home from the hospital

[Guest guest]

Glad to hear you are back at home. I hope your recovery goes well.

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

[Guest guest]

Hi to everyone,

I just arrived home from the hospital today Sun, Nov 6th at around

3pm pacific time. I spent 5 days in the hospital for a splenectomy.

I have had gastric varicies and developed blood clots in the gastric

system. The splenic vein between the spleen and stomach was clottted

off and blood was backing up into the stomach. That is when I

discovered blood in the stool and contacted my Dr. Well one test led

to another and finally ended up having the surgery. I am glad I had

it done now. i hope that I can now lead a normal life as possible.

I now have to really be careful on what I eat and drink. Right now

it is liquids and some solids. Iknow that beef and high fatty foods

are out. I know the body needs some oils but there is a limit. I am

learning now to do everything in moderation. Also have to make sure

that my system is not run down as the spleen helps the immune system

in fighting off infections and diseases. It is scary sometimes when

I think about it because there are so many viruses out there that

people come in contact with. Oh well, Just have to do the best I

can. Thaks to all for all your support and information that I have

gained from this group. Thanks, Heidi, , and . Sorry

could not answer your email as I was in the hospital. Hope to

hear from all soon. Will be on line a little more until I return

back to work so will be able to communicate to all a little more.

Well enough of me. Thanks to all,

[Guest guest]

hey robert,

i'm glad to hear you are home and doing well.take care,and

wishing you a speedy recovery!!!!!

cindy

[Guest guest]

Thanks Angie,

With activity and diet in moderation and as tolerated, I anticipate a speedy

recovery and back to work before November is out. The surgery went well,

staples are clean but very tender and sore to touch. Am getting them out this

Thursday. Will keep everyone posted as to my progress.

. Richand Washington State

NOTOFARMS2@... wrote:

Glad to hear you are back at home. I hope your recovery goes well.

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

[Guest guest]

Hey Bob, Glad to hear uou are home. I hope you feel better. I had my

spleen removed when they operated on my pancreas. I ended up getting

immunizations for, I think, meningitis. It was called metamune or

something. hang in there, it takes a while to heal up...Jim

[Guest guest]

,

It's good to have you back, and apparently feeling well and on the

road to a full recovery. Moderation has always been the best way to

go, so I'm sure you'll benefit from this.

Take care and keep those posts coming in, that way we'll know how

you're doing.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion only, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.

[Guest guest]

HI , welcome back. I am so happy to hear that everything went

well with your surgery. Just rest, take it easy and let your body

heal. Its been through a lot. One thing about a splectomy that you

need to undertand is that it does not and will not affect you VIRAL

immunity. You still have just as much of a chance of getting a

virus, like a cold, as any body else. However it does reduce your

immune's systems ability to fend off bacterial infections. But not

by much. The general population as a potential of getting a

bacterial infection is 1:35000~, having a splecteomy reduces yours

and mine to about 1:25,000. so its not that much less.

Make sure you get your pneumonia and other vaccines as recommnended

by your physician and just wash your hands. That is the best way to

prevent the spread of infection. Washing hands!! It has been a year

since my spleen has been removed and I have yet to get an infection

of any kind, knock on wood, and I have 3 kids running in and out of

every where.

I hope you continue to recover well and please let me know if there

is any thing I can do to help.

Warmly,

(SC)

[Guest guest]

HI , welcome back. I am so happy to hear that everything went

well with your surgery. Just rest, take it easy and let your body

heal. Its been through a lot. One thing about a splectomy that you

need to undertand is that it does not and will not affect you VIRAL

immunity. You still have just as much of a chance of getting a

virus, like a cold, as any body else. However it does reduce your

immune's systems ability to fend off bacterial infections. But not

by much. The general population as a potential of getting a

bacterial infection is 1:35000~, having a splecteomy reduces yours

and mine to about 1:25,000. so its not that much less.

Make sure you get your pneumonia and other vaccines as recommnended

by your physician and just wash your hands. That is the best way to

prevent the spread of infection. Washing hands!! It has been a year

since my spleen has been removed and I have yet to get an infection

of any kind, knock on wood, and I have 3 kids running in and out of

every where.

I hope you continue to recover well and please let me know if there

is any thing I can do to help.

