Home from Hospital - I Dehydrated!

Hi Y'all, Well, finally home after a miserable week at the hospital. Last Friday I started with the nausea, cramping and diarrea. I had already been having problems getting liquids in because they would just make me really nauseaus. In fact, at my visit with Dr. A that Monday he decided it best to leave in the G-tube because I was not getting enough liquids down. I remember I was upset with him, because I really wanted it out. By Sunday I was absolutely miserable. I posted on my surgeon's group board a question if we could have Immodium or Pepto and got blasted with replies that we couldn't and that I had to call the Doctor. So I called Dr. Appel's service. Dr. Appel was out of town and a Dr. Katz was covering for him. Well, I was told to report to DMC immediately! I was admitted and testing began! Off to Radiology where I was expected to drink barium, keep it down, and make pretty pictures. It took 5 ounces (eventually) of barium to keep enough down to show anything. Good news - no leaks in the new pouch, old stomach and complete intestinal tract. El Perfect-o! I was assigned a nursing staff that would have made their High School Math teachers proud. They believed in measuring everything! Measure what goes in, measure what goes out, determine how much stays in! And I do mean...everything! Sometimes I don't think that the "hat" in the commode was big enough! Now it is Tuesday, and here comes Hurricane Frances, or the remnants thereof, knocking on Georgia's door. Some fool let her in! Power went out in the hospital at about 5:30 a.m. Essential power was available, and I found out that lighting (not even the bathroom) was not considered essential! Power did not come on until after 9:00 a.m. After a couple of days of wide open IV, I wasn't making much progress, in fact had gotten so weak that I could barely raise my arms. Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. Dr. Appel arrives at my bedside! Just seeing him made me feel better. He had to stay home Tuesday to monitor his roof addition at his home. He apologized for not being available and promises to get things turned around. (Oh, by the way, his addition to his roof.....was a HUGE oak tree!) He poked, prodded and pinched. Within minutes after he left, 2 nurses arrived, one armed with a dark green IV bag that stated it was light sensitive (oh no....will it make me glow in the dark) and the other with a hand full of needles and junk. The green bag was full of potassium, magnesium, multivitamins and other supplements. The needles -> a B-12 shot, Phenergan and antibiotics. I believe I was pumped full of enough vitamins and supplements to fill 3 shelves at the Nutrition Depot! Soon behind them came the Dietician (Hey, I remember her!) She and Dr. A had a plan. For 12 hours a day I would be connected via my G-tube (good thing it was left in) to an external nutrition machine which dispensed a meal replacement drink (like Ensure). This would run from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night. In addition, every four hours around the clock, the nurse came in and mixed up 2 packets of protein powder and pushed them directly into the G-tube! Thursday morning and am starting to feel better. And.....I can start on some liquids! Friday and am feeling much better after a second night of "Ensure", another IV bag of vitamins and lots of liquids! IV blew again and they were just finishing up on inserting IV number 4 when Dr. A walks in and asked if anyone felt like going home! So, after your surgery It is important that you get as close to 64 ounces of fluid in per day, and that it stay down. Anytime you have extreme diarrea, nausea and vomitting....don't wait. Call your doctor! The Bad -> Although I have finished my 3 weeks of clear liquids and 3 weeks of pureed foods, I am back on a clear liquid diet for at least another week. I was so looking forward to some grilled fish! Don't really know what happened. It could have been a bug, or just my system saying "Enough"!!! Either way, it needed a kick start and that's just what happened. To date I have lost 38 pounds. Not real shabby for 6 weeks. Well, I had to swear that I would stick to the schedule if I got out of the hospital, so time for protein. I swear, it is tough going back to Chicken Broth, but gotta do what I gotta do. Hope all's well out your way! Patti

Wow, Patti - I'm sorry you had such a tough time!! I also had some problems and had to get rehydrated (amongst other things). I don't get anywhere near 64 oz of fluid - if I did that I wouldn't be able to eat!! I get in about 30-36 oz. per day - that's honestly the best I can do. Guess all that will come in time. I hope things will continue to improve for you. Hugs, Nancy

Thanks, Nancy. I am really trying hard to get more fluids in each day. Am still tired from the ordeal, but the Dr. said I will slowly but surely get my energy back. I wasn't doing well at measuring how much fluids I was getting in at first, so am sure I wasn't getting in near enough. I know how important that is NOW. Patti

Sounds like you've been for a rough ride. I'm glad that you are beginning to feel better. You're right about liquids. It's important to get as much in as possible. I'm still not at 64oz, and really have no idea how much I drink in a day...maybe 40oz. I've been lucky, though...and I drink more now than I ever did as a pre-op.

Thanks, Pamela. I mentioned before that I never really measured or kept a real count on how much I was getting in each day, fluid wise. Now I understand how important that is. Good luck on getting all your fluids in! Patti

Patti, You really had a bad time of it, but they way you have written about itall shows your sense of humor...and that will get you through this. Good luck..this time around. You will be eating solids before you know it! Joanie

Thanks, Joanie. I have found that through this journey a sense of humor was necessary.....or I'd have been crying all the time. You have to take all the hurdles with a grain of salt and keep on moving. I think it is a real test to whether or not you were serious about committing to the surgery. Patti

Welcome home, Patti! WOW! You've really been through alot since we e-mailed last week! Guess it was a really good thing your doctor made you keep that darn g-tube in. Sounds like you're on the road to feeling better and hopefully will be able to get in more water and protein. Your weight loss is awesome! Take care of yourself! Gail D.

Hiya Gail!!! Yuppers, what a crappy week. Sure am glad that the Dr. was able to get me back on track. I guess he knew what he was doing when he talked me into keeping the G-tube. It would have been horrible to have one put back in. Am doing better each day at getting in the fluids. I keep a bottle of something or another by my side at all times! Even on the night stand!!! I know how important it is now...no more guessing. Hope you are doing well, Patti

Patti, so sorry you've had to go through this. I am praying for a smooth road for you from hereafter! My only problem is that within 2 weeks postop, I developed a stricture in my pouch. Had to check back in to the hospital and they performed an endoscopy. Ever since then pretty much everything is fine! Leonard