Re: Back From Hospital

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/1/2004 8:10:56 PM Eastern Standard Time,

hominid2@... writes:

HI all,

sorry I've been offline for so long, but I was off for the christmas

holiday and then I eneded up with a case of pancreattis that put me in

the hospital and I just got home yesterday (spent the time home sleeping

because you just cannot get enough sleep in the hospital). I hope

everyone had a happy Christmas and New Year's.

Kimber

Hi Kimber, so sorry you had another pancreatitis attack. I remember being in

the hospital and thinking I will be so glad to get home so I can sleep. When

I had my pancreatectomy I had my husband put a sign on the outside of my door

saying do not disturb so I could take an afternoon nap without being

disturbed. I hope you feel better very soon. Love, Shirley

[Guest guest]

Dear Kimber,

I'm so sorry that you spent part of the holidays in the hospital. Glad to see

that you are home again and finally able to get some sleep. We all know

that's impossible when you're in! Was it just a " normal " attack (as if they

could ever be called normal), or did something new crop up?

Take good care of yourself. Is your mom able to help you out while you

recover?

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should not be

substituted for consultation with a medical professional.

[Guest guest]

Dear Kimber,

Hey! How are you getting along since your last hospitalization? I sure

do hope that you are feeling back in the pink, and were able to enjoy the

end of the holiday season. So far, 2004 doesn't feel any different to me. I

just hope that it will be a more peaceful time in the world than it has been

since 9-11. Thank you for the warm welcome back to PAI. I really did miss

the group while I was away. You were, and are always so faithful about

writing, and I really appreciated your remembering me with a get well card

after my Whipple back in 2000. That meant so much to hear from some of you

guys here in the group at that time.

Have you had any surgery since I've been away? It sounds like you 've

been having a right hard time lately, and I'm sorry about that my friend.

This old pancreatitis really does go on and on. I am on disability for now,

and just concentrating on trying to stay out of the hospital, and taking it

one day at the time.

I have a G-J tube for Enteral feeding consisting of Osmolite Isotonic

and Promote (high-protein) 80 fl. oz. 24/7 which alows me to stay NPO and

rest the creaky, old, scarred, and painful pancreas. I also have another

picc line, double lumen, for fluids and I.V. meds. Love that Picc line as

I'm such a hard stick these days. They can't even get a neck line in me

anymore which was a pain as they would go for the feet and as you know that

is a good way to have a blood clot form.

My goodness the time has flown since the last time that I was able to

acess the group. When you are able please drop me a line here and tell me

how you are doing with your C. Panc. I'm always inteerested in hearing how

folks are getting along.

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

thanks. I've managed to get lots of nice wonderful, uninterupted sleep!

It was actually a fairly mild case as I was only in for 4 days. Usually

I'm in for about 7-8 days and the pain wasn't quite as bad. More like an

8-9 instead of the usual 10 pain level. Not sure what caused it, but I

do know that I'm more like to have attacks in the months from November

to February, so that wasn't anything new.

My mother stayed at the house while I was in the hospital (feeding my

kitties and making sure they are okay) and for a little over a week

after I was released to make sure I was doing well before she left. I

don't know what I'd do without her and I try and make sure she knows how

much I love her and appreciate what she does to make sure that I'm okay

during and after an attack. She always visits me every night, or,

occasionally if she can't, she'll always call to make sure I'm okay with

that. She brings me books and my cross-stitching things to keep me

occupied while I'm in there, though the first day or two I'm usually

asleep from the pain meds.

My doctors were pretty okay once I got the pain medication issue cleared

up. However, I've decided that when they start me on clear liquieds and

full liquids, I'm bringing packets of osumono broth and miso soup to

substitute what they give me as the food they give you for those are nasty.

Sorry for writing the novel, but I've been offline so much lately that

I've got a lot to bring up once I start typing.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

,

sorry for the delay in replying. My Christmas was okay, as I didn't go

into the hospital until the Saturday afterwards. I had the roommate from

hell while I was in there though. I'm a night person and I generally

don't go to bed until really late and I sleep late (until noon) since I

don't have to work anymore being on disability. Evidently my roommate

felt that if I was really sick, I'd be going to bed early and getting up

at a normal time. I had the TV on at all hours of the nice (I had it one

for one day for about 3 hours until 11pm - my favorite show was on at

10pm and once I manged to get the TV working I was afraid to turn it off

till the show was finished.). I was surprised she didn't complain about

the Darth Vader breathing sound coming from my CPAP machine (I've got

sleep apnea and the machine blows air down my throat so I dion't stop

breathing in the middle of the night.).

