before surgery. I would not call this a particularly reflective period.
Tomorrow: Counting down. It’s getting closer.
Weight: 164.5 lbs. Slip a another pound this afternoon. Down from 168 at the start.
Mood: Good. Maybe starting to get a little nervous.
Food: Lots of fluids. Gatorade and Water.
Brain: Mostly cool. But, I would not describe myself as super calm any longer.
Pain: Hungry.
Work: Very little left to do. Pack. Pray. Stay in prep school. Just took the Dulcolax. It won’t be too long before I have things to take care of.
Hours to Surgery Remaining: 10 to wake up. 12 to check in. 14 to surgery.
Errata: Kind of quiet. Alone right now. Wife took the kids to eat and then over to my sister’s house for the night. Parents coming by in a little while to see me before surgery. I would not call this a particularly reflective period.
Tomorrow: Counting down. It’s getting closer.
resection
04-22-2004, 11:24 PM
Signing off for tonight.
If I don't get another post in the morning, let me give an early thank you for your informative, supportive, and humorous posts along the way. A special thanks for all of the prayers.
There is no internet service in the room (I checked). I will post when I can, whenever that might be ...
The Peace of the Lord is with our family tonight. It truly is.
Peace to all of you,
- Resection Man :jester:
If I don't get another post in the morning, let me give an early thank you for your informative, supportive, and humorous posts along the way. A special thanks for all of the prayers.
There is no internet service in the room (I checked). I will post when I can, whenever that might be ...
The Peace of the Lord is with our family tonight. It truly is.
Peace to all of you,
- Resection Man :jester:
Harry
04-23-2004, 01:16 AM
Frank,
I had 2 1/2 feet of my colon surgically removed 4/4/02 because of chronic diverticular bleeding. I lost half of my blood and passed out in the ER. Had a 13" incision that partly (6 staple) came loose doing recovery. Not an easy recovery!! My youngest son is oder than you so I am much older than you.
You are doing the best thing at your age because divers will eventually cause problems and your wife is right you could die from bleeding. They develop because of pressure caused by constipation--- not eating properly!!!
My only suggestion is make sure you never but never allow yourself to develop constipation again or else you can and will develop more diverticulars in the future. Your intestines function properly only if you intake enough fiber daily. A person needs 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily made up of both soluble and insoluble fiber. All fiber is not the same so learn the differences and learn what and how to eat healthier!!!
I believe than good health begins in the Gastro System.
I take Metamucil daily to make sure I get enough water soluble fiber and produce a gentle BM w/o straining daily. This also reduces your hemorrhoid problems that you probably have or will have.
I certainly wish you well---Harry
I had 2 1/2 feet of my colon surgically removed 4/4/02 because of chronic diverticular bleeding. I lost half of my blood and passed out in the ER. Had a 13" incision that partly (6 staple) came loose doing recovery. Not an easy recovery!! My youngest son is oder than you so I am much older than you.
You are doing the best thing at your age because divers will eventually cause problems and your wife is right you could die from bleeding. They develop because of pressure caused by constipation--- not eating properly!!!
My only suggestion is make sure you never but never allow yourself to develop constipation again or else you can and will develop more diverticulars in the future. Your intestines function properly only if you intake enough fiber daily. A person needs 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily made up of both soluble and insoluble fiber. All fiber is not the same so learn the differences and learn what and how to eat healthier!!!
I believe than good health begins in the Gastro System.
I take Metamucil daily to make sure I get enough water soluble fiber and produce a gentle BM w/o straining daily. This also reduces your hemorrhoid problems that you probably have or will have.
I certainly wish you well---Harry
resection
04-23-2004, 05:50 AM
Good Morning Harry, Good Morning Boy & Girls,
Thanks for reminding me this is the thing to do. Really! When I did get a little edgy yesterday, it was the self-doubt demon that I was primarily fighting. Is the right thing? Should I be doing this at my stage in the disease? Yep, it can certainly turn into something bad even deadly. My hospital stay in January was a little scary.
This is the right thing to do.
And, I think earlier in age is better than greatly advanced in age to try a stunt like this. So, here I am. Perhaps more importantly, is to have elective rather than emergency surgery. So, here I am.
When this part of my story is over, I will come back and tell you how I got here. I have never really experienced constipation in my life, although I agree diet certainly is a contributing factor. So, I will share everything else I think might have had a hand in getting me on the carving table in a new thread, and we can all debate it.
I had a very restful sleep, although I started to wake up a little early. I had to make twice starting around 2:30 AM. At this point, I might as well get up.
I have one more Fleets to go at 4:00 AM and then I am done with my part of the prep. My guess is that they will hook me up to a carwash when I get there minus the Turtle Wax for that brand new intestine feeling.
Wife is asleep. I am typing reeeeeeeally quietly.
I am not sure what my weight is this morning, but I feel light on my toes. Holding the desk so I don’t float away. My tummy sounds like an afternoon thunderstorm in Fort Worth in August. Grumble, grumble, grumble. Wow, I am growling like a lion. I think I am pretty empty. I am also a little hungry. In a little while, I am sure I will be too excited to think about food.
Still much more calm than I would have expected. I have pain meds and anti-anxiety meds, but I have not taken either in over a week. So, this must all be due to the power of prayer.
You are not alone. If you are following me into surgery and even if you are not, then here is a beautiful scripture that I found very helpful: Isaiah 41:13.
My time has come Boy & Girls ... I must go now. See y'all later.
Peace and Thanks again Harry,
Resection Man
Thanks for reminding me this is the thing to do. Really! When I did get a little edgy yesterday, it was the self-doubt demon that I was primarily fighting. Is the right thing? Should I be doing this at my stage in the disease? Yep, it can certainly turn into something bad even deadly. My hospital stay in January was a little scary.
This is the right thing to do.
And, I think earlier in age is better than greatly advanced in age to try a stunt like this. So, here I am. Perhaps more importantly, is to have elective rather than emergency surgery. So, here I am.
When this part of my story is over, I will come back and tell you how I got here. I have never really experienced constipation in my life, although I agree diet certainly is a contributing factor. So, I will share everything else I think might have had a hand in getting me on the carving table in a new thread, and we can all debate it.
I had a very restful sleep, although I started to wake up a little early. I had to make twice starting around 2:30 AM. At this point, I might as well get up.
I have one more Fleets to go at 4:00 AM and then I am done with my part of the prep. My guess is that they will hook me up to a carwash when I get there minus the Turtle Wax for that brand new intestine feeling.
Wife is asleep. I am typing reeeeeeeally quietly.
I am not sure what my weight is this morning, but I feel light on my toes. Holding the desk so I don’t float away. My tummy sounds like an afternoon thunderstorm in Fort Worth in August. Grumble, grumble, grumble. Wow, I am growling like a lion. I think I am pretty empty. I am also a little hungry. In a little while, I am sure I will be too excited to think about food.
Still much more calm than I would have expected. I have pain meds and anti-anxiety meds, but I have not taken either in over a week. So, this must all be due to the power of prayer.
You are not alone. If you are following me into surgery and even if you are not, then here is a beautiful scripture that I found very helpful: Isaiah 41:13.
My time has come Boy & Girls ... I must go now. See y'all later.
Peace and Thanks again Harry,
Resection Man
resection
04-24-2004, 08:24 PM
Let's see, where do I begin? When they cut me open they found a mess. Apparently several perforations, adhesions, scars and inflammation. Surgery took around four hours (not certain of the time, but according to my wife about that long). I was in recovery for around two hours. Apparently I was unruly. All I know is that I was in PAIN!!! My doctor was able to keep the procedure laparoscopic with only three incisions - he is a STUD!!
It took me all day to figure out how to use the morphine (they should give a pre-op class on the use of PCA morphine!). If you are in the situation, for me it was a bump every ten minutes (the machine locks out so that you can't OD) for an hour and then I could go to maintainence. My wife would give me a boost if she was awake and I was asleep so that I wouldn't wake up cold turkey. The downside of the morphine is that it slows down your gut so you don't pass gas - the magic ticket to water, ice chips, popsicles and broth of the gods!!!
Today I've only had the morphine twice and have been switched to Toridal (phonetic) which takes the edge off the pain but does not slow down my gut. Still no gas, but they have taken pity on me and let me have two popsicles!!! I'm walking quite a bit today - my wife is marching me around the core like it is Jericho. Absolutely I'm past the pain hump. Yesterday was excrutiating, today is quite tolerable.
With any luck, I will be on my way to food tomorrow and on my way home Monday or Tuesday. Get this, no staples on the outside. I've been glued back together. No mess, no bandages, no worries.
More details later. There is a line to use the computer.
Resection Man
It took me all day to figure out how to use the morphine (they should give a pre-op class on the use of PCA morphine!). If you are in the situation, for me it was a bump every ten minutes (the machine locks out so that you can't OD) for an hour and then I could go to maintainence. My wife would give me a boost if she was awake and I was asleep so that I wouldn't wake up cold turkey. The downside of the morphine is that it slows down your gut so you don't pass gas - the magic ticket to water, ice chips, popsicles and broth of the gods!!!
Today I've only had the morphine twice and have been switched to Toridal (phonetic) which takes the edge off the pain but does not slow down my gut. Still no gas, but they have taken pity on me and let me have two popsicles!!! I'm walking quite a bit today - my wife is marching me around the core like it is Jericho. Absolutely I'm past the pain hump. Yesterday was excrutiating, today is quite tolerable.
With any luck, I will be on my way to food tomorrow and on my way home Monday or Tuesday. Get this, no staples on the outside. I've been glued back together. No mess, no bandages, no worries.
More details later. There is a line to use the computer.
Resection Man
ken1967
04-25-2004, 12:03 AM
wow your up and walking around the same day, i wished i had the lap procedure instead of the full incision, you were very lucky,theres a huge difference in all aspects between the 2 surgeries full vs. lap, ,its good your doing well,just take it easy and youll do just fine
snodove
04-25-2004, 06:57 AM
Hello, I am so glad you for you that everything went well. Wow they did a lap. That is great. I had that done when they took my ovary out. Tumor not cancer. PTL. Faster recovery time that is a plus. You are up and around already. Wonderful. I hope you can start getting food soon. You have been a real encouragement to me. Thank you.
I have had alot of pain in my lower left side. I have IBSC.But this pain is different. I go to the doctor Weds. Not sure what is going on. Anyway, Thanks for letting me us know how you are. Will keep you in my prayers. Polly
I have had alot of pain in my lower left side. I have IBSC.But this pain is different. I go to the doctor Weds. Not sure what is going on. Anyway, Thanks for letting me us know how you are. Will keep you in my prayers. Polly
resection
04-25-2004, 07:55 AM
I just lost a long post. :confused: Typing with one hand too.
Suffice it to say, I am doing well. I will re-post later.
Thanks,
Resection Man
Suffice it to say, I am doing well. I will re-post later.
Thanks,
Resection Man
resection
04-25-2004, 10:32 AM
Ken -
I only sat in the chair and "dangled" Friday, the day of surgery. Walked around very early Saturday morning: within the first 24 hours. Got to have breakfast this morning (Sunday) - eggs, sausage, toast, Cheerios, coffee. First time I have had food since Monday night. They say I am recovering very rapidly. I forgot to let everyone know - they were able to only take 7 inches.
Still walking around like a caged animal. But the nurse keeps telling me to keep it up as it will help get things returned to normal. Doctor (not the surgeon) was going to recommend releasing me, but I asked for one more night here.
The wife may be going home tonight to get my room ready at home so that I can be released early in the morning. Checkout is by 11:am...
I can't say enough wonderful things about the staff here at Methodist Houston. The surgeon is from Baylor College of Medicine and specializes in minimally invasive surgery of the lower G.I. The nursing staff have been wonderful and very responsive to me and my wife. My only complaint would be that they won't bump your morphine and no one explained the use of the pump to me - or I was too stoned to remember the instructions!!!!
The biggest plus of the whole weekend has been the VERY sexy thigh highs that I have been wearing. My wife says the compression stockings are making her have naughty thoughts in my direction!!!! :D
All for now. My wife keeps telling me it was obsessive compulsive behavior such as this that landed me here to begin with. Something about she wants me to keep marching around the hospital. HER obsessive behavior is fine but she won't put up with mine!!!
Thanks for all the prayers. Keep praying and I will keep posting. After breakfast the big test is yet to come....
I only sat in the chair and "dangled" Friday, the day of surgery. Walked around very early Saturday morning: within the first 24 hours. Got to have breakfast this morning (Sunday) - eggs, sausage, toast, Cheerios, coffee. First time I have had food since Monday night. They say I am recovering very rapidly. I forgot to let everyone know - they were able to only take 7 inches.
Still walking around like a caged animal. But the nurse keeps telling me to keep it up as it will help get things returned to normal. Doctor (not the surgeon) was going to recommend releasing me, but I asked for one more night here.
The wife may be going home tonight to get my room ready at home so that I can be released early in the morning. Checkout is by 11:am...
I can't say enough wonderful things about the staff here at Methodist Houston. The surgeon is from Baylor College of Medicine and specializes in minimally invasive surgery of the lower G.I. The nursing staff have been wonderful and very responsive to me and my wife. My only complaint would be that they won't bump your morphine and no one explained the use of the pump to me - or I was too stoned to remember the instructions!!!!
The biggest plus of the whole weekend has been the VERY sexy thigh highs that I have been wearing. My wife says the compression stockings are making her have naughty thoughts in my direction!!!! :D
All for now. My wife keeps telling me it was obsessive compulsive behavior such as this that landed me here to begin with. Something about she wants me to keep marching around the hospital. HER obsessive behavior is fine but she won't put up with mine!!!
Thanks for all the prayers. Keep praying and I will keep posting. After breakfast the big test is yet to come....
resection
04-26-2004, 03:49 PM
Monday, April 26, 2004
OK. There is a little more clarity in my head. I came off of the IV this AM. Basically, I am a guest here in the hospital. The doctor does not count surgery day and his policy does not allow a resection patient to leave before three days. So, I am just hanging out. I feel good.
I circled back and am taking 1000 mg Vicodin every four hours. Probably 500 every two to three hours would have been better, but since I cannot prescribe, I am taking the more comfortable dosing.
I had a spooky experience early, early this AM. Oh, I almost forgot.
I poop, therefore I am.
I have had two BM’s today. They were quick D as expected, but no pain or discomfort, and everyone was pleased with my performance. Anyway, back to the spooky part of my diary. I passed gas through my penis and then produced foam instead of urine. I tried to remain calm and called the nurse. She was obviously agitated. Since, she has been a nurse for 33 years it was contagious.
She let me know she would contact the doctor immediately. As it turns out, it was a non-event. It sometimes happens as a result of the gel used with the Foley cath. I think my pulse got up into the mid-100’s for a short time while the nurse was figuring it out (about 1 hour).
Now you know. BTW: It was not painful. I think I might have gone into cardiac arrest if it was also painful.
I guess that is it. As far a resections go, I have had a dream experience.
I have to get passed the D, build up my strength, figure out what I can eat, and then go about the business of developing the knowledge required for a predictable bowel pattern. Once that is in place, hopefully, I will have a life as “normal” as anyone.
I did speak with one of the two surgeons about the perforations. She told me that after they had closed me up and I was on my way to recovery, they took some time to study the removed tissue. She described it as having several to many “micro-perforations”. That was no doubt the cause of the scarring and inflammation. That would also have been the lump or knot in my gut that made driving painful. Really, I only noticed the lump developing in 2004, but they said this was in the works for quite sometime. I should have had the surgery one to two years ago.
The lump had “cemented” itself like a barnacle. The adhesions were on the cavity wall, but … also a large artery that supplies my left leg. So, that is why the surgery took so long. I am really very fortunate. I was putting the surgery off, and in doing so, creating unnecessary and extremely high risk for myself.
Despite six CT scans over a four year period, w and w/o contrast, 4 IVP’s, one Barium enema, one colonoscopy, and cystoscopy, I had a very, very dangerous situation brewing in my body. A fistula between my intestine and the iliac artery could have brought down the curtains on my life.
Readers of this thread may be trying to determine whether or not the surgery is warranted. Think about it. Trying to cheat the Devil can cost you your life.
My story has had a happy ending thus far. Just think about it.
OK. There is a little more clarity in my head. I came off of the IV this AM. Basically, I am a guest here in the hospital. The doctor does not count surgery day and his policy does not allow a resection patient to leave before three days. So, I am just hanging out. I feel good.
I circled back and am taking 1000 mg Vicodin every four hours. Probably 500 every two to three hours would have been better, but since I cannot prescribe, I am taking the more comfortable dosing.
I had a spooky experience early, early this AM. Oh, I almost forgot.
I poop, therefore I am.
I have had two BM’s today. They were quick D as expected, but no pain or discomfort, and everyone was pleased with my performance. Anyway, back to the spooky part of my diary. I passed gas through my penis and then produced foam instead of urine. I tried to remain calm and called the nurse. She was obviously agitated. Since, she has been a nurse for 33 years it was contagious.
She let me know she would contact the doctor immediately. As it turns out, it was a non-event. It sometimes happens as a result of the gel used with the Foley cath. I think my pulse got up into the mid-100’s for a short time while the nurse was figuring it out (about 1 hour).
Now you know. BTW: It was not painful. I think I might have gone into cardiac arrest if it was also painful.
I guess that is it. As far a resections go, I have had a dream experience.
I have to get passed the D, build up my strength, figure out what I can eat, and then go about the business of developing the knowledge required for a predictable bowel pattern. Once that is in place, hopefully, I will have a life as “normal” as anyone.
I did speak with one of the two surgeons about the perforations. She told me that after they had closed me up and I was on my way to recovery, they took some time to study the removed tissue. She described it as having several to many “micro-perforations”. That was no doubt the cause of the scarring and inflammation. That would also have been the lump or knot in my gut that made driving painful. Really, I only noticed the lump developing in 2004, but they said this was in the works for quite sometime. I should have had the surgery one to two years ago.
The lump had “cemented” itself like a barnacle. The adhesions were on the cavity wall, but … also a large artery that supplies my left leg. So, that is why the surgery took so long. I am really very fortunate. I was putting the surgery off, and in doing so, creating unnecessary and extremely high risk for myself.
Despite six CT scans over a four year period, w and w/o contrast, 4 IVP’s, one Barium enema, one colonoscopy, and cystoscopy, I had a very, very dangerous situation brewing in my body. A fistula between my intestine and the iliac artery could have brought down the curtains on my life.
Readers of this thread may be trying to determine whether or not the surgery is warranted. Think about it. Trying to cheat the Devil can cost you your life.
My story has had a happy ending thus far. Just think about it.
resection
04-26-2004, 11:47 PM
Question About Urge Confusion: New Telemetry Needed
I cannot tell when I need to go or what I am going for.
I think I now have a better understanding of some of the post-resection posts concerning BM “urges”. In my case, I lost the last seven inches of the sigmoid. The doc told me I have some nerve damage further up. Some of the damage is probably permanent, some may be temporary and related to the surgery and/or inflammation from the last diverticulitis.
Basically, the sigmoid is the final repository where the stool was prepared and held for final elimination. Preparation includes the final changes in hydration. Water is removed to form a “normal” stool.
The brain scans many, many nerve endings through out the body for telemetry resulting in the right combination of electrical and chemical responses to carry out living. The electrical and chemical responses manifest themselves in changes in hormones, enzymes, salts, muscle movements, and knowledge among other things.
Some of the sigmoid telemetry is converted to “Knowledge”. That knowledge might be used behind the scenes to change the contractions, water and salt re-absorption to deliver the “desired” results, consistency, timing, etc.
Some of the knowledge is useful on a social basis. I need to go potty now. I need to go in a short while. I can differentiate between gas, poop, and diarrhea. I can measure urgency.
Aaaaah!!! Now I think I understand the various posts on the changes in urges.
My brain is probably receiving “phantom” impulses or telemetry from the removed tissue, which is common in amputations. Also, the tissue at the terminus of the resection just got a new job. The limited experience I have with the impulses, and the on-the-job training of my new bottom is creating the “urge confusion”.
I cannot tell when I need to go or what I am going for.
My guess is that I will start to figure it out with experience, just like I did 36 years ago.
Am I on the right track? Can I expect a similar, although hopefully faster learning curve as my 4 year-old boy did a year and a half ago?
Or is something else going on? Right now, I feel pretty clueless. I just head over to the potty out of habit (without much success and a little frustration). I really do not have much to go on. About the only thing I "feel" is "gurgling". I sensation of movement and not much more.
I am just in my fourth day. Nothing to worry about? Something to deal with?
Or has anyone in my case had to figure out another strategy, like just heading over at a "regular" time?
Wondering .... :confused:
I cannot tell when I need to go or what I am going for.
I think I now have a better understanding of some of the post-resection posts concerning BM “urges”. In my case, I lost the last seven inches of the sigmoid. The doc told me I have some nerve damage further up. Some of the damage is probably permanent, some may be temporary and related to the surgery and/or inflammation from the last diverticulitis.
Basically, the sigmoid is the final repository where the stool was prepared and held for final elimination. Preparation includes the final changes in hydration. Water is removed to form a “normal” stool.
The brain scans many, many nerve endings through out the body for telemetry resulting in the right combination of electrical and chemical responses to carry out living. The electrical and chemical responses manifest themselves in changes in hormones, enzymes, salts, muscle movements, and knowledge among other things.
Some of the sigmoid telemetry is converted to “Knowledge”. That knowledge might be used behind the scenes to change the contractions, water and salt re-absorption to deliver the “desired” results, consistency, timing, etc.
Some of the knowledge is useful on a social basis. I need to go potty now. I need to go in a short while. I can differentiate between gas, poop, and diarrhea. I can measure urgency.
Aaaaah!!! Now I think I understand the various posts on the changes in urges.
My brain is probably receiving “phantom” impulses or telemetry from the removed tissue, which is common in amputations. Also, the tissue at the terminus of the resection just got a new job. The limited experience I have with the impulses, and the on-the-job training of my new bottom is creating the “urge confusion”.
I cannot tell when I need to go or what I am going for.
My guess is that I will start to figure it out with experience, just like I did 36 years ago.
Am I on the right track? Can I expect a similar, although hopefully faster learning curve as my 4 year-old boy did a year and a half ago?
Or is something else going on? Right now, I feel pretty clueless. I just head over to the potty out of habit (without much success and a little frustration). I really do not have much to go on. About the only thing I "feel" is "gurgling". I sensation of movement and not much more.
I am just in my fourth day. Nothing to worry about? Something to deal with?
Or has anyone in my case had to figure out another strategy, like just heading over at a "regular" time?
Wondering .... :confused:
resection
04-27-2004, 01:55 AM
Continuation. Trying to learn the new subtle signs of nature …
Here is a Charlie Brown bonus. I don’t know when I am done. Yep, I am the last the one to get the memo. So, I sit around and finish reading ALL of credits before coming to the conclusion that the movie is over. No one says, “Hey last call” or “Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building”.
It is more like waiting for the Great Pumpkin.
No one describe this side as a continuous game of jack-in-the-box … all around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the wea-BONK!.
And, I havn’t had any “accidents”, but I have spent an impractical amount of time on my commute, if you get the picture.
Waiting for the Great Pumpkin … and to learn nature's new language. :)
Here is a Charlie Brown bonus. I don’t know when I am done. Yep, I am the last the one to get the memo. So, I sit around and finish reading ALL of credits before coming to the conclusion that the movie is over. No one says, “Hey last call” or “Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building”.
It is more like waiting for the Great Pumpkin.
No one describe this side as a continuous game of jack-in-the-box … all around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the wea-BONK!.
And, I havn’t had any “accidents”, but I have spent an impractical amount of time on my commute, if you get the picture.
Waiting for the Great Pumpkin … and to learn nature's new language. :)
resection
04-27-2004, 06:50 AM
Good morning,
I am still as clueless as I was last night, but happy to be awake. I going to stop off at Whole Foods on the way home and get some pro-biotics for my belly. I am antibiotic free since Saturday, so I think some good yogurt at a minimum is a great idea. I am a little surprised the hospital did not introduce good bacteria to me immediately.
I knew it was coming, but just realized with everything else going on, that they shaved my stomach. Very metro ... :rolleyes: The stubble is coming in and I am a little scratchy. Hopefully, it will not be maddening.
Actually, a good part of my stomach area is numb on the surface I guess from the super CO2 stretching it got during the procedure. Very similar sensation as your lips after the dentist gives you a couple of shots in your gum. I mean it is numb-numb. I was not expecting that sensation, but am otherwise indifferent. Maybe the doc cut some nerves getting in and out. Hopefully, they will grow back in. If not, I do not think I used them for very much in past. Did not even notice until this AM. I doubt the surface sensations were really used it signal the other that I am working on.
If my hair grows faster than the bruised nerves heal, then I might get off without the itching from stubble. If it is out for a while though, I think it will probably just itch when it wakes up hair or not.
One of the nurses mentioned "packing" in my belly button, but I cannot see anything in there. I am probably still in the 160's. My button is not huge, but the outer layer of my belly is more or less separated from the underlying muscle. Hard to describe. By no means does it look like a mother's belly after birth, but it is loose by comparison. Like, maybe connective tissue was snapped or stretched. So, if some "packing" is in there, I hope they get it out before I go home. It just sounds bad.
The stomach area is already starting to tighten back up from where it was separated. I am not sure how long it will take to take on the original shape.
Resection Man
I am still as clueless as I was last night, but happy to be awake. I going to stop off at Whole Foods on the way home and get some pro-biotics for my belly. I am antibiotic free since Saturday, so I think some good yogurt at a minimum is a great idea. I am a little surprised the hospital did not introduce good bacteria to me immediately.
I knew it was coming, but just realized with everything else going on, that they shaved my stomach. Very metro ... :rolleyes: The stubble is coming in and I am a little scratchy. Hopefully, it will not be maddening.
Actually, a good part of my stomach area is numb on the surface I guess from the super CO2 stretching it got during the procedure. Very similar sensation as your lips after the dentist gives you a couple of shots in your gum. I mean it is numb-numb. I was not expecting that sensation, but am otherwise indifferent. Maybe the doc cut some nerves getting in and out. Hopefully, they will grow back in. If not, I do not think I used them for very much in past. Did not even notice until this AM. I doubt the surface sensations were really used it signal the other that I am working on.
If my hair grows faster than the bruised nerves heal, then I might get off without the itching from stubble. If it is out for a while though, I think it will probably just itch when it wakes up hair or not.
One of the nurses mentioned "packing" in my belly button, but I cannot see anything in there. I am probably still in the 160's. My button is not huge, but the outer layer of my belly is more or less separated from the underlying muscle. Hard to describe. By no means does it look like a mother's belly after birth, but it is loose by comparison. Like, maybe connective tissue was snapped or stretched. So, if some "packing" is in there, I hope they get it out before I go home. It just sounds bad.
The stomach area is already starting to tighten back up from where it was separated. I am not sure how long it will take to take on the original shape.
Resection Man
auntjudyg
04-27-2004, 10:23 AM
Question About Urge Confusion: New Telemetry Needed
I cannot tell when I need to go or what I am going for.
Your body ought to get readjusted to the new length within . . . a couple of days, max. Though, at the rate you are going, probably this situation will have become clearer by now already.
I'm enjoying your posts! Hope all continues well!
I cannot tell when I need to go or what I am going for.
Your body ought to get readjusted to the new length within . . . a couple of days, max. Though, at the rate you are going, probably this situation will have become clearer by now already.
I'm enjoying your posts! Hope all continues well!
resection
04-27-2004, 10:48 AM
Anastomosis
An anastomosis is an artificially created connection between two structures, organs or spaces. It most commonly refers to a connection which is created surgically between two tubular structures, such as a transected blood vessel or loop of intestine. For example, when a segment of intestine is resected, the two remaining ends are sewn or stapled together (anastomosed), and the procedure is referred to as an intestinal anastomosis.
In my case, the surgeon created the anastomosis between the intestine and the rectum rather than intestine to intestine. Here is why, in his opinion, the stronger, thicker and more secure rectum provides a significantly better site (lower rate of suture failure). Also, this site naturally creates an “anchor” for the suture line.
Again, my resection was performed with only three puncture wounds to my belly. An anvil was inserted through my anus for the staple gun to strike at the site I just described.
According to my doc, this technique also reduces the incidence of diverticulitis among the remaining diverticula (I have some remaining across what was the transverse section on my large. Before, I had a situation where physics naturally produced a high-pressure zone. Imagine going from eight lanes of freeway down to two. Like the US 59 and I-610 exchange in Houston, a famous bottleneck.
This site is the gate between the large sigmoid intestine and the rectum were final compaction occurs prior to elimination. I never suffered from constipation at least in terms that I am familiar with, but clearly, this was a high-pressure zone, which I can attest to.
Back to my earlier discussion of not understanding my urges, or in some cases, just lacking feedback. Right now, there is nothing to “bear down” on. I am more of a spectator on the potty than someone “in charge” right now. The doctor was telling me before the surgery that there would not be “pressure” post-resection. It went in one ear and out the other. I did not expect the pressure to actually be something I would be aware of.
If you are un-resected, and waiting for surgery, don’t let this scare you … as it did me. I was very nervous about the nature of my future habits. This part of the unknown really bothered me, but now that I am here, it is really not that big a deal. A couple of people tried to explain the situation to me. In the end, they just said it was “different”
Yes, it is different, but I think understanding what is different, or at least trying to understand what is different will help with the adjustment.
I waiting for my bride to get here, then it is on to the house for a little Gilligan’s Island. Oh, and I want to weigh myself. My guess is that I put on weight.
An anastomosis is an artificially created connection between two structures, organs or spaces. It most commonly refers to a connection which is created surgically between two tubular structures, such as a transected blood vessel or loop of intestine. For example, when a segment of intestine is resected, the two remaining ends are sewn or stapled together (anastomosed), and the procedure is referred to as an intestinal anastomosis.
In my case, the surgeon created the anastomosis between the intestine and the rectum rather than intestine to intestine. Here is why, in his opinion, the stronger, thicker and more secure rectum provides a significantly better site (lower rate of suture failure). Also, this site naturally creates an “anchor” for the suture line.
Again, my resection was performed with only three puncture wounds to my belly. An anvil was inserted through my anus for the staple gun to strike at the site I just described.
According to my doc, this technique also reduces the incidence of diverticulitis among the remaining diverticula (I have some remaining across what was the transverse section on my large. Before, I had a situation where physics naturally produced a high-pressure zone. Imagine going from eight lanes of freeway down to two. Like the US 59 and I-610 exchange in Houston, a famous bottleneck.
This site is the gate between the large sigmoid intestine and the rectum were final compaction occurs prior to elimination. I never suffered from constipation at least in terms that I am familiar with, but clearly, this was a high-pressure zone, which I can attest to.
Back to my earlier discussion of not understanding my urges, or in some cases, just lacking feedback. Right now, there is nothing to “bear down” on. I am more of a spectator on the potty than someone “in charge” right now. The doctor was telling me before the surgery that there would not be “pressure” post-resection. It went in one ear and out the other. I did not expect the pressure to actually be something I would be aware of.
