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Hospitalization: What should I know?

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Posted 4/12/2008 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
You might just want to cut to the chase and ask for morphine or dilaudid. Last time I was in the hospital they gave me dilaudid and I seriously didn't feel anything. If you just use it for a few days it shouldn't be a problem coming off of it. Vicodin is good too, but if your stomach is really whacked out it might cause some additional nausea.
Posted 4/12/2008 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
Here are some fun websites to pass the time:

www.overheardinnewyork.com

www.overheardintheoffice.com

www.overheardatthebeach.com

www.isawyournanny.blogspot.com

www.ebaumsworld.com

www.funnyordie.com

www.adultswim.com

I also like to go to youtube and search random artists I like and watch their live concerts.  If you are into American Idol you can pass hours watching different contestants videos.  If I think of more I will add them.

Posted 4/12/2008 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
Rest as much as you can. For me, lying on my back in a relaxed V position (legs slightly elevated, shoulders, too) helped alleviate pain-- kinda like reducing the pull of gravity on my colon. I'd also go for a decaf latte because caffeine revs up my colon even in remission. So they didn't ask you about dairy tolerance? Interesting. / Old Hat
Posted 4/12/2008 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
Oh dilaudid! Now that is one wicked medicine! That's what the doc gave me when I had to go the ER for my ablation pain. He gave me 2 doses of Toradol - didn't help. Then he gave me the diladud and within seconds my pain left. It was awesome. Though when I got home, after having a narcotic pain reliever constipated me for 6 days :(
Posted 4/12/2008 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
Doc said Darvocet was okay for pain - but only every 6-8 hours. I'm super hesitant about the morphine - however, if I feel like groaning in pain, I'll ask for it.

I was "upgraded" to a low residue diet. They must not REALLY understand what that means as there is a delicious looking SALAD on my tray!!! I'm glad I'm informed enough to know what low residue is and can watch my own diet. Chicken with potatoes (skins on!) and peas for supper. The chicken tasted great... Or maybe it was just being able to chew my food ;-) Potatoes were over done - which was good for me - and I cut the skins off. I would have eaten more in my haste, but told myself to stop as to not over burned my poor gut. I'm saving the cookies for later. Oh - and this meal slip said no dairy products... Do I sense different diet ideas between docs??? The low residue diet might have been soon on the doctor's part - a partner of my doctor who is off until Monday - as I'm STILL bleeding. I really thought IV meds would be faster acting. Naive on my part???

I'm taking y'alls orders and resting. Watched one movie, reading a book, and attempting to nap. Sleep is still elusive. I get to that plateau where you're just about asleep - but don't quite make it to sleep.

Now, is this all something I could be doing at home with the aid of a nurse stopping in to check IVs? I'm really just sitting here all day... I'm honestly capable of giving myself my Asacol!
Posted 4/13/2008 2:59 AM (GMT 0)
Yikes! Is it possible to just tell them your diet restrictions rather than leaving it up to the doctor? I couldn't eat any of that when flaring!
Posted 4/13/2008 3:56 AM (GMT 0)
Rock-a-bye, baby ... da-dee-da-dummmm. That's Dr. Old Hat trying to get you all relaxed so that you fall asleep. As to why the nurse couldn't visit your IV at home, nighttime maintenance comes into play, but also the classic line of thinking that one takes the flaring patient out of the environment in which the flare occurred to change factors that could have promoted it there. Did you ever read T. Mann's Magic Mountain? The TB patients had long daytime rest periods that were supposed to help heal their inflamed lungs. (Similar idea.)
Posted 4/13/2008 10:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hey there! If you get bored, feel free to MSN - as I'm in Australia you may find that I am online when others aren't.

I won't really give you any advice. Seems your hospital stay is about the same as mine was.

Stay in hospital as long as they will keep you. Don't rush to get out. They usually won't throw you out till you are better. Just don't be fooled that you are "feeling better" earlier then you are as they IV steroids mask a lot of the symptoms.

Hope you are feelin better really soon!

