Back home finally

Well, I finally got released from the hospital Saturday night and I am still feeling pretty pathetic.  I started not holding fluids Monday afternoon and it continued through the night with body wracking dry heaves that wouldn't stop.  We called the doctor several times and they wanted us to come in Tues morning, thinking it was stomach flu because two weeks out is really early for a stricture.  Tues they gave me a lot of fluids all day, still insisting it was stomach flu although I kept saying something more was wrong - I really think something is wrong.  Finally Dr. Patel's RN told him he should really come see me, so he did and decided on an endoscope and maybe a small dilation.  When he did the endoscopy there was no stricture, but he could definitely see something was wrong farther down.  So then I had an emergency exploratory surgery.  What he found amazed him and he called 3 other bariatric surgeons that night, who also hadn't seen anything like what he described.  I had three problems - the reason I was sick was a small bowel obstruction - my bowels were twisted and nothing was going through, so I was vomiting up from my intestines. I had the obstruction because I had massive amounts of adhesions.  That was the mystery part, he said I had amazing amounts of adhesions that were rock hard (and weren't there two weeks ago).  The adhesions were what twisted and held the bowel down.  He said he hasn't ever seen adhesions like that fresh from surgery, they were more like what you see 5 years out or so.  So he cut through all the adhesions and then repaired my last problem(s).  I had two internal hernias - at both sites where you can get an internal hernia after RNY.  He said they were packed more tightly than any hernias he's ever seen also.  (I think the dry heaving might have something to do with it).  So that was surgery.  Hospital stay was pretty awful but I'll save that story for another day - it involves a serious amount of ranting about my surgeon.  I am doing ok, not great, but ok.  I just really hope I don't have any more problems because I'm starting to really get worn out physically and mentally.  A week with absolutely no nutrition doesn't help but so far all I can stand is water and sugar-free popsicles.  I am taking it super-easy and am exhausted all the time.  I had a ton of pain at first, much much worse than the first time around, but most of it has subsided.  I now have pain just around the drain site mostly.  He opened three of my previous incisions, so at least I didn't get new ones.   I was severely dehydrated all week but I kept blowing IVs and wasn't allowed any water until Friday night.  (which is lovely after puking your guts out for 24 hours and then having an endoscope shoved down your throat).  They were only giving me 30ml/hr in the IV, just to maintain the line, and I wasn't peeing more than once a day just a small trickle.  I was draining about 50ml/hr from the drain site, so I was just getting more and more dehydrated and that definitely didn't help with feeling better.  He said nothing to drin****il I passed gas or pooped, but I was on morphine and nothing was moving.  It was a catch-22, and even the nurses called him a stubborn ass about it.  (I held down barium Wed so you'd think water would be worth a try..)  Finally they talked him in to ice water and popsicles and eventually I did have a bowel movement.  I look like I was beaten up and down my arms with a bat from all the IV attempts and blood draw attempts.  It took six nurses multiple tries to get enough blood wed morning.  They eventually drew from my feet.  The same Thurs.  Friday he told them no more blood (thank goodness!) He wasn't willing to put in a central line because they'd have to knock me out again.  So  that's the story.  It was bad.  I feel bad.  I am also really emotional and just plain scared.  Thanks for the concern and messages.  Sorry I wasn't up to responding earlier.

WOW Bunny that sounds awful. I am so glad you are finally home. It is hard to relate because I had no problems in the beginning, but here I am 18 months out, and I have been having servere pain in my stomach. I called my surgeon again about it this morning. She is in surgery today, so hopefully she will call me tomorrow. The pain comess and goes, so I should be okay.

I bet you have loss alot of weight with this whole thing.. that can be the only bright side of your ordeal. I will be thinking of you and I hope you feel better and stronger every day.

Take care and keep us posted

Lynn

Thanks Lynn - yeah I've lost some weight I bet.  I started my period in the hospital (of course) with the heaviest flow and worst cramps of my life (of course).  I asked my husband to go buy a pack of underwear and the largest he found were 26/28 - I wore a 30/32 but when I put those on they not only fit, they are loose.  I had some 24/26 hanes I tried on last night and they fit now - and that's with a giant swollen belly.  (I am sooooo swollen this time, my pannus is huge and heavy and pulls on my incisions, ugh)  The doc's scale was the same number going in and coming out of the hospital, but my husband swears I am noticeably smaller to hug.  Its obviously not my preferred way to lose weight, but weight loss is the only bright side I've seen about the whole thing.

I am so sorry to hear about what you went through, your surgeon sounds like a butt-hole, I know or at least I hope there is some medical logic behind it, but dang.... You take it as easy as you need it, and start feeling better... A friend of mine (who had WLS) had similar problems, it took about 3 and half years for them to figure out what was going on.  She started out not being able to hold down anything right after the surgery, finally this year they discoverd this mass in her intestines, they thought it was cancerous, turns out it was her intestines that had knotted up inside a hernia, (hernia had been there for 30 years they say) and caused this blockage. Bright light at the end of this story, she is doing great her energy level has picked up, you can tell. Hang in there it will get better as long as you know, feel and intend it to get better. My thoughts and prayers are with you.   Anyway I  need my same day surgery companion to get better!!!

Thanks for the good wishes.  Sounds like your friend had it rough too!  I'm glad I didn't have such a long wait before they fixed me up.  Another day of throwing up like that and I think I'd be turned inside out or something.  I hope both of our journeys are trouble free from this point on!

Bunny, So sorry to hear all the emotional and physical turmoil you have been through. Heal fast and well now. keep us all informed how you are doing. Pam

Thanks Pam!  It helps to talk about things here, where people understand how scary it can be sometimes when you aren't in control of your fate, you've laid it in a surgeon's hands.

{{{{Jenn}}}} I'm so sorry that all this happened.  Glad to know that you've been patched up, and I hope that you will soon be feeling so much better. I know that many of us are thinking of you and praying for you. Hugs, Jennie

Thanks Jennie.  Big hugs, even internet hugs, are sorely needed   I appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers more than I could express.   Best Wishes!