If you are un-resected, and waiting for surgery, don’t let this scare you … as it did me. I was very nervous about the nature of my future habits. This part of the unknown really bothered me, but now that I am here, it is really not that big a deal. A couple of people tried to explain the situation to me. In the end, they just said it was “different”
Yes, it is different, but I think understanding what is different, or at least trying to understand what is different will help with the adjustment.
I waiting for my bride to get here, then it is on to the house for a little Gilligan’s Island. Oh, and I want to weigh myself. My guess is that I put on weight.
resection
04-27-2004, 10:58 AM
Hey Aunty,
Good to hear from you. Man, I thought I was typing to a brick wall for the last couple of days. My bottom was not talking to me, my board was not talking to me, the wife moved back to the house (school nights). Pretty quiet around here. I just laid down a post about my anastomosis. Probably there was some surgical bruising to the rectum with the other information I listed that is behind the lack of information flowing to my brain.
I am not really worried, just trying to figure it out. So, I have had a grand total of 3 or 4 BMs and they are getting better. You know me, super Type-A. Trying to be in charge of my body again. ???? Maybe I never was.
Heading back to the room to get my walking papers. I’ll be back this PM. I have an amusing story from stay here at hospital. I’ll have to start a new thread someday to talk about it.
Resection Man
Good to hear from you. Man, I thought I was typing to a brick wall for the last couple of days. My bottom was not talking to me, my board was not talking to me, the wife moved back to the house (school nights). Pretty quiet around here. I just laid down a post about my anastomosis. Probably there was some surgical bruising to the rectum with the other information I listed that is behind the lack of information flowing to my brain.
I am not really worried, just trying to figure it out. So, I have had a grand total of 3 or 4 BMs and they are getting better. You know me, super Type-A. Trying to be in charge of my body again. ???? Maybe I never was.
Heading back to the room to get my walking papers. I’ll be back this PM. I have an amusing story from stay here at hospital. I’ll have to start a new thread someday to talk about it.
Resection Man
Gatormom
04-27-2004, 11:20 AM
Hello resection man, I began reading your story while looking for info for a friend, and was "hooked!" You should write a book; your style is compelling.
So glad the surgery went well and you are recovering.
I also want to comment on your sweet wife! YOU GO GIRL for being the moral, physical and every other kind of support for your husband! I do love a good love story!
Again, glad you are doing well, cheers,
"A thread reader"
So glad the surgery went well and you are recovering.
I also want to comment on your sweet wife! YOU GO GIRL for being the moral, physical and every other kind of support for your husband! I do love a good love story!
Again, glad you are doing well, cheers,
"A thread reader"
Jenetti
04-27-2004, 01:02 PM
Hey resection,
Glad to hear things are looking up for you. Hang in there. Ijust got home after a 5 days in the hospital for this severe pain. They ran tests in and out, poked every vein i have in me, even drawed blood from an area between my thumb and the wrist. My veins keep popping so they say , that i have small veins. Well finally got home, and am suppose to call the surgeon and gyn doc today, well actually already did, waiting for them to call to let me know when i can sign papers and get registered.
The surgery probably wont be till either the end of the week or beginning of next week since im running a slight temp and was given antibiotics, they wont operate if you have a temp unless its an emergency. Please take care of yourself and that sweet wife of yours. She surely is a blessing aint she? Just like my hubby, never left my side except when i scooted him out of the room to either go to work or go eat.
Was sent home with lortab 10/500 plus demeral for pain. Lortab works fine, demeral makes me sorta goofy and the guys (hubby and son) get a good laugh at my expense lol. For some reason, instead of demeral knocking me out, yea it controls my pain but, the bad side is i NEVER SHUT UP. Talk constantly and just dont make sense i guess, so they say.
I cant imgaine what youre going thru, dang everything sensation must be a new experience for you, and wondering if that is normal or not. But you had good doctors, good knowledge , good attitude, TONS of prayer going in and the support of people and your sweet bride and family. What else do ya need right?? If that doesnt get one thru things like this, what can?
Talk to ya later, gotta get some rest.
Jen
Glad to hear things are looking up for you. Hang in there. Ijust got home after a 5 days in the hospital for this severe pain. They ran tests in and out, poked every vein i have in me, even drawed blood from an area between my thumb and the wrist. My veins keep popping so they say , that i have small veins. Well finally got home, and am suppose to call the surgeon and gyn doc today, well actually already did, waiting for them to call to let me know when i can sign papers and get registered.
The surgery probably wont be till either the end of the week or beginning of next week since im running a slight temp and was given antibiotics, they wont operate if you have a temp unless its an emergency. Please take care of yourself and that sweet wife of yours. She surely is a blessing aint she? Just like my hubby, never left my side except when i scooted him out of the room to either go to work or go eat.
Was sent home with lortab 10/500 plus demeral for pain. Lortab works fine, demeral makes me sorta goofy and the guys (hubby and son) get a good laugh at my expense lol. For some reason, instead of demeral knocking me out, yea it controls my pain but, the bad side is i NEVER SHUT UP. Talk constantly and just dont make sense i guess, so they say.
I cant imgaine what youre going thru, dang everything sensation must be a new experience for you, and wondering if that is normal or not. But you had good doctors, good knowledge , good attitude, TONS of prayer going in and the support of people and your sweet bride and family. What else do ya need right?? If that doesnt get one thru things like this, what can?
Talk to ya later, gotta get some rest.
Jen
resection
04-27-2004, 04:39 PM
Jenny, Jenny,
Mom woke me up to eat and I read your post on the way to the table. I am so sorry to hear you are headed to surgery this way. If you can set the pace, I think it might be so much better. In any case, I spent the last hour silently praying for you. Get plenty of rest, fluids and take those antibiotics religiously. Take heart though, you and I were the same, and my experience was better than I expected. I stopped the antibiotics on Tuesday and had the surgery on Friday. Different though, in that I stopped the Lortab at least 10 days prior. I have a pretty high pain tolerance as evidenced by my crawling into the chair last Friday. Take ‘em if you got ‘em. There is no reason the combo you have can’t take the edge off. Follow the directions. Neither is super fast acting when taken orally. You have to plan for the pain.
Dehydration and salt imbalances might be part of the problem with the vein popping. I went through 11 sites in January (when I was sick) but got by for my entire stay this time on only one. I was drinking plenty. Also, if you where taking Demoral and Phenergran by IV, they are quite caustic. That was part of my problem the 1st time. Tequin and Levequin are also very harsh.
Finally, I suggest you hide the Demoral from your husband. If it makes you take incessantly, he is liable to hide them from you … just kidding.
Is the carving party in Corpus or are you coming to the Med Center?
If your surgeon can’t keep it lap, you might want to consider the trip to town. I was part of a show and tell program among med students AND peers today. Only three incisions, AND they had to remove barnacles from the cavity, an artery, and an uterer. Very little blood loss, and I am recovering at a remarkable pace. There are probably at least 1/2 a dozen docs like mine.
It is late in the game to take (and give) advice. You are going to be on a short fuse pretty quickly. I wish you well.
Resection Man
Mom woke me up to eat and I read your post on the way to the table. I am so sorry to hear you are headed to surgery this way. If you can set the pace, I think it might be so much better. In any case, I spent the last hour silently praying for you. Get plenty of rest, fluids and take those antibiotics religiously. Take heart though, you and I were the same, and my experience was better than I expected. I stopped the antibiotics on Tuesday and had the surgery on Friday. Different though, in that I stopped the Lortab at least 10 days prior. I have a pretty high pain tolerance as evidenced by my crawling into the chair last Friday. Take ‘em if you got ‘em. There is no reason the combo you have can’t take the edge off. Follow the directions. Neither is super fast acting when taken orally. You have to plan for the pain.
Dehydration and salt imbalances might be part of the problem with the vein popping. I went through 11 sites in January (when I was sick) but got by for my entire stay this time on only one. I was drinking plenty. Also, if you where taking Demoral and Phenergran by IV, they are quite caustic. That was part of my problem the 1st time. Tequin and Levequin are also very harsh.
Finally, I suggest you hide the Demoral from your husband. If it makes you take incessantly, he is liable to hide them from you … just kidding.
Is the carving party in Corpus or are you coming to the Med Center?
If your surgeon can’t keep it lap, you might want to consider the trip to town. I was part of a show and tell program among med students AND peers today. Only three incisions, AND they had to remove barnacles from the cavity, an artery, and an uterer. Very little blood loss, and I am recovering at a remarkable pace. There are probably at least 1/2 a dozen docs like mine.
It is late in the game to take (and give) advice. You are going to be on a short fuse pretty quickly. I wish you well.
Resection Man
resection
04-27-2004, 05:40 PM
Gatormom,
Thanks for the fan mail. I have only read a couple of mainly picture books in my entire life, while my wife is a book worm. Oh the sweet, sweet irony that I might get requests for a book. And, good critique on my style. Wow !!!
I would have to disavow my nom de plum, Resection Man, and start over though. Not that Resection Man isn’t mysterious and interesting, but the whole story of a medically necessary surgery is a wasted prop. And, I would have to cover my tracks. The truth behind Van Gough’s ear is that he slipped on some of his own spilled paint and ended up ripping his ear off on a wall scone. Everyone would have thought him a jackass, so he came up with the chop-my-ear-off-for-love-and-inspiration spin and look at his market cap now.
Maybe I can put a love spin on my intestine surgery. It might do wonders for my currency. Here I am struggling to get views on my posts. CNN would pick me up for sure. “Man removes own intestine as sign of love …”.
Actually, this is my first time to participate on a board much less write on anything larger than a napkin. You can read my early work on the same board, thread: “A little tense need some reassurances” where I even muse about titles. Well, I did keep an adventure journal from a big camping trip 25 years ago. It is very funny.
I told my wife she had a fan and I got that soft Marge Simpson groan, “mmmmmm”. I could see the wheels turning: “What’s your angle man?”. She was not thrilled with my discharge papers. No work, plenty of rest, no lifting over 10 lbs, no taking out the trash, mowing, no driving (the kids to school) etc…
I must get foot and leg massages to help prevent DVT, and the cherry: Sexual Activity may resume when comfortable. I am comfortable exactly 73 minutes after taking the 1000 mgs of Vicodin every 4 hours. Yeah Baby!!!
My wife is a saint and I love her dearly. Her nom de guerre can be Santa X. I am six years older than she (she was only 12 when I was 18 !!!) and we have been married for almost 10 years, together for 12. Oh, she is a real keeper too. Brings home bacon, quite useful around the house, and she is my perfect soul mate. This has been much harder on her than on me. I will think about what to write and lay down a post later on (it has been 71 minutes since I took the vike, and I need to freshen up). I think it is important for the unresected to think about how this is all going to affect those that love them. Also, you don’t quite feel so bad yourself when you think about others. :jester:
Thanks for the fan mail. I have only read a couple of mainly picture books in my entire life, while my wife is a book worm. Oh the sweet, sweet irony that I might get requests for a book. And, good critique on my style. Wow !!!
I would have to disavow my nom de plum, Resection Man, and start over though. Not that Resection Man isn’t mysterious and interesting, but the whole story of a medically necessary surgery is a wasted prop. And, I would have to cover my tracks. The truth behind Van Gough’s ear is that he slipped on some of his own spilled paint and ended up ripping his ear off on a wall scone. Everyone would have thought him a jackass, so he came up with the chop-my-ear-off-for-love-and-inspiration spin and look at his market cap now.
Maybe I can put a love spin on my intestine surgery. It might do wonders for my currency. Here I am struggling to get views on my posts. CNN would pick me up for sure. “Man removes own intestine as sign of love …”.
Actually, this is my first time to participate on a board much less write on anything larger than a napkin. You can read my early work on the same board, thread: “A little tense need some reassurances” where I even muse about titles. Well, I did keep an adventure journal from a big camping trip 25 years ago. It is very funny.
I told my wife she had a fan and I got that soft Marge Simpson groan, “mmmmmm”. I could see the wheels turning: “What’s your angle man?”. She was not thrilled with my discharge papers. No work, plenty of rest, no lifting over 10 lbs, no taking out the trash, mowing, no driving (the kids to school) etc…
I must get foot and leg massages to help prevent DVT, and the cherry: Sexual Activity may resume when comfortable. I am comfortable exactly 73 minutes after taking the 1000 mgs of Vicodin every 4 hours. Yeah Baby!!!
My wife is a saint and I love her dearly. Her nom de guerre can be Santa X. I am six years older than she (she was only 12 when I was 18 !!!) and we have been married for almost 10 years, together for 12. Oh, she is a real keeper too. Brings home bacon, quite useful around the house, and she is my perfect soul mate. This has been much harder on her than on me. I will think about what to write and lay down a post later on (it has been 71 minutes since I took the vike, and I need to freshen up). I think it is important for the unresected to think about how this is all going to affect those that love them. Also, you don’t quite feel so bad yourself when you think about others. :jester:
Jenetti
04-27-2004, 09:48 PM
Hey R man,
Thanks alot for the prayer, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Yea carving party will be done here in CC but it will be lap for sure. Yea thought about running off to that Med Center for a few anxious minutes but then settled down and thought , well one of the surgeons is a gyn/ob surgeon who has been my gyn doc for over 10 yrs so she knows me pretty well. Trust her, (well i tell myself that anyway to build up courage lol). Still waiting, no call today, didnt think one would come anyway. It was going to take longer than a day to set the party up just for me. Hopefully will know soon, cant do much anyway but rest and get better and take my antibiotics.
Oh yea dang, that phenagran is a killer. You should have seen what it did to my arms and they had to keep switching the IV thingie cause the site would get so red and hot and swollen and very painful. Found out towards the end it was the phenagren so they took that out and from then on it didnt happen. Yup, im so full of holes if i take a drink i might just spill out.
HA HA on the demeral , but i doubt theyd hide it. I mean where else are you gonna get a laugh and have insurance pay for it??? He thinks its like that truth serum, keeps asking me "questions" with a little glint in his eyes. HA!!!, doesnt work that way. I cannot hold a decent thought in my head let alone a decent and understandable conversation. God i went on and on about how green the hospital door was, as if i had discovered something "NEW AND INTERESTING". Feel like a total idiot now lol. Trying to keep a sense of humor but gotta admit, am a bit apprehensive. Read a bit about all the stuff that can go wrong, ya know slicing a bowel and not knowing it, infection, but hubby told me to stop reading that and concentrate on the good side of it. Hopefully that will mean NO more PAIN. Lived this way for as long as i can stand it now and hopefully nothing will stand in the way of healing.
WOW, you had all that taken care of?? The artery part is really scary. I mean it. Hope you continue healing at a fast pace. Son will be leaving back to ausin tomorrow. Tried to get more days off but i told him, this is a waiting game. Could be the end of the week or the beg of next , cant tell you hon but go on with YOUR LIFE. The last thing i want to do is get in the way of his life, work, church ministries (which he's in charge of) and his job as assistant casting director. Hes extremely busy, but his dad promised him that as soon as i felt better hed take me up there to austin to spend a few days unwinding in that nice NICE NICE apt complex where he lives. Just to relax and unwind. AHHH sounds nice.
Thanks for the update, keep up the good work and ive prayed for you and yours as well and again, thanks for the prayer, can REALLY use it about now.
Jen :)
Thanks alot for the prayer, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Yea carving party will be done here in CC but it will be lap for sure. Yea thought about running off to that Med Center for a few anxious minutes but then settled down and thought , well one of the surgeons is a gyn/ob surgeon who has been my gyn doc for over 10 yrs so she knows me pretty well. Trust her, (well i tell myself that anyway to build up courage lol). Still waiting, no call today, didnt think one would come anyway. It was going to take longer than a day to set the party up just for me. Hopefully will know soon, cant do much anyway but rest and get better and take my antibiotics.
Oh yea dang, that phenagran is a killer. You should have seen what it did to my arms and they had to keep switching the IV thingie cause the site would get so red and hot and swollen and very painful. Found out towards the end it was the phenagren so they took that out and from then on it didnt happen. Yup, im so full of holes if i take a drink i might just spill out.
HA HA on the demeral , but i doubt theyd hide it. I mean where else are you gonna get a laugh and have insurance pay for it??? He thinks its like that truth serum, keeps asking me "questions" with a little glint in his eyes. HA!!!, doesnt work that way. I cannot hold a decent thought in my head let alone a decent and understandable conversation. God i went on and on about how green the hospital door was, as if i had discovered something "NEW AND INTERESTING". Feel like a total idiot now lol. Trying to keep a sense of humor but gotta admit, am a bit apprehensive. Read a bit about all the stuff that can go wrong, ya know slicing a bowel and not knowing it, infection, but hubby told me to stop reading that and concentrate on the good side of it. Hopefully that will mean NO more PAIN. Lived this way for as long as i can stand it now and hopefully nothing will stand in the way of healing.
WOW, you had all that taken care of?? The artery part is really scary. I mean it. Hope you continue healing at a fast pace. Son will be leaving back to ausin tomorrow. Tried to get more days off but i told him, this is a waiting game. Could be the end of the week or the beg of next , cant tell you hon but go on with YOUR LIFE. The last thing i want to do is get in the way of his life, work, church ministries (which he's in charge of) and his job as assistant casting director. Hes extremely busy, but his dad promised him that as soon as i felt better hed take me up there to austin to spend a few days unwinding in that nice NICE NICE apt complex where he lives. Just to relax and unwind. AHHH sounds nice.
Thanks for the update, keep up the good work and ive prayed for you and yours as well and again, thanks for the prayer, can REALLY use it about now.
Jen :)
resection
04-27-2004, 10:10 PM
Are they just going to free up the adhesions or are they taking the 3/4 of your colon out?
Jenetti
04-27-2004, 10:18 PM
OH get this. GOOD question. A total of 8 docs came my way to see me. EACH one a specialist in his own field and just checking out, ruling out things it could be and all. Each one told me YOUR COLON IS FINE! Dont let anyone touch it. May be long and a bit sluggish but theres no reason to take 3/4 of it out. So that other guy must have really been an idiot or he probably believed it was for the best, still could be just NOT GONNA happen. No theyre just going in to do exploratory surgery and look around. THey know ive got adhesions for sure. How much of it they can free theyll be able to know once theyre inside. Endometriosis was another one of my problems. Had tons of it several times during my life and for some reason or another seems to keep coming back. Very painful. So, YES SIR, IM KEEPING MY COLON! uhm unless they see something in there that would warrant it being taken out that is, which i seriously doubt.
Jen
Jen
resection
04-28-2004, 12:03 PM
Dear Diary,
Hallelujah and pass the Doritos, I had Braxton Hicks contractions this morning.
I am looking forward to today. I skipped the pain killers overnight, and not surprisingly, I felt pretty sore this morning. Anyway, I cut the dose in half at seven just to see where I am at in the healing process. Right on time, one hour and fifteen minutes later, my morning buzz has kicked in. I have probably been over-medicating a little bit over the last day or so, but I have been comfortable, and I have been able to enjoy music in color for the first time since college. The half dose appears to be enough to sufficiently take the edge off without interfering with the feedback I am seeking.
One positive benefit of staying off of the drugs is that I am a little more aware of my plumbing. I suspected that that a general numbness from the procedure and the heavy duty drugs where interfering with the ability to notice urges and differentiate among them.
The anastomosis site was at the rectum which no doubt provides a lot of WC feedback. So, maybe the staple gun left it stunned for a few days. That seems reasonable. Aunty helped me come to the conclusion that it was time to move on from the drug induced haze yesterday and rejoin the feeling population. Two snaps for Aunty. I going to miss my buzz though.
I skipped the hanging out around the bathroom last evening. I was more aware of a “lack” of urgency, which was new. And once the Philistines where upon me, I could get to the backroom in our simple home in plenty of time (provided I did not step on any Legos and drop to the floor in pain, a daily risk in our home).
So, Santa brought me a cup of coffee this AM with my half dose of vike, and then I noticed it: I was having Braxton Hicks contractions in my tummy. It almost brought a tear to my eye. Yeppers, that gentle rolling action that a nice warm cup of joe in the morning gives you well before you get down to the business of a constitutional. In my case, I rarely experienced full blown labor. I have never really been a “constipated man” (I am more of a neo-chauvinist-renaissance man AKA: chauvinista). But either way, Braxton Hicks were my first sign that I should clear my schedule at some point in the near future.
My birthday is coming up on the 2nd. It is my plan to have a “good one” by then.
I think anyone with a social calendar would agree that pooping like an Owl with less than 90 seconds of warning is, well, just plain inconvenient. My prayers go out for you if you are in that club. So, I hope to end up somewhere between Shrek (my old self) and a Cat.
I am sure the ladies just don’t get why a man would find pride in Shrek-like habits. Go to a woman’s issues board for that discussion.
I think Santa is almost done with my illness. It sure did not take long after the doc told her I was not going to die. In fairness, this round started back during the Sugar Bowl, January 4, 2004. It has been long enough. Anyway, Santa said she is on to my scam. Everyone is taking care of me, while I am off sailing on drugs.
Oooooh!!! Sends a chill through me. She looked right in my eye with a cold stare and Damascus steel in her voice. “Listen buddy, I am on to you and your scam. I’m moving in see. Thanks for setting it up. I’m taking over the business today, I’m shutting you down. Don’t even think about putting up a fight, I can take you easy”. She had that Roxie (Chicago) look in her eye. Women.
In a page torn from the script book from Hey Arnold (episode 205), Santa told she will be coming down with monkeynucleosis, a potentially fatal disease with no visible symptoms, that requires an even higher level of pampering, rest, and drugs than I am receiving.
She said she followed my fine example and researched the best protocols and techniques to treat monkeynucleosis. It will definitely not resolve on its own. There are only three doctors that have successfully treated the disease, two are in Cancun and the other is in Paris. It is probably highly contagious, and she will have to leave me here … for my own good. But, my mom and dad are going with her. I get the kids and the pets.
I ain't backing down. I am going to plenty sick tonight. I might even come down with a case of monkeynucleosis before she does. This ain't my first rodeo.
Stay tuned.
Resection Man
Hallelujah and pass the Doritos, I had Braxton Hicks contractions this morning.
I am looking forward to today. I skipped the pain killers overnight, and not surprisingly, I felt pretty sore this morning. Anyway, I cut the dose in half at seven just to see where I am at in the healing process. Right on time, one hour and fifteen minutes later, my morning buzz has kicked in. I have probably been over-medicating a little bit over the last day or so, but I have been comfortable, and I have been able to enjoy music in color for the first time since college. The half dose appears to be enough to sufficiently take the edge off without interfering with the feedback I am seeking.
One positive benefit of staying off of the drugs is that I am a little more aware of my plumbing. I suspected that that a general numbness from the procedure and the heavy duty drugs where interfering with the ability to notice urges and differentiate among them.
The anastomosis site was at the rectum which no doubt provides a lot of WC feedback. So, maybe the staple gun left it stunned for a few days. That seems reasonable. Aunty helped me come to the conclusion that it was time to move on from the drug induced haze yesterday and rejoin the feeling population. Two snaps for Aunty. I going to miss my buzz though.
I skipped the hanging out around the bathroom last evening. I was more aware of a “lack” of urgency, which was new. And once the Philistines where upon me, I could get to the backroom in our simple home in plenty of time (provided I did not step on any Legos and drop to the floor in pain, a daily risk in our home).
So, Santa brought me a cup of coffee this AM with my half dose of vike, and then I noticed it: I was having Braxton Hicks contractions in my tummy. It almost brought a tear to my eye. Yeppers, that gentle rolling action that a nice warm cup of joe in the morning gives you well before you get down to the business of a constitutional. In my case, I rarely experienced full blown labor. I have never really been a “constipated man” (I am more of a neo-chauvinist-renaissance man AKA: chauvinista). But either way, Braxton Hicks were my first sign that I should clear my schedule at some point in the near future.
My birthday is coming up on the 2nd. It is my plan to have a “good one” by then.
I think anyone with a social calendar would agree that pooping like an Owl with less than 90 seconds of warning is, well, just plain inconvenient. My prayers go out for you if you are in that club. So, I hope to end up somewhere between Shrek (my old self) and a Cat.
I am sure the ladies just don’t get why a man would find pride in Shrek-like habits. Go to a woman’s issues board for that discussion.
I think Santa is almost done with my illness. It sure did not take long after the doc told her I was not going to die. In fairness, this round started back during the Sugar Bowl, January 4, 2004. It has been long enough. Anyway, Santa said she is on to my scam. Everyone is taking care of me, while I am off sailing on drugs.
Oooooh!!! Sends a chill through me. She looked right in my eye with a cold stare and Damascus steel in her voice. “Listen buddy, I am on to you and your scam. I’m moving in see. Thanks for setting it up. I’m taking over the business today, I’m shutting you down. Don’t even think about putting up a fight, I can take you easy”. She had that Roxie (Chicago) look in her eye. Women.
In a page torn from the script book from Hey Arnold (episode 205), Santa told she will be coming down with monkeynucleosis, a potentially fatal disease with no visible symptoms, that requires an even higher level of pampering, rest, and drugs than I am receiving.
She said she followed my fine example and researched the best protocols and techniques to treat monkeynucleosis. It will definitely not resolve on its own. There are only three doctors that have successfully treated the disease, two are in Cancun and the other is in Paris. It is probably highly contagious, and she will have to leave me here … for my own good. But, my mom and dad are going with her. I get the kids and the pets.
I ain't backing down. I am going to plenty sick tonight. I might even come down with a case of monkeynucleosis before she does. This ain't my first rodeo.
Stay tuned.
Resection Man
Gatormom
04-28-2004, 01:18 PM
And the judge holds up a card reading: "10"
Great post!
I'm tellin ya, you need to write for a living!
Still enjoying the saga,
Gatormom
Great post!
I'm tellin ya, you need to write for a living!
Still enjoying the saga,
Gatormom
Jenetti
04-28-2004, 02:37 PM
Okkkkay sounds like your doing better hon. Uhm totallllllly agree with Santa tho , a trip to paris sounds about the "only" cure for her condition. lol
Well got called, surgery is set for may 13th at around 1:00 pm.They want to give me time to finish my antibiotics, and take some iron as well since i was very anemic in hospital and it was dropping. They say it will get me healing quicker if im in good condition by then. Thats two weeks away. Im suppose to call in for more demeral if i run out which is good.
Son is getting ready to head on back to austin. Brought me donuts from my fav place this morning. YUMMY after all that jello and juice i was on in the hospital. He may not be able to make it for surgery but said hed be down that weekend , told him NOT TO WORRY, id be fine and that his dad would call him ASAP after surgery to let him know i was ok. Just felt good spending time with him tho. I needed that. Wow i agree with gatormom, you REALLY should be writing for a living! LOL
Sounds like youre working the kinks out of the plumbing slowly but surely. YEAAAAA!!
Well time for meds and a little rest, so talk at ya later, have a great day.
Jen
Well got called, surgery is set for may 13th at around 1:00 pm.They want to give me time to finish my antibiotics, and take some iron as well since i was very anemic in hospital and it was dropping. They say it will get me healing quicker if im in good condition by then. Thats two weeks away. Im suppose to call in for more demeral if i run out which is good.
Son is getting ready to head on back to austin. Brought me donuts from my fav place this morning. YUMMY after all that jello and juice i was on in the hospital. He may not be able to make it for surgery but said hed be down that weekend , told him NOT TO WORRY, id be fine and that his dad would call him ASAP after surgery to let him know i was ok. Just felt good spending time with him tho. I needed that. Wow i agree with gatormom, you REALLY should be writing for a living! LOL
Sounds like youre working the kinks out of the plumbing slowly but surely. YEAAAAA!!
Well time for meds and a little rest, so talk at ya later, have a great day.
Jen
Gatormom
04-28-2004, 04:19 PM
It occurs to me that I'm reading and discussing folks' bathroom habits . . . and enjoying it! Must not have enough excitement in my life. But I did start reading the thread because a man who helps take care of my Mom (86) in an assisted living home is having the same surgery. She's been wondering how he will do so I'm gathering info.
Looking forward to future updates; keep feeling good!
Gatormom
Looking forward to future updates; keep feeling good!
Gatormom
resection
04-28-2004, 04:21 PM
Ladies,
If you are super anemic, talk to your doctor about Procrit (EPO). It works faster than iron alone. IMHO: Blood can cause so many problems, so you are better off trying to do without. Rest, rest, rest, and get plenty of fluids. We’ll be praying with you. The 13th is great. A Thursday procedure will almost guarantee you a stay over the weekend into Monday. No one gets out on Sunday.
The difference between writing for pleasure, my apparent hobby while recuperating and writing for a living, are clams. Getting published and actually have a readership is actually incidental.
Clams, lobsters, bones, franklins, and mula. That is the difference. If you and the G-Mom want to cut a check made out to Resection Man for six figures as the writer’s advance, I will produce a 438 paged pocket-sized writing on the topic of your choice within 90 days.
Otherwise it is strictly for fun, and my health. And, to help those waiting to be resected know what it is like on the other side.
The Braxton Hicks turned out to be false labor. I have not had my BM today. Still waiting, but I am not hanging out around the WC. Played cards with the folks. Doing research on monkeynucliosis so I can properly co-opt my bride. I feel the asymptomatic symptoms coming on as we speak.
I come from a small but extremely close family. Despite that, with children, nephews and nieces, aunts and uncles, and in-laws thrown in, it is not unusual for us to have 12 to 15 different people over for any given Sunday dinner. As might be expected, the family count has been running high around Resection Man’s castle despite my best efforts to create an unwelcome environment.
Locusts … people have descended upon my home like locusts. So get this, my pipes are clogged this morning from someone pouring grease down our kitchen sink (it sure wasn’t me going poop).
Mom and Dad come over about 9:00 this morning. There was no end to the lecture from Mom. Dad pops smoke just like the Roadrunner and leaves to take it sick and all.
“See, there is a lesson here for you son. If you put things in your plumbing that shouldn’t be there, this is what you can expect. And, you don’t drink enough water, and you should chew your food a minimum of 2,400 times with bread and milk of magnesia or you will back up just like your kitchen. Then I will have to get your father to use a snake on you. Did I mention Mrs. McPhale has a bacteria in her stomach that was dissolving the key she swallowed when she was nine. I didn’t. Sit down here, and let me tell you about e Rollie Pollie bacterium from your anus. ….”
I am thinking to myself, “Lady, didn’t you cook last night, weren’t you responsible for feeding me for the first twenty years of my life. Do you think there might be a lesson in this for us?” But I let it go. She is my mother. She is so happy I am passing gas right now.
Our Home Depot actually rents tools. Not all of them do. Dad and I went over to rent a 50’ electric pipe snake. Despite my careful actions I walked backward into the handlebar of a garden tiller right into my kidney area, which is right behind the site of the major incision and pain. The other two incisions are fine, but my front left one still hurts pretty good, especially since I stopped the meds. The pain hurt worse and pretty strong for a couple of hours, but has since dissipated. I still have not taken any more meds, but probably will in a couple of hours. A one half dose again.
I got a quality assurance call from Methodist hospital this afternoon. Mrs. George, the Indian lady that had been a nurse for 33 years was the caller. I referred to her as a “top nurse” whenever I was quoting her sage advice in the hospital. As in, a top nurse told me ….
