Surgery - Home - Stricture - Home!!

Well, I had surgery on June 5th and other than some swelling at the opening to the pouchy, it was a cakewalk. Oh, that and I am horribly allergic to Morphine. No, I didn't itch, instead I was a JOY and went PSYCHOTIC!! LOL!! I was lucky enough to start 'seeing' ghosts/phantoms, I thought the nurses were all either trying to 'get' me or ignoring me, and I was either laughing hysterically or crying unconsolably. Although my husband and Father thought this was hysterically funny, I was quite embarassed and happy that they finally took me off of that nasty stuff. I was apparently quite a fun person to observe while on the morphine drip! I got home on the 7th, and other than a bit of trouble with the swallowing, things were fine. I admit I was dang tired of clears by Sunday though!! LOL!! I started full liquids on the following Monday and began vomiting everytime I ate. I figured it was me drinking to quickly, to much, or whatever and ignored it. Little did I know that this was the beginning of the signs that things were going really wrong. By the end of the week I was barely able to drink my 3 protein drinks and keep them down...after those I couldn't drink anything else for several hours, and my energy levels plumeted to almost nothing. All of this I thought was normal...though I was getting concerned. I figured I had my two week appt. on the following Tuesday, so whatever was going on I would adress to them then. As it turns out, by Tuesday I was so severely dehydrated that I was forgetting things I shouldn't and wasn't realizing that I wasn't using the bathroom regularly. Hindsight really is 20/20. LOL!! Anyway, by the time I got to the Dr...who is 40 min. away...they saw right away that I had a stricture and when the leak test thing confirmed it..I was admitted straight away into the hospital for the second time. Yeah rah! Apparently, the average opening from the espohegus to the pouch is about 15mm. Mine was restricted to less than 1 mm....so basically closed. I spent Tuesday and Wensday in the hospital being rehydrated and then I had the endoscopic proceedure to stretch it out. Sadly they couldn't use the baloon, and resorted to a pediatric scope to get it open to 8mm. (Dr. said they could barely get a guide wire through...YIKES!!) So...now we wait, hope and pray that it will stretch some on it's own or at the least...stay open!!! We don't want to deal with that again. By the time I had gone into the hospital I had forgotten how much I weighed, my birthday, and where I parked my car...plus my kidneys were in stage one of shutting down....And here, I didn't even realize it..I just wanted a nap!! So, although quite serious, it has a happy ending!! Sadly, now I have to start at Stage one eating again, but I am lucky in that this time out I am on the accelerated program and can advance though the lines every couple of days to get where I SHOULD be...LOL!! So...if anyone has any stricture questions...I am your info. girl!!! Take care all, and I hope your recoveries are a lot less eventfull than mine!!

My goodness what an "adventure". I am glad you are home and I will pray your "opening" stays open (or stretches). Here is a foaming protein drink to hoping the rest of your recovery is uneventful. MsSmiles

Thank You very much. I too hope that, but it doesn't look like it will pan out. LOL!! I will probably be visiting the OR again in the near future... I tell ya, I couldn't get it closed for 30 years...now...I can't keep the dang thing open!!! LOL!! It's always extremes with me!!

YOU HAVE SUCH A GREAT ATTITUDE!! . I am sure what ever comes next you'll do just fine, just keep that positive attitude. MsSmiles

Wow Laura, what a beginning you've had!! I'm glad that at least for the moment it seems you're on the mend. You have an excellent, upbeat attitude about it all and I do appreciate the warning not to ignore sympotms like that too!! I would have done the same as you and now - I'll think back on this story. (((HUGS))) and I'm praying you'll either continue to stretch out to that 15mm or that at the very least it won't shrink back again. Glad to have you back, and thank you for sharing your story. Lots of love and (((HUGS))) to you, Tin K

Thanks...If I can be helpful...well that's what this is here for right. Yep, remember that vomiting is NOT normal...always ask if you are vomiting a lot!! I also learned that Gas X strips will save your life after surgery...they melt on your tounge. They will help with those gas pains afterwords. I have a whole slew of little things I have learned that have made this whole thing easier and some day I will get it out there for all the Pre-ops who like me, want to know every single last detail so there are no surprises. And I am proud to say, I have yet to be surprised by anything that is happening to me!! (Which is probably why I can be so *****y about it!! LOL!!)