Final j-pouch surgery

Bravo, Paul, you did it!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for posting; we don't doubt that you're exhausted at this point. Sorry about the room & its bad association with October post-surgery ordeal. RE pain relief: I think Bennie posted that Bratcat had a patient control device the day after her reconnect surgery. / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])

You're pretty much done! That's so exciting! Get plenty of rest and I hope you recover quickly.

Hi everyone, sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner but I haven’t been feeling well up until now. I’ll post a little more about my resent surgery.

I arrived in admitting at about 11:00 am for my 1:30 pm surgery on Wenday January 21, 2009. They wouldn’t admit me right away because they didn’t have a room available for me. I guess they won’t perform surgery unless a room is available. We waited almost an hour and a half before I was admitted. I then went up to the surgery prep room where they took my vitals and had me sign a few forms. I changed into the normal hospital clothing. The surgeon stopped by to great me a half hour before surgery. She has very go bedside manners.

If you remember at my last surgery in October I participated in a sleep apnea study before and after surgery. As a result of that study I received a letter just before Christmas that stated I have severe sleep apnea. I had no idea that I have it. Because of that they were reluctant to give me more pain killer than needed. I would also have to spend extra time in the recovery room and receive oxygen the first night.

At 1:30 pm they walked me into the operating room and I lied down on the stretcher. They connected the IV and took my vitals. They gave me oxygen and had me start counting. I don’t think I got very far and I was out cold. I woke up in the recovery room and had to stay there for 4 hours because of my sleep apnea. I finally got up to my room at about 8:00 pm and my wife and daughter were sleeping on the chair.

I was in a lot of pain for the first 2 days. They had to get a doctors permission to get extra pain killers. They ordered morphine but they were reluctant to give it to me at first because my blood pressure was low. When they contacted a doctor he said it was ok. I had to spend the first night with an oxygen line to my nose because of the sleep apnea. After my first surgery I had a morphine pump that continuously gave me pain killer and I had a button that I could press for extra pain killer if needed. This time I had to ask the nurse for it and it would take her 10 to 15 minutes to get it to me.

Most of Friday I felt very sick. I was on water only. I felt like I was going to throw up any time. My stomach was very bloated and I threw up once. I finally had my fist bowel movement that night. It was partly in my bed but only a small amount. I quickly went to the washroom and a flood of dark green liquid came out. I thought I was doing better then over night I went to the washroom every 1 ½ to 2 hours and I threw up once again. In the morning I was feeling terrible and they asked me if I wanted to start a clear liquid diet. I really didn’t want to. I am still on water only.

Saturday afternoon I managed to get some sleep and my bowel movements have slowed down. I am now feeling a lot better. As I said earlier I was in the same room I was before at my last surgery. At about 5:45 they came in and wanted to move me to another room. They wanted to setup my old room for women only. I told them I was willing to have a female room mate but they didn’t think that was a good idea. My new room is just 3 rooms down the hall on the same side. I no longer have a window and my phone number has changed. I had to call all my friends and family to let them know. Also the phone line in this room is shared with my roommate. The other room had separate lines. And to top it off I had a television in the other room but they couldn’t get the TV in my new room working until tomorrow morning. That is why I have the time to type this, no TV.

That is my story for now. Take care,

Thanks Old Hat, I woke up only twice last night to go to the washroom. I don’t get the normal sensation in my rectum that I would expect. Instead I get terrible cramping and bloating in my stomach. I get the cramping every half hour or sooner and it lasts for a few minutes. When it won’t go away after 5 minutes I know it is time to go to the washroom. They gave me a water spray bottle to spray my rectum every time and some cream to apply to my rectum. I have used it religiously very time and I have no problems with my rectum.

This morning when I saw the doctor he wanted to start me on solid foods. I asked him if I should be on liquids first and he said he will give me both and I can take whatever I can tolerate. This morning I had rice krispies with sugar and milk, cheddar cheese, a bagel with margarine and orange juice. Such a simple breakfast tasted so good. I ate everything except for only a few bites of the bagel.

Take care

Yesterday things were getting better. They freed me up from the IV pole but left the line in my hand in case they needed to reconnect it. I took my first full shower and it was great. They removed the wound dressing and left it off. I have 11 staples holding it closed. They are to be removed about 14 days after surgery. They said they will send me home with a staple removing tool and I’m to make an appointment with my family doctor to have them removed.

I only ate a small amount for lunch because I didn’t like what they gave me. I was really looking forward to dinner and it looked really good. It was grilled salmon with mash potatoes and diced squash. Shortly before dinner I started feeling real sick so I went to have a bowel movement but it didn’t help me feel better. I was feeling so sick I only ate a few bites of dinner. I asked for some pain reliever before bedtime and it helped tremendously. I actually saved my dessert (sliced peaches in juice) and ate it before going to bed.

Last night I had the best sleep since being in the hospital. I only woke up once to go to the washroom. The doctor this morning said that based on how well I do after breakfast and lunch, I may be going home today. That is what they said every day for over a week last time before I went home. I don’t really feel like going home just yet.

Take care,

Thanks ediekristen, its hard for me to compare my cramping to UC. With UC the only time I had cramping was when I was having a bowel movement, I never had them any other time. Now it is the opposite, cramping and bloating before a bowel movement and it quickly goes away during it. Also my cramping now aggravates my wound incision with a sharp pain. I feel no urgency at all. It is real weird. The only way I know I have to go is from the bloating and cramps not going away. They wanted to send me home today but I wasn’t feeling well. I think there is a very good chance I will be going home tomorrow.

I saw the doctor this morning. He wants me to go home after breakfast. He looked at my incision and wants the nurse to take out the staples before I go home. I’ll report back once I get home.

Take care,

Wohoo! Going home and getting the staples out at the same time. Gotta be wonderful. Congrats!

Was it painful having the staples removed?
How are you feeling now? Enjoy your nap, it must be nice being back in your own bed! Hope everything continues to go smoothly for you.

Hurray! Now the worst of it is definitely behind you. Take it easy so that your wound has time to heal. Did the hospital give you any diet recommendations or limitations? / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])

sorry to hear that your path to wellness is being so difficult. but it will all be worth it. in 12 months time UC will be a distant memory.

 

Hey Paul it looks like the worst is over for you :)

I am curious about the cramping when you had UC...how long after did your cramping last following a bm

Thanks