She wanted to know if I had passed any more gas through my penis then started laughing. If I was just thirty-five years older and still single, I might hit on her. Charming lady.
Signing off.
Resection Man
If you are super anemic, talk to your doctor about Procrit (EPO). It works faster than iron alone. IMHO: Blood can cause so many problems, so you are better off trying to do without. Rest, rest, rest, and get plenty of fluids. We’ll be praying with you. The 13th is great. A Thursday procedure will almost guarantee you a stay over the weekend into Monday. No one gets out on Sunday.
The difference between writing for pleasure, my apparent hobby while recuperating and writing for a living, are clams. Getting published and actually have a readership is actually incidental.
Clams, lobsters, bones, franklins, and mula. That is the difference. If you and the G-Mom want to cut a check made out to Resection Man for six figures as the writer’s advance, I will produce a 438 paged pocket-sized writing on the topic of your choice within 90 days.
Otherwise it is strictly for fun, and my health. And, to help those waiting to be resected know what it is like on the other side.
The Braxton Hicks turned out to be false labor. I have not had my BM today. Still waiting, but I am not hanging out around the WC. Played cards with the folks. Doing research on monkeynucliosis so I can properly co-opt my bride. I feel the asymptomatic symptoms coming on as we speak.
I come from a small but extremely close family. Despite that, with children, nephews and nieces, aunts and uncles, and in-laws thrown in, it is not unusual for us to have 12 to 15 different people over for any given Sunday dinner. As might be expected, the family count has been running high around Resection Man’s castle despite my best efforts to create an unwelcome environment.
Locusts … people have descended upon my home like locusts. So get this, my pipes are clogged this morning from someone pouring grease down our kitchen sink (it sure wasn’t me going poop).
Mom and Dad come over about 9:00 this morning. There was no end to the lecture from Mom. Dad pops smoke just like the Roadrunner and leaves to take it sick and all.
“See, there is a lesson here for you son. If you put things in your plumbing that shouldn’t be there, this is what you can expect. And, you don’t drink enough water, and you should chew your food a minimum of 2,400 times with bread and milk of magnesia or you will back up just like your kitchen. Then I will have to get your father to use a snake on you. Did I mention Mrs. McPhale has a bacteria in her stomach that was dissolving the key she swallowed when she was nine. I didn’t. Sit down here, and let me tell you about e Rollie Pollie bacterium from your anus. ….”
I am thinking to myself, “Lady, didn’t you cook last night, weren’t you responsible for feeding me for the first twenty years of my life. Do you think there might be a lesson in this for us?” But I let it go. She is my mother. She is so happy I am passing gas right now.
Our Home Depot actually rents tools. Not all of them do. Dad and I went over to rent a 50’ electric pipe snake. Despite my careful actions I walked backward into the handlebar of a garden tiller right into my kidney area, which is right behind the site of the major incision and pain. The other two incisions are fine, but my front left one still hurts pretty good, especially since I stopped the meds. The pain hurt worse and pretty strong for a couple of hours, but has since dissipated. I still have not taken any more meds, but probably will in a couple of hours. A one half dose again.
I got a quality assurance call from Methodist hospital this afternoon. Mrs. George, the Indian lady that had been a nurse for 33 years was the caller. I referred to her as a “top nurse” whenever I was quoting her sage advice in the hospital. As in, a top nurse told me ….
She wanted to know if I had passed any more gas through my penis then started laughing. If I was just thirty-five years older and still single, I might hit on her. Charming lady.
Signing off.
Resection Man
resection
04-28-2004, 04:35 PM
Gatormom,
I have slowed down a bit today. I gave up the “regular” food. I am fairly tired.
For breakfast, I had Rice Krispies with Splenda and Silk (soy milk) and the two or three coffees (regular) I have already mentioned.
For lunch, one Ramon noodle soup (chicken flavored).
Three 20 ounce bottles of Gatorade down the hatch and a little Longhorn style cheddar cheese with about 20 Ritz crackers.
Just trying to keep it light.
I weighed in at 166 lbs this AM that is about 20 stones for non-Americans and more or less where I was a couple of days pre-op.
How old is your mother’s friend? When are they going to rearrange his gut? Is he going open or lap? Details, tell me his story.
RS
I have slowed down a bit today. I gave up the “regular” food. I am fairly tired.
For breakfast, I had Rice Krispies with Splenda and Silk (soy milk) and the two or three coffees (regular) I have already mentioned.
For lunch, one Ramon noodle soup (chicken flavored).
Three 20 ounce bottles of Gatorade down the hatch and a little Longhorn style cheddar cheese with about 20 Ritz crackers.
Just trying to keep it light.
I weighed in at 166 lbs this AM that is about 20 stones for non-Americans and more or less where I was a couple of days pre-op.
How old is your mother’s friend? When are they going to rearrange his gut? Is he going open or lap? Details, tell me his story.
RS
resection
04-28-2004, 10:02 PM
The pain caught up with me today. I took one Vicodin 500 at 2:00, and 750 at 4:00. I will get back on the 1000 mgs when I go down for the night and stay on a new cycle somewhere closer to the original prescription.
More or less, I was just as interested in seeing how much I have healed, and the underlying level of pain was. Now I know. I won’t need to know again for three or four days.
I also took a little nap. Just like this AM. The pain was much worse getting out of bed. Keeping active must really be good advice.
We are having chicken and rice. It will be an American version to take it easy on my body.
Also, I started a broad pro-biotics supplement twice a day. Hopefully, it will help me get into the swing of things.
My wife is into Arnica for bumps and bruises. I think I will start that when I go to sleep for the surgical healing. I have heard good things about it, and we have used here for years.
I have gotten pretty tired as a result of the pain. I am also back in the compression stockings just for good measure. I don’t want to go through all of this only to die of a blood clot.
No BM today. That is kind of a bummer.
Later on …
Resection Man
More or less, I was just as interested in seeing how much I have healed, and the underlying level of pain was. Now I know. I won’t need to know again for three or four days.
I also took a little nap. Just like this AM. The pain was much worse getting out of bed. Keeping active must really be good advice.
We are having chicken and rice. It will be an American version to take it easy on my body.
Also, I started a broad pro-biotics supplement twice a day. Hopefully, it will help me get into the swing of things.
My wife is into Arnica for bumps and bruises. I think I will start that when I go to sleep for the surgical healing. I have heard good things about it, and we have used here for years.
I have gotten pretty tired as a result of the pain. I am also back in the compression stockings just for good measure. I don’t want to go through all of this only to die of a blood clot.
No BM today. That is kind of a bummer.
Later on …
Resection Man
cajun mawmaw
04-28-2004, 10:40 PM
Hey, my first time trying this out. Just wanted to pass along some info I came by the hard way - I had a colon resection 7yrs ago. It took numerous dr's and 9 colonoscopies in 9 months to finally find the tumor - I'm really lucky to be alive according to the Dr's. Anway, since the surgery I've been diagnosed with IBS complicated by constant diarrehea & abdominal pain. After I had no more control of any "lower body functions" (diapers really do nothing for the morale at this age), I was finally referred to a neurologist. He diagnosed a B12 deficiency - I'm on shots for life, but oh how my life has improved. According to the Doc, malabsorption is the normal result of colon resection (your liver stores B12 for up to 7yrs). Before you get as miserable as I was, have your Dr's check your B12 levels. It's amazing what that vitamin handles in your bodies.
resection
04-29-2004, 12:02 AM
Eeeeee Aaaaaw !!!! A Cajun. We have family in Ville Platte via my bride. If you know the town, you can probably figure out my true identity in about six minutes, but then I would know yours.
Yes, I have worried off and on about losing control down there since I found out I was getting surgeried. Especially at my age. Actually, at what age is it OK? Never. There might be a higher incidence of diaper fashions among the resected as we age though. Nothing concrete. Probably we non-Maw-Maw’s have more to worry about prostate cancer blowing out the last of our control systems than the long term affects of a resection. Anyway, I told my wife before we got married that she could expect that from me someday. It was pre-disclosed.
If you have followed my posts you know I do not have a lot of sensations going on, but I don't have the obvious signs of dumping syndrome going on either. In fact, I have almost no sensations of anything. I am urinating just fine, so I think "normal" absorption is in play. I am drinking plenty though, and I am sure that is good for me. I am really trying to march the clock down until I get a feel for my new habits and sensations. Waiting is always the worst part for me. I even skipped the pain meds today just to get a feel for what I might be missing. I got some tingles, but mostly, I got a double helping of pain. I won’t say it was a bad idea, but I will take the meds for the foreseeable future. Oh, and I only lost 7 inches. Not quite enough to give a Cajun feelings of inadequacy. I presume with the malabsorption that you lost 15 inches or more. Is that right?
Like you, I am lucky to be alive. So I am trying to be thankful and not complain too much. And if I can’t remain entirely dignified, then I hope to keep a sense of humor about it. What goes in must eventually come out. Right now, I guess you could say I am in gestation.
I did not quite follow the need get to a B12 study at this point. Is it to form a baseline? Are there standards already established? Does the vitamin help with my lower functions?
It is awful quiet. If it stays that way, I can put on my red tannyshoes and my wife can make a sauce piquant that could noise up the dead, but I am afraid to give it a try right now.
Eeeeee Aaaaaw !!!! :jester:
Yes, I have worried off and on about losing control down there since I found out I was getting surgeried. Especially at my age. Actually, at what age is it OK? Never. There might be a higher incidence of diaper fashions among the resected as we age though. Nothing concrete. Probably we non-Maw-Maw’s have more to worry about prostate cancer blowing out the last of our control systems than the long term affects of a resection. Anyway, I told my wife before we got married that she could expect that from me someday. It was pre-disclosed.
If you have followed my posts you know I do not have a lot of sensations going on, but I don't have the obvious signs of dumping syndrome going on either. In fact, I have almost no sensations of anything. I am urinating just fine, so I think "normal" absorption is in play. I am drinking plenty though, and I am sure that is good for me. I am really trying to march the clock down until I get a feel for my new habits and sensations. Waiting is always the worst part for me. I even skipped the pain meds today just to get a feel for what I might be missing. I got some tingles, but mostly, I got a double helping of pain. I won’t say it was a bad idea, but I will take the meds for the foreseeable future. Oh, and I only lost 7 inches. Not quite enough to give a Cajun feelings of inadequacy. I presume with the malabsorption that you lost 15 inches or more. Is that right?
Like you, I am lucky to be alive. So I am trying to be thankful and not complain too much. And if I can’t remain entirely dignified, then I hope to keep a sense of humor about it. What goes in must eventually come out. Right now, I guess you could say I am in gestation.
I did not quite follow the need get to a B12 study at this point. Is it to form a baseline? Are there standards already established? Does the vitamin help with my lower functions?
It is awful quiet. If it stays that way, I can put on my red tannyshoes and my wife can make a sauce piquant that could noise up the dead, but I am afraid to give it a try right now.
Eeeeee Aaaaaw !!!! :jester:
resection
04-29-2004, 11:16 AM
There have been a several posts on this thread and others commenting about how wonderful my bride is, and how fortunate I am to have her.
Neither of us have many friends outside of our family. Only two to three at most. Well, outside of someone that is related to one of us by blood or marriage, I can only think of one couple right off of the bat.
She and I are very close. We are each other’s best friend. And, my family and friend(s) adores her. That is also important. Our extended family is right out of Mayberry RFD. Family can be so hard on a mate. It has been a real blessing to our marriage and happiness. This is kind of reverse discrimination. God forbid my mother or sisters see me lazing around while Santa is hustling around the house. They kind of slow cook my extremities like a pot roast until I can’t take it any longer, and I acquiesce to their demands.
Her family is a little more modern than mine. This part doesn’t talk to that part etc…. We try to get along well with everyone, but we are really only close to one sister, and she is Michigan.
The Louisiana side is really cousins (and plenty of them). That is a different story. We are very close them’ens. In some ways, they are a proxy for her immediate family in terms of love and relationships go. My extended family gets along handsomely with the Cajuns and vice versa. Traditional Mexicans and traditional Cajuns are similar is many ways. Maybe that is why. For instance, we both use accordions in all of our native music. Neither use a little bit of pepper when there is plenty in the cupboard (spicy pepper on the table comes is the 12 ounce Sam’s Clubs containers right next to the china). Sundays are reserved for God and family. Etc. etc. …..
We eat at the dinner table together every night as a family (with our two children, La Princessa – 7, and Mini-Me – 4). We also had an additional four foster children (they are actually nieces and nephew that we took in as legal wards for six months), so I have a giant dinner table. It seats eight or ten, plus the formal with another six, and another six on the deck. So as you can see, 10 to 15 on Sunday is no sweat. My sister can seat well over twenty pretty easily. Average Thanksgiving is between 25 and 35 at once plus stragglers.
My wife is very smart, and she works very hard. She never nags me, and she is a great mother. In our twelve years together, we can’t count the fights on a single hand. That never nagging me thing is important. My personality could not handle it. She still gets me do pretty much whatever she wants including having my intestine removed, but she uses her own un-describable Santa technique.
She and I met at work. For four or five years, we only had one car. We were together twenty-four hours a day. We really enjoyed that time. With the kids now, that is just not practical.
We read the bible and try to be good Christians.
This most current situation has been a win all around.
I got rid of a diseased something in my body that one day might have killed me.
Our faith in God was strengthened by what we saw and felt, more than I can describe. We asked for peace and we got more than we needed. We asked for courage, and we had no fear. We asked for dignity, and well I am still Resection Man. We asked for a speedy recovery from the hospital, and I broke records.
And, our marriage was also strengthened. When you sit down to freshen up your will and you know there is some risk that you won’t be around in a couple of days (which is true on any day), it helps to cut through the less important things. The pure emotion was refreshing and invigorating. I probably cannot stress that enough. Pure emotion is better than anything if life and you can’t get it with MasterCard. It only comes when you care enough to really love. The more you love, the more you can understand real fear and that can be uplifting too. You know how much you love. Impure emotion is never uplifting, hate, anger etc…. It always tears down by comparison.
My folks just got here. I will circle back later.
Resection Man
Neither of us have many friends outside of our family. Only two to three at most. Well, outside of someone that is related to one of us by blood or marriage, I can only think of one couple right off of the bat.
She and I are very close. We are each other’s best friend. And, my family and friend(s) adores her. That is also important. Our extended family is right out of Mayberry RFD. Family can be so hard on a mate. It has been a real blessing to our marriage and happiness. This is kind of reverse discrimination. God forbid my mother or sisters see me lazing around while Santa is hustling around the house. They kind of slow cook my extremities like a pot roast until I can’t take it any longer, and I acquiesce to their demands.
Her family is a little more modern than mine. This part doesn’t talk to that part etc…. We try to get along well with everyone, but we are really only close to one sister, and she is Michigan.
The Louisiana side is really cousins (and plenty of them). That is a different story. We are very close them’ens. In some ways, they are a proxy for her immediate family in terms of love and relationships go. My extended family gets along handsomely with the Cajuns and vice versa. Traditional Mexicans and traditional Cajuns are similar is many ways. Maybe that is why. For instance, we both use accordions in all of our native music. Neither use a little bit of pepper when there is plenty in the cupboard (spicy pepper on the table comes is the 12 ounce Sam’s Clubs containers right next to the china). Sundays are reserved for God and family. Etc. etc. …..
We eat at the dinner table together every night as a family (with our two children, La Princessa – 7, and Mini-Me – 4). We also had an additional four foster children (they are actually nieces and nephew that we took in as legal wards for six months), so I have a giant dinner table. It seats eight or ten, plus the formal with another six, and another six on the deck. So as you can see, 10 to 15 on Sunday is no sweat. My sister can seat well over twenty pretty easily. Average Thanksgiving is between 25 and 35 at once plus stragglers.
My wife is very smart, and she works very hard. She never nags me, and she is a great mother. In our twelve years together, we can’t count the fights on a single hand. That never nagging me thing is important. My personality could not handle it. She still gets me do pretty much whatever she wants including having my intestine removed, but she uses her own un-describable Santa technique.
She and I met at work. For four or five years, we only had one car. We were together twenty-four hours a day. We really enjoyed that time. With the kids now, that is just not practical.
We read the bible and try to be good Christians.
This most current situation has been a win all around.
I got rid of a diseased something in my body that one day might have killed me.
Our faith in God was strengthened by what we saw and felt, more than I can describe. We asked for peace and we got more than we needed. We asked for courage, and we had no fear. We asked for dignity, and well I am still Resection Man. We asked for a speedy recovery from the hospital, and I broke records.
And, our marriage was also strengthened. When you sit down to freshen up your will and you know there is some risk that you won’t be around in a couple of days (which is true on any day), it helps to cut through the less important things. The pure emotion was refreshing and invigorating. I probably cannot stress that enough. Pure emotion is better than anything if life and you can’t get it with MasterCard. It only comes when you care enough to really love. The more you love, the more you can understand real fear and that can be uplifting too. You know how much you love. Impure emotion is never uplifting, hate, anger etc…. It always tears down by comparison.
My folks just got here. I will circle back later.
Resection Man
Jenetti
04-29-2004, 12:03 PM
Hey RMan,
Great post. You are one very blessed family! My hubby and i married on his 18th birthday (wow long time ago lol) and we will be celebrating , yea i like that word, celebrating our 31 yrs of marriage this Nov. Not too bad considering i turn 50 in July, so have spent more than half my life with this handsome generous , most loving, compassionate man. His family (my inlaws) all live up there close to ya, LaPorte. We moved out about 20 yrs ago or so. Closer to my family. Yea family is the greatest thing and we ALL get along wonderful. In fact, in laws (sisters and MIL, DIL is deceased) will be coming to see me this weekend to see how im doing. They are constantly calling to check up on me and some of those inlaws are like sisters to me. Get this. My sister is married to my hubbys brother. YUP , we have the same inlaws lol. Two sisters married to two brothers. So we are all one huge family and close.
Good christian people too. Ever been to church of living waters in pasadena? WOW, love that church. Thats where i went for the longest time till we moved away. Still go back and visit when we're in town. Family is everything to me as well. Oh and if the inlaws are a coming!! You can be sure MIL is bringing turkey and dressing and ohhh calabaza w/corn and on and on and on. YEAAAA!! uhm guess you got the picture that im not a traditional mexican american, since i dont cook that often. Take out for us mostly and tortillas are those round things that come in a bag from HEB store in your case probably FIESTA???? LOL i remember fiesta! AHHH thanks for giving me a chance to remember some fond memories.
Have a great day!!
Jen
Great post. You are one very blessed family! My hubby and i married on his 18th birthday (wow long time ago lol) and we will be celebrating , yea i like that word, celebrating our 31 yrs of marriage this Nov. Not too bad considering i turn 50 in July, so have spent more than half my life with this handsome generous , most loving, compassionate man. His family (my inlaws) all live up there close to ya, LaPorte. We moved out about 20 yrs ago or so. Closer to my family. Yea family is the greatest thing and we ALL get along wonderful. In fact, in laws (sisters and MIL, DIL is deceased) will be coming to see me this weekend to see how im doing. They are constantly calling to check up on me and some of those inlaws are like sisters to me. Get this. My sister is married to my hubbys brother. YUP , we have the same inlaws lol. Two sisters married to two brothers. So we are all one huge family and close.
Good christian people too. Ever been to church of living waters in pasadena? WOW, love that church. Thats where i went for the longest time till we moved away. Still go back and visit when we're in town. Family is everything to me as well. Oh and if the inlaws are a coming!! You can be sure MIL is bringing turkey and dressing and ohhh calabaza w/corn and on and on and on. YEAAAA!! uhm guess you got the picture that im not a traditional mexican american, since i dont cook that often. Take out for us mostly and tortillas are those round things that come in a bag from HEB store in your case probably FIESTA???? LOL i remember fiesta! AHHH thanks for giving me a chance to remember some fond memories.
Have a great day!!
Jen
resection
04-29-2004, 03:46 PM
UPS finally got here with my birthday present. It was a fine present indeed. I am a joyous man. This took longer than the birth of our first baby, although there wasn't any work involved. The waiting and pacing was very similar.
The need for this thread as an outlet for my peace of mind has almost come to an end, but I am going to make at least weekly posts for the next six weeks regarding food and the nature of my habits for the sake of the unresected until I am “predictable”. Boy, it would have been a must read if I could have found a diary.
Thank you all so much for holding my hand, for praying with me, and helping me laugh at my situation even when I was really scared.
If you are here for the limited entertainment value, you can come back at another time. If you are waiting for your resection and want to know more details, then keep reading below.
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The good news is that there was no pain, no blood, no discomfort or anything like that. I had a hernia repair about 20 years ago and got corked up like the Hoover Dam. When that ship came in, it caused some serious pain and damage. So, I know what can happen after general anesthesia. If your bowels are asleep for an extended period of time, you can produce a brick. They warned me at the hospital and offered me some laxatives. If you are a guy and under the age of 35, then you know that you would never take a laxative on your own. That was a mistake. I was a bloody mess. After giving birth to that hockey puck, I thought my rear-end would never be the same.
Wifus called the doc's office this morning since I still had not gone and there was no indication that anything was on the way. Wives do that for husbands. They told her to just give me more water to drink. They did not want to chemically stimulate my colon and rectum this soon after surgery. Phew!!!! I am so relieved UPS got here. The thought of “non-chemical” rectal stimulation would have started to put the freak on me ... even after everything else I have been through.
Also, I had very good control and had plenty of biofeedback. I guess there has not really been anything going on for a couple of days so there was nothing to report to my brain. Interestingly, my train came in at about the same time as my next pain dosing was due. Probably not a coincidence. Aunty has had me wondering what was wrong with me for a couple of days. If she figured it out quickly, then why hadn't I. I guess we are all different. This is one man's story. I hope all of my good things happen for you too or even better, and none of the bad ones.
Of course, one of my main concerns was about the nature of the poop. Really from a social perspective. I want to have man-poops that do not negatively and drastically change my lifestyle. Glad to report, that while it was a little more firm than I would have considered comfortable, it was certainly livable. And with the proper diet, if this is my natural status, quite manageable. Wife will load me up with fiber. This AM, I got a ton in a single glass of Ogadawalla juice this morning. Of course, she did not tell me I got five days of fiber until after I had already tossed the juice back. It was quite tasty though.
Here is the odd part, and the part that might be changed forever. You might remember that the doc widened the freeway so to speak. There where the intestine meets the rectum, he removed the bottleneck that he believes causes the high pressure which in turn aggravates the diverticulosis. The part that went in one ear and out the other. Since I still cannot “bear down”, I had to sit there and wait to finish. Giving a little push, pinching it off and getting on the road was not an option, at least at this point in my recovery process. By nature, I am not a patient man, but I will have to get used to it I guess. I can't run around with only half a poop out of the way. Naturally, my wife thinks this is good.
So far, my recovery has all been good. My doc has far more people in my situation than not. Believe me I checked. Between the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, a lot can go wrong. They can starve your intestine of blood and oxygen during the procedure thereby leaving your intestine paralyzed or gangrenous etc. etc.... Cut vital nerves. It is not like a garden hose. This is a system. Systems have relationships with interdependencies. And, it is possible to damage the system either through the procedure and/or the disease. If I can escape the IBS on the backside, then I should be home free. My doctor told me on several occasions to stop being a “worry-pot” (he is a foreigner), his benign patient's have normal bowel habits after his resections. That's one of the reasons I picked him.
Obviously, I can't live on the Vicodin forever. The real test will come a couple of days after I get off of the meds. I think the vike definitely slows down my pipes. Between the slowness and the mind numbing effects, I have been in absencia when it comes to the general digestion business down there. If I had my wisdom teeth pulled out I would not care, but since it is the plumbing, I am eager to know what is going to be my new “normal”. Plus the boards are full of the bad things that can happen.
If this were Goldilocks, I was somewhere between Papa Bear and Just Right. Going forward, I will not file a report on every visit to potty unless something is “newsworthy”. However, I will make a point to make at least one BM report per week as a look-back comparison for the next month or so. By the end of the six week, I should have settled into my new poop-groove.
So in closing, if you are waiting to get your resection, take heart that the possibility exists for a relatively normal guy-life. The real bad pain, the kind that cannot be controlled with meds, does not last forever. While IBS and diapers are a risk, they are not a certainty. And, although I have not gotten to the trial and error part of the diet program, you should still be able to eat and drink many of the things you love. Maybe all of them in moderation. I was really frightened about losing all of the things I love to eat, but I have spoken with so many people that assure me you still can eat many of the same things that I am not too worried about it righ now.
On the dumping syndrome problem. I studied the management strategies around that too prior to surgery. I still considered my surgery “elective” in the sense that I had a choice about the procedure itself not just the timing. Of course, my surgery was not elective, but I was in denial, like you might be, almost up the last ten days. You really cannot get ready for surgery without acceptance. You just have to get past it.
Anyway, in my opinion, dumping syndrome is one of the worst possible outcomes after death. We are not talking about IBS. This is a constant flow with serious and frequent complications. You can still lead a kind of a “normal” life, but it takes extremely careful meal planning (both in terms of timing and menu selection). You might have to take daily meds for life to be able to work somewhere other than your bathroom. You might want to consider easy to remove and clean garments and yes, diapers. And, dehydration and malabsorption is a real concern. You have to consume more water than you lose, however much that is, and you might have to supplement your nutrition IM (through shots). The primary lifestyle management strategy seems to center around timing. Only eat when it is also a convenient time to poop. Obviously that impacts social consumption. Most people eventually opt out for a bag. That solves many of the social and hygeine problems, but still leaves the malnutrition issues. Nevertheless, it is a life strategy. Again, next to death, that is one of the harshest outcomes. I think it is less than single digit risk. By comparison, the bag does not seem to be that big a deal to most I have spoken with. Yes and no. Two out of many that I have come across are still missing their old “complete” selves. The rest are so glad to be past the pain, or the dumping syndrome or the knowledge that the sieve would lead to death without it, that the bag is a welcome alternative. Everything else is an improvement and somewhere North of these worst outcomes.
I want to close on a high note. So, if that is as bad as it gets, and everthing else is an improvement, and many people resolve completely, and I appear to be one of them, then there is certainly hope for you too.
So far I have had a great outcome with significant health, spiritual, and marital benefits. The downside is there, but with careful surgical and facilities selection, you can statistically minimize that risk. I believe with prayer and faith, you can further minimize the risk. My doctors tell me that any goofy problems and pains will most likely resolve on their own in the next couple of months. Also, I should be able to eat and drink anything I want to. Not that I should. Just that I could.
If you are a worry-pot like me and can't live without scaring yourself silly and knowing how bad it can get, then that was it. All of the scary stuff I could think of. At least you can quantify and measure the fear, and then deal with it. I hope you also get relief from the fear by reading my posts.
It would have been horrible to keep a journal for others that had a “bad” outcome. That would not have been very encouraging to others. What if I died last week. What a bad thread that would have been. What to expect .... death. Actually, very few people die on the table during elective procedures. If you are reading this, then you are probably not an emergency case.
Good luck,
Resection Man
The need for this thread as an outlet for my peace of mind has almost come to an end, but I am going to make at least weekly posts for the next six weeks regarding food and the nature of my habits for the sake of the unresected until I am “predictable”. Boy, it would have been a must read if I could have found a diary.
Thank you all so much for holding my hand, for praying with me, and helping me laugh at my situation even when I was really scared.
If you are here for the limited entertainment value, you can come back at another time. If you are waiting for your resection and want to know more details, then keep reading below.
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The good news is that there was no pain, no blood, no discomfort or anything like that. I had a hernia repair about 20 years ago and got corked up like the Hoover Dam. When that ship came in, it caused some serious pain and damage. So, I know what can happen after general anesthesia. If your bowels are asleep for an extended period of time, you can produce a brick. They warned me at the hospital and offered me some laxatives. If you are a guy and under the age of 35, then you know that you would never take a laxative on your own. That was a mistake. I was a bloody mess. After giving birth to that hockey puck, I thought my rear-end would never be the same.
Wifus called the doc's office this morning since I still had not gone and there was no indication that anything was on the way. Wives do that for husbands. They told her to just give me more water to drink. They did not want to chemically stimulate my colon and rectum this soon after surgery. Phew!!!! I am so relieved UPS got here. The thought of “non-chemical” rectal stimulation would have started to put the freak on me ... even after everything else I have been through.
Also, I had very good control and had plenty of biofeedback. I guess there has not really been anything going on for a couple of days so there was nothing to report to my brain. Interestingly, my train came in at about the same time as my next pain dosing was due. Probably not a coincidence. Aunty has had me wondering what was wrong with me for a couple of days. If she figured it out quickly, then why hadn't I. I guess we are all different. This is one man's story. I hope all of my good things happen for you too or even better, and none of the bad ones.
Of course, one of my main concerns was about the nature of the poop. Really from a social perspective. I want to have man-poops that do not negatively and drastically change my lifestyle. Glad to report, that while it was a little more firm than I would have considered comfortable, it was certainly livable. And with the proper diet, if this is my natural status, quite manageable. Wife will load me up with fiber. This AM, I got a ton in a single glass of Ogadawalla juice this morning. Of course, she did not tell me I got five days of fiber until after I had already tossed the juice back. It was quite tasty though.
Here is the odd part, and the part that might be changed forever. You might remember that the doc widened the freeway so to speak. There where the intestine meets the rectum, he removed the bottleneck that he believes causes the high pressure which in turn aggravates the diverticulosis. The part that went in one ear and out the other. Since I still cannot “bear down”, I had to sit there and wait to finish. Giving a little push, pinching it off and getting on the road was not an option, at least at this point in my recovery process. By nature, I am not a patient man, but I will have to get used to it I guess. I can't run around with only half a poop out of the way. Naturally, my wife thinks this is good.
So far, my recovery has all been good. My doc has far more people in my situation than not. Believe me I checked. Between the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, a lot can go wrong. They can starve your intestine of blood and oxygen during the procedure thereby leaving your intestine paralyzed or gangrenous etc. etc.... Cut vital nerves. It is not like a garden hose. This is a system. Systems have relationships with interdependencies. And, it is possible to damage the system either through the procedure and/or the disease. If I can escape the IBS on the backside, then I should be home free. My doctor told me on several occasions to stop being a “worry-pot” (he is a foreigner), his benign patient's have normal bowel habits after his resections. That's one of the reasons I picked him.
Obviously, I can't live on the Vicodin forever. The real test will come a couple of days after I get off of the meds. I think the vike definitely slows down my pipes. Between the slowness and the mind numbing effects, I have been in absencia when it comes to the general digestion business down there. If I had my wisdom teeth pulled out I would not care, but since it is the plumbing, I am eager to know what is going to be my new “normal”. Plus the boards are full of the bad things that can happen.
If this were Goldilocks, I was somewhere between Papa Bear and Just Right. Going forward, I will not file a report on every visit to potty unless something is “newsworthy”. However, I will make a point to make at least one BM report per week as a look-back comparison for the next month or so. By the end of the six week, I should have settled into my new poop-groove.
