Re: Hello all, back home but no fun really...

[Guest guest]

wow, sounds rough. I don't have any health problems right now other

than my overweight and cancer risk, so I am hoping to have an easier

time. I am very familiar witht the surgery aspect of this, as I

have had 3 C-sections, and with the second one, the epidural did not

work and they only reallized this when I felt them cutting me open.

I survived and the pain faded in my memory. I am psyched and ready

to go in 10 days....ok ok, I am nervous too. Glad you are on the

post side, and I can't wait to join that side myself.

> To begin with I think the effects of PTSS should be eliminated

from

> posts. You may not remember all the bad things about the process

> but having a head injury and peculiar memory patterns I remember

> every little detail. From the doctors telling that they had to

> intubate while I was awake because of apnea. I remember the

> breathing tube and the fun in the post op ICU and the NG or

drainage

> tube down my nose and into my throat and onto the surgical area.

> That drain was hard to get around the choking every time I spoke

or

> swallowed. I kept asking for wet gauze to put in my mouth and

that

> eliminated the gagging (as much). I then began bleeding as it was

> discovered in two separate bowel movements in the inetensive care

> unit. My only relief came when the first tube came out and then I

> went to get the pictures to see if the barium leaked from the

> surgical are or not. It was picture perfect and the the barium

was

> delicious after not having anything to drink for 2 days. I was

able

> to bypass the 'scope' procedure because I fit into the table for

the

> xrays. After that tube came out I was able to have my first

> liquids. Broth WAY too salty but the water felt good. Day 2 I

was

> moved to a private room and had an uncomfortable but better

night.

> Moved up to pureed foods where I will stay for a while. The diet

> trays have to be watched particularly when one developes diabetes

> after the surgery as I did. Blood tests every hour and two types

of

> insulin. Just before anybody asks I was NOT diabetic prior to the

> operation. I am part of a study as to why this happens and my

blood

> sugar was under control by the time I checked out yesterday. The

> third day I was able to get up and walk and went to bathroom. My

> first experience was a bowl FULL of blood. Naturally I freaked

out

> and even the attending nurses said that was not normal. I slowly

> subsided and I was feeling better the next morning. I have had

hot

> flashes and slight fevers steadily but still moving around and not

> much trouble from the surgical area. I am feeling a bit better

now

> but not as pretty a picture as most post due to the fact that I

> think time passes and memories fade. It would have been a LOT

more

> comforting to expect these little 'discomforts' such as when they

> remove the drain tube. As of now I STILL do not regret my choice

> but wish even with all the research and such people would have

> shared more of nasty sides to this procedure. Of which there are,

> obviously, many. Regardless of how it pays off in the end it is a

> big step and one must make sure they are truly ready. I was being

> tied down to the table when they told me they would give me

> a 'twilight drug' before the intubation. However I remember every

> second of it with gagging and pain and fear. I was ALMOST ready

to

> say, " okay lets forget it " and go home. Then I realized. If I

had

> gone home I would have CERTAINLY still had the heart problems,

still

> had the gurd and reflux, still ALWAYS had to use the Bipap

machince,

> still always had high blood pressure and would have almost for

sure

> develope diabetes. In short. lol I'm home and will only respond

to

> a few posts for the next week or so. I LIVE! and I'm home and

> graduated to a Post Op... Thank you all

[Guest guest]

why sounds like you did go through some rough times. i was lucky, no

drainage tubes, no ICU, no tubes down my throat, etc. the little drainage tubes

as i

guess they were called were towards the top of my incision and were removed

the morning i went home. in fact the top tube came out on it's own prior to

the nurse removing the rest.

laurette

4/23/04 open rny

309/290/250/150