Open surgery for high grade obtruction with Intussusception

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girlunky

So I just arrived home from my surgery and 10 day hospitalization.

I'd get intermittent upper right quadrant pain I thought was partial obstructions. Just hot clear liquids for a day and then I'd feel better. Then on Thanksgiving I had a particularly bad one, but passed stool in the evening and thought it ok. Friday I dealt with leftovers and went out for a run. About 45 minutes in I had worse abdominal pain. My husband drove me the 1 1/2 hours to my surgical hospital rather than roll dice locally.

At first they suspected a blockage and treated me accordingly with the ng tube, but the pain and distension got worse. Finally after two days I went into surgery at midnight as it looked like I wouldn't make it to morning without a rupture.

Turns out there was a hole in my peritoneal cavity left after the jpouch surgery and it trapped a loop of intestine. That led to the high grade blockage and intussusception which is when the intestine telescopes together. Ended up with open surgery but no resection was needed, no new stoma, and the jpouch is working.

Terrible pain + ileus but finally after 8 days NPO in hospital with NG tube, I got onto liquids, then some yogurt and crackers and got to come home. I'm sipping a little of the bone broth I made Friday AM after Thanksgiving and had managed to get frozen before I realized how sick I was.

Now I just need help with my recovery. I never had open surgery before, and this was a big one, looks like sternum past navel. How long before my pooh-belly starts to shrink?

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Scott FMember

Everyone heals at a different pace after open surgery. Just be patient with yourself. I’m glad they figured it out and fixed you up. Intussusception is no joke!

12/4/227:07 PM

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Jan DollarModerator, RN, retired

I am with Scott on this one. Give yourself a couple of months (at least), and don’t concern yourself about how it all looks. It can be ugly for a good while. Generally, there will be gradual healing. Keep in mind that there is a lot of healing that has to happen below the skin too. Be kind to yourself and be as active as you can, and rest as much as you feel the need.

But, do be on the lookout for signs of infection, like increasing redness and tenderness at the incision. Also, fever and drainage should be reported.

Jan