--Sev in Aus
Posted 4/13/2008 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
Dawn, I suspect you're in the hospital because your doctor knows what we all know: there's no way you'd stay in bed and rest at home, lol.

If your pain isn't controlled by Darvocet and you decide to go for the Dilaudid, consider asking for a PCA. It allows you to control how much pain medication you take (up to the maximum amount ordered.) After all, you already have an IV line in, might as well get those pain meds the quick and effective way.
Posted 4/13/2008 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
How much longer are you staying? Until the bleeding is under control? You hang in there, keep resting and update us when you can.
Posted 4/13/2008 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
Does the hospital offer a daily menu from which you can choose your food from the diet recommended by your doc?

When I was inpatient a few months ago, I too found some hilarious options on the low-residue diet menu, but was able to choose foods that I knew would agree with me. Maybe request a consultation with the nutritionist on staff (ask your RN), and they can help facilitate for you. Or you can just call down to the cafeteria and talk to someone there about menu options. I found everyone to be quite accommodating, hopefully it will be the same for you. It was also surprisingly clear that the medical personnel had much less info about diet's role with this disease than I did.

Hang in there!
Posted 4/13/2008 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Time for another update. I have been working very hard on the resting today. Thanks for the song Old Hat! I sure needed some relaxing after the fire alarms were ringing last night about that time. Luckily, it was something in another tower in the lobby.

Saw my doctor's colleague today. He spent about 10 minutes talking to me and answering my questions, reducing some anxiety. My guts really talked to him when he checked them out. Still roaring like a dinosaur... I feel less trampled today. That description doesn't mean much to my husband... Before it felt like someone had done a full blown rendition of river dance on them. Today they're still very tender, but not as extreme. Make sense?

The doctor also explained that this flare may be severe to me (yes, it is) but it is not surgical severe. I'm not loosing units of blood per day and having upwards of 15-20 bms per day. He thinks that once we've controlled the inflammation that I should be able to go back to my maintenance meds - maybe upping my Imuran a bit. I'm interested to see if my doc concurs. It's kind of like a built in second opinion. He thinks maybe I'll be discharged Monday evening or Tuesday morning. However, he also said that it's like different cooks in the kitchen, each has his own way of doing things, but as long as you get a tasty result at the end... Why does everything revolve around food when you're on a restricted diet!??!!? I liked this doctor more today than I did yesterday - yesterday he seemed very aloof and unfriendly.

The cafeteria did send someone up to ask my opinion on my meals for tomorrow. The food is not bad - better than I expected - or I'm just really hungry - combination of all? There was a soda on my lunch tray - as if! I asked the person who delivered it to take it away - I really didn't want to be tempted by the taste of the Sprite.

You're right Judy, I would have a hard time staying in bed at home. I'm really not good at that. I don't like it here and would love to be home, but it's forced rest. I waiver between believing I need it and then thinking "I'm not that bad, I should be home doing my thing." When I get to that point, I pick up the book or laptop and read or surf until the need for a nap comes. I'm still having trouble sleeping - but did get two short naps today. I still get to the plateau just before sleep only to wait there or have hospital noise wake me.

No private room is a bummer and I'm really thinking that it won't happen. My roomie is an elderly lady who is pretty quiet, so it could be worse. I could be with "wailing woman" next door.

Oh - had to have my IV redone this morning. The nurse who did it was awesome - I hardly even felt the stick. Now in my right hand instead of my left.

