
… and it sure feels good. π
Well, except for the PAIN bit and not being able to do much before feeling exhausted and having to lie down. But of course it’s much better going through all that here – I think another night in the hospital would have driven me bonkers.
So I guess this is what you call one of them thar life-changing experiences. And once I get a bit more energy I’ll share some of my hospital stories as well as other stuff I went through with you guys. It’s actually relatively comfortable sitting on my wheelie chair in front of the computer.
But for now I can only manage to sit upright for short periods of time and I do think I kind of overdid things when I got home this afternoon because I was suddenly so knackered that I just flopped into bed with the cats and didn’t move for ages. And I’m about to do the same thing now.
In general I’m feeling as well as can be expected and the hospital staff were quite impressed by how quickly I recovered (well, at least enough to go home within a week). A nurse will stop by the house every day to change my dressing and other than that it’s just a question of taking things very easy. I’ve been cut from about six inches above my belly button down to my pubes and had almost a metre of my colon removed … sooooo lucky I didn’t end up with a colostomy bag, which was what I had been told the outcome was going to be. But I think the recovery is going to take quite awhile and once the pain subsides I plan to use this ‘time off’ for much reflection and positive change. I know I’m still not ‘off the hook’, but again, I shall remain as positive with my todays as I can and get the most out of every moment.
[I know I’ve used this photo before but it really says ‘home’ to me, this one.]
Hey az! Glad to hear you’re back home.
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Hi Az
I’m so glad to hear you’re back home! Sorry I wasn’t around to wish you well. I’m so glad to hear that they didn’t remove the entire colon.
You’ll bounce back fast from the surgery, you’ll be surprised. Have you noticed if your stomach is a different shape? Mine changed changed shape they re-arranged things during my appendectomy.
Get well soon!
xoxox
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Whew! You’ve got the right frame of mind – one day at a time. Rest, snibble, repeat… xoxoxo
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Oh my goodness, Az, what an ordeal you’ve been through. I can imagine that it’s a huge relief to be home. I hope that your recovery continues to be relatively faster. The cats should help.
I’m glad to hear that things went better than the worst anticipated, too. But it sounds pretty darned major. (I think a hairball would have been preferable.)
I’m so sorry I’ve been absent, by the way. I’ve been caught up with my own life, and largely too tired for much blog-related activity. I just peeked at the comment thread from your last post, so now see how much I missed.
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The cats should help.
I’ll say. One definition of bliss: waking up to find Azar nestled in the crook of my arm with his little head on my shoulder and big Sunny stretched out full-length on my other side.
No worries about being absent. I plan on ruthlessly marking everything on my feedreader ‘as read’ and starting from scratch.
Can’t see any difference in shape yet, Arnie. The area still seems a bit distended. Annoyingly, I’ve only lost about 3 kilos after all this! I mean, I didn’t eat anything at all for a week and nothing solid for nine days. Sheesh.
But it sounds pretty darned major.
Apparently the whole area was at the point of bursting when the surgeon finally got to me. Which was at a different hospital than the one I originally went to – but that’s another story.
Also want to say that Nog has been invaluable. I honestlly don’t know how I’d be coping without him here to help with the so many ‘little things’ that I’m still not able to do.
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Well played Nog!
It is as you find that you can do those “little things” that you will be able to measure your recovery – I think we’ve had this conversation before π
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That you’re actually back posting already shows a lot. Don’t overdo the activity, take it easy and get well sooner!
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Welcome back to cyberspace az!
Keep snibbling and let things go in their own pace.
*hugs*
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In fact, the most ‘comfortable’ chair in the place for me right now is the wheelie one in front of the computer, ian. It’s one of those cheap Ikea office chairs and the back fell off ages ago, so now it’s more of a stool on wheels. But I can sit up well and feel supported on it.
I’m supposed to be moving around as much as possible but getting up from either sitting, and especially from lying down, is extremely painful. Less so from the wheelie chair. But yes, it’s nice to be back and posting again. Been doing more reading than commenting today. Poco Γ‘ poco …
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Yeah, they wanted me to walk and walk and walk as much as I could. I’ve found it does an *amazing* job of keeping my digestive system working – ever since my operation, it has a tendency to shut down periodically, which has led to 2 subsequent trips to the hospital with an NG tube to pump my stomach while the digestive system restarted itself. So I finally realized that in order to avoid getting the NG tube, I need to walk. About once every 6-12 months I get really intense abdominal pain, and I force myself to go for a long walk. It is absolutely a miserable walk, but so far it’s kept me out of the hospital.
Have they said anything to you about fiber?
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az, I just can’t help thinking of the hike up those flights of stairs at your casa — didn’t you say you’re on the 3rd floor? PLEASE take it slow, if you’ve got to go out at all.
And bless Nog for the helpful guy that he is!
Take very good care, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for news.
SC
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