So in closing, if you are waiting to get your resection, take heart that the possibility exists for a relatively normal guy-life. The real bad pain, the kind that cannot be controlled with meds, does not last forever. While IBS and diapers are a risk, they are not a certainty. And, although I have not gotten to the trial and error part of the diet program, you should still be able to eat and drink many of the things you love. Maybe all of them in moderation. I was really frightened about losing all of the things I love to eat, but I have spoken with so many people that assure me you still can eat many of the same things that I am not too worried about it righ now.
On the dumping syndrome problem. I studied the management strategies around that too prior to surgery. I still considered my surgery “elective” in the sense that I had a choice about the procedure itself not just the timing. Of course, my surgery was not elective, but I was in denial, like you might be, almost up the last ten days. You really cannot get ready for surgery without acceptance. You just have to get past it.
Anyway, in my opinion, dumping syndrome is one of the worst possible outcomes after death. We are not talking about IBS. This is a constant flow with serious and frequent complications. You can still lead a kind of a “normal” life, but it takes extremely careful meal planning (both in terms of timing and menu selection). You might have to take daily meds for life to be able to work somewhere other than your bathroom. You might want to consider easy to remove and clean garments and yes, diapers. And, dehydration and malabsorption is a real concern. You have to consume more water than you lose, however much that is, and you might have to supplement your nutrition IM (through shots). The primary lifestyle management strategy seems to center around timing. Only eat when it is also a convenient time to poop. Obviously that impacts social consumption. Most people eventually opt out for a bag. That solves many of the social and hygeine problems, but still leaves the malnutrition issues. Nevertheless, it is a life strategy. Again, next to death, that is one of the harshest outcomes. I think it is less than single digit risk. By comparison, the bag does not seem to be that big a deal to most I have spoken with. Yes and no. Two out of many that I have come across are still missing their old “complete” selves. The rest are so glad to be past the pain, or the dumping syndrome or the knowledge that the sieve would lead to death without it, that the bag is a welcome alternative. Everything else is an improvement and somewhere North of these worst outcomes.
I want to close on a high note. So, if that is as bad as it gets, and everthing else is an improvement, and many people resolve completely, and I appear to be one of them, then there is certainly hope for you too.
So far I have had a great outcome with significant health, spiritual, and marital benefits. The downside is there, but with careful surgical and facilities selection, you can statistically minimize that risk. I believe with prayer and faith, you can further minimize the risk. My doctors tell me that any goofy problems and pains will most likely resolve on their own in the next couple of months. Also, I should be able to eat and drink anything I want to. Not that I should. Just that I could.
If you are a worry-pot like me and can't live without scaring yourself silly and knowing how bad it can get, then that was it. All of the scary stuff I could think of. At least you can quantify and measure the fear, and then deal with it. I hope you also get relief from the fear by reading my posts.
It would have been horrible to keep a journal for others that had a “bad” outcome. That would not have been very encouraging to others. What if I died last week. What a bad thread that would have been. What to expect .... death. Actually, very few people die on the table during elective procedures. If you are reading this, then you are probably not an emergency case.
Good luck,
Resection Man
snodove
04-29-2004, 06:31 PM
Resection, You are a sure encouragement. I am glad you are both Christians. My x husband never has gotten saved. Won't bore you and go there but it sure didn't help our marriage is my point. No matter how I tried. Now, I have a Christian husband. My x left my son and me so it wasn't my idea cuz it about did me in but the Lord had other plans. I know He hates divorce but He doesn't like unpeaceful house either.
It takes two to make a marriage work and you both seem to have the idea down.
It is great to read your post and see that things are working well for you all.
You are in my prayers. I go see the GI doctor Monday so we will see what happens.
God bless , Polly
It takes two to make a marriage work and you both seem to have the idea down.
It is great to read your post and see that things are working well for you all.
You are in my prayers. I go see the GI doctor Monday so we will see what happens.
God bless , Polly
Jenetti
04-29-2004, 06:41 PM
Rman,
GOOD luck on everything and GOD bless ya and your family. You have truly been an inspiration.
Polly, I will keep you in prayer hon. The Lord knows us inside and out and He will take care of us.
My surgery also is scheduled for May 13th, so i ask all those who believe in prayer, to please pray for me as well. :angel:
Thanks,
Jen
GOOD luck on everything and GOD bless ya and your family. You have truly been an inspiration.
Polly, I will keep you in prayer hon. The Lord knows us inside and out and He will take care of us.
My surgery also is scheduled for May 13th, so i ask all those who believe in prayer, to please pray for me as well. :angel:
Thanks,
Jen
snodove
04-29-2004, 09:59 PM
Jen, Thank you. Yes, God does. I will be praying for you too. I will write that date down so I don't forget. Do you have kids? Just curiuos. What else do you like to do?
I have a son 20,stepson 28 and stepdaugther 24. I will be praying for you because God made us and He sure can heal us. Will be in touch. Thanks and bless you , Polly
I have a son 20,stepson 28 and stepdaugther 24. I will be praying for you because God made us and He sure can heal us. Will be in touch. Thanks and bless you , Polly
resection
04-29-2004, 10:25 PM
Let's see ... Polly you are getting the colonoscopy at a proper facility on Monday right? Prep school is a drag, but I suggest you forget about the embarrassing nature of the event. They do it for a living. Make the most of the sedatives. After all of the pain and worrying so much, it can be a nice change. Take music and headphones too. You have IBS with non-specific pain similar to stones, but no stones? I know people that have had stones. I hear it is bad. If they thought you had them, then I know you are in serious pain. I hope they find what is causing your problems, and that it is not hard to treat. You just had a CT to rule out stones, and you did not comment on the prominence of diverticula nor thickening nor fluids nor things like that, so there may be a good chance that is not in the cards for you. Divers can be a cause of disruption to your style not to mention painful.
Jenny, you are plagued with pain that is taking making your BP shoot up. Exploratory on Thursday the 13th, with some adhesion removal if possible.
I along with many others, will be praying for you and your families both. I am on the hook for PTG5 as well. I promised to pray for her and her daddy too. No problem, I am happy to do it. It is the very least that I can do. So much has been given to me. Besides, your posts provided me with more support than you might realize, and for that, I am also truly thankful.
Don't get too excited though. I am neither holy nor saved. I am just a Joe that is trying, and not all that hard, to be a better person. I do believe prayer and faith are both good medicine. If I were a true Christian, I would pray with as much intensity all of the time, not just when I am in ginormous pain or facing a major surgery. Already, I see myself falling into my old routine as my health returns. So, I will pray for you health, and you can pray for my spirituality. Deal?
Jenny, you are plagued with pain that is taking making your BP shoot up. Exploratory on Thursday the 13th, with some adhesion removal if possible.
I along with many others, will be praying for you and your families both. I am on the hook for PTG5 as well. I promised to pray for her and her daddy too. No problem, I am happy to do it. It is the very least that I can do. So much has been given to me. Besides, your posts provided me with more support than you might realize, and for that, I am also truly thankful.
Don't get too excited though. I am neither holy nor saved. I am just a Joe that is trying, and not all that hard, to be a better person. I do believe prayer and faith are both good medicine. If I were a true Christian, I would pray with as much intensity all of the time, not just when I am in ginormous pain or facing a major surgery. Already, I see myself falling into my old routine as my health returns. So, I will pray for you health, and you can pray for my spirituality. Deal?
Jenetti
04-30-2004, 12:40 AM
Snodove,
Thanks for the prayer hon, I know i will be feeling everyones prayers that day.
I am happily married (30 yrs) , only one son (27 yrs) don't work outside the home anymore. I worked at an elementary school as secretary for almost 10 yrs. Left that and a few years later opened an antique and gift shop with my sis. OH DO I LOVE antiques lol. Love the business, the buying, finding just the PERFECT peice for someone. Had that for a few years, but its long and hard work, trust me. The shop was opened 7 days a week and we hired someone to work maybe two - three days a week, but it wasnt for us to rest lol. It was for sis and i to go to out of town auctions and estate sales. Then the paperwork on top of that and also we went to the dallas tradecenter to order new stuff since it was a gift shop as well. It was hard work but the best time ive had as well. Loved the customers. Had to finally sell due to my health, my fibromyalgia really kicked in around then and i was exhausted all the time and hurting. Also this adhesion/tummy problem really is bad.
Now i am caretaker to my parents. Take care of all their bills, doc appts, meds, errands, medicare stuff, you name it. Its hard work, dont get paid for it, LOL, but hey someone has to do it and they took care of me while i was growing up so its my turn.
My son is in the film business in austin and cohosts a christian tv talk show on saturday mornings called Regeneration. Its also broadcast over the internet so, sat mornings im on here and the phone with the tech people. Have to tell them if theres any problems and keep checking volume, and if its streaming late or not. He is assistant casting director at a casting agency , plus in charge of the media ministry (televised) at his church so im always doing some kind of research for him as well as my neice who lives with me, shes studying to be a pharmacist. So i do alot of her research stuff on the internet and help with her homework lol since she also works 30 hrs per week.
MAYBE ONE DAY when theyre both making BIG BUCKS they'll remember Moi!!
ya think??? LOL
Other than that i love to read poetry and cuddle with my sweet hubby and play with my auburn colored poodle named ginger. I keep pretty busy or at least on those days i feel up to doing things. So thats basically my life right now lol. Boring but i love it (other than the pain that is). :) How about you, do you work outside the home??
Love and hugs,
Jen
Thanks for the prayer hon, I know i will be feeling everyones prayers that day.
I am happily married (30 yrs) , only one son (27 yrs) don't work outside the home anymore. I worked at an elementary school as secretary for almost 10 yrs. Left that and a few years later opened an antique and gift shop with my sis. OH DO I LOVE antiques lol. Love the business, the buying, finding just the PERFECT peice for someone. Had that for a few years, but its long and hard work, trust me. The shop was opened 7 days a week and we hired someone to work maybe two - three days a week, but it wasnt for us to rest lol. It was for sis and i to go to out of town auctions and estate sales. Then the paperwork on top of that and also we went to the dallas tradecenter to order new stuff since it was a gift shop as well. It was hard work but the best time ive had as well. Loved the customers. Had to finally sell due to my health, my fibromyalgia really kicked in around then and i was exhausted all the time and hurting. Also this adhesion/tummy problem really is bad.
Now i am caretaker to my parents. Take care of all their bills, doc appts, meds, errands, medicare stuff, you name it. Its hard work, dont get paid for it, LOL, but hey someone has to do it and they took care of me while i was growing up so its my turn.
My son is in the film business in austin and cohosts a christian tv talk show on saturday mornings called Regeneration. Its also broadcast over the internet so, sat mornings im on here and the phone with the tech people. Have to tell them if theres any problems and keep checking volume, and if its streaming late or not. He is assistant casting director at a casting agency , plus in charge of the media ministry (televised) at his church so im always doing some kind of research for him as well as my neice who lives with me, shes studying to be a pharmacist. So i do alot of her research stuff on the internet and help with her homework lol since she also works 30 hrs per week.
MAYBE ONE DAY when theyre both making BIG BUCKS they'll remember Moi!!
ya think??? LOL
Other than that i love to read poetry and cuddle with my sweet hubby and play with my auburn colored poodle named ginger. I keep pretty busy or at least on those days i feel up to doing things. So thats basically my life right now lol. Boring but i love it (other than the pain that is). :) How about you, do you work outside the home??
Love and hugs,
Jen
snodove
04-30-2004, 05:33 AM
Hi Resection, Didn't mean to confuse you. Monday I just go talk to the GI doctor. History al that stuff. My GP did order a colonoscopy but need to get that all set up.Yes, They did a cat scan to rule out kidney stones or obstruction. The cat scan was mainly for kidney,badder study so not sure if they even check the bowel out. I do have 4 in the left kidney but they are small. I had a 10mm a few yrs ago. Talk about Pain... it was painful. The uro doctor did lithotripsy on that after he pushed it back up some. I have passed one stone that was 5mm. That is why this pain was very similar in nature but yet now I compare it and sort of different too. Achy,sharp ect to the point I wanted to cry. I have never had my IBS be like that. So we will see... and I am depending on the Lord to give this new GI doctor wisdom. Not just brush it off. My GP doctor is so good. He treats you like it is you and that you are the one that needs help instead of saying well people don't feel this in relationship to that.. Ex. He said those 4 stones all though small could still be causing my kidney pain. My uro doctor and he is a good doctor but said no way. My GP said there is that one possibility it could.
Thank you for your advice. I am like you I get kind of nervous about that kind of thing but yet like you said they see it all. lol I guess what helped me on that is when I had to have a lower GI once I think it was... got over being self conconcious very fast that time. lol Thank you so much.I am continuing to pray for you and your wife and family. Bless you, Polly
Thank you for your advice. I am like you I get kind of nervous about that kind of thing but yet like you said they see it all. lol I guess what helped me on that is when I had to have a lower GI once I think it was... got over being self conconcious very fast that time. lol Thank you so much.I am continuing to pray for you and your wife and family. Bless you, Polly
snodove
04-30-2004, 05:55 AM
Hi Jen,
How exciting to be help you son. That is so nice you can do that but tiring too I can imagine. Know you get tired with your fibro though. My husband's sister has it and it makes her hurt so much. Actually, I think my husband has it too cuz he hurts all the time. I think since we have been married I remember one day he was totally pain free.
He has been to doctors and non offer any relief. I feel sorry for him.
Let me see, I don't work outside the home since I got remarried. I did for awhile after my divorce. Not my choose as I said eailer but God turned things around for me and now I am happily married. I found who I was again during the time after the divorce. I had really lost who I was and didn't know it.I couldn't find work and God helped me get in a Cert. Nursing training program. I have my degree in graphic art but never was able to get a job in that either.They wanted experience. Now, I like to paint. Watercolors mostly.
I enjoy painting landscapes and that kind of thing. I draw sometimes but perfer painting.I like to make Jewelry and work with Polymer clay. Take long walks when I can. We have a cabin my husband built and like to go up there. It is not fancy. Still don't have electric but one day God willing. We were hoping to get a right of way and it would be afforable but the guy won't do it so it will be over $10,000 so still praying on that one.
It is so peaceful up there. I really like it.
I have two ferrets. Smokey and Bandit that keep me busy. They are a hoot.
I like to read too. The bible,art and crafts magazines and others.
I will keep you in my prayers and pray everything goes well. Is your son's tv show on TBN or anything? Bless you Jen, Thank you for your prayers too.Hugs, Polly
How exciting to be help you son. That is so nice you can do that but tiring too I can imagine. Know you get tired with your fibro though. My husband's sister has it and it makes her hurt so much. Actually, I think my husband has it too cuz he hurts all the time. I think since we have been married I remember one day he was totally pain free.
He has been to doctors and non offer any relief. I feel sorry for him.
Let me see, I don't work outside the home since I got remarried. I did for awhile after my divorce. Not my choose as I said eailer but God turned things around for me and now I am happily married. I found who I was again during the time after the divorce. I had really lost who I was and didn't know it.I couldn't find work and God helped me get in a Cert. Nursing training program. I have my degree in graphic art but never was able to get a job in that either.They wanted experience. Now, I like to paint. Watercolors mostly.
I enjoy painting landscapes and that kind of thing. I draw sometimes but perfer painting.I like to make Jewelry and work with Polymer clay. Take long walks when I can. We have a cabin my husband built and like to go up there. It is not fancy. Still don't have electric but one day God willing. We were hoping to get a right of way and it would be afforable but the guy won't do it so it will be over $10,000 so still praying on that one.
It is so peaceful up there. I really like it.
I have two ferrets. Smokey and Bandit that keep me busy. They are a hoot.
I like to read too. The bible,art and crafts magazines and others.
I will keep you in my prayers and pray everything goes well. Is your son's tv show on TBN or anything? Bless you Jen, Thank you for your prayers too.Hugs, Polly
LollyLolly
04-30-2004, 01:09 PM
Hi Resection --
I've been away from my computer all week, but was just simply delighted to check in and see that you've done so incredibly well! Good for you! Plus, your posts have definitely left me laughing.
I want to wish you a happy birthday, and know that you'll look at your latest trip around the sun with a new perspective. Lastly, may you have the grand poop you so richly deserve.
All the best,
Lolly
I've been away from my computer all week, but was just simply delighted to check in and see that you've done so incredibly well! Good for you! Plus, your posts have definitely left me laughing.
I want to wish you a happy birthday, and know that you'll look at your latest trip around the sun with a new perspective. Lastly, may you have the grand poop you so richly deserve.
All the best,
Lolly
Gatormom
04-30-2004, 01:18 PM
Hi RS, You asked about Mom's friend having the surgery. He's about 42 and the rumor at "the home" where he and his wife care for 6 elderly folks, is that they would remove four feet of intestine. His wife said this as well as some of the old ladies, so perhaps it is true. When I was visiting he was already in the hospital for several days to reduce infection - apparently the doc said he "came close to perforation." IV meds to clear stuff up before they operate. So I really don't have a lot of info. He's an awfully nice guy so I have been concerned. The ladies where Mom lives, average age (no kidding!) is over 85, were abuzz about whether he would "make it."
As always it's great reading your meditations on food, marriage, gratitude to God and faith.... aren't we all alike in so many ways? And don't feel too bad about praying more when the going gets tough... God understands. But He does appreciate a quick THANKS on the good days too! Hugs to your sweet wife, and to you,
Gmom
As always it's great reading your meditations on food, marriage, gratitude to God and faith.... aren't we all alike in so many ways? And don't feel too bad about praying more when the going gets tough... God understands. But He does appreciate a quick THANKS on the good days too! Hugs to your sweet wife, and to you,
Gmom
resection
04-30-2004, 03:48 PM
SugarPop,
How are you Lolly? Nice to see you are lurking around my thread again. It IS a sticky web. I gave you a chance to buck the SugarPop handle. Either you only bristled mildly and you will let me get away with it, you felt sorry for me and gave a chauvinista a break and now you regret it, or you like it.
Santa says, “Are you talking sweet those high-fiber, resected girls again?” “Who are all of these women and what do you know about them?” “Enough,” says I. I know what resected girls will do.
Yes, it was one hell of an experience. My new perspective is here and permanent. Something like this can’t not change you. I think you are right. This next trip around the sun will be different. Glad I kept you laughing. I went back and checked. Except for limiting popcorn, you are the same girl you were before. I found that post moderately encouraging prior to the surgery. I told my sister I was afraid I would go in as me, and come back with a female colon. My sister from Louisiana (I have a sib there too) says, “And what’s wrong with that?” Nothing, but I knew that “female colon” comment would get here goat good. Real good! Even facing death, I know how to wind up her springs.
Gator,
Good to hear from you too. Nice. Sounds like some very, very, nice ladies. Put $50 on the diver over at the home for me. Excepting co-morbidity issues like major obesity, pulmonary and/or cardiac problems, at 42, he was looking at an 8% to 15% termination if he popped. Cut that in half now that he is in the hospital. He probably will not pop in the hospital. Since he has tolerated the IV meds for three or four days, my guess is he is now in the 94% to 98% club. In another couple of days he might move from a purple top to a blue top. Think about gallons of milk. When he gets the baby blue top, he only has a ˝% to 1% mortality rate at that stage.
Going to the doctor when you are sick is so important. Hell, getting regular check-ups is important. Early detection is the key to treating so many problems. Not just this one either. I am stunned to read about people on this board pooping blood for months and months without going to the doctor. That is just crazy.
I will tell you the whole story of three breasts someday. But, here is the short version: One breast each belonging to my wife, my mother, and my aunt (the one with the bag) had problems. Failure to get a regular mammogram cost my aunt two surgeries, a lot of pain, and her breast. She is about to go through all of the chemo now and it is going to hurt, badly.
The other ladies have no cancer and except for some big-time fright, have not really had it all that bad. No chemo. The radiation was low dose, site specific, brachy with virtually no side effects or pain for my mom. Santa has had a handful of needle biopsies and a couple of lumpectomies but thank God keeps coming back benign. She has a great image database and was accepted into a good breast center here in Houston. She has a fast growing, dense lumpy breast disease and has the family history for the bad stuff. I will make sure she stays in the program.
Mom is a pink ribbon wearing, cancer free, example of how early detection can even stop highly, aggressive forms of cancer with very little effort.
Tangent: Back to the diver. If the ladies want even money on a less grisly outcome, they should bet on colostomy vs no-colostomy probabilities. Full blown infection will result in a colostomy. Period. Infection mostly gone but inflammation persisting is the wager space I am talking about.
Inflamed tissue is much more likely to fail at the anastomosis. So, they either take more of the colon than they might otherwise, or they keep him on the meds and zero food until the inflammation abates. If they went in today after just 4 days on meds, I’d say 50/50 on the colostomy depending on how close to the diseased tissue the inflammation falls off. If we are talking about more than a few inches on both sides, the colostomy would be the protocol. That way they preserve more hose, and hook him back up later. The hook up carries risk too, so if the additional inches are few, then you lose them and save having to go back in for the reconnect.
If they are planning on keeping him in the hospital all the way until surgery say two weeks, my guess is 20/80 on the bag. Economics, not appearance is the real driver. Well enough to handle surgery and well enough to handle the surgery without the bad are too different things.
In my case, I was released from the hospital, got a colonoscopy and told I would probably never have to worry about it again. Then I got sick 10 days later. Got a new doctor, as the last one failed my basic doctor test. Looking for 30 days w/o pain and inflammation before they went in. Got better, then got sick again. I was in the emergency room with another bout two weeks to the day before surgery. I finished the 10 day antibiotic program on Tuesday and they carved me on Friday.
As the bouts become more frequent, severe, and harder to treat, the surgeons move the clock down from 30 days to 15 days to “within one week” of ending the antibiotics.
I was probably only running a 10% bag risk at most only 10 days after infection. I had a good prep. I was religious about the meds. And, I tolerated the major antibiotics just prior to going in well. Also, I had a cool cucumber for a surgeon.
Yes, I thank God daily. But, I have to tell you. It had a lot more meaning these last few days. I hope I can maintain this level of personal joy and excitement without turning people around me off. I am on a very high place right now, and it is great.
Glad to know I am bringing you guys laughter from time to time. And, a little encouragement too. Good to hear from you both.
Resection Man
How are you Lolly? Nice to see you are lurking around my thread again. It IS a sticky web. I gave you a chance to buck the SugarPop handle. Either you only bristled mildly and you will let me get away with it, you felt sorry for me and gave a chauvinista a break and now you regret it, or you like it.
Santa says, “Are you talking sweet those high-fiber, resected girls again?” “Who are all of these women and what do you know about them?” “Enough,” says I. I know what resected girls will do.
Yes, it was one hell of an experience. My new perspective is here and permanent. Something like this can’t not change you. I think you are right. This next trip around the sun will be different. Glad I kept you laughing. I went back and checked. Except for limiting popcorn, you are the same girl you were before. I found that post moderately encouraging prior to the surgery. I told my sister I was afraid I would go in as me, and come back with a female colon. My sister from Louisiana (I have a sib there too) says, “And what’s wrong with that?” Nothing, but I knew that “female colon” comment would get here goat good. Real good! Even facing death, I know how to wind up her springs.
Gator,
Good to hear from you too. Nice. Sounds like some very, very, nice ladies. Put $50 on the diver over at the home for me. Excepting co-morbidity issues like major obesity, pulmonary and/or cardiac problems, at 42, he was looking at an 8% to 15% termination if he popped. Cut that in half now that he is in the hospital. He probably will not pop in the hospital. Since he has tolerated the IV meds for three or four days, my guess is he is now in the 94% to 98% club. In another couple of days he might move from a purple top to a blue top. Think about gallons of milk. When he gets the baby blue top, he only has a ˝% to 1% mortality rate at that stage.
Going to the doctor when you are sick is so important. Hell, getting regular check-ups is important. Early detection is the key to treating so many problems. Not just this one either. I am stunned to read about people on this board pooping blood for months and months without going to the doctor. That is just crazy.
I will tell you the whole story of three breasts someday. But, here is the short version: One breast each belonging to my wife, my mother, and my aunt (the one with the bag) had problems. Failure to get a regular mammogram cost my aunt two surgeries, a lot of pain, and her breast. She is about to go through all of the chemo now and it is going to hurt, badly.
The other ladies have no cancer and except for some big-time fright, have not really had it all that bad. No chemo. The radiation was low dose, site specific, brachy with virtually no side effects or pain for my mom. Santa has had a handful of needle biopsies and a couple of lumpectomies but thank God keeps coming back benign. She has a great image database and was accepted into a good breast center here in Houston. She has a fast growing, dense lumpy breast disease and has the family history for the bad stuff. I will make sure she stays in the program.
Mom is a pink ribbon wearing, cancer free, example of how early detection can even stop highly, aggressive forms of cancer with very little effort.
Tangent: Back to the diver. If the ladies want even money on a less grisly outcome, they should bet on colostomy vs no-colostomy probabilities. Full blown infection will result in a colostomy. Period. Infection mostly gone but inflammation persisting is the wager space I am talking about.
Inflamed tissue is much more likely to fail at the anastomosis. So, they either take more of the colon than they might otherwise, or they keep him on the meds and zero food until the inflammation abates. If they went in today after just 4 days on meds, I’d say 50/50 on the colostomy depending on how close to the diseased tissue the inflammation falls off. If we are talking about more than a few inches on both sides, the colostomy would be the protocol. That way they preserve more hose, and hook him back up later. The hook up carries risk too, so if the additional inches are few, then you lose them and save having to go back in for the reconnect.
If they are planning on keeping him in the hospital all the way until surgery say two weeks, my guess is 20/80 on the bag. Economics, not appearance is the real driver. Well enough to handle surgery and well enough to handle the surgery without the bad are too different things.
In my case, I was released from the hospital, got a colonoscopy and told I would probably never have to worry about it again. Then I got sick 10 days later. Got a new doctor, as the last one failed my basic doctor test. Looking for 30 days w/o pain and inflammation before they went in. Got better, then got sick again. I was in the emergency room with another bout two weeks to the day before surgery. I finished the 10 day antibiotic program on Tuesday and they carved me on Friday.
As the bouts become more frequent, severe, and harder to treat, the surgeons move the clock down from 30 days to 15 days to “within one week” of ending the antibiotics.
I was probably only running a 10% bag risk at most only 10 days after infection. I had a good prep. I was religious about the meds. And, I tolerated the major antibiotics just prior to going in well. Also, I had a cool cucumber for a surgeon.
Yes, I thank God daily. But, I have to tell you. It had a lot more meaning these last few days. I hope I can maintain this level of personal joy and excitement without turning people around me off. I am on a very high place right now, and it is great.
Glad to know I am bringing you guys laughter from time to time. And, a little encouragement too. Good to hear from you both.
Resection Man
resection
05-01-2004, 01:19 PM
Captain's Log: Saturday, May 1, 2004
Weight: 163.5 lbs. That is a drop of 5.5 - 6 lbs since pre-op.
Mood: Not bad, the drugs keep me a little down though. I am not quite my normally wonderful self.
Food: I had a little cereal and yogurt this AM. I did not eat much yesterday. Not much of an appetite. I get nauseous from time to time. I think it is the Vike. I am getting plenty of fluids.
Brain: House is starting to close in on me. Santa gets to go to work on Monday so I won’t drive her crazy. The Good Lord provides.
Pain: I would say I am uncomfortable to “in pain” more so these last two days. After days of considering my situation, as quite tolerable, I am no longer liking it. Maybe it is all just relative. Compared to what I was feeling a week ago, I felt like a king. Compared to what I felt a few days ago, I am “in pain”. Tummy is a little bloated, did not visit the potty yesterday. Hoping for today. Getting out of bed in the morning is a real painful chore. It gets better from there on out. I really should not gripe about the pain. A week ago yesterday, was crazy bad. Too bad I feel this way. I would love to be able to exercise. Maybe I am confusing being tired with being in pain.
Temp: I have run a low grade fever since I was in the hospital, but I have been sweating pretty good when I sleep especially these last two days, and my temp has risen slighly to 99.8. I am keeping an eye on it. The hot flashes and the increased pain are probably related.
Work: I cleared voicemails from my cell. And logged into the corporate email. Does not too bad. I have not listened to my voicemails at the office. Going to clear them all this weekend. I could have done it on Wednesday through Friday, but I was too tired and just not in the mood. Except for regularly walking around the neighborhood, I have not done a damn thing around the house. I think I better get active for my mental health.
Estimated Days Remaining To Returning To The Office: 9.
Errata: No real complaints. There is a pretty good storm going on. The neighborhood is experiencing some backstreet flooding. No walking in this mess. Despite my bloated tummy, it is starting to “reattach” itself to my muscle wall, or the bruised swelling is going down or whatever. I never had discoloration. So, not bruised in the sense I was black and blue, just that parts of my belly are tender. Two of the wounds never have had any pain. Amazing, I can mash around the area and I feeling nothing. Some areas are still numb, like you lip at the dentist’s office. So, as the swelling is falling off, my abs are looking more like my abs did. It is just that incision where all of the real work was done. That spot hurts like the devil.
Tomorrow: Tomorrow is my birthday. I am happy to be alive, and my family I am alive.
Weight: 163.5 lbs. That is a drop of 5.5 - 6 lbs since pre-op.
Mood: Not bad, the drugs keep me a little down though. I am not quite my normally wonderful self.
Food: I had a little cereal and yogurt this AM. I did not eat much yesterday. Not much of an appetite. I get nauseous from time to time. I think it is the Vike. I am getting plenty of fluids.
Brain: House is starting to close in on me. Santa gets to go to work on Monday so I won’t drive her crazy. The Good Lord provides.
Pain: I would say I am uncomfortable to “in pain” more so these last two days. After days of considering my situation, as quite tolerable, I am no longer liking it. Maybe it is all just relative. Compared to what I was feeling a week ago, I felt like a king. Compared to what I felt a few days ago, I am “in pain”. Tummy is a little bloated, did not visit the potty yesterday. Hoping for today. Getting out of bed in the morning is a real painful chore. It gets better from there on out. I really should not gripe about the pain. A week ago yesterday, was crazy bad. Too bad I feel this way. I would love to be able to exercise. Maybe I am confusing being tired with being in pain.
Temp: I have run a low grade fever since I was in the hospital, but I have been sweating pretty good when I sleep especially these last two days, and my temp has risen slighly to 99.8. I am keeping an eye on it. The hot flashes and the increased pain are probably related.
Work: I cleared voicemails from my cell. And logged into the corporate email. Does not too bad. I have not listened to my voicemails at the office. Going to clear them all this weekend. I could have done it on Wednesday through Friday, but I was too tired and just not in the mood. Except for regularly walking around the neighborhood, I have not done a damn thing around the house. I think I better get active for my mental health.
Estimated Days Remaining To Returning To The Office: 9.
Errata: No real complaints. There is a pretty good storm going on. The neighborhood is experiencing some backstreet flooding. No walking in this mess. Despite my bloated tummy, it is starting to “reattach” itself to my muscle wall, or the bruised swelling is going down or whatever. I never had discoloration. So, not bruised in the sense I was black and blue, just that parts of my belly are tender. Two of the wounds never have had any pain. Amazing, I can mash around the area and I feeling nothing. Some areas are still numb, like you lip at the dentist’s office. So, as the swelling is falling off, my abs are looking more like my abs did. It is just that incision where all of the real work was done. That spot hurts like the devil.
