Monday, August 4, 2008

It was the best of times...it was the worst of times!

Well, I have to say that while I tried to be brave, and probably put on a good front, this was not the most exciting thing I've ever "had" to go through. When I said "this wasn't as bad as I thought", believe me, I was still under the influence, cause by the time they wore off, I was miserable. I stopped answering the phone. I didn't want anyone coming to see me or call me. I was so sick.


If you've ever been in for surgery and they're going to keep you a few days however you can't yet eat... DON'T, and I mean DON'T let them give you a multi-vitamin tablet on your empty stomach. You're not going to die for lack of a vitamin pill even if you stay 15 days or more. It took me 5 days after surgery to realize that that pill kept me so nauseaus that when they told me to eat, I couldn't keep it down. So they kept putting me on a liquid diet. Couldn't eat it. I finally refused the vitimin and my nauseau started to subside. You know, medical professionals are taking educated guesses of what is good for you, but not all things are good for all people. I simply refused the vitamin pill, and ultimately refused any nauseau medication as well and it stopped completely.


I didn't eat for two weeks until they finally started giving me real food. Then it was touch and go as to how much I ate. I stuck with the mashed potatoes, cereal, ice sherbert, and while very little of either, at least I was getting some real food in my stomach.


I'm sure you all know the whole story from Kim to Sydney to the blog, but I want to put it down here for myself.


Friday, the 19th, I went to a pulmonary doctor because I had been to 3 other doctors to determine why I was so breathless when I first started to exert any energy. I would have to wait a few seconds, fill my lungs, and then I pretty much was able to continue what I was doing. While at the pulmonary doc, as I was checking out and he was going to send me for some tests, my heart rate elevated. Although I know this is certainly not normal, it was sort of normal for me, as I've had this for years and usually would wait 20 or so minutes and it would go back to a regular heart beat. In my infinite wisdom, and because my cardiologist could only take my word for the fact that I had this condition, I thought I would ask the pulmonary doctor to document the rapid rate and he could then tell my heart doctor as she had never been able to document it.


When the girl took my pulse, it was at 210. She, being concerned, call the doctor and he wouldn't let me go home. He kept saying I should go to the hospital. I kept telling him that it was sort of normal and it would stop in 20 minutes. No go, he called the paramedics and they took me to the ER after giving me something to bring rate down (which I might add was some kind of a rush)!



In the ER, having done blood work, they discovered that I was anemic and my blood count was a 5 compared to an 11 or 12 it should have been. Immediate admission to get blood transfusions and to then get tests run to determine where I may be bleeding, hence the Endoscopy and then the Colonoscopy where they found the blockages. If it hadn't been for the rapid heart rate, I would have come home and remained ignorant of my problem because other than not being able to breath I had not signs of anything wrong.


My surgery was on the 22nd of July. I guess, according to my daughter, I was doing all sorts of things coming out of anesthesia. The only thing I remember is telling them I wanted to get back to the blog and I also thought I would blog the president. They had removed 85% of my colon! My surgeon had told me that this was going to happen, so it wasn't a shock later. Giving God the glory, I didn't have to wear a bag...my colon is functioning well. Lots of trips as Queen for the Day, but that's ok. I'll get used to that easily enough.



I do have to go through Chemo Therapy, but I'm believing that God is going to get me through this as well.



Work is still a figment of my imagination...but as soon as I can, I do want to go back. Plus my daughter is starting a nutrition company and we hope to get into the location by September 1. It's nutritional products which you can purchase and do at home, but a healthy shake awaits at our location (Cary Nutrition) for purchase. It's a meal replacement shake, not just a smoothie, and it's designed to lose weight as well if that's what you want, or you just want to stay healthy.



I was on the product for three weeks before all this happened, and believe that it helped me through the surgery. I plan on staying healthy from here on out!



I am now an avid proponent of getting a colonoscopy as soon as its recommended for your age group. I don't even remember it. I do remember they needed to do it a second time that while it wasn't anything I'd want to do again, if I had to I would!



So, that's it pretty much.



Everyone who sent me cards, prayers, emails, I just want to thank you for your concern and support. I missed not being able to get on line and "talk", but even tho my granddaughter brought up her laptop, I just didn't have the will to use it.



LOVE YOU ALL!

Marge (meb)

3 comments:

joy n said...

meb, Very happy and relieved that your surgery went so well. You seem to be on your way to a great recovery.

I will be having my 4th colonoscopy in November. I had some "plumbing" problems a few years ago and my family Dr. said I should see a specialist. It turned out that I had 22 benign polyps and had the procedure done again annually since, simply because of the number of them that they had found the first time. Now it's every two years and they've all been good ones. I agree, everyone should have one done after reaching a certain age, (I was 56). Always better to be safe than sorry as they say.

Anyway, I wish you a speedy recovery. As I said in an earlier post on J's blog, listen to your Dr. Very glad you're back! Godspeed.

Sydney said...

Hi Meb-

I'm up in the middle of the night and just thought I'd click on your blog to see if you put something up like you had mentioned and you have! Maybe you mentioned it on Jackies and I missed it somehow! It was great to read more about whet went on. I can't believe what you have gone through.

I can't believe those nuckleheads didn't think that your vitamin might be the problem. Grrr!!! That would have been the first thing I thought of -- I'm amazed they even give people not eating solids a vitamin! I'm glad that's all over and you're home recouping and writing!

Amazing that you'd taken the shake for weeks before the surgery unwittingly getting stronger. That your rapid beats started when you were at a docs and that you had the hunch to ask them to document it So many miracles -- no one I know is more deserving of them

((((Hugs)))).

Sydney said...

My goodness - I'm just rereading this. It is so good to have this whole account on paper, for posterity and your family, as well as yourself and us. I am jus tso glad you caught this in time... boy, you never know do you !

And yes, I will schedule that lovely colonoscopy when my time is due. I feel it's so important to just do those things. Your going thru this is serving to remind us all about that, and put it on the front burner.