Update on Ken

[Guest guest]

Hi guys,

Been living at the hospital for the last couple of days - just coming

home to sleep - but wanted to once again thank all of you for your help

and concern about Ken. He was operated on 2 days ago - he ended up

having peritonitis and had his gall bladder removed. The doctor said

that the inflammation was very extensive which is why the pain had

spread so far and that there was bile all through the abdomen which, he

never said but made me think that his gall bladder could have ruptured?

In any case, we are hoping to get him home by tomorrow. They are still

giving him daily shots of heparin - hospital policy - he could refuse

them but he doesn't. ARGH! He is still in pain but nothing like before

the surgery. The worst thing is that every time he drinks something, he

gets the hiccups. It sounds funny, but it is painful and we don't know

why that is happening. He starts on solids today and I will be bringing

his food in to him today. Hospitals are so completely unaware of

nutrition. He started on clear liquids last night and on his tray was

clear beef broth which HAD to have been made from a bullion cube, a

bottle of lemonade (for those in the US - this is like 7-up) a bottle of

water, apple juice and a green jelly (jell-o). Except for the apple

juice and water - all of this is crap! I am going to the health food

shop on the way in today and getting him some fresh juice and I will

bring him in some stewed fruit as well to start with on solids. Anyway,

he is still on antibiotic drips (3 of them, changing every few hours) so

I know that there will be a lot of work to do getting his liver back

into shape when we get home but at least he is improving - it was a real

worry! Thank you again to everyone and I should be back on deck next

week all going well J

All the best,

Meryl