Tomorrow: Tomorrow is my birthday. I am happy to be alive, and my family I am alive.
Gatormom
05-01-2004, 01:32 PM
:jester: HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow!!! Your recovery sounds much like my husband's 2 months ago from gall bladder removal (laparascopic) - with the great variety of levels of discomfort from the "holes" with the largest taking a while to feel OK. He missed sleeping on his stomach, and got up awfully slowly for about 2-3 weeks. Tried being off pain meds too soon and went back on them. No point suffering! I understand the cabin fever and mixed feelings about returning to work. I'll bet you look forward to just feeling more like yourself and that day will fast approach. Don't forget some people that you've never met have had you lifted up in prayer, and care about how you are doing. If you've never tried meditation, it might be a great time to experiment. Think of peace... and healing... and your marvelous list of things you're grateful for.... having another birthday, your family, friends, and good medical care. Patients need a LOT of patience to get through this healing time.... never a doubt about that!
Keep smiling, don't eat too much cake, and have a fun birthday,
Gatormom
Keep smiling, don't eat too much cake, and have a fun birthday,
Gatormom
resection
05-01-2004, 02:19 PM
Thanks. And, thanks for reminding me about the sleep thing. I can't believe I never mentioned that in my diary. Being stuck on my back when I sleep is tough. I think every morning, man, I got to write this down. I am soooooo sore.
I can roll onto one side or the other, but only for a few minutes. Haven't really tried anything on my belly. That is one of the reason I think I am so sore in the morning. The busted abs keep me in one spot all night.
The backs of my legs and my hiney are tired of sleeping like that too. I guess it is such a minor detail, I keep forgetting about it.
Keep me posted on the diver from the home. I got my money on him.
Resection Man
I can roll onto one side or the other, but only for a few minutes. Haven't really tried anything on my belly. That is one of the reason I think I am so sore in the morning. The busted abs keep me in one spot all night.
The backs of my legs and my hiney are tired of sleeping like that too. I guess it is such a minor detail, I keep forgetting about it.
Keep me posted on the diver from the home. I got my money on him.
Resection Man
Jenetti
05-01-2004, 04:36 PM
WOW snodove, Im so impressed hon!! Youre a nurse, a painter, a degree in graphic design, jewelry maker, crafts. You are one very busy woman lol. that is absolutely wonderful hon.
Im sorry to hear your hubby might have fibro. It does tend to run in families and ohhh wow, is it painful. My mum has it too poor thing. Except she cant take any pain pills for it. EVERYTHING and ANYTHING,, even a tylenol knocks her out for hours. I tell her its so she can rest but shes afraid to die in her sleep so she wont take even tylenol. Shed rather take aspirin. Says that helps the pain and wont put her to sleep.
No, sons tv show is on austin cable tv. Its a different format type show, and people get to call in at almost the end and ask questions regarding the topic of the show or their guests. He loves it, but thats just one side of him, lol hes so busy thats why we have to schedule ourselves IN just to have LUNCH with him. Drive 3 hours there, have lunch, then hubby and i turn around and drive back home. LOL. One day tho, we'll move up closer to him, thats my dream.
Im so glad GOD brought someone into your life hon who is there for you. Its so much easier when you go thru things with someone who loves you holding your hand isnt it??
Have to run for now, talk to you later,
Jen :) have a great afternoon sweetie
Im sorry to hear your hubby might have fibro. It does tend to run in families and ohhh wow, is it painful. My mum has it too poor thing. Except she cant take any pain pills for it. EVERYTHING and ANYTHING,, even a tylenol knocks her out for hours. I tell her its so she can rest but shes afraid to die in her sleep so she wont take even tylenol. Shed rather take aspirin. Says that helps the pain and wont put her to sleep.
No, sons tv show is on austin cable tv. Its a different format type show, and people get to call in at almost the end and ask questions regarding the topic of the show or their guests. He loves it, but thats just one side of him, lol hes so busy thats why we have to schedule ourselves IN just to have LUNCH with him. Drive 3 hours there, have lunch, then hubby and i turn around and drive back home. LOL. One day tho, we'll move up closer to him, thats my dream.
Im so glad GOD brought someone into your life hon who is there for you. Its so much easier when you go thru things with someone who loves you holding your hand isnt it??
Have to run for now, talk to you later,
Jen :) have a great afternoon sweetie
snodove
05-01-2004, 10:06 PM
Hi Jen, Oops I didn't want to give you the wrong idea. I had looked at least eight months and couldn't find work but God helped me get into a program for Ceritified nurse assistant. It was a God given job. I really liked it but it got me really stressed. I hated not being able to do more and the time they gave us to do what we did was unreal. Not good. I then had trouble with my son. He was around 14 and 15 and I had to get day shift work. God helped me again when I got a job working with the mentally handicapped on day shift and my weekends off. Yeah. So it was nice to get back to church ect. My jewelry making is just for fun and if I can sell some great. I love to paint though. My graphic art never went very far said to say but God knows what I needed. Thanks so much. I wish I could get your son's show. It would be nice.
God bless you and thanks for the encouragement. Yes it is nice to have someone support you. I think sometimes I have had so much lately though hubby gets tired of it. I was a premie and sometimes I am just thankful to be here. Born 3 months early. Hugs , Polly
God bless you and thanks for the encouragement. Yes it is nice to have someone support you. I think sometimes I have had so much lately though hubby gets tired of it. I was a premie and sometimes I am just thankful to be here. Born 3 months early. Hugs , Polly
Jenetti
05-01-2004, 10:57 PM
OH sweetie, youve done very well, and im still Impressed lol!! Trust me sounds like youve worked hard and are very appreciative of what God has given you. God blessed me with a good compassionate hubby too. My health has never been good ever since i was a little baby. We got married on his 18th birthday and let me tell you he has always been man enough to take care of me, even when we didnt have any money for doctors, he would stay up with me. He'd take care of me the best he could. Would make me soup and even fed it to me. He is the sweetest person.
Hes never complained over my illnesses, never made me feel like he regretted marrying me because of them. Yea ive got a 27 yr old, will be 28 this OCt. Hes one of those A personalities. Always on the GO GO GO. But ohhhh hon lol, did he give us trouble when he was 16 - 19 LOL. Must be something with those years. Thought he was heading down the wrong road., But we kept praying and he has a good head on his shoulders and hes now witnessing and has that show, and is very much involved in church. I love my baby. lol
Gotta go to bed, will talk to you soon,
Love,
Jen
Hes never complained over my illnesses, never made me feel like he regretted marrying me because of them. Yea ive got a 27 yr old, will be 28 this OCt. Hes one of those A personalities. Always on the GO GO GO. But ohhhh hon lol, did he give us trouble when he was 16 - 19 LOL. Must be something with those years. Thought he was heading down the wrong road., But we kept praying and he has a good head on his shoulders and hes now witnessing and has that show, and is very much involved in church. I love my baby. lol
Gotta go to bed, will talk to you soon,
Love,
Jen
Harry
05-02-2004, 02:15 AM
Resection,
I wrote you before surgery but you may not remember. Several things are very important if you have surgery or not --- The most important is that you have regular BMs. The problem is all pain medication interferes with your BMs to some degree--- some more than others. The reason for gettig you up and walking so soon after surgery was to wake up your intestines so you could have BMs. So get off the pain med ASAP and exercise as you are doing regularly.
I am a great believer in taking a water soluble fiber supplement like Medamucil or Equate from Wal Mart daily to help get enough fiber in your intestines so you have regular daily BMs. An adult like yourself needs 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily for there intestines to function properly. All fiber is not the same. Some absorbs fluid and some don't and you really need a balance of both for intestines to work right.
All meat, seafood and dairy products contain no fiber. Diverticular pockets are mostly caused by not having regular BMs--- and once you have Divers they don't just go away-- as you know they certain mess with your life---you get infections as well as bleeding and end up in surgery. So, I suggest you take some of your time NOW and become well informed.
Lack of knowledge is a poor excuse to ever have them again--- and w/o it you most certainly can get them again along with hemorrhoids, spastic colon, ulcerated colitis, etc.
Take care of youself --- God Bless---Harry
I wrote you before surgery but you may not remember. Several things are very important if you have surgery or not --- The most important is that you have regular BMs. The problem is all pain medication interferes with your BMs to some degree--- some more than others. The reason for gettig you up and walking so soon after surgery was to wake up your intestines so you could have BMs. So get off the pain med ASAP and exercise as you are doing regularly.
I am a great believer in taking a water soluble fiber supplement like Medamucil or Equate from Wal Mart daily to help get enough fiber in your intestines so you have regular daily BMs. An adult like yourself needs 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily for there intestines to function properly. All fiber is not the same. Some absorbs fluid and some don't and you really need a balance of both for intestines to work right.
All meat, seafood and dairy products contain no fiber. Diverticular pockets are mostly caused by not having regular BMs--- and once you have Divers they don't just go away-- as you know they certain mess with your life---you get infections as well as bleeding and end up in surgery. So, I suggest you take some of your time NOW and become well informed.
Lack of knowledge is a poor excuse to ever have them again--- and w/o it you most certainly can get them again along with hemorrhoids, spastic colon, ulcerated colitis, etc.
Take care of youself --- God Bless---Harry
snodove
05-02-2004, 07:13 AM
Hi Jen, You have been an encouragement to me and a blessing. I still get concerned about my son. He isn't in church anymore and he just kind of gotten into the world some. He plays in a band. Not that that is bad but I would prefer it be Christian. God knows and I believe I raised him the best I could and the Lord says they will come back one day to Him. My x wasn't a Christian. I am so thankful you have such a caring husband. It sure makes a difference. Mine is wonderful. I do think he gets tired of me having to have to go to dr. sometimes. Since we got marreid almost 6 yrs. ago I have had two bouts with kidney stones,cateract surgery and my ovary out,toe surgery. lol I think I hit 40 and fell appart. lol Just joking. He has been good about things though. When I had my toe surgery I couldn't get up much for a month and had to keep my foot up. He was so good about cooking. lol and everything. He did keep asking he doctor when I could get back to the kitchen and we all laughed about that. I know the Lord thought put us together. We did't date very long. I don't recommend that though but his mom was very very sick and we lived 3 hrs. apart and some other situations but it has worked well and God has blessed us no doubt. His mom passed away the first second year we were married. I miss her alot. I really appreciate hearing from you. I will keep you in my prayers too. I am wondering what the GI doctor will say tomorrow and will let you know. I am praying he has wisdom. Thank you again for your kindess and support. Hugs, Polly
snodove
05-02-2004, 07:15 AM
Hello Resection, Sorry you have had so much Pain. I will be praying for you too.
Those pain pills can make you C for sure. I been there and done that.
I hope you have a better day today and Happy Birthday.......
May God bless you and your family always, Polly
Those pain pills can make you C for sure. I been there and done that.
I hope you have a better day today and Happy Birthday.......
May God bless you and your family always, Polly
Jenetti
05-02-2004, 12:34 PM
Awww sweetie, the Good Lord knows who he matches us up with, lol. Keep praying for your son. Ohhhh the things ours put us thru during those years. Yea he got involved in drugs, not heavily but still and he loved to drink. I kept praying tho and never backed down from him at all in telling him he needed to come back to the Lord. We're a very close family since hes our only son, so for the longest time, he has called us by our first names which some people find odd but is quite normal for us. He also calls us mom and dad tho at times, but most of the times its our first names. Guess its cause we're so close, dont know its just normal for us lol.
You say you hit 40 and fell apart lol, for me it was more like i hit 4 and i fell apart and have been doing so since then, . Actually about a month before my 4th birthday had my tonsils out, they were so bad. Since then, its been one thing after another. BUT, BUT IM STILL HERE!! LOL. Been thru alot, my heart and breathing stopped when i had my son, very traumatic birth, but still hung in there. Im skinny and puny lol but a fighter i think.
I dated my hubby maybe 6 months before we decided to get married. Then the other 6 months we spent saving in trying to get things ready for the wedding. Now that i look back on it oh wow, he was a baby when i married him. ON his 18th birthday!!!!! Im a year older than he is. So i was the hussie cradle robber LOL. so he likes to remind me. IS he the only child you have? Dont worry, keep praying, you are right, they do come back. Im so sorry about your mother in law, but at least you got to spend some time with her before she left you. Sounds like you have a great hubby too hon, that is such a blessing.
I will be praying for you tomorrow, let me know what the doc says ok??
Have a great day sweetie, and trust me, you have /are such a blessing to me as well.
Love,
Jen
You say you hit 40 and fell apart lol, for me it was more like i hit 4 and i fell apart and have been doing so since then, . Actually about a month before my 4th birthday had my tonsils out, they were so bad. Since then, its been one thing after another. BUT, BUT IM STILL HERE!! LOL. Been thru alot, my heart and breathing stopped when i had my son, very traumatic birth, but still hung in there. Im skinny and puny lol but a fighter i think.
I dated my hubby maybe 6 months before we decided to get married. Then the other 6 months we spent saving in trying to get things ready for the wedding. Now that i look back on it oh wow, he was a baby when i married him. ON his 18th birthday!!!!! Im a year older than he is. So i was the hussie cradle robber LOL. so he likes to remind me. IS he the only child you have? Dont worry, keep praying, you are right, they do come back. Im so sorry about your mother in law, but at least you got to spend some time with her before she left you. Sounds like you have a great hubby too hon, that is such a blessing.
I will be praying for you tomorrow, let me know what the doc says ok??
Have a great day sweetie, and trust me, you have /are such a blessing to me as well.
Love,
Jen
Jenetti
05-02-2004, 12:35 PM
Happy Birthday To You< Happy Birthday Dear Rman< Happy Birthday To You
:jester: :jester: :jester: :jester: :jester: :jester: :jester:
Jen :angel: uhm pass the cake will ya???
:jester: :jester: :jester: :jester: :jester: :jester: :jester:
Jen :angel: uhm pass the cake will ya???
resection
05-02-2004, 01:38 PM
It’s my birthday, it’s my birthday. He-He-He-He !!!!!
I have never really been one to care too much for the birthday thing. I think it is a little tacky and self-centered to promote your own. But, this one is kind of special. It’s the half-way mark. Be big “Four-O”. And, since the first of the year, I have been in an all out battle with a painful, grumpy and potentially deadly disease, and it looks like I finally am getting the upper hand on it with the Good Lord’s help.
Yeah, these last couple of days have been pretty though on Resection Man. Harry, I will come back to you with a separate post in a second, you are right on time man. I meet with the Doc on Tuesday, and I just have to tell, him I cannot take anymore of this low residue thing. The low residue diet and probably the meds too, have been causing me some ill effects. I cause crawfishing (going backwards for the Yanks) these last couple of days. Let me make my diary entry. It will be in there.
We are having a nice day here in the castle. I want to give a big THANKS to everyone for the support, the sage advice from those that have already been there, and for the camaraderie and help in marching the clock down through each of the legs of this journey.
Thanks ….. again,
Resection Man
I have never really been one to care too much for the birthday thing. I think it is a little tacky and self-centered to promote your own. But, this one is kind of special. It’s the half-way mark. Be big “Four-O”. And, since the first of the year, I have been in an all out battle with a painful, grumpy and potentially deadly disease, and it looks like I finally am getting the upper hand on it with the Good Lord’s help.
Yeah, these last couple of days have been pretty though on Resection Man. Harry, I will come back to you with a separate post in a second, you are right on time man. I meet with the Doc on Tuesday, and I just have to tell, him I cannot take anymore of this low residue thing. The low residue diet and probably the meds too, have been causing me some ill effects. I cause crawfishing (going backwards for the Yanks) these last couple of days. Let me make my diary entry. It will be in there.
We are having a nice day here in the castle. I want to give a big THANKS to everyone for the support, the sage advice from those that have already been there, and for the camaraderie and help in marching the clock down through each of the legs of this journey.
Thanks ….. again,
Resection Man
resection
05-02-2004, 02:01 PM
Captain's Log: Sunday, May 2, 2004
Weight: 163.5 lbs. Steady
Mood: Better
Food: Pancakes with Cream or Wheat in the mix, Cranberry Juice, Coffee, Water. My daughter (7) is cooking my dinner tonight. All I wanted for my b-day (we really don’t do store bought gifts for several years now) was the pancakes this AM, and for the Princess to cook me dinner tonight. She has been begging to cook for weeks. We are having spaghetti.
Brain: Fine
Pain: Yesterday was ugly. I had three dumb stunts under my belt: Lifting my boy into the car in a rain storm. Playing with my boy (4) he popped in the stomach pretty good last evening. And, my daughter crawled into bed early this AM, and she kicked me in my sleep. Wow. I felt rough this morning. Took some meds at 5:00 AM and again at 9:00 before getting up. Between yesterday AM and 10:00 PM last night, I had no meds. Shooting for none today.
Temp: My already low grade temp started rising slowly yesterday. I finally had another BM last night. That was an ordeal. My gut is moving so slowly, I guess because of the meds. I passed a little blood. My temp has been in 99’s. It topped out at 100.6 last night. I am close to having to “call my physician” according to the discharge papers. Before the BM. I belly started swelling up like a balloon from Chucky Cheese. I already talked about the pain.
Work: Zero. I was planning on clearing emails today, but I may not.
Estimated Days Remaining To Returning To The Office: 8.
Errata: God the weather is beautiful. My neighborhood is sponsoring a concert in our park later in the day. I think I will try to attend if I feel up to it.
Tomorrow: Tomorrow should be quiet around the castle.
Weight: 163.5 lbs. Steady
Mood: Better
Food: Pancakes with Cream or Wheat in the mix, Cranberry Juice, Coffee, Water. My daughter (7) is cooking my dinner tonight. All I wanted for my b-day (we really don’t do store bought gifts for several years now) was the pancakes this AM, and for the Princess to cook me dinner tonight. She has been begging to cook for weeks. We are having spaghetti.
Brain: Fine
Pain: Yesterday was ugly. I had three dumb stunts under my belt: Lifting my boy into the car in a rain storm. Playing with my boy (4) he popped in the stomach pretty good last evening. And, my daughter crawled into bed early this AM, and she kicked me in my sleep. Wow. I felt rough this morning. Took some meds at 5:00 AM and again at 9:00 before getting up. Between yesterday AM and 10:00 PM last night, I had no meds. Shooting for none today.
Temp: My already low grade temp started rising slowly yesterday. I finally had another BM last night. That was an ordeal. My gut is moving so slowly, I guess because of the meds. I passed a little blood. My temp has been in 99’s. It topped out at 100.6 last night. I am close to having to “call my physician” according to the discharge papers. Before the BM. I belly started swelling up like a balloon from Chucky Cheese. I already talked about the pain.
Work: Zero. I was planning on clearing emails today, but I may not.
Estimated Days Remaining To Returning To The Office: 8.
Errata: God the weather is beautiful. My neighborhood is sponsoring a concert in our park later in the day. I think I will try to attend if I feel up to it.
Tomorrow: Tomorrow should be quiet around the castle.
Jenetti
05-02-2004, 02:41 PM
Hmmm,
thats got me a bit worried Rman. Is that the highest your temp has gotten since the surgery??? At this point i think a call in to your doctor is warranted, at least for your benefit. Just to make sure nothing else is going on. Also i would take some more liquids in at this time. Temps tend to dehydrate you and you dont need that at this point.
Breakfast sounded great. The fresh air might do you good, just don't over do it especially if youre still running a temp. Passing blood, is that normal, was that something you were told to expect?? Dang, sounding like a mother here i know, just a bit worried. take care of yourself.
Jen
thats got me a bit worried Rman. Is that the highest your temp has gotten since the surgery??? At this point i think a call in to your doctor is warranted, at least for your benefit. Just to make sure nothing else is going on. Also i would take some more liquids in at this time. Temps tend to dehydrate you and you dont need that at this point.
Breakfast sounded great. The fresh air might do you good, just don't over do it especially if youre still running a temp. Passing blood, is that normal, was that something you were told to expect?? Dang, sounding like a mother here i know, just a bit worried. take care of yourself.
Jen
resection
05-02-2004, 04:09 PM
Hey Harry,
I hope you get this Harry. I promised you replies on two occasions and here it is. Yes I do remember you. You were one of the last people I replied to just before I went under the knife. You have a son my age right? I also told you I would circle back to you and give you more of my history and how I got here. Also, I told you that I had been super high fiber for quite some time, and I thought there were other contributing factors related to my situation, which we could debate. Here it is:
I have been off and on this low residue diet since the first of the year after fours years on a high fiber one. I really miss the high fiber one.
Here is a side bar story. Last April, when getting my life insurance renewed, I got popped with a hefty premium because my cholesterol was so high. My primary doc was surprised I could even get insurance.
In August I had the start of the series of diverticulitis that eventually lead to my surgery, also I had another round of hematuria (blood in the urine). It all came down on a Saturday. My gym also has a doc so I went there. It seems I always get sick on weekends, but that is another story. Anyway, the other set of eyes turned out to be good. He really questioned why my primary doc was letting me go around for years with the hematuria, having never done real blood and urine panels and a bladder scope.
During the summer and fall, I was shuttling back and forth among the full regiment of doctors: my GP, the gym doc, a GI for the diver, a urologist for the bood in the urine (they never figured out why I have that microscopic, trace problem).
My neighborhood has a couple of upscale “flagship” type grocery stores. Believe it or not, there is a walk up counter where you can get virtually any type of lab work ordered up all on your own. The results come back to you over the web at Interfit. It is right between the deli and the pharmacy.
So, I started getting all kinds of panels run on my blood and urine several times to create a baseline for myself. PSA, testosterone, all of the electrolytes, blood components, thyroid, hemocrit etc…… I even got a top of the line VAP lipid study. Really broad panels. All from my grocery store. Cheap too. You can go to their website and check them out. I got as many different ones as I could over a three or four month period. Huge selection of panels. I got almost all of them at least once. Some, three to five times.
My plan was to bring down my bad cholesterol, triglycerides, and raise my good cholesterol purely with diet and exercise using the grocery store as kind of a bathroom scale to measure my success.
About that time, I got a letter from the lab telling me that I probably suffered from a genetic disorder called Metabolic Syndrome warning go see a doctor immediately, and also inform all of my first degree relatives. Metabolic Syndrome is when you suffer from three of the following: Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Bad Ch, Low Good Ch, High Triglyc. It really should not have come as a surprise. My second degree family is plagued with diabetes (we are Mexican - genetics), and high blood pressure and cholesterol (too many tortillas) problems down both sides of the family. First degree diabetes. And, before losing so much weight after the first diver attack in ’99 I was border line high BP.
I did not do any DNA testing because it really does not matter. Either I could bring it down through behavior and will power or I could not.
I found an endocrinologist that specializes in diabetes to be my lipid doctor. One look at the VAP panel and he agreed, it was probably genetic and it would be almost impossible to get all of the components in line. After trying on my own for a couple of months, he put me on Lipitor to support my efforts. Because it was not moving fast enough for his liking despite my discipline. Now I had five doctors looking after Resection Man for different issues.
I started in the 300’s for the Tri’s, high 200’s for the bad and 30’s or some other ridiculous figure for the good. It was pretty ugly.
I went pure fiber, with lots of Omegas (flax & fish), Niacin, aspirin for the flushing, calcium, and a variety of supplements.
My wife and I were already vegetarian for three or four days a week during the summer and early fall. We just expanded it somewhat. More tofu. Also, I started playing doubles tennis one day a week.
Anyway, I was eating lots of fruits (even some dried), nuts, and soy beans. Boca burgers too.
As a result of my super high fiber, high dosing of good cholesterol, plant statins, exercise, and limits on bad fats, my panels got so good that the doctor canceled my prescription for Lipitor. He was truly amazed. But said early on he said, if anyone could do it, I could. I never wager, but asked him if he wanted to with me. I was determined to get off of the Lipitor. He thought about it, and decided that even with the genetic issue in his favor, he would not bet against me. Good call.
I was eating a lot of nuts and soy beans (steamed with sea salt Japanese style). We spent January 4th down at the ocean. It was a little chilly in the surf, but we had a great time. All we took with us were fruits and nuts (pistachios, a weakness for me). I probably ate a pound of pistachios and then we had a big bowl of soy beans as a snack while Santa was cooking dinner.
That was it for me. I could not help out around the house that night. Santa raised an eyebrow because the Sugar Bowl happened to be on, but then I could not finish it. Those damned pistachios almost killed me. The divers I had created during my low fiber years were overcome by the gravel I was eating. The January hospitalization was dicey. I came pretty close to getting a new purse as a 4 month accessory … if I was lucky. You know the story. You lost half of your blood in the ER.
Anyway, I am with you. I am a high fiber believer. I have to do it for my blood lipids not just the diverticulosis.
I have high fiber religion just like you.
But, I have always been into veggies. I do not believe a low fiber diet was the only problem in my particular case. That is all that I really wanted to debate with you. I think the fiber discussion is just a little myopic. So here is our opportunity to debate:
(1) I had a congenital hernia for twenty-two years before a surgical repair. I believe that section of intestine was involved in the seven inches removed. I will ask the surgeon next week. Once, you get a big out pouching, you got it for life.
(2) My mother has had GI problems for 30 years, there is probably some genetic issues at play.
(3) I failed my body by not exercising enough. Cardio only on occasion. Certainly not enough to curb the stress and bad lipids.
(4) I probably do not drink enough water and I probably drink too much coffee.
(5) I allow myself to be stressed beyond normal, healthy human limits. Can’t blame it on my work. It is all me. I allow stress to stress me out. I think this was a big one.
(6) And yes, I have eaten a ton of junk in my life when I could have made healthier choices.
So there it is. My opening salvo on looking beyond a lack of proper fiber as the cause of divers or conversely the role of other factors in it’s cause.
Ironically, it was all of the nuts and soy beans that almost killed me in January. I was eating so many nuts and bean that I was pooping gravel. Every diver knows that nuts and corn are off limits.
What was I thinking?
Resection Man
I hope you get this Harry. I promised you replies on two occasions and here it is. Yes I do remember you. You were one of the last people I replied to just before I went under the knife. You have a son my age right? I also told you I would circle back to you and give you more of my history and how I got here. Also, I told you that I had been super high fiber for quite some time, and I thought there were other contributing factors related to my situation, which we could debate. Here it is:
I have been off and on this low residue diet since the first of the year after fours years on a high fiber one. I really miss the high fiber one.
Here is a side bar story. Last April, when getting my life insurance renewed, I got popped with a hefty premium because my cholesterol was so high. My primary doc was surprised I could even get insurance.
In August I had the start of the series of diverticulitis that eventually lead to my surgery, also I had another round of hematuria (blood in the urine). It all came down on a Saturday. My gym also has a doc so I went there. It seems I always get sick on weekends, but that is another story. Anyway, the other set of eyes turned out to be good. He really questioned why my primary doc was letting me go around for years with the hematuria, having never done real blood and urine panels and a bladder scope.
During the summer and fall, I was shuttling back and forth among the full regiment of doctors: my GP, the gym doc, a GI for the diver, a urologist for the bood in the urine (they never figured out why I have that microscopic, trace problem).
My neighborhood has a couple of upscale “flagship” type grocery stores. Believe it or not, there is a walk up counter where you can get virtually any type of lab work ordered up all on your own. The results come back to you over the web at Interfit. It is right between the deli and the pharmacy.
So, I started getting all kinds of panels run on my blood and urine several times to create a baseline for myself. PSA, testosterone, all of the electrolytes, blood components, thyroid, hemocrit etc…… I even got a top of the line VAP lipid study. Really broad panels. All from my grocery store. Cheap too. You can go to their website and check them out. I got as many different ones as I could over a three or four month period. Huge selection of panels. I got almost all of them at least once. Some, three to five times.
My plan was to bring down my bad cholesterol, triglycerides, and raise my good cholesterol purely with diet and exercise using the grocery store as kind of a bathroom scale to measure my success.
About that time, I got a letter from the lab telling me that I probably suffered from a genetic disorder called Metabolic Syndrome warning go see a doctor immediately, and also inform all of my first degree relatives. Metabolic Syndrome is when you suffer from three of the following: Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Bad Ch, Low Good Ch, High Triglyc. It really should not have come as a surprise. My second degree family is plagued with diabetes (we are Mexican - genetics), and high blood pressure and cholesterol (too many tortillas) problems down both sides of the family. First degree diabetes. And, before losing so much weight after the first diver attack in ’99 I was border line high BP.
I did not do any DNA testing because it really does not matter. Either I could bring it down through behavior and will power or I could not.
I found an endocrinologist that specializes in diabetes to be my lipid doctor. One look at the VAP panel and he agreed, it was probably genetic and it would be almost impossible to get all of the components in line. After trying on my own for a couple of months, he put me on Lipitor to support my efforts. Because it was not moving fast enough for his liking despite my discipline. Now I had five doctors looking after Resection Man for different issues.
I started in the 300’s for the Tri’s, high 200’s for the bad and 30’s or some other ridiculous figure for the good. It was pretty ugly.
I went pure fiber, with lots of Omegas (flax & fish), Niacin, aspirin for the flushing, calcium, and a variety of supplements.
My wife and I were already vegetarian for three or four days a week during the summer and early fall. We just expanded it somewhat. More tofu. Also, I started playing doubles tennis one day a week.
Anyway, I was eating lots of fruits (even some dried), nuts, and soy beans. Boca burgers too.
As a result of my super high fiber, high dosing of good cholesterol, plant statins, exercise, and limits on bad fats, my panels got so good that the doctor canceled my prescription for Lipitor. He was truly amazed. But said early on he said, if anyone could do it, I could. I never wager, but asked him if he wanted to with me. I was determined to get off of the Lipitor. He thought about it, and decided that even with the genetic issue in his favor, he would not bet against me. Good call.
I was eating a lot of nuts and soy beans (steamed with sea salt Japanese style). We spent January 4th down at the ocean. It was a little chilly in the surf, but we had a great time. All we took with us were fruits and nuts (pistachios, a weakness for me). I probably ate a pound of pistachios and then we had a big bowl of soy beans as a snack while Santa was cooking dinner.
That was it for me. I could not help out around the house that night. Santa raised an eyebrow because the Sugar Bowl happened to be on, but then I could not finish it. Those damned pistachios almost killed me. The divers I had created during my low fiber years were overcome by the gravel I was eating. The January hospitalization was dicey. I came pretty close to getting a new purse as a 4 month accessory … if I was lucky. You know the story. You lost half of your blood in the ER.
Anyway, I am with you. I am a high fiber believer. I have to do it for my blood lipids not just the diverticulosis.
I have high fiber religion just like you.
But, I have always been into veggies. I do not believe a low fiber diet was the only problem in my particular case. That is all that I really wanted to debate with you. I think the fiber discussion is just a little myopic. So here is our opportunity to debate:
(1) I had a congenital hernia for twenty-two years before a surgical repair. I believe that section of intestine was involved in the seven inches removed. I will ask the surgeon next week. Once, you get a big out pouching, you got it for life.
