Am glad you came through ok.  It is a tough time for sure a grieving process of a sort.  It helps to sort through and find the things to be happy about as you have found. Time to move forward, I hope when my turn comes I'll do as well as you.  Remember to start to move as soon as you are able even if it is just your legs in the bed!! All the best . Shawne 

Marie, I'm so happy you came through with flying colors!  You have been through a lot the last few years.  Hopefully you have only good and healthy days ahead.  Continue to be well!!

I am glad you got through the surgery.  Sending healing thoughts...

Wishing you a speedy recovery. Onwards and upwards! Be well....

What a relief this must be! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

 

Jan

I might be released this afternoon and have mixed feelings about that. My husband is staying in a hotel across the street and our plan is to stay there at least one or 2 night after I'm released.  

 

I have been walking walking walking and looking at all the beautiful art adorning the ward's walls.  I love the art work throughout all of the buildings here.

 

Another good experience with the surgery is I didn't come out of surgery with a pain pump.  They have found out how to administer medication through the spine before surgery that has done away the need for pain pumps. I've been on one pan med through an IV port, toradol, and oral oxy, Tramadol, Tylenol and ibuprofen. I asked about the ibuprofen because it's an nsaid. They said it's good to use after surgeries but shouldn't be used for pain on a steady basis.

 

I haven't had surgery for 4 years and maybe this is common practice in other hospitals now.  I didn't miss the self dosing pump

TE Marie,

 

Very happy to hear you are doing well!!  Who was your surgeon?

 

I recently had surgery at Mayo too (in March).  Regarding pain meds, with my lapro surgery, my regimen was IV Tylenol and Toradol, but I did have a pain pump for a couple days (Dilaudid), which I hardly used.  Then a week later, I had a second surgery, open that time, and had a morphine pain pump for a couple days.  So, I don't think they have done away with the pain pumps, but may depend on the surgeon and type of surgery.  They did administer pain meds directly into my abdomen during the surgery that lasted for days too.

Congratulations TE,

I am so proud of you for having the courage to go through yet another surgery...maybe we can finally close the book on all of the pain, anguish and horror of the last 4 yrs.

You deserve to now live a happy and healthy life.

Keep us posted on the progress and stay strong and healthy.

Sharon

PCAs or "pain pumps" still have their place for control of post-op pain by allowing the patient more flexible control over their pain needs, which usually equates to less pain meds used.

Spinal pain meds are not appropriate for all patients, nor are oral always appropriate. It really just is patient to patient and case by case.

So glad you're doing well!

Sounds like your doing great! Hope your home. Stay in touch

I ended up with a bad UTI and pneumonia so ended up staying in the hospital for 6 nights.  I'm still fighting off the UTI and trying to get a wafer to last longer than a day.  Some pretty ugly skin underneath it.  I'm seeing a stoma NP at a wound care clinic, twice a week but am backing off to one day as I think I'm right around the corner of proper appliance attachment.  She wants me to do  change it at least every other day or daily.  Good instruction and she's local so she is writing my prescriptions and I can fill it locally. No more mail order great!  Things have changed in 5 years.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

what surgery did you have done?

I was diverted to a permanent ileostomy and she also spent 3 hours lysing all of the adhesions in my abdomen.  She did it all laproscopically so I'm hoping they don't come back   I still have my j-pouch and don't plan on a future take down.  Hopefully it won't cause me any more problems. If it does then it will be excised.  I tried my best for close to 5 years and it just was just not cooperating and failing in too many areas to keep using it.