Hi all! Sorry I've been away so long but I'm afraid things didn't work out so well for me in hospital. There was a lot more wrong than was expected and this is the first time I've actually felt up to sitting down with the laptop.
As you know, I went in on the 11th September expecting to just have my gallbladder removed and home again 2 days later. It didn't go quite so smoothly though. I ended up having a lot more done than expected. The Consultant told me that he expected that a lot of my problems (pain, swelling etc) could also be down to adhesions/scar tissue and that he would sort that out during the operation, but apparently, when he opened a great deal more damage was found than was expected. In his own words: "I just wanted to walk away". So, after 5 and 1/2 hours on the operating table, I ended up with my gallbladder gone, hiatus hernia repaired, part of my bowel removed, and a small plastic bottle containing about 30 small gallstones.
John and Mum were really worried as I'd phoned John just before 3.30pm to say I was on my way to theatre any moment and he kept ringing the hospital all evening to be told I was still in recovery (which I wasn't; I was still in theatre) or that there was no news. He didn't receive a call to say that I was in the HDU (High Dependency Unit) until 11.15pm.
I was in hospital for 8 days and am only just begining to feel as though I'm rejoining the human race. I haven't been out anywhere other than a visit to the hospital as I can't drive (and John doesn't) and I'm too afraid to go out walking too far as if I need a toilet (and that's very likely) I need to get there straight away (so no change there!).
I went to the hospital one week after I came home to have the remainder of the 35 stitches removed and Mr Slater (my Consultant) said it would take some time to recover and that I'd been a 'walking time bomb'. My internal organs were all stuck together and I had an incisional hernia coming off from a previous gynae surgery (on the right hand side of my body coming up from a bikini-line scar). My bowel was pushing through the hernia and a portion of it was ischaemic, in other words, had died. This had to be removed.
Sorry to cme back with a bit of a 'downer' of a post, but at least I'm back. And one other good thing - I lost 10lbs in weight in as many days. I've put on about 3 or 4 lbs from just sitting around most the time but at least I reached those elusive 11stone somethings!!!!!
I'm going to look in to see if every one else is still around and 'thank you' Lesley and Mrs for popping in to see me whilst I was away.
6 comments:
Dearest Chris
Oh my goodness! What a rollercoaster. I was so relieved to hear from you.
I am sending you much love and firm instructions to take it easy. From reading this, I am thinking maybe it's a blessing in disguise that they did open you up???
We haven't met up yet so you haven't missed anything!!!
Big kiss and much love for a speedy but steady (!) recovery. Your family must have been so worried; I am just thrilled you are back.
I'll email you this weekend. And at least you know you were in our thoughts.
Mrs Lxxxxxxxxxx
Hi there Chris - I was wondering whether something like that had happened. I'm so pleased to hear that you're alright now and recovering although it sounds pretty rough. I really hope the doctor did a good job tidying up inside you as it seems like there was a lot to be done!
Big (but gentle) hug for your recovery and I'll drop in to see how you're getting on.
Lesley xx
Hi Chris,
Hope you are feeling better very soon!
Sorry to hear you've been through such an ordeal with your op hopefully now it will be the end to these health problems and you can concentrate on getting better. All the best for a speedy recovery.
Mel x x x
How're you getting on Chris? Woud be good to hear from you about life, ops, weight, whatever....
Lesley xx
Hello Chris
Just popped in to see what's happening. Would be great to see an update. Hope you are well after all of your troubles.
Claire
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