(2) My mother has had GI problems for 30 years, there is probably some genetic issues at play.
(3) I failed my body by not exercising enough. Cardio only on occasion. Certainly not enough to curb the stress and bad lipids.
(4) I probably do not drink enough water and I probably drink too much coffee.
(5) I allow myself to be stressed beyond normal, healthy human limits. Can’t blame it on my work. It is all me. I allow stress to stress me out. I think this was a big one.
(6) And yes, I have eaten a ton of junk in my life when I could have made healthier choices.
So there it is. My opening salvo on looking beyond a lack of proper fiber as the cause of divers or conversely the role of other factors in it’s cause.
Ironically, it was all of the nuts and soy beans that almost killed me in January. I was eating so many nuts and bean that I was pooping gravel. Every diver knows that nuts and corn are off limits.
What was I thinking?
Resection Man
resection
05-02-2004, 04:19 PM
Whoa Jenny,
I am tracking everything. I have gotten close to a couple of the thresholds a couple of times, but I am still text book. If I cross one of the tripwires on my discharge papers, I will call immediately. Methodist has a very, very nice suburban hospital only a few blocks from my house with online everything back to the medical center.
Otherwise, I am on for Tuesday morning with the doc. I am taking it easy. Certainly, I am taking it easier than I have for the last several days.
Snodove, thanks for the input on how the body falls apart at 40. I am feeling real good about that one.
Harry, I just posted the giant reply I have been promising for a month on fiber and how I got here. Just scroll up.
Peace,
Resection Man
I am tracking everything. I have gotten close to a couple of the thresholds a couple of times, but I am still text book. If I cross one of the tripwires on my discharge papers, I will call immediately. Methodist has a very, very nice suburban hospital only a few blocks from my house with online everything back to the medical center.
Otherwise, I am on for Tuesday morning with the doc. I am taking it easy. Certainly, I am taking it easier than I have for the last several days.
Snodove, thanks for the input on how the body falls apart at 40. I am feeling real good about that one.
Harry, I just posted the giant reply I have been promising for a month on fiber and how I got here. Just scroll up.
Peace,
Resection Man
Jenetti
05-02-2004, 06:01 PM
ahhh good going Rman. You seem to be handling everything well and keeping everything in control. Hope you are able to make it to that concert. Keep us posted as to how the docs appt goes. I think i should be hearing something more this week concerning my surgery. Had not had to take the demeral for a few days but did today, so that was a bit of a letdown (thought i was being strong) but thank GOD ive got them when i need them. Lortab plus soma just wasnt stopping it. Neither was the propoxy for breakthru pain.
Just hope surgery day comes quickly, but have to admit, body feels like it wants to get those presurgery jitters which we tend to get, know what i mean??
but quickly dismissed them and sent them to their room. I will NOT have any of that this early in the game. If they behave i'll let them out maybe later. haha We all have to work together to get this body back in shape and working order and im sure the jitters have their own job to do for whatever reason, just too early to let them ruin my days yet. LOL, Must be the demeral talking, anyway, think i'll go take a nap.
Have a great day everyone!!
Jen
Just hope surgery day comes quickly, but have to admit, body feels like it wants to get those presurgery jitters which we tend to get, know what i mean??
but quickly dismissed them and sent them to their room. I will NOT have any of that this early in the game. If they behave i'll let them out maybe later. haha We all have to work together to get this body back in shape and working order and im sure the jitters have their own job to do for whatever reason, just too early to let them ruin my days yet. LOL, Must be the demeral talking, anyway, think i'll go take a nap.
Have a great day everyone!!
Jen
snodove
05-02-2004, 08:55 PM
Hi Resection, I didn't mean anything about falling apart at 40. Sorry about that. It is just something my husband has told me for 5 yrs. now. He is 5 yrs older than I am and I am 45. Frankly, I like what my doctor use to tell me. It is maintance work. lol
Like I said I was a premie so I think some of my health problems stem from that more than anything. Like cateracts I have had already. Age 30 and 40. Then my ovary out, kidney stones in the past 5 yrs. I have changed my diet. Watched my Oxadate foods. Now they tell you to have calicum. I didn't for 10 yrs much and the stones were bigger and worse. They say your body will take it out of your bones. My kidneys don't put calcium back in my blood like they should. But Life is good and I am blessed.
I can't complain. Sounds like you are coming along. I hope your fever gets better.Please don't do to much that you shouldn't. I know it has to be hard to lay around. I did that with my foot from Jan to Feb. Part of March. I will be praying for you.
God bless, Polly
Like I said I was a premie so I think some of my health problems stem from that more than anything. Like cateracts I have had already. Age 30 and 40. Then my ovary out, kidney stones in the past 5 yrs. I have changed my diet. Watched my Oxadate foods. Now they tell you to have calicum. I didn't for 10 yrs much and the stones were bigger and worse. They say your body will take it out of your bones. My kidneys don't put calcium back in my blood like they should. But Life is good and I am blessed.
I can't complain. Sounds like you are coming along. I hope your fever gets better.Please don't do to much that you shouldn't. I know it has to be hard to lay around. I did that with my foot from Jan to Feb. Part of March. I will be praying for you.
God bless, Polly
resection
05-03-2004, 12:47 PM
It's OK Polly,
I am good with my 40-ness. I was just joshing you on your comments. Feeling pretty good today.
Resection Man
I am good with my 40-ness. I was just joshing you on your comments. Feeling pretty good today.
Resection Man
LollyLolly
05-03-2004, 01:03 PM
Hi there Resection Man --
I hope you had a great birthday and that the Princess' spaghetti was fabulous. I have to admit that the pancakes sounded pretty nifty, too.
I'm glad you're going to the doctor tomorrow to check in on your progress. I'd have to agree, reading through your posts this morning, that it was starting to look a little dicey this weekend, but it sounds like you're definitely on top of it.
Your historical post to Harry was really interesting. I, too, had been on a high fiber diet with fiber supplements for years, but also had a strong family history of early diverticulitis. As someone who got a little out of hand (and really, only a little) with cashews one weekend and ended up in the hospital with full blown diverticulitis, a perforation (a tiny one) and eventually an abscess, I know what a love of nuts can do. All things considered, it was going to happen eventually anyway, nuts or not. However, as I think you'll recall, my only restriction now is popcorn and I do still eat nuts every week. As with most things, I think the key is moderation. Regrettably, the suspected pound of pistachios (I love them, too), is beyond the parameters of moderation. When you're ready, and assuming your doc doesn't flat out restrict them, maybe you can try a handful and see how it goes.
Glad you're feeling better today. Take care of yourself!
Lolly, er, Sugar Pop (don't love it, don't hate it and wonder how you got to that name anyway)
I hope you had a great birthday and that the Princess' spaghetti was fabulous. I have to admit that the pancakes sounded pretty nifty, too.
I'm glad you're going to the doctor tomorrow to check in on your progress. I'd have to agree, reading through your posts this morning, that it was starting to look a little dicey this weekend, but it sounds like you're definitely on top of it.
Your historical post to Harry was really interesting. I, too, had been on a high fiber diet with fiber supplements for years, but also had a strong family history of early diverticulitis. As someone who got a little out of hand (and really, only a little) with cashews one weekend and ended up in the hospital with full blown diverticulitis, a perforation (a tiny one) and eventually an abscess, I know what a love of nuts can do. All things considered, it was going to happen eventually anyway, nuts or not. However, as I think you'll recall, my only restriction now is popcorn and I do still eat nuts every week. As with most things, I think the key is moderation. Regrettably, the suspected pound of pistachios (I love them, too), is beyond the parameters of moderation. When you're ready, and assuming your doc doesn't flat out restrict them, maybe you can try a handful and see how it goes.
Glad you're feeling better today. Take care of yourself!
Lolly, er, Sugar Pop (don't love it, don't hate it and wonder how you got to that name anyway)
snodove
05-03-2004, 01:18 PM
Oh ok. I just didn't want to hurt your feelings. My husband just turned 50 and I didn't think it would bother him.. oh but it does. Glad you are feeling good today.
God bless you both and your family, Polly
God bless you both and your family, Polly
resection
05-03-2004, 02:09 PM
Polly,
What time do you go in for the scope? Today is the day, right? Or did I get my wires crossed.
I did pray for you this AM as promised. I hope all goes well.
Here are a few additional items to add to my diary:
Temp: My temp is back down in the 99 point X range and I am feeling better. Really since I was in the hospital I move back and forth between feeling cold and feeling hot (including light sweats), but the "hotflashes" are really not related to body temp. It is just a crazy feeling of cold and hot. I can feel cold and have a higher temp or vice versa. Must be something else going on inside of my body (or brain). When I was in the hospital and it hurt really good, my teeth would chatter and I would feel cold. That was an unexpected response to pain. Hmmmmm. It is more of a nuisance that I go through periods unable to feel the right temp. The hot sensations run up my back and across my upper chest, and around my neck.
Weight: I weighed in at 161 lbs today. That is a drop of 4.5 lbs in a day or so. That is crazy too. I don't know where the weight went. I mean I had a couple of BM's, last night and this morning, but no way did I move 4.5 pounds worth. So, I am off about 8 lbs in two weeks. Not too bad. I put the drop at 15 pounds on the outside in my pre-op guestimations. I may still lose it, but it seems to falling off at a manageable pace.
Meds: I took two 500's twice yesterday like at 5 or 6 AM and then four hours later, and a third dose much later last night around 7 PM. I took none this AM. Waking up was very nice as compared to the other days. I didn't feel like I got punched in the stomach all night long. Very nice actually. It was just a little sore. First time I have felt this good waking up without the use of drugs. I think I might be done with the meds. As I have been weaning off of the drugs, my gut has been behaving more and more like a gut should behave in terms of digestion.
Be careful: I am starting to do more, and doing more carries more risk. It seems I am stumbling and bumping into things. Maybe, I am always a klutz, but just do not normally notice. Yesterday evening, I pulled a good one. I went out and was slow pitching a hollow, plastic softball to my daughter to hit with a big hollow, plastic bat. You know the kind, too hard to use in the house, to light to cause any damage. After years without success, she got it right and smacked a line drive right into my belly. I guess my reaction time is slowed down some, because I probably could have caught the ball easily. Well, I did not expect her to hit it either, my fault. It stung pretty good, and it gave everyone a scare, but apparently no damage was done. Note to self: Remember your belly just got cut up and do not do things to cause additional damage. I moved in the outfield and she had a great time smacking the ball around.
That's it for my diary this morning.
Resection Man
What time do you go in for the scope? Today is the day, right? Or did I get my wires crossed.
I did pray for you this AM as promised. I hope all goes well.
Here are a few additional items to add to my diary:
Temp: My temp is back down in the 99 point X range and I am feeling better. Really since I was in the hospital I move back and forth between feeling cold and feeling hot (including light sweats), but the "hotflashes" are really not related to body temp. It is just a crazy feeling of cold and hot. I can feel cold and have a higher temp or vice versa. Must be something else going on inside of my body (or brain). When I was in the hospital and it hurt really good, my teeth would chatter and I would feel cold. That was an unexpected response to pain. Hmmmmm. It is more of a nuisance that I go through periods unable to feel the right temp. The hot sensations run up my back and across my upper chest, and around my neck.
Weight: I weighed in at 161 lbs today. That is a drop of 4.5 lbs in a day or so. That is crazy too. I don't know where the weight went. I mean I had a couple of BM's, last night and this morning, but no way did I move 4.5 pounds worth. So, I am off about 8 lbs in two weeks. Not too bad. I put the drop at 15 pounds on the outside in my pre-op guestimations. I may still lose it, but it seems to falling off at a manageable pace.
Meds: I took two 500's twice yesterday like at 5 or 6 AM and then four hours later, and a third dose much later last night around 7 PM. I took none this AM. Waking up was very nice as compared to the other days. I didn't feel like I got punched in the stomach all night long. Very nice actually. It was just a little sore. First time I have felt this good waking up without the use of drugs. I think I might be done with the meds. As I have been weaning off of the drugs, my gut has been behaving more and more like a gut should behave in terms of digestion.
Be careful: I am starting to do more, and doing more carries more risk. It seems I am stumbling and bumping into things. Maybe, I am always a klutz, but just do not normally notice. Yesterday evening, I pulled a good one. I went out and was slow pitching a hollow, plastic softball to my daughter to hit with a big hollow, plastic bat. You know the kind, too hard to use in the house, to light to cause any damage. After years without success, she got it right and smacked a line drive right into my belly. I guess my reaction time is slowed down some, because I probably could have caught the ball easily. Well, I did not expect her to hit it either, my fault. It stung pretty good, and it gave everyone a scare, but apparently no damage was done. Note to self: Remember your belly just got cut up and do not do things to cause additional damage. I moved in the outfield and she had a great time smacking the ball around.
That's it for my diary this morning.
Resection Man
snodove
05-03-2004, 05:48 PM
Hi. Thank you for praying.Sorry I think we got our wires crossed. I did go to talk to the GI doctor today and get more understand what might be happening. I sure appreciate your prayers... I know I must have needed them. I go get a colonoscopy May 14th. I didn't think I could get one on Friday and I am so glad. That is the only time my husband could take me during the week. I am sorry you got smacked with the ball. Ouch.. please be careful. I will be praying for your full recover. I hope your temp stays down too.
God bless you and sorry for the mix up on the date of the colonoscopy. Just found that out today. I was not clear about that I am sure. Polly
God bless you and sorry for the mix up on the date of the colonoscopy. Just found that out today. I was not clear about that I am sure. Polly
goody2shuz
05-04-2004, 09:19 AM
Hey...Resection!! Got a real kick out of reading your posts....good thing I read it before my surgery rather than after, cause the laughter would probably hurt!!! Anyway...my big queston is...this dumping syndrome...I kind of didn't put it all together in your posts. After a resection...will there be accident problems permanently or is it all part of the recovery process. My MD failed to mention anything about this and in my research I didn't seem to come across anything mentioning this part of the scenario after surgery. Please let me know.....knowledge is power as the say.
I am quite scared of the pain issue...you having it lap & me an open...I'm sure to have
more. And what is the real trick to the PCA pump....how often do you press it. I recall after the gallbladder surgery telling the nurses that it wasn't working(I had actually told my surgeon I didn't want any narcotics for pain postop...and he laughed telling me not to be such a martyr) and as it turned out 2 days later when the nurse came to change the morphine cassette in my pump...when she opened the door fluid leaked all over the floor. I assummed it was the morphine when the surgeon came in shortly afterward telling me that I ended up being a martyr afterall!!! I guess I need to inquire more about the PCA system...might want to go epidural this time around...don't know yet. The research you sent me on my thread does indicate it is better for the pain....
Thanks for cheering me up & scaring me at the same time...Goody
I am quite scared of the pain issue...you having it lap & me an open...I'm sure to have
more. And what is the real trick to the PCA pump....how often do you press it. I recall after the gallbladder surgery telling the nurses that it wasn't working(I had actually told my surgeon I didn't want any narcotics for pain postop...and he laughed telling me not to be such a martyr) and as it turned out 2 days later when the nurse came to change the morphine cassette in my pump...when she opened the door fluid leaked all over the floor. I assummed it was the morphine when the surgeon came in shortly afterward telling me that I ended up being a martyr afterall!!! I guess I need to inquire more about the PCA system...might want to go epidural this time around...don't know yet. The research you sent me on my thread does indicate it is better for the pain....
Thanks for cheering me up & scaring me at the same time...Goody
resection
05-04-2004, 03:14 PM
Dear Ms. Shoes,
You will be fine. It is a hospital, not a torture chamber. Don’t worry too much about the pain. Just expect it too be bad. The doctor told me I would have been better off if I expected the worse. I thought lap would be easy, and it took me by surprise. Like jumping into a pool expecting it to be cool and getting freezing water instead. Takes your breath away and leaves you scrambling for a little while until the hypothermia sets in. Pretty much that is what happened to me.
Dumping syndrome is a never ending case of diarrhea, sometimes immediately after you eat food. That is living life the hard way in my opinion. A colostomy solves the social problems, but a constant health concern can be poor absorption. The large is used to balance water and salt and hold the waste until you can get to your favorite pot. Most of the nutritional absorption really occurs in the small intestine.
So, most large intestine resections that result in dumping syndrome usually just “D” all of the time, and not are in the same group as the truly malnourished.
Full blown dumping syndrome is rare (partly because those cases generally end up with the bag anyway). A more common afterlife is some degree of bowel sensitivity. Your guess as what you might be sensitive to is as good as anyone’s. For some people it is wheat or gluten, meat, cheese, pumpernickel, who knows.
If I develop a sensitivity issue, I hope it is to Brussels sprouts. Don’t like them in the first place. Say, what a great rap. I can tell Santa I am “sensitive” to all of things I don’t like.
What a great idea !!!! Note to self: Associate food allergies with things you do not like. Corollary: Attach medicinal response to things you do like. “Honey, beer and Monday Night football soothes my large intestine”.
Anyway, the truth is that most people do not develop any serious sensitivity issues at all. Even then, moderation can mitigate the resultant in many cases. It does not appear that way when you visit boards. As I mentioned on the other thread, there is a bias in the population. We have a larger number of voices from individuals that did not completely resolve, and/or are complicated by co-factors including other degenerative issues. Think about it, if you come back 100%, you are probably not going to hang out on a board and talk about your poop. I do hope you diary though. I would like to get another perspective.
I have not had any “accidents”, but I spent a lot of time on the pot because I was not sure what was going on down there. I am past that now thank goodness.
Prudent action differs between moving some gas and moving some poop. It sure as hell helps to know the difference before you get a movement. And, it is helpful to know there is a movement coming down the turnpike before it hits the tollbooth. That was a good part of my frustration the first week. I took longer to get potty trained than some of the other board members, but I got out it without training pants. The first couple of times where loose and fast. So, I was a little nervous. Once things firmed, then I was not as concerned. Fast and loose D without notice will chain you to the pot.
I have yet to wear any drawers. My business is living in a liberated way because I got the bikini cut. Restrictive waistbands are just not in the cards for me right now. Siempre Johnny Libre !!!! Yeeeeee Haw!!!!! I am a liberated man. Besides, I saw how Santa trained the Golden Retriever puppy. I am not good with that exercise. No drawers raises the stakes. My advice, stay close to a favorite pot until you feel comfortable venturing off. Example: The doctor told me to walk around the neighborhood. Good intentions, Bad idea. Resection Man says, “Walk around, but do it real close to the house. So if you explode, Mama can hose you off in your own yard.”
Goody, why do you keep challenging my manhood in the pain department? “You went lap and you’re crying about the pain?” Damn Girl, I did the best that I could. I live a comfortable life, and I guess I have just turned into a poodle.
I hope you do not have any pain. I hope the drugs work well for you. If you do get some, I hope it is less than mine. If you wake up, and it hurts real badly, I hope the hints I have given you help you navigate your way out of there. I pushed pretty hard. I was moving and walking and all of that stuff except for coughing from the get-go.
If you had two kids natural with nothing for the pain, then it might very well be a stroll in the park for you, but I doubt it. So the short answer to your question is to hit the button as often as you can until you are comfortable, then keep doing so, until you are very comfortable, try to get all of your exercises out of the way including coughing while at the peak of comfort, hit it some more, and have someone hit it for you while you are asleep so you don’t run dry while you are sleeping. The problem with the manual pump is you run dry while sleeping.
So, let me describe the pump program.
There was a handy laminated instruction book attached to the side of the pump. I read it when I was bored on Sunday. “Get Up, Cough, Walk, BP, Temp, O2, Blood Draw, Are you passing gas yet, Have you had a BM, Get Up, Cough, Walk, BP, Temp, O2, Are you passing Gas!”. Those nurses talked to me for days and not once did they say, “By the way, the pump instructions are right there”.
When you go in for pre-op, ask for an explanation of the pump-a-roony while you can still think. Better yet read the book. It will only take about 3 minutes.
There were three options on mine:
Automatic drip with no bump capabilities.
Automatic drip with bump capabilities
Manual operation.
They might put you on option one at first because you are going open. Probably the auto-drip with the manual bump is the best. I had manual.
The thing is under lock and key. One, so no one can rip off your sauce, and two, so no one can change the drip rate settings.
I can’t tell you how to operate it without knowing your settings. Read the book first. Once you know the options, then it is just a matter of hitting the button the maximum number of times.
Have you ever seen films of the little mice that will sit there and just keep hitting the sauce forsaking food and everything just for the sake of the buzz?
The docs don’t want you to build up a tolerance or a dependence upon the morphine. So, they keep you in just a little pain.
You will be fine. It is a hospital, not a torture chamber. Don’t worry too much about the pain.
If you come back with a story that goes something like this, “The pain was barely noticeable,” do me a favor and start your own thread. I don’t want people thinking I am really a poodle. Or lie for me. Think of the disservice you would be doing for the community of normal people that will get stung by the pain dragon. But mostly, I am trying to become the Supreme Colon on our board, and I can’t have people thinking I am weak.
Wait, I messed up on the pump instructions. Don’t hit the button as often as possible. You will build up a tolerance. Wait as long as you can and then hit the button. Yeah. That is better. Just kidding. But you knew that.
I read all of the same stuff as you, and I did not take any pills going in. No Xanax or Valium. So, it is what it is. You will do fine. It is going to hurt, but you are not going to scream in agony. You will moan, groan, and occasionally yelp. The nurses like it quiet on the floor.
Actually, I have been on the labor and deliver floor twice. There is a lot of screaming going on in LDR. The recovery room was a raucous. By comparison, the floor I was on was pretty quiet among 26 digestives.
Does that help?
You will be fine. It is a hospital, not a torture chamber. Don’t worry too much about the pain. Just expect it too be bad. The doctor told me I would have been better off if I expected the worse. I thought lap would be easy, and it took me by surprise. Like jumping into a pool expecting it to be cool and getting freezing water instead. Takes your breath away and leaves you scrambling for a little while until the hypothermia sets in. Pretty much that is what happened to me.
Dumping syndrome is a never ending case of diarrhea, sometimes immediately after you eat food. That is living life the hard way in my opinion. A colostomy solves the social problems, but a constant health concern can be poor absorption. The large is used to balance water and salt and hold the waste until you can get to your favorite pot. Most of the nutritional absorption really occurs in the small intestine.
So, most large intestine resections that result in dumping syndrome usually just “D” all of the time, and not are in the same group as the truly malnourished.
Full blown dumping syndrome is rare (partly because those cases generally end up with the bag anyway). A more common afterlife is some degree of bowel sensitivity. Your guess as what you might be sensitive to is as good as anyone’s. For some people it is wheat or gluten, meat, cheese, pumpernickel, who knows.
If I develop a sensitivity issue, I hope it is to Brussels sprouts. Don’t like them in the first place. Say, what a great rap. I can tell Santa I am “sensitive” to all of things I don’t like.
What a great idea !!!! Note to self: Associate food allergies with things you do not like. Corollary: Attach medicinal response to things you do like. “Honey, beer and Monday Night football soothes my large intestine”.
Anyway, the truth is that most people do not develop any serious sensitivity issues at all. Even then, moderation can mitigate the resultant in many cases. It does not appear that way when you visit boards. As I mentioned on the other thread, there is a bias in the population. We have a larger number of voices from individuals that did not completely resolve, and/or are complicated by co-factors including other degenerative issues. Think about it, if you come back 100%, you are probably not going to hang out on a board and talk about your poop. I do hope you diary though. I would like to get another perspective.
I have not had any “accidents”, but I spent a lot of time on the pot because I was not sure what was going on down there. I am past that now thank goodness.
Prudent action differs between moving some gas and moving some poop. It sure as hell helps to know the difference before you get a movement. And, it is helpful to know there is a movement coming down the turnpike before it hits the tollbooth. That was a good part of my frustration the first week. I took longer to get potty trained than some of the other board members, but I got out it without training pants. The first couple of times where loose and fast. So, I was a little nervous. Once things firmed, then I was not as concerned. Fast and loose D without notice will chain you to the pot.
I have yet to wear any drawers. My business is living in a liberated way because I got the bikini cut. Restrictive waistbands are just not in the cards for me right now. Siempre Johnny Libre !!!! Yeeeeee Haw!!!!! I am a liberated man. Besides, I saw how Santa trained the Golden Retriever puppy. I am not good with that exercise. No drawers raises the stakes. My advice, stay close to a favorite pot until you feel comfortable venturing off. Example: The doctor told me to walk around the neighborhood. Good intentions, Bad idea. Resection Man says, “Walk around, but do it real close to the house. So if you explode, Mama can hose you off in your own yard.”
Goody, why do you keep challenging my manhood in the pain department? “You went lap and you’re crying about the pain?” Damn Girl, I did the best that I could. I live a comfortable life, and I guess I have just turned into a poodle.
I hope you do not have any pain. I hope the drugs work well for you. If you do get some, I hope it is less than mine. If you wake up, and it hurts real badly, I hope the hints I have given you help you navigate your way out of there. I pushed pretty hard. I was moving and walking and all of that stuff except for coughing from the get-go.
If you had two kids natural with nothing for the pain, then it might very well be a stroll in the park for you, but I doubt it. So the short answer to your question is to hit the button as often as you can until you are comfortable, then keep doing so, until you are very comfortable, try to get all of your exercises out of the way including coughing while at the peak of comfort, hit it some more, and have someone hit it for you while you are asleep so you don’t run dry while you are sleeping. The problem with the manual pump is you run dry while sleeping.
So, let me describe the pump program.
There was a handy laminated instruction book attached to the side of the pump. I read it when I was bored on Sunday. “Get Up, Cough, Walk, BP, Temp, O2, Blood Draw, Are you passing gas yet, Have you had a BM, Get Up, Cough, Walk, BP, Temp, O2, Are you passing Gas!”. Those nurses talked to me for days and not once did they say, “By the way, the pump instructions are right there”.
When you go in for pre-op, ask for an explanation of the pump-a-roony while you can still think. Better yet read the book. It will only take about 3 minutes.
There were three options on mine:
Automatic drip with no bump capabilities.
Automatic drip with bump capabilities
Manual operation.
They might put you on option one at first because you are going open. Probably the auto-drip with the manual bump is the best. I had manual.
The thing is under lock and key. One, so no one can rip off your sauce, and two, so no one can change the drip rate settings.
I can’t tell you how to operate it without knowing your settings. Read the book first. Once you know the options, then it is just a matter of hitting the button the maximum number of times.
Have you ever seen films of the little mice that will sit there and just keep hitting the sauce forsaking food and everything just for the sake of the buzz?
The docs don’t want you to build up a tolerance or a dependence upon the morphine. So, they keep you in just a little pain.
You will be fine. It is a hospital, not a torture chamber. Don’t worry too much about the pain.
If you come back with a story that goes something like this, “The pain was barely noticeable,” do me a favor and start your own thread. I don’t want people thinking I am really a poodle. Or lie for me. Think of the disservice you would be doing for the community of normal people that will get stung by the pain dragon. But mostly, I am trying to become the Supreme Colon on our board, and I can’t have people thinking I am weak.
Wait, I messed up on the pump instructions. Don’t hit the button as often as possible. You will build up a tolerance. Wait as long as you can and then hit the button. Yeah. That is better. Just kidding. But you knew that.
I read all of the same stuff as you, and I did not take any pills going in. No Xanax or Valium. So, it is what it is. You will do fine. It is going to hurt, but you are not going to scream in agony. You will moan, groan, and occasionally yelp. The nurses like it quiet on the floor.
Actually, I have been on the labor and deliver floor twice. There is a lot of screaming going on in LDR. The recovery room was a raucous. By comparison, the floor I was on was pretty quiet among 26 digestives.
Does that help?
Gatormom
05-04-2004, 05:28 PM
SUPREME COLON!!! Gotta love it! Have a great day R-man!
Gatormom
Gatormom
goody2shuz
05-04-2004, 08:40 PM
Resect Man aka "Supreme Colon".....You are the supreme of supreme's as far as they go!!! Thanks....I didn't mean to infer in anyway that you're a poodle....if you go back to the beginning of yor thread....you were not as supreme as you are now!!! You were in Goody's 2 shoes...full of apprehension of the unknown etc. And now look at you....you're the king of the colon's!!! No offense...you are really good and I promise to not come back with anything that will throw you off your throne(he,he,he)!!!
Thanks for putting up with me....I feel better and decided to give the PCA a try.
Glad to hear you're doing well...and Happy Birthday...Goody
Thanks for putting up with me....I feel better and decided to give the PCA a try.
Glad to hear you're doing well...and Happy Birthday...Goody
resection
05-05-2004, 12:20 AM
Ouch Goody!!!! Now that really hurts. My own words come back to haunt me. I was a rookie ten days ago, but now I have declared myself The Supreme Colon. My ten day ascent is just another prima facia tribute to my Supremeness. Man, I can’t get over that. The resection was nothing. Those words cut deep, wide and hurt.
Here is something to consider: I never saw anyone on a gurney screaming while getting pushed around. Didn’t happen to me, and it won’t happen to you. Just forget about it and go Supreme. You are in the shadow of greatness. Let go of your rookie self. Are you going to post your story? I highly recommend it. Oh, and one more thing. And this is another amazing tidbit. You start to forget about the pain pretty quickly after it passes. I could not describe it to you now. The brain just erases it.
If you have read all of my pulp, then you know as much as I do. Let’s switch gears. Think about breathing and imagery. Pray for the Peace of the Lord. It will come down upon you if you ask, and let it. It did for me. Many here will be praying and rooting for you. That is good to know. A lot of people held my hand. I am indebted. If you want, I will hold your hand.
Santa just giggled when she read my Supreme Colon post. I thought I heard her say something about a Supreme Sphincter under her breath. Must have been a mistake
Went to the doc today. He thought I was healing nicely. He is still pretty proud of his work. He told me that my dissection came back with two ruptures. Never knew I had one much less two (I am very fortunate). He liked the fact that I was experiencing sensitivity on my belly. Told me not to cover it (shirts are irritating). My left incision is actually hot to the touch. That was from all of the abuse it took. It is healing. Blood in the poop is normal. Very slight. Haven’t seen in a couple of days anyway. He said he now does not want to hear from me unless I hit 102 degrees. I am cleared to fly. I can eat whatever I want in moderation including corn, but add it slowly to document allergies. I told him I hadn’t had a BM since yesterday. He says, “Neither have I. Thanks for the newsflash, now stop worrying. Why don’t you wear some drawers?”
Santa said she wanted to put me on pro-biotics, arnica, and whole foods. He said I would heal in spite of her. Santa was miffed. I was delighted.
Doc wants a bottle of Oban Scotch as a little kiss for his extra effort. Cool.
SugarPop,
Good to hear from you too. I know, I know moderation. If I could have done moderately to begin with, I would not have gotten a foot loped off.
Polly,
Don’t worry about the 40 thing. I am cool. Really. So, you and Jenny are scheduled back to back. That does not work for me. One of you needs to move your date. Remember to take music.
