In the hospital again

[pik 262]

Well I've been in the ER for about 5 hours now. Last Saturday they admitted me and they are doing it again.

pancreatitis.

I have no idea why I am having such a hard time after my surgery. At this point I wish I could go back in time and not have the surgery.

I would have had to have my hernia surgery either way though......

I am so bruised and battered from my last admit and one of my veins was ruined from when I was in the hospital for the surgery....

[DaronB 103]

A friend of mine has pancreatitis and she said if it's caught in time it's treatable/curable, but if not, it becomes a chronic issue. Not sure if this is confirmed or not but if so hopefully yours was caught in time !

[CrashNCamsMom 58]

Praying for you!!

[Angel❤️ 45]

@@pik I know you are just sick and tired of the hospital at this point. You have had the toughest time, I believe, of all the stories I've read recently. I'm so sorry. I think I'd be regretting everything too, but hopefully they will get you well FOR GOOD and back on the healing path. I'm sure it's hard but try to think positive that at some point you WILL enjoy the weight loss and all of this other stuff will be behind you. Prayers for a speedy recovery. :-)

[Chelly 364]

May all good things happen for you in the very near future.

I hope that your bumping beginning starts to get smoother and lead you to a happier ending.

May you find peace through this hardship in your journey.

I wish you a speedy recovery and a much, much healthier you.

Take care and my best to you.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Chelly

[deaddemmama 474]

Second ulcer.... Nothing us working. 1st one I bled out and needed a transfusion not cool..

[pik 262]

I saw both my internist and one of the surgeons from my group this morning. The surgeon doesn't seem concerned with the fact that things are getting stuck. I had an Upper GI a week ago and he said it showed no stricture but that things are probably tight for now due to the hernia surgery I had at the same time.

As a patient, I think there is some kind of issue! He did say that if it continued that I should probably have an unpper endoscopy. I already think I need one but who am I?

Thank everyone for all of your support!

[Leena 108]

Oh Pik. Sorry you're going through this.

I had my bypass& hernia repairs 7/8. And 3 hospitalizations since.

The best way to diagnose a stricture is endoscopy. I've had one with dilation to open it up. (2nd hospital stay of 4 days)

I thought it closed again as I had a day where I only managed to get in 8 oz of Water then the next day no Water. (3rd hospital stay for dehydration 2 days)

I really had to beg for the endo.

Ill be 4 weeks out Tuesday and am still on liquids and nausea meds. My abscess is healing and tomorrow is my last day of my visitting nurse. I still can't drive and have no energy.

Hang in there pik and ask daily for the endo. After 3 days of vomiting bile documented in the hospital & one day at home my surgeon went in and fixed the stricture. It didn't instantly feel better but the next day fluids went in slowly.

I know how stressful these complications can be. I think it's pretty much totaled my relationship with my partner. And once I feel well enough I'll be moving. I dont need the fallout from being sick.

[pik 262]

Oh Pik. Sorry you're going through this.

I had my bypass& hernia repairs 7/8. And 3 hospitalizations since.

The best way to diagnose a stricture is endoscopy. I've had one with dilation to open it up. (2nd hospital stay of 4 days)

I thought it closed again as I had a day where I only managed to get in 8 oz of Water then the next day no Water. (3rd hospital stay for dehydration 2 days)

I really had to beg for the endo.

Ill be 4 weeks out Tuesday and am still on liquids and nausea meds. My abscess is healing and tomorrow is my last day of my visitting nurse. I still can't drive and have no energy.

Hang in there pik and ask daily for the endo. After 3 days of vomiting bile documented in the hospital & one day at home my surgeon went in and fixed the stricture. It didn't instantly feel better but the next day fluids went in slowly.

I know how stressful these complications can be. I think it's pretty much totaled my relationship with my partner. And once I feel well enough I'll be moving. I dont need the fallout from being sick.

You know, I asked about the endoscopy and the surgeon I have been put under who was on call said I don't need it right now but he says that the upper gi I had last week was fine and I didn't need it. He said if things continue to get stuck then I should have it.

A nurse just came in and I asked her about my lab results from this morning. My Lipase is up higher than it was before. I have no idea what is next...

[Peggy Jean 41]

This is exactly the reason it took me so long to finally decide on getting this surgery done. I had surgery in 2007 for cancer and they did a laryngectomy. A week in the hospital at the most, they said. First off, they stopped all my meds when I went in, including several antidepressants. The third day post-op, I developed a fistula (an abnormal connection) in my new trachea and spent a week having it packed and treated. I had a horrible time with the new trachea, kept clogging up so I couldn't breathe and they kept having to suction it out. I had a stomach tube and they put me on some liquid stuff that was awful. My body didn't tolerate it ... I would drink for 5 days and have explosive diarrhea.

