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. At the time I was pretty upset, I just wanted the darn thing 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. I also learned a valuable lesson. The boards are a great place to chat and gather information. But it is so important to listen to the advice of the "veterans". They have been there, and done that, and we can benefit greatly from their experience. I don't believe that I would have gone to the hospital as soon as I did, because of the ol' pride thang! But am so glad that I did.....or I'd still be there. Patti

Patti! I'm so glad that you are doing ok!! I hope you got a lot of email well wishes! I had everyone praying for you. I'm glad it wasn't something more serious! I'm glad you are home now. Amy

Patti, so glad you're home and feeling better. Thanks, too, for posting what you've gone through. It helps to hear the whole range of posibilities - good and bad. Hope everything from here on out is smoother sailing. Barb

Hey Patti, I read all about you on the Appel-Steinburg board. It makes me feel better to see this in your own hand. I am so glad you survived your ordeal. It sucks when we have setbacks, it just makes you confused and disoriented. I am so happy you are back on track. Continue to rest and take care of yourself. My prayes will continue. Denise

Thanks for the wishes everyone. I am doing much better at getting fluids in. I hate being back on this liquid diet, but consider it just a minor setback. Patti