Well, for one reason or another, I've not been too good at keeping up this blog the past two weeks.
I've suffered with lots of gas and abdominal pain, but that's to be expected. Overall, I think I am doing really well and way ahead of the progress of last summer.
My girlfriend came to visit at the two-week mark but I was left totally exhausted after her visit. She left as she said she could see me pale in front of her. I just suddenly started to fade. As I've said before, visitors and telephone calls are draining. I don't like then until at least the four week mark.
Having the runs all the time becomes very painful. Thankfully, last summer the surgeons office suggested using baby wipes and diaper cream and they really do help a lot! Epsom salts in the bath are good too but you can't have a bath at first.
The runs were so bad I called the Surgeons office and asked if I could go back on the cholorestramine yet? Thankfully the answer was yes, but he didn't say how many times/day. Trial and error...
Day 17 was a rough one. Tired, lots of pain, feeling hot and nauseous etc and about 10:30 that night I had a mjor meltdown. I cried for a very long time and in spite of taking a sleeping pill and 10:30 was still awake at 1:00am
This has been the only really rough time this year. Last year there were several days of depression so I guess this is good!
Day 21 I was finally able to sleep on my side again, rather than always being on my back which I don't like. In the morning my stomach was sore and tender but hey, I'd been on my side for the first time, all night!
Day 24 I was running a mild fever. My runs looked a little reddish and I didn't know if I should be heading to the hospital or not. Maybe it was something I ate the night before? I don't know but the fever stopped so I decided to pack it in for the night and just go to bed. Seemed ok the next morning.
After four weeks of being contained to the house I went for a car ride about a mile away to my son's for a short visit.
Day 26 and it was time for my follow-up appointment with my own Doctor. I was 150 lbs on his scale! Down 40 lbs in all from last summer pre-surgery. He explained to me that the opening in my intestine should be about 4 (cm or mm?) and mine was 1.2 so no wonder I was still having troubles with blockages. He hopes this now does the trick and no more problems in future! Let's hope!
The worry though honestly is that every time I want to go somewhere, I will worry wondering if it will happen again and I'll end up once again in the hospital somewhere. At some point in time I know I will relax and accept that maybe I am now healed. Hopefully. If all goes well!
The other issue is that I am anemic now. I'd had my blood tested pre-surgery and was fine but now things have changed so he's started me on iron supplements and already after 3 days I notice a big difference. I am to have my blood tested again in one month and see how I am then.
Day 28 and I finally graduated (at least this one time) to a thin shaped poop! There is hope! I am on Cholorestramine twice a day now and I think it may be too much so will try again with just one/day.
On Day 29 enough was enough and my husband drove me to my hairdresser who coloured and cut my hair. I felt human again at last! That white streak made me look like a member of the skunk family although I was pretty good at camouflaging it.
Day 30 and I feel great! I'm past the 4-wk mark and feeling pretty good and have even been cheating a little on foods. I've had a few small pieces of dark chocolate, some banana bread and last night Hawaiian pizza and a couple of potatoe chips. No problems so far!
No comments:
Post a Comment