By this time I was suffering from being taken off my meds plus the constant fear of not being able to breathe and dealing with not being able to talk ... for the first time in my life i actually had thoughts of suicide whirling around in my head.

Then some funny things started happening ... they kept moving me around and eventually gave me my own room. I was constantly being asked if I wanted a bath. Like how many times a day do I need a bath? I'm not running the marathon here! Then I noticed a nurse bring in a lump of coal in a basin and putting it in my room. Not a word was ever said to me. After a week to 10 days of this I asked the nurse what was up. She finally told me there was a terrible odor problem. Then she asked if she could search me. I said sure. Well, she found an infection that had been festering for two weeks (it was actually life threatening at this point). Understand, I lost my power of smell with the surgery and there was no feeling left where they cut me. So I had no clue. The nurse said she told the doctors it smelled like an infection but they paid no heed.

Well, I never saw the residents again who were attending me, just the Head of the Dept. I ended up with some machine probe in me draining the infection, I am diabetic plus have had radiation in the same area of my throat so everything takes forever to heal anyway. That was another few weeks added to the 'ten day' stay.

Finally, they were letting me go. I had to do a test and drink some barium so they could test my esophogus. Well, they discovered a stricture. Well, I think they were so tired of me by then they just wanted to get me out of there. They released me a few days later with instructions to see a Gastrointestinal doctor.

I WAS FREE!!! After six weeks I was finally heading home (4 hrs away).

The next day I was in the ER having difficulty breathing. i was talking to the ENT doctor and all of a sudden my worst nightmare happened again. I couldn't breathe! I couldn't talk to tell the doctor! I was trying to cough but couldn't take air in ,. my sister was sitting with me and I was gonna die! I finally get one last cough out and dislodge a clot of blood. Air never tasted so good! This whole time the doctor is just staring at me ... truthfully, I think he panicked.

Well, guess what. I was put into ICU that night, the doctor here called the doctor there and reamed him out for sending me home too early! So, the next day I am in an ambulance taking a 4 hour ride back to Shands.

I spent another few weeks in the hospital (with another episode of not being able to take a breath) and they finally decide it's time to go home. I was so scared to leave but happy too. It had been two months!

Over the next year I went through 2 dozen surgeries to enlarge the stricture in the esophogus (if it gets too small they can't enlarge it and you are stuck with a stomach tube the rest of your life). I would get it done and be able to eat and within 2 weeks the stricture has shrunk and I was back in having it done again). I finally ended up in NC with my son who took me to Duke University. A wonderful doctor named Dr. Esclamado corrected the stricture (several more weeks in the hospital).

Ever heard of Murphy's Law? lol

Sorry for such a long post but there is a point. You CAN get through anything you set your mind too. This too shall pass (I live by that saying). Just keep telling yourself that one day this will all be over and you will be watching the lbs drop off and it will be free sailing ahead.

I KNOW it's hard, but keep looking at the big picture. Keep a POSITIVE attitude! Stay strong and keep your support system close. Reach out to people if you need some support.

I will pray that your difficulties will soon end and that your new life will start free of problems.

Good luck!

[MisPetunia 21]

I can't imagine what all have been through or are going through. I can only hope that you have loved ones that support you and keep you company. From where I am, I send you positive thoughts and prayers.

[pik 262]

Thank you everyone. I am still in the hospital and now I am dealing with an IV infiltrate. The dr will probably get here around 3pm if today is anything like yesterday. I am still having tenderness around the largest incision but I am also having some tenderness in the upper abdomen just under my chest in the middle. I have not exp that before, so I don't know what that is.

[joybell18 82]

Good luck Pik! Hang in there! My sister is a nurse and she always told me to not let the doctor's just act like it's nothing and if you think you need that endoscopy keep telling them. Someone will hopefully listen but you know your body better than they do. Thinking positive thoughts for you!

[pik 262]

Well, no endoscopy ordered but I see my surgeon on Thursday and we will discuss that then. I just had an ultrasound of my right leg because I was having some pain in it and they wanted to make sure there are no clots. The tech didn't see anything and said the results should be to the dr in 20 minutes. If everything is fine I can go home, and yay to that!

[itsmekarenlee 129]

Have they done a ct scan of your abdomen to see if you don't have a clot too like my husband does with your same symptoms?

Edited August 6, 2014 by itsmekarenlee