Yay! I'm alive!!

Don't apologize for the rant! I stopped going to my surgeon for follow-ups because all it was was me shelling out co-pays for him to touch my belly for two seconds and tell me,

"You look great!"

It could have been that he was genuinely trying to compliment me, but by then, having had the number of interactions with him I'd had, I was beginning to suspect he was really telling me/himself what a great job *he'd* done on me. Like you, I was still underweight and not at all what I know health to look like.

Three days is not much at all for a person who was so ill leading up to an invasive procedure. Best wishes to you.

Thanks Jen,
I'm doing better today...still no poop and it is getting uncomfortable

Thanks PV,
It's always nice to hear from you...you seem to come along when I am at my worst. I saw the surgeon today. They are keeping me one more day, but definitely sending me home tomorrow. Still no bowel movement, but they say they aren't concerned. I feel terrible...like I was hit by a truck, but now I think the nurses just think I'm a malingerer. I walk every two hours and just took a shower, but it's only by sheer force of will on my part, but they see it as "see, she's just fine." I think I'm severely depressed today. Meanwhile, I think my dog is dying. She is having D all over the house. I just yelled at my husband that he must call the vet...he's been stalling because he's more worried about me. Ok, enough of my ranting. I'm probably ok, this is just all really hard.

Thanks Beckysmom,
Yes, I do pass gas at times and the doc hears bowel sounds in all four quadrants. I have no appetite...I feel so bloated, but I order trays of food and eat little bits...soup, and cold things like sherbet go down best, and I've had canned peaches and pears. So I'm definitely going home tomorrow. Can you tell me what it was like when your daughter first pooped? (or anyone else who had this surgery can chime in) Was it terribly painful? How long did it take? Was it D? I just don't know what to expect. BTW, did your daughter see Dr. Hanauer? How did it go? What tests did he order?

I have a private room, but it is a very weird setup. I share a toilet with a patient in the room next door, but I have the sink in my room and the showers are down the hall. They just moved a patient into the adjoining room who just got out of the ICU with bacterial pneumonia. I guess I really should have left this morning. I am using alcohol wipes and wiping down then entire bathroom...toilets, handles, doorknobs, etc each time I go, but it is exhausting. I don't have OCD and I'm not particularly germ phobic, it just makes sense that being exposed to bacterial pneumonia in my current state would not be a great idea. My other option is to go to the public bathrooms on the floor? What do you think?

My dog has been struggling a lot and I really do think she is on her way out...I don't think it's just stress. My poor husband is running back and forth between work, the dog, and me. He looks positively exhausted.
Anyway, I had a very tough day, but I think I'm doing a little better. Advice on what to expect next in my recovery would be so helpful right now. Thanks

Thanks beckysmom,
The rooms are set up in the round...almost like it used to be an ICU or something. It's kind of hard to explain. But I asked the nurse, and what I was hearing about the pneumonia was actually two doors down, the person sharing the bathroom actually had surgery. I'm still wiping down the bathroom, but I feel better about it. I guess I'm ready to go home...still no poop but that may take days and they aren't really doing anything for me anymore here that I can't do at home. Hopefully all goes well with your daughter's MRE. Thanks for the support!

I wanted to reply to your question about the first bm after surgery. Before I had my first bowel movement after surgery I passed gas and there was some blood that came out, this completely freaked my husband out but my surgeon assured me that everything was fine. A while later, I think post op day 3, I had a bm it was D. It was not painful and there was not very much but I hadn't been eating much by that point. I didn't have another bm for 3 days and that only happened after I had to have a CT with a contrast enema. That opened the flood gates and then I was having D several times a day for about a month before things started evening out for me. I think I gave you a little more information than you were looking for. I hope you start feeling more comfortable soon.

Thanks everyone! I went home from the hospital today. Just as I was being discharged, I pooped...great timing! Now I'm having D, but that's to be expected. Good to be home but overwhelmingly tired. My dog seems better too, so part of it with her may have been emotional. I was walking slowly when I came in, and instead of jumping around like she usually does when she sees me, she slowly walked over and put her head in my lap....she is so connected to me. Now she won't let me out of her sight for a second. So, all is well. Let the healing begin. Thanks to everyone for your support!!

Thanks

Glad to see you are now home.  Remember not to push yourself still!  You seem to be the type to push yourself more and I don't want you taking any steps backward! 

Your guts were out of commission before you went in the hospital so I suspect it will take a while before you get back to your normal....hoping it is soon though.