I am going to write this in sections because it's so much to catch up on. This is the first four days.
First of all, the day I went to the hospital started out late. I had been up all night on the toilet trying to get cleaned out of all the prep. It never did get clear. I was up at 5:30 but so tired that I laid back down. I had set my alarm for 6:30 but for some reason I never heard it and all I heard was knocking at my door. My brothers were already here! Oh no! I put a robe on half asleep and opened the door. They laughed. I had to hurry and get dressed. It was 7:15. Then my sister Jeanne showed up to follow us. Steve rode with her. Got up to the hospital by 8:30 though! Just in time. Then it was all paper work for a while. Jeanne paid the down payment for a private room! I was so happy and that was so nice of her. My brothers Rick and Jim paid the balance. Rick had come up at 7am Thursday morning to pay it. (Jim gave Rick half after I got home.) I Was up in my room by 9:30. The boys and Jeanne left to go have breakfast at Denny's then Jeanne came back and waited till it was time for the surgery. It was supposed to be at 11:30 but ended up being closer to 12:30. They took me down to the "Holding Room" just outside of the OR. Jeanne was allowed to come there also. Because she'd be waiting out there in the waiting area anyway till I was done.
I was more concerned that I hadn't gotten all clear from the prep but the doctor said they'd flush me out anyway. Thank God!
The Anesthesiologist came to talk to me about the stuff they'd be using. I expressed my concern for the Epidural and that I really didn't want it. And my spine in so crooked and with my weak legs and all. He accessed me and decided that I was right. I was not a good candidate for the Epidural. I was so happy that I wouldn't be having that needle stuck in my back. One less tube to worry about for a few days. Then before I knew it they had wheeled me in to the OR and got me on this narrow table that was split with a hole kind of cut out. That was all I remembered. I was out like a light. Next thing I remember someone calling my name and I was waking up in the recovery area. Jeanne had been informed and she had left. Poor Jeanne thought she'd get out of there before dark but it was close to 4:00. The operation took a bit longer than expected I guess.
Then I was up in my room. I didn't feel a lot of pain but I was on pain killers yet. My mouth was so dry where the tubes were inserted. My throat felt sore for about two days but it went away. I could only chew ice but could not swallow the water from it for the first night.
For the next two days they inserted Demerol into the IV tube as needed. That helped me sleep too. But of course you can't get much sleep with someone entering your room each hour and coming in for Vitals every two hours for the first two days. Then it was every 4 hours.
I had everything removed in the rectum area. The total rectum also. The cancerous tumor had spread through the walls the doctor said. He had to remove Lymph nodes also. A section of the large intestine was removed and the end brought out through my belly, which they call the "Stoma". The stitches on my butt bother me the most, as I knew they would. It feels like the inside cheeks of my ass are sewn together. They are!! Dr. Delpino also told me that my liver had over a hundred cancerous spots on it and that I might live a year or up to three if I took the Chemo. I told him NO! What's the difference between one year and three. I'd rather have one year without being sick all the time from Chemo than three being sick every time they had to give me that poison. So that is that!
They removed the Catheter on the 25th and I had no problem urinating a few hours later so I was happy about that.
The Stoma was passing liquid stuff the day after the operation. The doctor was amazed because he said that usually the intestines shut down for a couple days before they start working again. So I was happy about that also. The doctor had to check my stitches and I was saying what an awful spot to be checking and it was a little embarrassing but he reminded me that I was almost upside down on the operating table with my butt in the air. Ha! Ha!
They got me up the very next day to walk a bit with the walker. Have to get the blood moving. I also had to sleep with the Flo max things on my legs to keep the circulation moving.
The room was cold for a couple nights so they came in and adjusted the heat. Then it was too hot. I finally adjusted it myself and it was okay. They had the air conditioner on at the same time. It was set all wrong.
Walked down the hall on Thursday, pushing the IV pole. Had my first solid food on Thursday also. It was Thanksgiving. So I got instant potatoes, instant squash and lousy tasting processed turkey. And a piece of Pumpkin pie. I only ate the pumpkin part. Guess it was better than nothing.
I cleaned my colostomy bag myself that day too. I learned all about that stuff fast.
That evening for dinner they had brought me beef stew! I couldn't eat that stuff yet. Too heavy and besides I don't eat red meat. But no one had come up from the kitchen to ask what I'd like yet because it was a holiday and when you are on just liquids for a couple days they don't bother. All you get is broth and jello and apple juice. Oh yes. And Popsicles. I wouldn't eat the green jello or Popsicles. Told them to take it back. Yuck.
Anyway they exchanged the beef stew for a turkey sandwich. That didn't taste too bad but I don't like white bread. They kept bringing me coffee or black tea and I don't drink either. I was so happy the next day when Sophie, from the kitchen, came to ask what I like. And I finally got my green tea too! The other kids kept saying they didn't have any.
I was uncomfortable Thursday night. From eating all that food I guess. And dinner is between 6:30 and 7:00 in there. I am used to eating at 4:00 so I don't have food in my stomach when I go to sleep.
Mu butt was hurting that night also. And my bladder area was tender for some reason. They gave me my Heparin shot in the belly every 12 hours. That's to keep blood clots from forming. I had a lot of blood draining from my lower belly. It's just an empty hole down there.
I asked for a Demerol shot at 9 pm. Couldn't sleep at all. Got another one at 11 pm. The stitches were really hurting. I only got about an hour's sleep that night and that was between 4:45 am and 5:45 am. It's hard when someone comes in every two hours to check your vitals or take blood. They only drew blood a few times that week.
The damn IV was leaking on my right lower arm so they had to take that out and insert it into my left lower arm. At least it wasn't in my hand. I had told them from the start that they couldn't have it in any of my hands. It's too painful. Didn't bother me at all in the arm.
This is the end of Part One. I'll keep writing more as I feel up to it.
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