Hi Everyone...I'm Home

Hi Everybody...I got home on Tuesday2/10(operated on thursday 2/5)...Had some complications ...Now I want everyone to know that I do not believe that the 3 nurses who were idiots and attempted to take care of me had no reflection on the wonderful care I recieved at Maine General Hospital(Augusta)....My nurse the first night I was in there never got me up out of bed at all....Now I believed there was a reason and I didn't say anything, plus I was on so much morphine I didn't know up from down(stupid me)....Anyway, The nurse I had the next day was my angel for the rest of my stay...She was livid when she found out I was never gotten out of bed...Needless to say she said something to her supervisor....I got up and of course felt like sitting right back down........But I got up and walked and headed immediately to the shower...I felt soooooo gross....I felt so much better afterwards.....Anyway, As the day went on I kept trying to figure out why I was having so much trouble breathing...I couldn't catch my breath and they had me on 3litres of oxygen....It didn't feel like it was enough....My O2 level was 87 without O2 and 90 with O2...So I wanted to walk to see if that would help but that was so much of a challenge I could only go so far.... Dr Aslam came in and was evaluating me and said keep up with the incentive spirometer which I could barely get to 500 but I tried....Then I started getting breathing treatments and it didn't even feel like it was doing a darn thing for me....Then they ordered a chest x-ray...They did it in my room .....They saw something just didn't know what....So I continued doing everything I was told and man it was so hard breathing....Alot of the nurses came in to gimme my meds and to cheer me up....I would sit in my room and see other people walking who had the surgery same day and they looked like it was a walk in the park.....I was like what the hell is wrong with me that I can't do that too.....My daughter stayed for two days with at the hospital with me also and she tried to do everything she could to cheer me up and to put some fire under the butts of those idiot nurses.... Finally they ordered another x-ray and I had to go to the x-ray machine itself this time.....Low and behold after the results came back they found I had Pnenumonia and alot of fluid in my lungs.....I was not happy....Dr.Aslam ended up tapping 850 cc out of my lungs and boy what a relief...I could breath again....It was a little uncomfortable for a while but I made me feel better....I do not regret anything I have done!!!But WOW what a big thing to go through....One great thing that did happen, my dr was able to do my surgery laproscopic, something even he said at the last visit he would try but couldn't guarantee....I was very happy about that....So I am 9 days out and I am not allowed to drink ANYTHING, everything goes through a feeding tube.....Hopefully Tuesday I will get my JP drains out and I will be allowed to start the process of fluids...I have to have a swallowing test first....I think the hardest part of all this is not being able to drink anything....I can swish and spit but that's it....I can have gatorade,CIB or water plus my meds through my best friend the G-tube(g-tube for 1 month)......I am slowly working on laying on my side again....I have no recliner so I sleep sitting up....I think that's it for now....I will post again soon....Thanks for all the prayers love and support...I'm sending it right back atcha guysHelen

Welcome home Helen!!! I am sorry you went through so much, you seem to have such a great attitude still. Things will get better, just take it one day at a time. Congratulations on being a loser!!! Theresa

Helen, I also had my surgery on the 5th, but never had as much trouble as you did. The epidural was my biggest problem.(I had open RNY) They tried to get me up the day of surgery and my left leg was so numb that I couldn't feel it. The next day they lowered the amount of medicine I was getting through the epidural and I got better within a few hours. I've had enough trouble since I came home. I had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic thay put me on which caused big sores on my mouth, so they put me on Benadryl and I had reaction to that which caused heart palpitations. And I've had the diarrhea awful. I'm having a very hard time getting in enough fluids, and I don't feel like eating. It seems that I always have this feeling of fullness, but Dr. Clough(Bangor) says that it's okay to feel that way even though it's uncomfortable. I can't wait to go back for my two week post op visit to see how much I have lost. Good Luck and I hope that your feeling better soon. Michelle Austin

Hi Helen, I'm so glad that you are home and feeling better! What an ordeal for you to experience! Your attitude will help you heal all the faster. Thanks for being such a good role model. I look forward to hearing your updates and that you are drinking liquids and venturing into your new lifestyle. Best wishes to you! Kent

Congratulations on your surgery... I am soo sorry to hear about what you had to go through though..I believe that if the first nurse woudl ahve gotten up the first day..maybe the pneumonia could have possibly been prevented...I work in a nursing home and we are told get everyone up, at least, in their chair everyday... so they don't lay there and end up with pneumonia. That is just my opinion!!! I hope you get better soon. Ill be thinking of you and look forward to seeing your updates..take care!! Erika

Congrats on your surgery, however I am sorry to hear about the ordeal that you had to go through. I also didn't have a great hospital stay, but I followed up with the nursing manager, and with a written complaint. I had surgery on Jan 30th, and everything is going pretty well. Everyone said week 3 was awful, and right now I have to agree. Can't wait to hear future updates when you can start drinking, eating etc. Take care, ~Heather

Hi Helen Glad to hear you are doing better. I wondered how your surgery went and am sorry to hear of your ordeal while in the hospital. Sometimes people just don't listen to us. We know our bodies and feel we know, from others experiences, what we should be doing after surgery to help ourselves improve. I hope you keep on feeling better and that your journey from here on goes smoother. I am still scheduled for Feb. 27th . Getting nervous!!! Keep up the good work!! Cindy (MAINER IN EXILE)

Helen, Wow you really had one heck of a time! It'll all be worth it once this rough stuff is over, hang in there with us. Casey