Warmly,

(SC)

[Guest guest]

Thanks for replying. I am feeling a little better each day. I have

no pain, just sore from where the staples are. I have about 22 staples down

the middle of my abdomen and am getting them removed around Thursday. The worse

thing for me was moving around in that darn hospital bed. I have never been so

sore in all my life. Thank God for Dilauded medication. I was on a PCA pump

for pain meds when i needed it. I kept myself medicatated pretty well so I

would heal. That is what the nurses wanted. I slowly got out of bed and

started taking small steps around the room. And before I knew it, I was

walking up and down the halls of the ward. I had my surgery on Tuesday last

week, the 1st and the next day I was walking around the room. They don't waste

any time in recovery. They don't just want you to lay there. The quicker I got

moving, the quicker I came home. I'll tell you they were awsome with me. Very

supportive and very pain conscious. Everyone had to know

what my pain level was in a scale of one to ten. Even the nurses aides who

came in and took vitals asked that question. They were wonderful. I am home

now and have been since Sunday. Each day gets a little easier to move around.

I have Vicodin for pain when I need it and my GI prescribed Viokase for my

pancreatic enzymes. I really have to watch my intake now. If I am in doubt,

then it will be clear liquids or full liquids such as broth, or hot cereal of

some kind. I am not going to chance eating the wrong thing again. Thanks to

you and to this group for all the love and concern you have shown. I will be

monitoring the group and participating until I get back to work which I hope

will be before November is out. Thanks again for responding

/Richalnd Washington

wrote:

HI , welcome back. I am so happy to hear that everything went

well with your surgery. Just rest, take it easy and let your body

heal. Its been through a lot. One thing about a splectomy that you

need to undertand is that it does not and will not affect you VIRAL

immunity. You still have just as much of a chance of getting a

virus, like a cold, as any body else. However it does reduce your

immune's systems ability to fend off bacterial infections. But not

by much. The general population as a potential of getting a

bacterial infection is 1:35000~, having a splecteomy reduces yours

and mine to about 1:25,000. so its not that much less.

Make sure you get your pneumonia and other vaccines as recommnended

by your physician and just wash your hands. That is the best way to

prevent the spread of infection. Washing hands!! It has been a year

since my spleen has been removed and I have yet to get an infection

of any kind, knock on wood, and I have 3 kids running in and out of

every where.

I hope you continue to recover well and please let me know if there

is any thing I can do to help.

Warmly,

(SC)

[Guest guest]

Thank you Heidi,

Yes I am learning to do just as much as I can tolerate. However I am not

going to baby myself. I have my Vicodin for pain when i need it. This has been

a real new and scary experience for me. Have been in the hospital for numerous

procedures, ercp's, poking and prodding, but not major surgery. Was a little

scared, but I have the most wonderufl surgeon and hospital I think in the

country. They are wonderful and give excellent care. The only thing I am on

now is Vicodin for pain, Protonix for stomac acid, and Viokase when I eat. And

I don't eat all that often now. Have to stop and think about what it is I am

eating and will that effect the pancreas. I have always had a hard time

digesting red meats even when I was a kid. I should know better. But the good

old red American blood got the best of me when it came to beef. Now it is

boiled chicken, or fish. and veggies, clear liquids such as broth and soups. I

will be able to post to the group a little more often now

while I am home. Am shooting to be back to work before November is out. I

think my doc will release me. He says I am making good strides in my recovery.

I see him on Thursday to get my staples removed (22 of 'em) They are tender and

sore, but clean as a whistle. No infection. He did a great job. Well enough

of me and will let others jump in. Thanks for responding,

/Richland Washington

Heidi wrote:

,

It's good to have you back, and apparently feeling well and on the

road to a full recovery. Moderation has always been the best way to

go, so I'm sure you'll benefit from this.

Take care and keep those posts coming in, that way we'll know how

you're doing.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion only, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.

[Guest guest]

Thaks Jim,

This one really changed things. It was all triggered off when I discovered

blood in my stool. Gastirc varicies they call it, gastro blood clots. in the

stomach and all around the area. Blood was not getting to the spleen so they

removed it so blood would not back up into my stomach which is what was

happening. Anyway to make a long story short, am home now and am recovering

ok. Each day gets a little better. Am not going to over do anything, but at

the same time not going to baby myself. My goal is to be out there again in the

work force. Hve no income coming in and it takes a while to build it back up

again. Get the staples out on Thursday and will chat with the doc as to when he

will release me. Thanks for writing Hope you are feeling fine also.

jethrotullvermont wrote:

Hey Bob, Glad to hear uou are home. I hope you feel better. I had my

spleen removed when they operated on my pancreas. I ended up getting

immunizations for, I think, meningitis. It was called metamune or

something. hang in there, it takes a while to heal up...Jim