Sad News

Hey KP or Carey,
What are the symptoms of a blockage?  I know we've all had those little aches and pains and intestional "twitches"...... most of the time I try to just go to bed and sleep them off. 
You don't have to get graphic, but just a general idea of what to watch out for would be helpful.

Extreme cramp. I mean extreme. Sweating profusely and agony. I blacked out and went into shock. Under some cir****tances you can wretch so hard it will invert your intestine back on itself and the folded part may die.
kp

Those are all the symtoms I had and my intestines did invert and die causing the beginning stages of sepsis. Its like you said. Our bodies are not "normal" anymore and we can't ever forget that.

Thanks for the information KP what a shock and what a sad day.  She will be truely missed.  I feel for her family they will be in my thoughts and prayers. Your post did open my eyes to make me realize that we are  special medical patients when a problem arises.  Thanks again KP. Hugs Tricia

If we get carted to a hospital and they start their brand of treatment it is wise to argue your case loudly. I have my wife, Jon and my surgeon's cell numbers in my phone to call in case. We are different and need to be treated with the bypass in mind. To often we meet a doctor who feels they are above anything we can possibly understand. Not exactly the best situation. I know my body and my tolerances.

kp

My wife, Holly, had this happen to her last summer. When we went to the 24 hour clinic they said she had a blockage but go hame and take a stool softner! We went home and a few hours later she said she wanted to go to St. Joe's hospitial. While there the Dr. on staff that night called the head surgeon who right away knew what was going on and came to the hospitial and did emergency surgery. This happend at 7:00pm on a Sunday night, they said she was very lucky because she would not have made it through the night, she had about 12 inches of small bowel removed. We just have to know when to trust the doc's and when to get a second opinion... that's the hard part.

I'm so sorry about Vickie!  She seemed like a very nice person. 

Kevin, Thank you for taking the time to make sure we are informed about blockages.

It is very sad. I have this happen to me last June and I really had no clue what was happening. I was never warned about this and had never heard about it. I was a little over 3.5 years out. I thought I had the flu or happen eaten something bad and had food poisoning. I waited almost a whole day to go in and be seen. When I went in to the ER I fealt like I was dying. I told the surgeon that after the surgey and he said that I was dying and if I had waited even an hour longer it would have been too late. If I remember correctly they removed over a foot of my intestines. It was dead and kinda tucked inside itself and was causing the blockage and was causing sepsis. I was really lucky that the surgeon that was on call new what was happening. He was at home and when they called he told them to get the OR ready and that he was on his way. I actually dont remember any of this (think I blocked it out). I am just going by what people told me after the fact. From the time just before the ER until the day after surgery is kind of a blur. Sorry to ramble on but this womans story just brought everything back and reminded how close I came to being that story. I am grateful to be alive. Its a reminder of how precious life is and that we should never take it for granted.

Its a reminder of how precious life is and that we should never take it for granted.

Bingo.
kp

How very tragic.  I'm terribly sorry.

Hopefully the fact that you passed this reminder on will help and possibly even save one of our lives.  I'm going to put my surgeon's # on my cell phone and on my husbands and daughter's, and I'll get a medic alert tag.  I've seen them on e-bay.