Coming home Sunday!

Most of you know my brother has been in the hospital for 2 months now.  He is doing much better and all of his numbers are looking good so he's due to be released on Sunday!!!

I have two quick questions about home recovery:

1)  He just started eating small meals again about 3 days ago but he says he feels "funny" after he eats.  He can't really describe it but he just doesn't feel right.  Is that normal after not eating for a month (plus going through dialysis and a bunch of other things this past month)?

2) When asked what my brother's restrictions would be, his surgeon just said when he's ready he can drive, etc.  That doesn't make sense after all he's been through!  His 1st surgery was on 11/28 and the 2nd surgery (for the bag & open wound) was 12/5.  When he was sent home the 1st time on 12/27, they told him not to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk. Just curious what everyone else's experience was like. 

Thank you all for your support during my brother's horrendous ordeal!  I count my blessings for my online friends and all that you do for everyone else who posts on here. 

Wendy,
I am so glad to hear that your brother is finally going home! I agree 100% of what Ash said about not lifting anything for at least 6 weeks and I didn't drive until I was off the pain meds and felt strong enough. I'm sure your brother has lost a lot of weight and is very weak after everything he's been through, so rest is the best thing for him. As long as he doesn't have pain after eating, I'm sure he will be ok and will slowly build back up an appetite. A lot of us lost our appetites after surgery and it came back. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a fear of food with all the nausea he had before and doesn't want to overdo it. I wouldn't suggest for him to do much other than light walking when he does get home. I assume his kidneys are working ok now? Is he off dialysis completely or will he have to continue dialysis as an outpatient?

I pray that he continues to recover and it will be so much easier for him being home and in his own bed. Congratulations!

Theresa

Hi Wendy,

I had my surgery last June and was in hospital for about 2 months as well. I didn't really eat at all until just before i got out and I didn't  get any funny feelings when I ate but it took me about a month before I felt up to driving and going out and doing normal things again but one day I just felt like going for a drive and my sister came with me just in-case I needed her to drive if I didn't feel well. I think he will probally know within himself when he is ready to get back into things.

I hope all goes well for you guys when your brother gets out.

Luke

i'm sorry to hear he didnt get to go home. to me the promise of going home and then the disappointment of not was worse than not knowing when i could go home at all. Im glad he has you on his side. I'm glad to hear about the kidney's as well! It seems as if he's taking 2 steps forward and 1 back...but hey...i say thats better than another 2 or 3 back...he's still better than he was a few days ago. He's in our prayers.

UNinNC:  The doctors aren't positive what caused the torn intestine.  They said it looked like he had surgery before because there was a band of scar tissue around the intestine that eventually folded or somehow weakened and tore.  My brother had two "episodes" before the emergency surgery in Nov....one in Oct. and the first episode was in Sept.  One doctor said his appendix may have started a slow leak then stopped which is possibly why the pain passed after a couple days in Sept. and Oct. and possibly explains how that scar tissue formed (from the leaked fluid).  The pathology reports, etc. show no signs of UC, Chroans, IBS, etc.