GatorMom,
I was thinking about the diver from the home. Four feet is about all of the large a man has. Why are they taking so much? My doc says (and I believe or want to), that the divers are related to high pressure. The sigmoid is a physical cause of that pressure. With that bottleneck removed the rest of the divers will probably not burst. They may still get d-itis, but it is usually treatable with antibiotics. I would get another opinion. So, while still common on the transverse, ascending, descending, or whatever the other parts are called x-sigmoid, they are much lower risk for problems after a de-sigrefication. Ask the board.
Jenny,
Hang in there. You go into the home stretch next week too. The Peace of the Lord will come upon you if you ask. I know you already know that.
Easy, easy, easy. Try to relax. Many are thinking of you. I will hold your hand too if you want.
The Supreme Colon
Here is something to consider: I never saw anyone on a gurney screaming while getting pushed around. Didn’t happen to me, and it won’t happen to you. Just forget about it and go Supreme. You are in the shadow of greatness. Let go of your rookie self. Are you going to post your story? I highly recommend it. Oh, and one more thing. And this is another amazing tidbit. You start to forget about the pain pretty quickly after it passes. I could not describe it to you now. The brain just erases it.
If you have read all of my pulp, then you know as much as I do. Let’s switch gears. Think about breathing and imagery. Pray for the Peace of the Lord. It will come down upon you if you ask, and let it. It did for me. Many here will be praying and rooting for you. That is good to know. A lot of people held my hand. I am indebted. If you want, I will hold your hand.
Santa just giggled when she read my Supreme Colon post. I thought I heard her say something about a Supreme Sphincter under her breath. Must have been a mistake
Went to the doc today. He thought I was healing nicely. He is still pretty proud of his work. He told me that my dissection came back with two ruptures. Never knew I had one much less two (I am very fortunate). He liked the fact that I was experiencing sensitivity on my belly. Told me not to cover it (shirts are irritating). My left incision is actually hot to the touch. That was from all of the abuse it took. It is healing. Blood in the poop is normal. Very slight. Haven’t seen in a couple of days anyway. He said he now does not want to hear from me unless I hit 102 degrees. I am cleared to fly. I can eat whatever I want in moderation including corn, but add it slowly to document allergies. I told him I hadn’t had a BM since yesterday. He says, “Neither have I. Thanks for the newsflash, now stop worrying. Why don’t you wear some drawers?”
Santa said she wanted to put me on pro-biotics, arnica, and whole foods. He said I would heal in spite of her. Santa was miffed. I was delighted.
Doc wants a bottle of Oban Scotch as a little kiss for his extra effort. Cool.
SugarPop,
Good to hear from you too. I know, I know moderation. If I could have done moderately to begin with, I would not have gotten a foot loped off.
Polly,
Don’t worry about the 40 thing. I am cool. Really. So, you and Jenny are scheduled back to back. That does not work for me. One of you needs to move your date. Remember to take music.
GatorMom,
I was thinking about the diver from the home. Four feet is about all of the large a man has. Why are they taking so much? My doc says (and I believe or want to), that the divers are related to high pressure. The sigmoid is a physical cause of that pressure. With that bottleneck removed the rest of the divers will probably not burst. They may still get d-itis, but it is usually treatable with antibiotics. I would get another opinion. So, while still common on the transverse, ascending, descending, or whatever the other parts are called x-sigmoid, they are much lower risk for problems after a de-sigrefication. Ask the board.
Jenny,
Hang in there. You go into the home stretch next week too. The Peace of the Lord will come upon you if you ask. I know you already know that.
Easy, easy, easy. Try to relax. Many are thinking of you. I will hold your hand too if you want.
The Supreme Colon
snodove
05-05-2004, 07:33 AM
Hi Resection ( The Supreme Colon as you were given that title.)
Ok. I won't worry about the 40 thing. I am almost 46 in June.
Glad your doctor's visit went so well. Know you will be able to do everything soon.
So you can eat corn now too. Kwel.
We had a garden last year and I love fresh corn or frozen if it is done right. Yummy yummy but I am sorry to say I think maybe it doesn't like me anymore. That concerns me somewhat now. I have always been able to eat anything with seeds or corn.
The other night we had some and the next morning well lets say my side really started acting up again..... My IBS hurts there sometimes but just a small ache here and there and this was more than a small ache. It Hurt all morning and my side has felt tender since Feb. My Ibs usually comes and goes and it doesn't hurt and be tender all the time. Something sure is going on. My GP pushed on my side and and so did the GI and I about let out a ouch.. and I usually tolerate pain well. Except for kidney stones. lol That is another story.. lol
Anyway, I will be glad to get some answers and the Good Lord knows what is going on. I am not worried just would like to know so I can change my diet or do whatever I need to do.
I will continue to keep you in my prayers.
Please tell your wife hello for me and she is in my prayers too and your children.
Polly
Ok. I won't worry about the 40 thing. I am almost 46 in June.
Glad your doctor's visit went so well. Know you will be able to do everything soon.
So you can eat corn now too. Kwel.
We had a garden last year and I love fresh corn or frozen if it is done right. Yummy yummy but I am sorry to say I think maybe it doesn't like me anymore. That concerns me somewhat now. I have always been able to eat anything with seeds or corn.
The other night we had some and the next morning well lets say my side really started acting up again..... My IBS hurts there sometimes but just a small ache here and there and this was more than a small ache. It Hurt all morning and my side has felt tender since Feb. My Ibs usually comes and goes and it doesn't hurt and be tender all the time. Something sure is going on. My GP pushed on my side and and so did the GI and I about let out a ouch.. and I usually tolerate pain well. Except for kidney stones. lol That is another story.. lol
Anyway, I will be glad to get some answers and the Good Lord knows what is going on. I am not worried just would like to know so I can change my diet or do whatever I need to do.
I will continue to keep you in my prayers.
Please tell your wife hello for me and she is in my prayers too and your children.
Polly
resection
05-05-2004, 10:53 AM
Good point. The doc said I could eat, that I would want to or that it would agree with me. That is why I am supposed to add in food slowly to figure it out. It is a little different story than he gave before I went in. "Most of my patients resolve with no effects". All water under the bridge. I know it had to come out, especially now that I have come back from pathology.
Still, it is that next leg of the journey we talked about in the diary. So far I have hit them all. One by one. It is good to chop it up into pieces. It is just too big a pill to swallow whole. I am at Food & Trial. Are their any other stages I can look forward to?
First denial
Fear
Knowledge gathering
Acceptance
Surgery
Pain
Surgical Recovery
Return of Gas and BM's
Food Trial & Errors
Denial
Retest - Additional Knowledge Gathering
Acceptance
Life With The New You
PS: I am really looking forward to a good poop today. Man Oh Man!!! Am I ever on a roller coaster. After the surgery, I thought maybe I had come back with a female colon.
I may have been wrong. I think I might have a "Union" colon complete with work slowdowns, disguised unemployment, dues, and collective bargaining instead. I have an organized bowel movement that is holding management (me) hostage. Damn, I never thought I would say this. I wish I had a female colon. I read the demands. Yes demands. Healthy food, comfort food, shorter hours, more water, a little rest and relaxation, input into decision making, a clean workplace. We are talking a major restrucutre.
By comparison with my brief life with a female colon. My large would get moody, cranky, grumpy, cause me pain occasionally, would interrupt important activities (TV sports) at completely inconvenient times, and remind me of my sins (when they were big), but never stopped working, and always forgave me. A little high maintenance, but still worth it. I did not know how lucky I was.
PPS: No offence to the members of the world's organized labor movement.
The man with no shoes complained until he saw a man with no shoes. The man with a female colon complained until he had a union colon. Hmmmmm. Deep Confucian-style wisdom to kick a Wednesday.
I have seen more than a couple of posts wondering what a male colon was. And what a female colon was. What the difference is? Venus and Mars Baby. The male colon. Let's see how do I describe it? Well, given the opportunity almost always chooses taste & looks over sensibility & healthfulness. Sometimes promiscuous, always looking for some variation of the same old meat and potatoes, prone to hangovers, but goes to work several times a day without fail. Never complains, hard working, never nags, works independently. Same work more pay. Has a shorter life span than female model. That's a good start. Oh, and was quite happy not to engage in conversation. That was heaven.
PPPS: No offence to the members of the world's female population.
All analogies where provided in attempt to provide solace, comfort, and a shared experience in a humorous manner. Any rebuking or posts of contempt will be ignored by me. Besides, I cut a deal with Harry to strip them off of the thread in a defiant act of censorship.
Peace,
Resection Man :jester:
Still, it is that next leg of the journey we talked about in the diary. So far I have hit them all. One by one. It is good to chop it up into pieces. It is just too big a pill to swallow whole. I am at Food & Trial. Are their any other stages I can look forward to?
First denial
Fear
Knowledge gathering
Acceptance
Surgery
Pain
Surgical Recovery
Return of Gas and BM's
Food Trial & Errors
Denial
Retest - Additional Knowledge Gathering
Acceptance
Life With The New You
PS: I am really looking forward to a good poop today. Man Oh Man!!! Am I ever on a roller coaster. After the surgery, I thought maybe I had come back with a female colon.
I may have been wrong. I think I might have a "Union" colon complete with work slowdowns, disguised unemployment, dues, and collective bargaining instead. I have an organized bowel movement that is holding management (me) hostage. Damn, I never thought I would say this. I wish I had a female colon. I read the demands. Yes demands. Healthy food, comfort food, shorter hours, more water, a little rest and relaxation, input into decision making, a clean workplace. We are talking a major restrucutre.
By comparison with my brief life with a female colon. My large would get moody, cranky, grumpy, cause me pain occasionally, would interrupt important activities (TV sports) at completely inconvenient times, and remind me of my sins (when they were big), but never stopped working, and always forgave me. A little high maintenance, but still worth it. I did not know how lucky I was.
PPS: No offence to the members of the world's organized labor movement.
The man with no shoes complained until he saw a man with no shoes. The man with a female colon complained until he had a union colon. Hmmmmm. Deep Confucian-style wisdom to kick a Wednesday.
I have seen more than a couple of posts wondering what a male colon was. And what a female colon was. What the difference is? Venus and Mars Baby. The male colon. Let's see how do I describe it? Well, given the opportunity almost always chooses taste & looks over sensibility & healthfulness. Sometimes promiscuous, always looking for some variation of the same old meat and potatoes, prone to hangovers, but goes to work several times a day without fail. Never complains, hard working, never nags, works independently. Same work more pay. Has a shorter life span than female model. That's a good start. Oh, and was quite happy not to engage in conversation. That was heaven.
PPPS: No offence to the members of the world's female population.
All analogies where provided in attempt to provide solace, comfort, and a shared experience in a humorous manner. Any rebuking or posts of contempt will be ignored by me. Besides, I cut a deal with Harry to strip them off of the thread in a defiant act of censorship.
Peace,
Resection Man :jester:
Jenetti
05-05-2004, 12:00 PM
Hey Rman or should i say SC? Ok im not calling you SC, i knew you back when you were just Rman LOL!!
:jester:
()
()
()()
Thats what i see when i think of SC. lol a colon with a crown on it. Well set up time to see doc day prior to surgery. Still mostly on bland or liquid diet, easier on the tummy for me that way. Guess i'll get to ask all the questions i need to when i see her, also sign all papers and hand out vials of blood left and right to all takers. Getting a bit nervous, but anxious as well, just to get it over with and start the healing process, know what i mean?
Thanks for all those who are praying, Polly ive got y ou in my prayers still hon. Rman, music is good, ive got a cd , several actually that is strictly healing music. Thats what i put on when i meditate/pray every day. Its half an hour long and i do it twice a day. Will make sure i pack that to take with me. Should help afterwards in the recovery room. Actually i use music alot for healing. Once i had to have a bone marrow test done. That was 7 years ago at the cancer institue in cc here. I agreed to have it done ONLY if i could take my cd and music in while they were doing it since they don't knock you out. THey agreed. Had hubby holding one hand, then had my music on my head, and i breathed in and out and never even made a sound. As you know bone marrow test is painful. They stick a huge needle deep into your hip BONE and screw out a peice of bone marrow. Afterwards, the doc and nurse asked me what i was listening to because i hadnt even moved during the procedure. I guess i hypnotized myself to a certain extent. LOL but hey whatever it takes, to lessen the pain, i'll do it. Im a huge baby when it comes to pain!! Well pain level is at a 6 , have doubled my pain meds as instructed so it makes me sleepy, going to go lay down for a bit.
Thanks to all who are praying and yes, holding my HAND, you truly are angels.
Love,
Jen
:jester:
()
()
()()
Thats what i see when i think of SC. lol a colon with a crown on it. Well set up time to see doc day prior to surgery. Still mostly on bland or liquid diet, easier on the tummy for me that way. Guess i'll get to ask all the questions i need to when i see her, also sign all papers and hand out vials of blood left and right to all takers. Getting a bit nervous, but anxious as well, just to get it over with and start the healing process, know what i mean?
Thanks for all those who are praying, Polly ive got y ou in my prayers still hon. Rman, music is good, ive got a cd , several actually that is strictly healing music. Thats what i put on when i meditate/pray every day. Its half an hour long and i do it twice a day. Will make sure i pack that to take with me. Should help afterwards in the recovery room. Actually i use music alot for healing. Once i had to have a bone marrow test done. That was 7 years ago at the cancer institue in cc here. I agreed to have it done ONLY if i could take my cd and music in while they were doing it since they don't knock you out. THey agreed. Had hubby holding one hand, then had my music on my head, and i breathed in and out and never even made a sound. As you know bone marrow test is painful. They stick a huge needle deep into your hip BONE and screw out a peice of bone marrow. Afterwards, the doc and nurse asked me what i was listening to because i hadnt even moved during the procedure. I guess i hypnotized myself to a certain extent. LOL but hey whatever it takes, to lessen the pain, i'll do it. Im a huge baby when it comes to pain!! Well pain level is at a 6 , have doubled my pain meds as instructed so it makes me sleepy, going to go lay down for a bit.
Thanks to all who are praying and yes, holding my HAND, you truly are angels.
Love,
Jen
Harry
05-05-2004, 12:13 PM
Resection,
I read most messsages on some boards that interest me but I am not a stripper but I known some of the moderators pretty well!!!
You are certainly doing OK. The thing that still amazes me with dealing with Doctors is they don't tell the bad stuff until it happens to you.
I went from a liquid diet to a soft in the Hospital but here a soft diet is everything except fried chicken. Then several months later I ate some honey dew melon. The next day I had cramping like I have never experienced. At my next Doc visit -- when I complained -- he said remember --" no peanuts, popcorn, fresh fruit or fresh veggies" Somewhere along the recovery and pain cycle my wife and I both missed that instruction cause he never gave it. It is a learning experience.
Since I only have about half my colon left, the urges I get for a movement are real strange at times. I have found that you just you never but never miss a slight urge or signal or any other thing that feels unusual --- extremely suttle happenings. Some of us lose the normal desire and you learn to be very sensitive in areas that never crossed your mind. And the intestines along with other organs are just in the wrong place and are wired wrong ---- needs re-training or better yet recognize the signaling system.
When you have pain --- what is there in that place that is doing IT???
YOU'RE doing fine just One day at a time and don't forget the FIBER!!!
Harry
I read most messsages on some boards that interest me but I am not a stripper but I known some of the moderators pretty well!!!
You are certainly doing OK. The thing that still amazes me with dealing with Doctors is they don't tell the bad stuff until it happens to you.
I went from a liquid diet to a soft in the Hospital but here a soft diet is everything except fried chicken. Then several months later I ate some honey dew melon. The next day I had cramping like I have never experienced. At my next Doc visit -- when I complained -- he said remember --" no peanuts, popcorn, fresh fruit or fresh veggies" Somewhere along the recovery and pain cycle my wife and I both missed that instruction cause he never gave it. It is a learning experience.
Since I only have about half my colon left, the urges I get for a movement are real strange at times. I have found that you just you never but never miss a slight urge or signal or any other thing that feels unusual --- extremely suttle happenings. Some of us lose the normal desire and you learn to be very sensitive in areas that never crossed your mind. And the intestines along with other organs are just in the wrong place and are wired wrong ---- needs re-training or better yet recognize the signaling system.
When you have pain --- what is there in that place that is doing IT???
YOU'RE doing fine just One day at a time and don't forget the FIBER!!!
Harry
snodove
05-05-2004, 12:19 PM
Jen, You are in my prayers too. Thank you for your prayers as well. I have felt rather yucky today. I wish I knew what was going on. Will soon though and the Good Lord Knows. I will be praying for you and we can get through this together. Mine isn't has much as yours but still we can. I hope you get some good healing Cd's and music is wonderful for the soul. Bless you and thinking of you too. Hugs and prayers, Polly
snodove
05-05-2004, 12:23 PM
Hi I am with Jen I find it hard to call you anything else but Resection Man. No offense taken. I found some humor in your post which is nice.
I sure hope you get to feeling better and better. Will keep praying.
Today is my 6th Wedding Anniversary. I started not to say anything but thought I would. Funny my first marriage went slower than this one. lol
Age might have something to do with it and ,too, being married to right person sure doesn't hurt either.
Bless you all and will keep you in my prayers, Polly
I sure hope you get to feeling better and better. Will keep praying.
Today is my 6th Wedding Anniversary. I started not to say anything but thought I would. Funny my first marriage went slower than this one. lol
Age might have something to do with it and ,too, being married to right person sure doesn't hurt either.
Bless you all and will keep you in my prayers, Polly
resection
05-05-2004, 01:17 PM
Harry, Harry, Harry,
You are so quiet, I thought I could sneak past you while wearing your badge. The ever roving eye of Harry. You are so quiet. I thought I was home free.
Ladies,
I am and forever will be Resection Man. I am just running out of material. And soon, I will go back to work, and not be able to hang out on this wonderful board for hours at a time. Besides, I was the self-proclaimed "Supreme Colon".
Real power comes from the people.
I am going to miss you guys when I go in a few days. I will stick around until and through the denouement, the tying up of all of the loose ends on this wacky board. How could I walk away from the final episodes of Potty-Friends? I know we are all going to have good resolutions. We will adjust and keep it going. Look at Harry. He's been through a lot and keeps on going. And, I might add, at least once every two weeks, he makes time to get up on the fiber pulpit and give us all a good sermon.
I think this is a good place to close out the diary as my final episode. Whether I can eat corn or bananas really is not too newsworthy. There are a couple of good story lines going. Polly, SugarPop, Goody, Gator, & Jenny, keep posting your trials and tribulations until you are in quiet, well watered pastures again.
Same here, if something comes up, I will don my cape and return. And you never know, you might just see me harassing some newbie (Goody) again.
What do you say we start a new thread and turn this one over to the next in line for a resection? Perhaps we could just chant periodically with teaser posts and try to get that next person to take over the sharing of their surgical experience and personal bathroom habits.
What do you say Goody? Will you take over the thread? You stumbled in at the wrong time, Honey. Will you do it?
I hope they keep the thread alive in archives for the next poor fool that followed in my footsteps.
A Poodle Named Resection Man - Sounds like a Disney production from the late '60's.
You are so quiet, I thought I could sneak past you while wearing your badge. The ever roving eye of Harry. You are so quiet. I thought I was home free.
Ladies,
I am and forever will be Resection Man. I am just running out of material. And soon, I will go back to work, and not be able to hang out on this wonderful board for hours at a time. Besides, I was the self-proclaimed "Supreme Colon".
Real power comes from the people.
I am going to miss you guys when I go in a few days. I will stick around until and through the denouement, the tying up of all of the loose ends on this wacky board. How could I walk away from the final episodes of Potty-Friends? I know we are all going to have good resolutions. We will adjust and keep it going. Look at Harry. He's been through a lot and keeps on going. And, I might add, at least once every two weeks, he makes time to get up on the fiber pulpit and give us all a good sermon.
I think this is a good place to close out the diary as my final episode. Whether I can eat corn or bananas really is not too newsworthy. There are a couple of good story lines going. Polly, SugarPop, Goody, Gator, & Jenny, keep posting your trials and tribulations until you are in quiet, well watered pastures again.
Same here, if something comes up, I will don my cape and return. And you never know, you might just see me harassing some newbie (Goody) again.
What do you say we start a new thread and turn this one over to the next in line for a resection? Perhaps we could just chant periodically with teaser posts and try to get that next person to take over the sharing of their surgical experience and personal bathroom habits.
What do you say Goody? Will you take over the thread? You stumbled in at the wrong time, Honey. Will you do it?
I hope they keep the thread alive in archives for the next poor fool that followed in my footsteps.
A Poodle Named Resection Man - Sounds like a Disney production from the late '60's.
resection
05-11-2004, 12:31 PM
Post Script May 11, 2004:
Just a few musings and omissions since my last post:
Food:
Trial and Error stinks. Don’t rush. At first you might be so happy to be alive and have a functioning mouth that you want to eat because you can. Bad idea. The belly incision hurts as sustenance moves through your intestines. You will not have the same abs you did before you went in, so take it easy. It may be better to eat fewer, smaller meals than have a large barge of food rolling down river. Trust me on this one.
BM’s:
Unpredictable. With the above problem I just mentioned, it can exacerbate the pain beneath the primary resection incision.
Pain:
It still comes and goes. Early mornings your are stiff and sore, late evening you are tired and sore, as your belly gets larger and larger and larger between BM’s your belly hurts pretty good. Your bum and back is sore from sleeping on the back, so when you roll over on this side or that, you regret it because your guts are kind of mushy. The space that was formally occupied by your gut is vacant. Side to side movement results in your guts shifting around, which can hurt more or less, depending up other co-pain factors like a full belly. Don’t do strenuous anything because you “feel good”, eventually you will not and regret it. I don't want to paint doom and gloom for you however. Every day more or less gets better. It is nuisance pain, but it can keep you up at night.
Adhesions:
Ooops, forgot to learn about adhesions prior to surgery. Actually, before the surgeon told me I had a bunch, and that is why my surgery took so long, I did not know much about them. Adhesions can be very painful, it was probably the reason why driving was becoming more and more difficult for 2004. There is good news however, you cannot prevent them and there is no way to predict them, at least at the current state of the medical arts. So, the good news is that it is not worth worrying about. Also, it appears that the determination as to whether or not you will get them is largely determined in the first 15 days. If they are not there in a month, they will most likely not appear or return.
Responding to the trauma, your body will begin producing the various cells which will become scar tissue, some of that scar tissue will also include specialized seed cells that will throw out connective fibers and glue to anchor the scar tissue. Unfortunately, it can attach to all kinds of things. Adhesions are one of the leading causes of intestinal obstructions in the small intestine if not number one. They are also one of the leading causes of infertility among post-operative women. Some docs are experimenting with films and sprays administered during surgery to reduce adhesions by keeping the tissue moist and limiting fibrin. Fibrin is a white, insoluble, fibrous protein formed in the clotting of blood. Fibrin may act like glue between tissues.
There are some known factors. A rough surgeon. Open produces more than lap. Long surgeries produce more than shorter ones (allowing tissue to dry is thought to be a factor, longer surgeries increase tissue drying). Genetics. People who get adhesions are more likely to get adhesions again. Foreign bodies and surgical debris. Loose blood and lack of blood to tissue, infections, and who knows what else.
The best recommendations seem to be that your surgeon minimize the risk of adhesions by using a gentle surgical technique and powder-free gloves. Lap versus Open. Lap gets the call.
Girdles:
I dropped into a medical supply store near our neighborhood. Jobst, I think that is the right spelling, is the company that made my spiffy thigh high stockings. Anyway, the doc wanted my incisions open and un-occluded, so any thick support would be out of the question. Jobst was very expensive and pretty heavy duty in nature. I skipped out and went to CVS. There I ended up getting a Futuro post surgical support for $30.00. Oh, it felt so good not have my guts move around and around and it gave my sliced belly muscles a break. Oddly, my back began hurting almost immediately. Apparently, other muscles (back) compensate for your weakened belly muscles, and when you give them a break, they b*itch you out. The support has another added benefit, the additional pressure on the belly hastened a BM. Very nice. Anyway, I called the doc to make sure he was cool with my purchase, and he told not to use it. At my age, anyway. He wants to continuously exercise my abs, even if it is painful to shorten the healing process. Also, he wanted my guts to find their new home on their own. The gut shifting is slowed down by not letting the muscles form on their own. It was a brief respite. I got my money back. Too bad, it felt so good.
Glue Ball:
It has been 19 days or so, and I have a glue ball coming out of my belly button. I guess as new skin grows in the button hole (from in to out) the glue ball makes its way forward. It’s beautiful.
There are a couple of other things I left off of thread which might be of value.
Zofram:
Zofram is like Phenergan, but not as caustic on the veins when administered via IV. Also, unlike Phenergan which otherwise comes as suppository or pill, Zofram is a small tab that dissolve on the tongue (or IV). During the cleanse and post operative, it is a handy med. If you are also following Goody2shoes Open Resection thread, you can see the value during cleanse. The harsh antibiotics and nerves had her puking dry heaves. Ask for Zofram as needed when you get your cleanse supplies. It requires a doctor’s Rx.
Xylocaine:
I made a long post on Goody’s thread regarding potassium depletion during cleanse and another tip to minimize the risk of superficial vein thrombosis or phlebitis. Get a shot of Xylocaine at the start of your IV pre-op. You can get the details on her thread.
School Supplies:
Cottonelle Fresh pre-moistened, flushable wipes. Go for it during cleanse and beyond. It beats the paper alternative.
Rough night last night, I was up from 1:30 AM on due to pain. It is related to BMs. The more you go, the better you feel. Don’t eat stuff that tends to bloat. Bad idea.
I started drinking pure Aloe Vera juice a few days ago. It tastes like Bull’s Urine, not that I have ever had bull’s urine, but it is how I would imagine it. Oh my, it is bad, but supposed to be good for you. Does anyone know of any recipes to disguise the horrid taste? I will probably punt, if I cannot get it down. I am afraid to experiment with recipes on my own, because I am afraid of puking. It tastes that bad.
That’s it.
Peace,
Resection Man
Just a few musings and omissions since my last post:
Food:
Trial and Error stinks. Don’t rush. At first you might be so happy to be alive and have a functioning mouth that you want to eat because you can. Bad idea. The belly incision hurts as sustenance moves through your intestines. You will not have the same abs you did before you went in, so take it easy. It may be better to eat fewer, smaller meals than have a large barge of food rolling down river. Trust me on this one.
BM’s:
Unpredictable. With the above problem I just mentioned, it can exacerbate the pain beneath the primary resection incision.
Pain:
It still comes and goes. Early mornings your are stiff and sore, late evening you are tired and sore, as your belly gets larger and larger and larger between BM’s your belly hurts pretty good. Your bum and back is sore from sleeping on the back, so when you roll over on this side or that, you regret it because your guts are kind of mushy. The space that was formally occupied by your gut is vacant. Side to side movement results in your guts shifting around, which can hurt more or less, depending up other co-pain factors like a full belly. Don’t do strenuous anything because you “feel good”, eventually you will not and regret it. I don't want to paint doom and gloom for you however. Every day more or less gets better. It is nuisance pain, but it can keep you up at night.
Adhesions:
Ooops, forgot to learn about adhesions prior to surgery. Actually, before the surgeon told me I had a bunch, and that is why my surgery took so long, I did not know much about them. Adhesions can be very painful, it was probably the reason why driving was becoming more and more difficult for 2004. There is good news however, you cannot prevent them and there is no way to predict them, at least at the current state of the medical arts. So, the good news is that it is not worth worrying about. Also, it appears that the determination as to whether or not you will get them is largely determined in the first 15 days. If they are not there in a month, they will most likely not appear or return.
Responding to the trauma, your body will begin producing the various cells which will become scar tissue, some of that scar tissue will also include specialized seed cells that will throw out connective fibers and glue to anchor the scar tissue. Unfortunately, it can attach to all kinds of things. Adhesions are one of the leading causes of intestinal obstructions in the small intestine if not number one. They are also one of the leading causes of infertility among post-operative women. Some docs are experimenting with films and sprays administered during surgery to reduce adhesions by keeping the tissue moist and limiting fibrin. Fibrin is a white, insoluble, fibrous protein formed in the clotting of blood. Fibrin may act like glue between tissues.
There are some known factors. A rough surgeon. Open produces more than lap. Long surgeries produce more than shorter ones (allowing tissue to dry is thought to be a factor, longer surgeries increase tissue drying). Genetics. People who get adhesions are more likely to get adhesions again. Foreign bodies and surgical debris. Loose blood and lack of blood to tissue, infections, and who knows what else.
The best recommendations seem to be that your surgeon minimize the risk of adhesions by using a gentle surgical technique and powder-free gloves. Lap versus Open. Lap gets the call.
Girdles:
I dropped into a medical supply store near our neighborhood. Jobst, I think that is the right spelling, is the company that made my spiffy thigh high stockings. Anyway, the doc wanted my incisions open and un-occluded, so any thick support would be out of the question. Jobst was very expensive and pretty heavy duty in nature. I skipped out and went to CVS. There I ended up getting a Futuro post surgical support for $30.00. Oh, it felt so good not have my guts move around and around and it gave my sliced belly muscles a break. Oddly, my back began hurting almost immediately. Apparently, other muscles (back) compensate for your weakened belly muscles, and when you give them a break, they b*itch you out. The support has another added benefit, the additional pressure on the belly hastened a BM. Very nice. Anyway, I called the doc to make sure he was cool with my purchase, and he told not to use it. At my age, anyway. He wants to continuously exercise my abs, even if it is painful to shorten the healing process. Also, he wanted my guts to find their new home on their own. The gut shifting is slowed down by not letting the muscles form on their own. It was a brief respite. I got my money back. Too bad, it felt so good.
Glue Ball:
It has been 19 days or so, and I have a glue ball coming out of my belly button. I guess as new skin grows in the button hole (from in to out) the glue ball makes its way forward. It’s beautiful.
There are a couple of other things I left off of thread which might be of value.
Zofram:
Zofram is like Phenergan, but not as caustic on the veins when administered via IV. Also, unlike Phenergan which otherwise comes as suppository or pill, Zofram is a small tab that dissolve on the tongue (or IV). During the cleanse and post operative, it is a handy med. If you are also following Goody2shoes Open Resection thread, you can see the value during cleanse. The harsh antibiotics and nerves had her puking dry heaves. Ask for Zofram as needed when you get your cleanse supplies. It requires a doctor’s Rx.
Xylocaine:
I made a long post on Goody’s thread regarding potassium depletion during cleanse and another tip to minimize the risk of superficial vein thrombosis or phlebitis. Get a shot of Xylocaine at the start of your IV pre-op. You can get the details on her thread.
School Supplies:
Cottonelle Fresh pre-moistened, flushable wipes. Go for it during cleanse and beyond. It beats the paper alternative.
Rough night last night, I was up from 1:30 AM on due to pain. It is related to BMs. The more you go, the better you feel. Don’t eat stuff that tends to bloat. Bad idea.
I started drinking pure Aloe Vera juice a few days ago. It tastes like Bull’s Urine, not that I have ever had bull’s urine, but it is how I would imagine it. Oh my, it is bad, but supposed to be good for you. Does anyone know of any recipes to disguise the horrid taste? I will probably punt, if I cannot get it down. I am afraid to experiment with recipes on my own, because I am afraid of puking. It tastes that bad.
