...still having complications.
So to recap for anyone not following the story, recently in the hospital after takedown:
1) Paralytic ileus, a.k.a. intestinal blockage from bowels not waking up properly after anesthesia - AWFUL symptoms, lasting a couple weeks.
2) Infected abdominal abscess & fluid build-up requiring antibiotics and insertion of drainage tubes, lasting another week and a half.
24 days in the hospital altogether, released a week ago.
And now...
Felt abdominal bloating and pain (tender to the touch) a couple days after my release, noticed it didn't move or change for three or four days even though I was passing plenty of stool and gas, so thought it was another abscess. Called it in.
Yesterday's CT (oral, rectal, and IV contrast - checking for leaks as well) showed trapped air in my abdomen where it doesn't belong along with inflammation around my uterus and Fallopian tubes. The CT did not show any leaks or source of the air, though CT's are not necessarily complete pictures of what is going on, and leaks/bowel perforation are the most common cause of air in the abdomen.
Doc's orders: immediate antibiotics to head off any infection and a repeat CT in a week to see if there is any change, followed right after by an appointment with my surgeon. The hope is that my body might absorb the air on its own. If I experience any sign of infection, I'm to head straight to the UCSF emergency room.
I really don't think I have a perforated or leaking bowel, so I was confused on what it could be. After doing some research, I read about this phenomenon where if a patient is on high doses of steroids after surgery (which I was), then sometimes when the drainage tubes are removed from the abdomen, that tract doesn't close up right away like it's supposed to since healing is inhibited, which would provide a pathway for air to enter into the abdomen. I'm thinking that makes the most sense since this didn't happen until a few days after the drains were removed, and that incision took several days to close up. At least I'm hoping that's what it was instead of something more dangerous like a leaky bowel.
Hopefully it will resolve on it's own. In the meantime, it's uncomfortable/painful to move around very much (feels like a lot of painful gas that won't pass), so I'm spending a lot of time in bed. An additional three weeks of work has been ordered. (Otherwise I'd be going back a week from Monday, on the 21st.)
Anyway, just keeping you all posted. (A girl just can't catch a break!) Still staying positive, though, and trying to remain patient. Looking forward to the day when these post-op complications are behind me and I can just focus on my j-pouch and athletic rehabilitation. I know that this all has nothing to do with my pouch and that once I get through all of it (which all could have happened after any type of abdominal surgery) I will be a happy j-poucher.
Thanks for all of your continued support, everyone.
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