Personally, I thought the woman was a big whining baby. Yes, I can see

crying for getting an IV put in, I mean, they hurt like hell, but crying

and moaning because they were remove some tape that wasn't even near the

IV? She started moaning and crying before they even started! I also over

heard her talking to the nurses. She was stablizing and they were going

to transfer her to a nursing home until she had gotten all of her IV

antibiotics. When she refused to go, they told her she had to sign a

paper saying she refused to go to a nursing home and then they would

release her home from the hospital against their recommendations. The

woman had been trying to get them to let her stay in the hospital. She

ended up going to the nursing home because she refused to sign the paper

saying she refused to go to the nursing home and the hospital wasn't

going to let her stay there. I was telling my mother about it and she,

at first didn't believe me that she was a whinner, but then the tape

removal incident happen while she was there and she rolled her eyes at

me and said " I see what you mean " . The woman was an intentional martyr.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

Lily,

sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. I'm way behind on my emails and

somehow, my ISP managed to download a majority of my emails three times,

so now I have to wade though tons of duplicates. I'm deleting most of

it, but trying to make sure that I'm catching all the ones specifically

addressed to me.

I hope you and had wonderful Holidays. I got my backpay from

Social Security. I'm hoping to be able to put it away and earn money on

it instead of spend it. That way I have the finds for new computer in

several years when this one becomes obsolete.Let me know how you both

are doing.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

Henry,

I'm doing better now since I had the hospitalization in December. I

haven't had any surgery since you've been gone. I've been avoiding even

looking in to it as what I did find out made it obvious that all my

options had too high a risk of making things worse than they are right

now. So far, I only have once hospitalization a year and my pain meds

are pretty much covering the pain I do have. I was throwing up for a

while there, but I haven't had any since I was in teh hospital in December.

I'm glad the card I sent you helped you, that's what it was supposed to

do. So far, when things go really bad, but not bad enough to go the the

hospital, I go on clear liquids, mostly gatorade and some Ensure. So

far, I've only had a picc line when I had my surgeries and I avoid

hickman catheters at all costs. Too high a chance to get a blood

infection and so far they've been able to find a vein for access each

time I've gone in the hospital.

I got a Christmas Card from Carol, but that was the last I heard from her.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Sorry the stay was " nightmarish " but at least it's over now and

you're safe at home. I know a few people who hav had pain probs for

a while after a lap chole; hopefully it will get better very quickly.

Take care and good wishes,

Fliss

[Guest guest]

Hi . Hope you are feeling better today. Keep your chin and your

spirits up. It's rough, but we will all make it through together.

My prayers are with you.

hugs,

Rhonda

[Guest guest]

Thanks Rhonda!! I feel like someone has beaten me up......ribs are

killing me!! But, small potatoes in the grand scheme and obviously

compared with what most of you guys have had to endure... I was a

little discouraged today with the findings (or lack thereof) in the

pathology report. Apparently, there was nothing of note....no

stones, no sludge.....nothing!! But, the nurse did say that if it

wasn't functioning as it should have been that (apparently) that

wouldn't show in the pathology report.......so we'll have to wait and

see I suppose.

Hope you are all enjoying good days today!!

love

> Hi . Hope you are feeling better today. Keep your chin and

your

> spirits up. It's rough, but we will all make it through together.

> My prayers are with you.

> hugs,

> Rhonda

[Guest guest]

Thank you Fliss......I appreciate the good thoughts and the reply!!

Hopefully, all will end well.......I'm not real encouraged with the

supposed findings (or no findings) from the pathology

report....apparently, there were no stones or sludge or crystals or

ANYTHING in the gall bladder.....but the nurse did say that it

wouldn't show " non-functionality " , so.......(( I'll talk more to

the surgeon when I go for the follow-up on Friday morning, but can't

imagine he'll have much to add to what he has already told me (which

was basically everything looked " normal " to him when he

was " exploring " around in my biliary tract area.

Thanks so much and hope you're having a good day.....weather here in

New England has been unseasonably mild, so that's been a plus!! As

I'm sure you are aware, weather here and in England are very

similar. Usually gloom and doom would be quite befitting!!

Thanks again

love

> Hi ,

> Sorry the stay was " nightmarish " but at least it's over now and

> you're safe at home. I know a few people who hav had pain probs for

> a while after a lap chole; hopefully it will get better very

quickly.

> Take care and good wishes,

> Fliss