That’s it.
Peace,
Resection Man
resection
06-02-2004, 01:36 AM
Let’s see, a lot has gone on since my last post. I will start at the end first. I feel great now for about a week. This Friday will be exactly six weeks. So, at 4 ˝ weeks, thing began to improve dramatically. I feel really good. I am putting on weight too. I will post the damage tomorrow.
Off and on from week three through the fourth week I would stumble into pretty painful periods, generally the day of and the following day after some irrational food indiscretion. Consequences. Too much of the wrong food has to work its course. I would generally describe it as new form of hell. A small candle burning a very small area intensely for hours on top of hours. For me, in the three o’clock position from the bellybutton. I got a little frightened a couple of times, but managed to keep my cool. I was thinking, damn, I wonder if I have gangrene or something at the anastomosis. It is a roller coaster. You feel good you start getting more active, you eat things you should not, you get sick and hurt and ease off the gas pedal, then start the entire cycle over again.
As it turns, out my internal laces and stitches were just tight for my current lifestyle. And, as I started to feel better, I became more active and ate too much food at one sitting, and then there would be consequences. The pain will bat you down and get you back in line until you are ready. I met with the surgeon a week ago today, and that was his general view. That Sunday and Monday in particular, I was miserable. On Tuesday, the day of my appointment, I was feeling better. I even told him I was considering trying to move my appointment up a day, but then decided against it (at one point I thought I might cry out in pain or at least yelp). This after feeling generally pretty good from weeks two and one half on. Well, except for sneezes. Sneezes hurt right through the first month. Our 80lb Golden Retriever puppy also gave my gut a good jerking somewhere in that time period that left me sore.
On the Saturday or Sunday before my Tuesday appointment, I took off all of my glue. I am not really sure why, I just did. Anyway, I had one stitch hanging out, with a pretty good knot and small length of string left over. It hurt into my belly to fool with it. When the doc cut it loose, is when I started to feel a lot better. He was surprised it had not dissolved. He even pulled and tugged on it for awhile before deciding to cut it out. It must have been the bitter end (sailor talk) of my internal lace job.
An aside to the stitch: We rented a cabin on a Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill County for the Memorial holiday. In the course of playing with the kids I managed to get another stitch to poke through my belly. So at 5 plus weeks, I still had good stitches in my belly. After a day or two of playing with it, Santa took a pair of tweezers and plucked it out of my belly. It was about ˝ inch in length ˝ of which was in good shape and the other half was cobweb silk. So it is indeed dissolving.
Another side note to the stitch cutting day. I took my nephew (Cubs fan) to see the Astros hand then a trouncing, and I got a little drunk later that evening. What can I say, I had not had any drinking going on since December of 2003. Too much Flagyl in my life. We had a great time. It was a double date, Santa and his girlfriend. I am almost embarrassed to say we took the Hooters bus, but it worked out well. Beer and wings and a bus into the city (we are burb-dwellers).
It was either the stitch removal or the Cubs-wings-bender that put me on the road to recovery. It’s too close to call.
The doc is still jazzed about his work. He had another student in trying to guess the purpose of my surgery from the wound pattern. Doc had been pandering for gifts … Scotch, chocolates etc…. I decided to load him up. After $200.00 and some thoughtful shopping, I got a bottle of Oban, four vintage cigars, assorted fine chocolate truffles, Boursin cheese (personal fave), pate, water crackers and bottle of South African wine (he is South African), and dressed it all up in some nice packaging. He was touched and became somewhat un-guy-like on me. He said it is amazing, no one ever tells him thank you.
I had requested my pathology report from the hospital and it came in a few days before my appointment. I cannot thank him enough actually. The report was ugly. I have to go now, but will post some of the highlights later. It helps explain why I was in the OR so long. I am very blessed to be alive.
We’ll leave it at that for tonight.
Peace
Off and on from week three through the fourth week I would stumble into pretty painful periods, generally the day of and the following day after some irrational food indiscretion. Consequences. Too much of the wrong food has to work its course. I would generally describe it as new form of hell. A small candle burning a very small area intensely for hours on top of hours. For me, in the three o’clock position from the bellybutton. I got a little frightened a couple of times, but managed to keep my cool. I was thinking, damn, I wonder if I have gangrene or something at the anastomosis. It is a roller coaster. You feel good you start getting more active, you eat things you should not, you get sick and hurt and ease off the gas pedal, then start the entire cycle over again.
As it turns, out my internal laces and stitches were just tight for my current lifestyle. And, as I started to feel better, I became more active and ate too much food at one sitting, and then there would be consequences. The pain will bat you down and get you back in line until you are ready. I met with the surgeon a week ago today, and that was his general view. That Sunday and Monday in particular, I was miserable. On Tuesday, the day of my appointment, I was feeling better. I even told him I was considering trying to move my appointment up a day, but then decided against it (at one point I thought I might cry out in pain or at least yelp). This after feeling generally pretty good from weeks two and one half on. Well, except for sneezes. Sneezes hurt right through the first month. Our 80lb Golden Retriever puppy also gave my gut a good jerking somewhere in that time period that left me sore.
On the Saturday or Sunday before my Tuesday appointment, I took off all of my glue. I am not really sure why, I just did. Anyway, I had one stitch hanging out, with a pretty good knot and small length of string left over. It hurt into my belly to fool with it. When the doc cut it loose, is when I started to feel a lot better. He was surprised it had not dissolved. He even pulled and tugged on it for awhile before deciding to cut it out. It must have been the bitter end (sailor talk) of my internal lace job.
An aside to the stitch: We rented a cabin on a Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill County for the Memorial holiday. In the course of playing with the kids I managed to get another stitch to poke through my belly. So at 5 plus weeks, I still had good stitches in my belly. After a day or two of playing with it, Santa took a pair of tweezers and plucked it out of my belly. It was about ˝ inch in length ˝ of which was in good shape and the other half was cobweb silk. So it is indeed dissolving.
Another side note to the stitch cutting day. I took my nephew (Cubs fan) to see the Astros hand then a trouncing, and I got a little drunk later that evening. What can I say, I had not had any drinking going on since December of 2003. Too much Flagyl in my life. We had a great time. It was a double date, Santa and his girlfriend. I am almost embarrassed to say we took the Hooters bus, but it worked out well. Beer and wings and a bus into the city (we are burb-dwellers).
It was either the stitch removal or the Cubs-wings-bender that put me on the road to recovery. It’s too close to call.
The doc is still jazzed about his work. He had another student in trying to guess the purpose of my surgery from the wound pattern. Doc had been pandering for gifts … Scotch, chocolates etc…. I decided to load him up. After $200.00 and some thoughtful shopping, I got a bottle of Oban, four vintage cigars, assorted fine chocolate truffles, Boursin cheese (personal fave), pate, water crackers and bottle of South African wine (he is South African), and dressed it all up in some nice packaging. He was touched and became somewhat un-guy-like on me. He said it is amazing, no one ever tells him thank you.
I had requested my pathology report from the hospital and it came in a few days before my appointment. I cannot thank him enough actually. The report was ugly. I have to go now, but will post some of the highlights later. It helps explain why I was in the OR so long. I am very blessed to be alive.
We’ll leave it at that for tonight.
Peace
resection
06-04-2004, 11:43 AM
Six weeks since the surgery. I got up and did 25 sit-ups this AM. Weighed in at 168 lbs (about pre-op). Went to a salad restaurant last night. Two plates of salad and a bowl of black bean soup. No adverse reactions.
The sit ups left a little burn. The muscles atrophy pretty quickly. It felt like I had done about 150 instead of 25. I did not feel anything that would lead me to believe it was hangover from the surgery … just plain old revolt from the muscles for waking them up.
All in all, I continue to thank God for all that He has done for me.
RS
The sit ups left a little burn. The muscles atrophy pretty quickly. It felt like I had done about 150 instead of 25. I did not feel anything that would lead me to believe it was hangover from the surgery … just plain old revolt from the muscles for waking them up.
All in all, I continue to thank God for all that He has done for me.
RS
resection
07-27-2004, 12:58 AM
Start of my 14th Week. Feeling great. Still a little numb around the BB. It has been weeks and weeks of clear sailing. Had a few minor pains last week though and I was a little off in the BM dept. Everything back to normal. Went to the gym three times last week. Starting to travel again. Flying tomorrow. Mostly, I have lots of energy except in the morning ... I just want to hug the wife and stay in bed. That will end in a couple of weeks (school starts for the kiekies).
Except for being a little off last week. I have been telling people I am at least at 100% compared to last January when I fell down the slippery slope. I might even be better.
175 lbs this AM. I have bounced back somewhat and the pounds are stubborn. I would like to stay in the 165-170 range. No discipline on my part!!!
Funny, …. I have lost all recollection of the pain & suffering and most memories of the diverticulosis. Good thing I wrote it all down or it would be lost. I can’t see myself ever reading this thread though unless I had to go through it again.
I still have empathy for others, but it is not the same as when you are living it. Thank God for my damaged memory. Maybe it was also aided by the meds along the way.
Note to self. Another positive by product of the meds, you forget about trauma.
Rex
Except for being a little off last week. I have been telling people I am at least at 100% compared to last January when I fell down the slippery slope. I might even be better.
175 lbs this AM. I have bounced back somewhat and the pounds are stubborn. I would like to stay in the 165-170 range. No discipline on my part!!!
Funny, …. I have lost all recollection of the pain & suffering and most memories of the diverticulosis. Good thing I wrote it all down or it would be lost. I can’t see myself ever reading this thread though unless I had to go through it again.
I still have empathy for others, but it is not the same as when you are living it. Thank God for my damaged memory. Maybe it was also aided by the meds along the way.
Note to self. Another positive by product of the meds, you forget about trauma.
Rex
resection
10-28-2004, 04:49 PM
Start of my sixth month since surgery. Feeling Great.
Weight 176 lbs. Could knock off a few pounds. Got pound creep going on.
Back to some old habits. Holidays coming up. Need to re-evaulate lifestyle. Out of sight, out of mind. Board has continued to be a valuable resource.
Rex
Weight 176 lbs. Could knock off a few pounds. Got pound creep going on.
Back to some old habits. Holidays coming up. Need to re-evaulate lifestyle. Out of sight, out of mind. Board has continued to be a valuable resource.
Rex
MizzMo
10-29-2004, 05:31 PM
Thats great. One month today I was to have a bowel reconstruction for diverticulitus, but I was sicker than first thought, and ended up with a temporary colostomy, and having some problems with being allergic to the adhesive, and it not sticking. I have another 3-4 months to go til its reversed, just not sure if I can make it that long.
resection
10-30-2004, 05:26 PM
Mizzmo,
There are many regular posters that have had a colostomy (and the reversal). I have an Aunt that has had one for almost 13 years. Hang in there. A couple of months to even a year goes by pretty quickly. Then you get a reconnect. You are lucky on two counts. The infection or rupture or whatever didn't kill you, and ... you have the hope of a reconnect.
Same Aunt just finished her sixth month of chemo for breast cancer. It was pretty tough for her. Pain, mouth sores, lost the hair, tummy sickness, all that stuff. White count so low sometimes she can't even safely take visitors.
Even so, and we talk fairly frequently, the six months went by. By next week, she should start to get better and better and better from now on. I am sure this will be an extra special holiday season for her.
So my point is, if I have one, hang in, if you stay busy, maybe the clock will speed up. And, while I truly sympathize for you, and will pray for you as I do all my fellow resecties, everyone that has the ability to still post on this board, should consider themselves blessed.
Well, I have no first hand experience with the colostomy. Posting is a great way to get things off your chest and a great way to get answers, and a great way to meet people with similar stories that will hold your hand.
I see you are a Newbie. If you don’t know how to operate on the board yet and want me to start your very own thread for you I will. Just ask.
Peace,
Rex
There are many regular posters that have had a colostomy (and the reversal). I have an Aunt that has had one for almost 13 years. Hang in there. A couple of months to even a year goes by pretty quickly. Then you get a reconnect. You are lucky on two counts. The infection or rupture or whatever didn't kill you, and ... you have the hope of a reconnect.
Same Aunt just finished her sixth month of chemo for breast cancer. It was pretty tough for her. Pain, mouth sores, lost the hair, tummy sickness, all that stuff. White count so low sometimes she can't even safely take visitors.
Even so, and we talk fairly frequently, the six months went by. By next week, she should start to get better and better and better from now on. I am sure this will be an extra special holiday season for her.
So my point is, if I have one, hang in, if you stay busy, maybe the clock will speed up. And, while I truly sympathize for you, and will pray for you as I do all my fellow resecties, everyone that has the ability to still post on this board, should consider themselves blessed.
Well, I have no first hand experience with the colostomy. Posting is a great way to get things off your chest and a great way to get answers, and a great way to meet people with similar stories that will hold your hand.
I see you are a Newbie. If you don’t know how to operate on the board yet and want me to start your very own thread for you I will. Just ask.
Peace,
Rex
DiverGal
01-12-2005, 07:27 AM
Bumping this for mtsparkles. :) If you are having a colon resection, this is good reading! The ups, the downs and a happy ending.
Dsquad
01-27-2005, 12:51 AM
Hi resection, and everyone else. If anyone still follows this thread I have a queston for you all. In September of 2004, my girlfriend had a large portion of her large intestine removed due to a chronic blockage. 75 percent was removed, all of which was distended to a 6" diameter. Since then we went through all of that which I have just read about recovery. Over time her LB movements became regular and she could not have been happier. her comfort was greatly increased.
This past week she has had little or no movements each day. She is again becoming uncomfortable and bloated. She is concerned because her doctor had advised her that the relieving effects of the surgery may not be permanent. I am wondering if any others have had similar experiences months after the surgery. She is very upset and I want to help but I do not have the answers for her. I hope your experiences can help her. Thank you.
This past week she has had little or no movements each day. She is again becoming uncomfortable and bloated. She is concerned because her doctor had advised her that the relieving effects of the surgery may not be permanent. I am wondering if any others have had similar experiences months after the surgery. She is very upset and I want to help but I do not have the answers for her. I hope your experiences can help her. Thank you.
Tadpolehere4u4
01-28-2005, 01:13 AM
undefined wow! Am I ever glad I found this board! I am a little sad I didn't find it until after surgery, but I survived fine without it too. :-) I am 7 days post op having had a lap procedure and nearly 2 feet of my terribly infected colon removed. I can SOOOOOOOOO relate to resection man, aka supreme colon. I am 35 soon to be 36 year old, (or young, depends on which day it is and how optimistic I am feeling) I have to admit this last year of Diverticulitis and poop problems have left me feeling a bit on the "old" side. Hanging in there and waiting to feel young again! I know my day is coming! So many of my experiences are the same and I am so glad I read your posts, not only were they very helpful and reassuring, but entertaining as well! Not exactly the easiest subject to talk about with most of my friends seeing as they are still young and don't understand even the concept of being constipated. My husband is 6 years my junior and still is trying to figure out how he went from being married to this "young looking" older woman to nursing this "old woman" back to being and feeling young again. Hard on those around you I think sometimes when you are still young. I didn't even understand all the complications to this disease fully until I was scheduled for surgery. Especially after my last attack that landed me in the hospital this last Thanksgiving weekend. Just waiting on the healing to fully happen before I underwent surgery this last week. Anyone else needing support or if I can help calm the pre surgery jitters I would be happy to help in anyway that I can. Just post and I will try my best as I can to post and reply. I am still very tired and sleeping quite a few hours out of the day, but I am still awake quite a few too. Expected pain, just didn't expect so much fatigue!! Wow! This really wipes ones energy! Have had three children natural, and always been back on my feet right away, and I was w/in hours of this surgery too, but boy am I ever tired!!!
Speaking of, I just woke up to take more pain meds and I did, and now I am tired and need to get my beauty sleep, so I am going to hit the hay!
Jeannie
Speaking of, I just woke up to take more pain meds and I did, and now I am tired and need to get my beauty sleep, so I am going to hit the hay!
Jeannie
DiverGal
01-28-2005, 07:24 AM
Jeannie, glad to see you're doing so well! Yep, the surgery does take a lot out of a gal. I'm what my doc calls a "good healer", up and about quickly and had no complications, but I think I spent the first week at home taking naps! I'd get tired and uncomfortable after a few hours, pop a Percoset, take a nap. Then repeat. The tiredness lasted for about three weeks or so. After that I only got tired if I really overdid it (which really can set a person back, so should be avoided). After six weeks I was pretty much back to normal energywise.
This is a great site, with really supportive people who have been down the very road you are now on. At the time I had my surgery (last August), there was another thread with had a whole bunch of other people's experiences, and it came it very handy at times. That thread got killed off for one reason or another, which is a shame, but goody (the original thread's author) recently started another. Feel free to contribute your questions or observations here or in that thread. I think having them out here for people is really helpful to many, even if they never come out of lurking to post.
This is a great site, with really supportive people who have been down the very road you are now on. At the time I had my surgery (last August), there was another thread with had a whole bunch of other people's experiences, and it came it very handy at times. That thread got killed off for one reason or another, which is a shame, but goody (the original thread's author) recently started another. Feel free to contribute your questions or observations here or in that thread. I think having them out here for people is really helpful to many, even if they never come out of lurking to post.
resection
01-30-2005, 12:30 AM
Peace All,
Colonicus is in the house. I have been away for awhile. I think it may take a few days to catch up on the the threads. One year anniversary babies. 4-Jan-2004, 2nd qtr of the the Sugar Bowl, my life takes a turn down a bad road. It was 4th down and long a few days later.
That's all in the past.
29-Jan-2005. Back in the groove, even kept a few pounds off, 171 lbs last time I weighed in a couple of weeks ago. Just back from a nice little vay-cay in Mexico City and Cancun. Very nice.
I just came in to take a peek and was surprised to see the diary back in prime time. I'm on the Boomerang Channel. :cool:
I catch up on my reading and make a few posts if I have anything worth adding in a few.
Peace All,
Rexie
Colonicus is in the house. I have been away for awhile. I think it may take a few days to catch up on the the threads. One year anniversary babies. 4-Jan-2004, 2nd qtr of the the Sugar Bowl, my life takes a turn down a bad road. It was 4th down and long a few days later.
That's all in the past.
29-Jan-2005. Back in the groove, even kept a few pounds off, 171 lbs last time I weighed in a couple of weeks ago. Just back from a nice little vay-cay in Mexico City and Cancun. Very nice.
I just came in to take a peek and was surprised to see the diary back in prime time. I'm on the Boomerang Channel. :cool:
I catch up on my reading and make a few posts if I have anything worth adding in a few.
Peace All,
Rexie
Mode
01-30-2005, 08:55 PM
Hi There,
I'm after a little advise. I had a large bowel resection 2 weeks ago after
having a colostomy for 3 months. Originally caused by Perferated diverticulitis with Peritonitis.
I've been home for a week now and have been constipated the whole time.
4 days without having a bowel movement, needed sepositories to go. and
again 4 days without a movement, more sepositories. I got blocked up each
time from the rectum right up the bowel nearly to the small intestine.
First Time I ate 2 slices of turkey with my dinner and second I had two
little chicken drumsticks with Dinner. I'm so depressed over the situation
and was wondering how long it takes before I can eat a little Chicken or
Turkey / Fish Etc and roughly how long it will take before I can have a
normal Diet. The Doctors told me I could eat light meats like fish and chicken
but they are blocking me up so bad with such a little amount.
Currently I'm just eating Cerial and Vegie Soup and am feeling so sick
and run down. I've lost 8Kg in the last 8 days.
Help or advise would be most appreciated.
Ps: Also does anyone know how long it takes for the bowel resection to
heal properly as I'm so Scared it will leak.
Kind Regards,
Erin
I'm after a little advise. I had a large bowel resection 2 weeks ago after
having a colostomy for 3 months. Originally caused by Perferated diverticulitis with Peritonitis.
I've been home for a week now and have been constipated the whole time.
4 days without having a bowel movement, needed sepositories to go. and
again 4 days without a movement, more sepositories. I got blocked up each
time from the rectum right up the bowel nearly to the small intestine.
First Time I ate 2 slices of turkey with my dinner and second I had two
little chicken drumsticks with Dinner. I'm so depressed over the situation
and was wondering how long it takes before I can eat a little Chicken or
Turkey / Fish Etc and roughly how long it will take before I can have a
normal Diet. The Doctors told me I could eat light meats like fish and chicken
but they are blocking me up so bad with such a little amount.
Currently I'm just eating Cerial and Vegie Soup and am feeling so sick
and run down. I've lost 8Kg in the last 8 days.
Help or advise would be most appreciated.
Ps: Also does anyone know how long it takes for the bowel resection to
heal properly as I'm so Scared it will leak.
Kind Regards,
Erin
DiverGal
01-30-2005, 09:43 PM
Hi Erin! It might help you to read the second half of this thread, as it relates its author's recovery at home and you can probably relate to parts of that right now. I think nearly all of us who have had colon resections have had to deal to some extent with constipation. Some don't have much of a problem, but others have gone through what you're going through. I was somewhere in between. For the first couple of weeks at home, I went through three days without a BM, then might go two days, then have a day with three BMs. I worried about the times I wasn't going and I worried about the times I was maybe going too much, or thought the consistency wasn't "right". One thing to do is just talk with your doctor, find out what he or she thinks. Mine preferred to keep things not too bulky and so I was on a low-residue/low fiber diet for three weeks. After that I was on a normal diet. If you find that meat is binding on you, it's okay nutrition-wise to cut back on it just for a couple of weeks. Stick with what makes your bowel happy for now. Maybe you need to bulk up with just a little fiber, just the least bit, to help your bowel move. A peeled apple a day, or maybe some mid-range fiber cereal in the morning, like Cheerios or oatmeal. And LOTS of water.
You see, I had a perforated colon just as you did, except that I did not need a colostomy. Instead, I spent five months on a low-residue/low-fiber diet trying to heal enough to not have surgery. I ended up having surgery anyway, but I did learn during those five months that if you aren't eating a lot of fiber, you still need to drink a lot of water to keep the bowel contents moving along and keep the colon from working too hard. So do drink at least 2 liters of water a day. It really does help prevent constipation, especially as you add more fiber to your diet.
Also, there is another thread here which is for Colon Resecties. A number of us gather there and it might have some helpful posts for you. There or here, we're happy to help and you have only to ask.
You see, I had a perforated colon just as you did, except that I did not need a colostomy. Instead, I spent five months on a low-residue/low-fiber diet trying to heal enough to not have surgery. I ended up having surgery anyway, but I did learn during those five months that if you aren't eating a lot of fiber, you still need to drink a lot of water to keep the bowel contents moving along and keep the colon from working too hard. So do drink at least 2 liters of water a day. It really does help prevent constipation, especially as you add more fiber to your diet.
Also, there is another thread here which is for Colon Resecties. A number of us gather there and it might have some helpful posts for you. There or here, we're happy to help and you have only to ask.
Crystal Clear
01-30-2005, 09:43 PM
Hi Mode,
I am a Colon Resecty too. Your story sounds like mine, It took me 11 days after my surgery to have a bm. I am going now but the whole process is very uncomfortable. I don't look forward to them at all.
I get pain in my lower abdomen and I guess it's cause things are still healing, My surgery was Jan.11.05. I get sharppains and experience difficulty standing straight when I've been up for awhile. I don't know maybe it will all die down. I know that I can't relate to the people who say they have the runs after this operation, I sure have not experienced that in fact I have been the opposite. I keep wondering if the constipation and uncomfortableness will pass and then I will end up with the runs? I just don't know what to expect.
How are you doing today?
Crystal
I am a Colon Resecty too. Your story sounds like mine, It took me 11 days after my surgery to have a bm. I am going now but the whole process is very uncomfortable. I don't look forward to them at all.
I get pain in my lower abdomen and I guess it's cause things are still healing, My surgery was Jan.11.05. I get sharppains and experience difficulty standing straight when I've been up for awhile. I don't know maybe it will all die down. I know that I can't relate to the people who say they have the runs after this operation, I sure have not experienced that in fact I have been the opposite. I keep wondering if the constipation and uncomfortableness will pass and then I will end up with the runs? I just don't know what to expect.
How are you doing today?
Crystal
Mode
01-30-2005, 11:56 PM
Thanks for your replies DiverGal and Crystal Clear.
I'm okay today - Pretty Depressed as I've been through alot.
I'd been constipated with Diverticulitis for 9 years. Well couldn't go to the
toilet, used to push and push and only liquid came out. I'd been diagnosed with
Iritable Bowel as all test came back normal. Wasn't until my sigmoid colon
Burst that they new what was wrong. was a 7 hours surgery as I had peritonitis
very badly for a week before going to the ER. They removed 2 Feet of bowel
and 8 liters of puss and bowel contents from my abdomen cavity during surgery.
I guess the good news is I did have a normal Poo today. First in 9 years.
Regds,Mode
I'm okay today - Pretty Depressed as I've been through alot.
I'd been constipated with Diverticulitis for 9 years. Well couldn't go to the
toilet, used to push and push and only liquid came out. I'd been diagnosed with
Iritable Bowel as all test came back normal. Wasn't until my sigmoid colon
Burst that they new what was wrong. was a 7 hours surgery as I had peritonitis
very badly for a week before going to the ER. They removed 2 Feet of bowel
and 8 liters of puss and bowel contents from my abdomen cavity during surgery.
I guess the good news is I did have a normal Poo today. First in 9 years.
Regds,Mode
goody2shuz
01-31-2005, 12:31 AM
What do you say Goody? Will you take over the thread? You stumbled in at the wrong time, Honey. Will you do it?
Hey everyone...lots of Newbies here and glad to see that this thread has been brought back to life :bouncing: Yup....Goody took over Rex's AKA's Supreme Colon's job while he went flitting off to South of the Border with Santa ;) So how did I do Rex??? Did I live up to your Supreme standards ???I stumbled and took on the job and gave it my best....didn't want to disappoint you ;)
This is where it all began...yup Rex is the man who held my hand and taught me how to get through the pre & post resection jitters. He really know how to bring a group of people together...geting you through the slice & dicing process all with a smile and calling on our sense of humors to get through the most sensitive of subjects.....the dirty bowels with all the poopy problems :D :D
Welcome to our newest resecties....Jeannie, Erin, Crystal, Cowgirls, and the newest Resectie to be.....Sara :wave: Cowgirl is a real champion having had a total resection removing her entire large intestine with anastomosis of small intestine to rectum. Sara is looking into having this done as well after already having had a partial resection with continuing problems with constipation. They have been meeting on my thread and holding hands helping Sara to come to the best decision regarding further surgery.
DSquad.....I will keep your GF in my prayers. Could there possibly be a chance that she has developed adhesions which have twisted around part of her colon causing a blockage. This happened to one of resecties, Minnie, and it was rather scary.....perhaps you should discuss this with her surgeon. It is one of the complications that may occur after abdominal surgery.
Well....it's nice to be home once again. Divergal...thanks for your vote of confidence in regard to my thread...yes my old one that died off was a good one....sort of the missing chapter between this one and my new one but the support is phenomenal and I know anyone going for a resection will be well taken care of both before and after their surgery.
Rex...nice to see you on primetime again....your vacation is over and it's your turn to carry the torch for a time. Actually it's been quite a privelege sharing the honors with you....yes you're the Supreme Colon and Goody is proud to have been walking in your two shoes ;) Blessings to everyone and good to see everyone gathering in the place where it all began....Goody :wave:
Hey everyone...lots of Newbies here and glad to see that this thread has been brought back to life :bouncing: Yup....Goody took over Rex's AKA's Supreme Colon's job while he went flitting off to South of the Border with Santa ;) So how did I do Rex??? Did I live up to your Supreme standards ???I stumbled and took on the job and gave it my best....didn't want to disappoint you ;)
This is where it all began...yup Rex is the man who held my hand and taught me how to get through the pre & post resection jitters. He really know how to bring a group of people together...geting you through the slice & dicing process all with a smile and calling on our sense of humors to get through the most sensitive of subjects.....the dirty bowels with all the poopy problems :D :D
Welcome to our newest resecties....Jeannie, Erin, Crystal, Cowgirls, and the newest Resectie to be.....Sara :wave: Cowgirl is a real champion having had a total resection removing her entire large intestine with anastomosis of small intestine to rectum. Sara is looking into having this done as well after already having had a partial resection with continuing problems with constipation. They have been meeting on my thread and holding hands helping Sara to come to the best decision regarding further surgery.
DSquad.....I will keep your GF in my prayers. Could there possibly be a chance that she has developed adhesions which have twisted around part of her colon causing a blockage. This happened to one of resecties, Minnie, and it was rather scary.....perhaps you should discuss this with her surgeon. It is one of the complications that may occur after abdominal surgery.
Well....it's nice to be home once again. Divergal...thanks for your vote of confidence in regard to my thread...yes my old one that died off was a good one....sort of the missing chapter between this one and my new one but the support is phenomenal and I know anyone going for a resection will be well taken care of both before and after their surgery.
Rex...nice to see you on primetime again....your vacation is over and it's your turn to carry the torch for a time. Actually it's been quite a privelege sharing the honors with you....yes you're the Supreme Colon and Goody is proud to have been walking in your two shoes ;) Blessings to everyone and good to see everyone gathering in the place where it all began....Goody :wave:
Mode
02-03-2005, 11:08 AM
Hi Everyone,
Well it's been just over two weeks since my resection. Have been to
the hospital for an enema and have had to use supositories every few
days since I've been home.
My problem is I'm getting constipated with a high fibre diet and plenty of
water. The Stool is soft, but I have to push to get it out. I feel like my
bowels are full and am very tender around the mid section and still as bloated
as before. I'm also as bloated as I was 3 months ago before the first op when
I had a stoma created. Also when I push a little to get the stool out I
get a stinging pain around the bowel (Just above the groin area)
Has anyone else experianced this??
I'm just wondering if it's because I havn't had a normal bowel movement
for 8 or so years as I had diverticulitis that was diagnosed as irritable bowel
until the bowel perferated
Any help would really be appreciated.
Ps: also wondering if anyone knows how long it roughly takes for the bowel
to heal properly after a resection?
Regards,
Mode
Well it's been just over two weeks since my resection. Have been to
the hospital for an enema and have had to use supositories every few
days since I've been home.
My problem is I'm getting constipated with a high fibre diet and plenty of
water. The Stool is soft, but I have to push to get it out. I feel like my
bowels are full and am very tender around the mid section and still as bloated
as before. I'm also as bloated as I was 3 months ago before the first op when
I had a stoma created. Also when I push a little to get the stool out I
get a stinging pain around the bowel (Just above the groin area)
Has anyone else experianced this??
I'm just wondering if it's because I havn't had a normal bowel movement
for 8 or so years as I had diverticulitis that was diagnosed as irritable bowel
until the bowel perferated
Any help would really be appreciated.
Ps: also wondering if anyone knows how long it roughly takes for the bowel
to heal properly after a resection?
Regards,
Mode
goody2shuz
02-03-2005, 11:23 AM
Hi, Mode. Sorry to hear that you are still having a rough time. I was told that it woiuld take a full year before the bowel totally healed by my surgeon. This is taking into consideration all the internal work that has been done.