Making sure this particular hospital bed doesn't lift off... dg
Posted 4/13/2008 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hey girl! Sounds like things are improving...slowly but surely!!! Is that weird w/ a roommate? Are you separated by a partition? That would be interesting! Hope you get some zzzzzs tonight!
Posted 4/14/2008 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the update Dawn. Yes a forced bedrest sounds like a good plan. I know what you mean about being at home that you won't rest. I'm the same way. Even at my worse I feel like I have to be doing something! Sounds like you're doing better - lets keep it that way! :)
Posted 4/14/2008 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
Good girl for sending back the Sprite. Hospital trays tend to have one questionable item per meal. Glad to hear that the weekend doc thinks your UC is not "surgically severe". Now they need to address your pain & lack of sleep. Night-time fire alarms, shame on them!!!!!!!!! But we all agree, you'd be getting into mischief at home instead of resting there. Severin has given you some great advice, I think. Go easy on yourself, eh? / Old Hat
Posted 4/14/2008 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
I AM SO FRUSTRATED!!!! My elderly roomie talks in her sleep - full volume. Sleep last night was not forthcoming - even with Ambien, ear plugs, and an eye mask. (I had to call the nurse to turn of my roomie's TV an hour after her Ambien - but they left the light on for the second night in a row.) This bed is super uncomfortable, that just adds to the irritation. I'm grouchy and tired today. Part of me wonders if some of the "mood" and headache is from dropping the oral steroid from 3 to 2 times a day.

Now the gosh darn fire alarms are going off again. I'm really about to pop!

Good news - stool sample this morning didn't fly out of my bum. It still looks very slimy, but browner than red.

I was thinking about napping an hour away, but that's kind of hard with the alarms. I'm ready to throw a temper-tantrum and that's not like me...
Posted 4/14/2008 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like a temper tantrum is called for under those circumstances. See what your doctor has to say about blaring TVs, defective fire alarms, & such. Sounds like poor management by nursing station + facilities staff. The doctor should be concerned about your getting proper sleep w/o added drugging. I would personally like to smack every hospital staffer at whatever level who ignores this vital issue. / Old Hat

Posted 4/14/2008 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
I will be talking to the doc whenever he comes around. Maybe I'll even call his office this afternoon. There has got to be a better way. Granted, I do feel somewhat better, but how am I supposed to know exactly how much when I'm SO tired!?!? Fatigue is one thing that really sets me back... And I do mean way back.

At twice a day for the IV steroid, there must be a way to do this outpatient. I don't want to be a whiny, bad patient... I do want to get well...

(The alarms didn't last long, but the feeling they create is not one of comfort!)
Posted 4/14/2008 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
Ah man! That stinks. Is there anyway possible you can be transferred to a private room? I would throw a fit for everyone in the world to hear that you need to be moved so you can recover!
Posted 4/14/2008 7:01 PM (GMT 0)
I am on the waiting list for a private room - or so they continue to tell me. I'm not holding out hope that it will actually happen. So far I'm not impressed with this situation and completely understand why my husband wants to punch someone.
Posted 4/14/2008 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Dawn - I just wanted to say hello and send you some positive vibes. I am sorry to hear you're in the hospital, but it sounds like the docs think they can control it, so that's very good. By chance, do you guys have any noice-cancelling headphones? you could listen to those with some soothing music, and that would block out the snoring. I hope you have had visitors, as I know that can make the time go more quickly. hang in there and keep us posted and use this time to catch up on all the celebrity gossip. Jay-Z and Beyonce got married!
Posted 4/14/2008 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
LOL! that's one thing I haven't surfed for - celebrity gossip!

I just got a new roomie :( She's in for bronchitis. The last one was in for pneumonia. I'm immunosuppressed! What the heck! Give me my steroids and send me home - pplleeaassee! The last one was okay - she was cathed - I'm not sharing a bathroom! Oh gosh I'm grossed out...

Ear phones in - distraction playing. The ear plugs I've been using are the ones we use for the shooting range - 31 decibel reduction - not wussy.

I'm working on patience. Breath in, breath out. I hope the doctor gets here soon.
Posted 4/15/2008 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
Doc was in. I'm going home!!!! (I think he heard the crazies!)

Happy time, happy time. It's shift change for the nurses, so I'm sure it will be a bit before I get discharged. But I get to sleep in my own bed tonight :)
Posted 4/15/2008 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
YAY!!!!
Posted 4/15/2008 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hurray! Email me if you need celebrity gossip websites. Sadly it is one of my favorite pasttimes....shhh don't tell!
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