When we first got to Flagstaff Medical Center, I was told that I would not need surgery. The doctors said they could treat the infection, then do a colonoscopy prep to clean me out, and get rid of the obstruction in my bowel. Things didn’t happen quite that way.
The doctors waited 13 days for the infection to clear up. Most of what I am going to write today I learned from reading my daughters’ Facebook timelines, where they were keeping friends and family updated on my condition.
As I wrote yesterday, I was pretty much zinged out on morphine, and had an NG tube and a PICC line in my arm for IV feeding of TNP. There was also a PICC line in my groin, I’m not sure what that one was for.
On May 23, I started throwing up fecal matter. There is no pleasant way to say that. It was the most horrible thing, ever, even after all I have been through. Once I started that, the doctor decided to do a sigmoidoscopy. The doctor who did the sigmoidoscopy said that she couldn’t get the instrument past the small bowel. There was an obstruction there that prevented going any further. That is when they decided surgery was necessary. (again, I could be wrong about some of this because I do not even remember the sigmoid procedure. I was out cold!)
I was scheduled to go into the OR around 1:00 p.m. MST, but didn’t make it there until around 4:00 p.m. (I think). I am not sure what that surgery entailed. The updates on Facebook called it a “cleanout procedure”. Fabgrandpa told me they opened me up, cleaned out fecal matter and infection, cleaned my insides up, and covered it with a surgical sponge. The surgical incision was left open, and I was taken back to surgery at least two more times to change the sponge and cleanout infectious tissue. At some point during all this surgery, the small bowel obstruction was removed and I received a colostomy.
Tomorrow, the ICU.
Gaelyn says
I know surgery should be the last resort and they were trying to save you money, but…….
Natalie says
Ugh…just been catching up. So sorry you had to go through all this. My heart goes out to you.
marilyn register says
Glad you are home Karen. How is your recovery going??? Is your daughter going to be able to stay with you for awhile? When do you have to go back to see your DR?
Prayers still coming your way !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Martha Russell says
Karen,
This story has touched my heart and brought back many memories from 1996 when my husband was very sick and like you, spent a lot of time in the hospital. He had ulcerative colitis which destroyed his whole large intestine. He ended up with an iliostomy which is the type that can’t be reversed.
When he first came home and was very weak he drank either boost or ensure every day. That really helped get his strength back. When he went to the mailbox the first time he thought he had climbed a big mountain!!
You have been in my thoughts and prayers- when you first started mentioning colitis and a blockage I was concerned where this was leading. Please take care of yourself! We are all rooting for you.
Martha
Marcie says
Karen, I’ve been praying for you all along. This has been such an ordeal for you and Jim too. Please be careful about doing too much as you begin to feel better. As they told me, it took months to get yourself that sick; it will take months to get yourself well too.
Know that I’m with you even if I’m not visible everyday. Call if you want to vent about anything.
Sally in WA says
Still thinking of you, Karen. Speedy recovery!