Home....

Hey everyone. I got released last night. They sent me home with pretty much NO MEDS. The meds that were controlling the intestine spasms, keeping the diarea to just after meals...all gone. So yes, the diarea is back in full swing as is the spasms. Today, I have been totally wiped out. The spasms and diarea are just wiping out every bit of energy I have. They even removed the pic lines so now the visiting nurse has to try to get a vein each day in order to pull a sample for the coumadin test. It took her about 10 minutes to get enough blood this morning for one tube! If it weren't for the meds I had left over from the plastic surgery, I wouldn't even have anything for pain. It's nuts! I am hoping tomorrow will be better. The visiting nurse gave us some ideas to try for the diarea...hopefully the combo will work. Something needs to. The GI doc they sent to see me said that the diarea could last for 3 months. I really don't think I can handle three months worth like today. I see Dr. Gupta Thursday. I'm hoping she can come up with some suggestions...or at least meds to help. I'd love to hear from you. Most of you have my phone number from Floyd's list. You're welcome to call...just remember that right now, I tire easily. I'd love to see you too, but call first..k? I wish I could be more upbeat, but the best thing I can say is that I'm home. I feel worse than I did 2 days ago (on the meds) but it is so good to be home. Sherri

Sherri,  So glad you are home, even when you feel bad you feel better at home.  Hope the spasms and Diarea dont last too long.  It seems like you were gone from the board forever.  I havent been able to be on much, my new job and the kids keep me too busy most days.  They are at their moms this evening for 3 hours. Some evenings i dont get home till about 7 and i leave home at 5:30 am. Life is crazy right now.   Get your rest and try to get better.. You have been in my thoughts and prayers and will continue to be.   Hugs, Carla

Carla,

Thank you. Yes, a month does seem like forever. I do wish I had that haspital bed here at home. Our bed is a 85% motionless waterbed. I know it'd be comfortable right now but because it's a waterbed it has that wooden side. I wouldn't be able to get out of bed with that there. So...I've been trying to sleep on the guest bed. Ok, if you can sleep on your side but rough on the tailbone area if you can't...and right now, I can't. I ended up getting up durring the night and sleeping on the couch. Not ideal, but better at any rate. Thank goodness it's older and the springs aren't perfect so it allows so give..lol.

Best wishes with the new job!

Sherri

Wow, you have been gone forever!  OK, how did the plastic surgery do?  Did this new problem impact the PS?  Do they know what caused all this?  I sure hope you can get some rest and feel better!!

No one is saying what caused all of this. I do have my own suspicions. And no, it wouldn't be directly due to the ps. A few days after the ps, I couldn't breathe and went to the ER. They said I had pnumonia and admitted me (Friday-Monday). They kept trying to get me to cough and each time I tried, I could feel the wire used to tighted the abs bounce on my insides. I believe this is what caused the blood supply to be blocked to the intestines. A week later, tests showed that I had a blood clot in my lung and in my leg. This makes me question very seriously as to if I ever even had pnumonia. A blood clot in your lung can also make it difficult to breathe. So I believe I got the wrong diagnosis and the wrong treatment. Those two wrongs could have killed me. I'm not sure how to track that or which doctor to ask to track it but I'm hoping that between Dr. Gupta, Dr. Brooks (my pcp) and Dr. Bergman (the plastic surgeon), one of them will. The ONLY fault that lies with the ps is that they should do more prevenative measures against blood clot formation...ie, lovenox injections like when you have an RNY. I do plan on discussing this with Dr. B at my next appointment. My thigh lift looks fine. I think I'll probably end up with more scaring than normal because I haven't been able to wear the compression garment. The tummy tuck...well, I totally lost the portion of it where they tighten your abs when they had to open my stomach up to get to the intestines. I still have a big hole there. How it's going to look 3 months from now, who knows. At the ps, she gave me a cute little belly button. Right now, it's to the left of this hole in my stomach and very unrecognizeable to a non-medical person as being a belly button. It sits about parallel with my left breast...no where near the center of my body. I think the panni part looks ok. Because of a month being in the hospital and no exercising, etc, my back side looks like it needed the full body left even more. I'm hoping as I get back to normal, this improves. After the hole in my tummy is fixed, maybe I'll be more impressed...lol. Sherri

Sherri, I don't know what your stomach can handle right now, but I know of a trick that might work. I have had IBS for most of my life and non of the traditional meds for diarhea worked on me. My grandmother told me to mix baby barley cereal into yogurt or just eat it plain. after a day or two, it always worked. I don't know if you've tried that or not- I just thought I'd suggest it. She grew up on a dairy farm and they used to give ground barley to the cows that were having intestinal issues. Please rest and take care of yourself. Hugs, Angie

Angie, Thank you for the suggestion. I'll keep it in mind. How much do you eat per meal/day? Think it'd be ok mixed in with oatmeal? The visiting nurse also had IBS and she suggested citrucel. She also told me to eat the BRAT diet...Banana's-rice-Applesause-Toast. She didn't say how to fix the rice so I had oriental fried rice last night so it'd have some flavor. She didn't say how much either but I did good getting down about a half a cup. I'll do the banana and toast for breakfast. The applesauce ain't happening though..lol. It's a sad statement when you can say that you felt like rejoicing because when you went to the bathroom this morning, you ONLY had to pee! That's how I felt this morning though. On the plus side, I was 167 yesterday and 165 today.  Sherri

So glad to hear that you are home at least, Sherri.  You have been down a long and rough road, and now it is time for some smooth sailing!!! Hopefully the barley will work.  I had also heard that, and I hope you try it!!!  Take care, and get plenty of rest, you need it!

Thanks LaChelle!  I plan on having my daughter pick me up some barley during her next grocery run for us. Trust me, I'm resting all I can! Sherri

Welcome home and back to thhe boards. I hope your problems leave you soon. Missed you. Love & Hugs.