My Week At The Hospital-Part Two-Nov. 26-29th

Part Two-Nov. 26 through 29th
Fri. 26th
The stitches in my butt were hurting the morning of the 26th. I hadn't slept at all except for one hour. I was so tired. I got up at 7:00 to wash up. Felt a bit dizzy so got back in bed.
The doctor came in at 7:30. He's always early. He said I could have the IV taken out. I was happy about that! Now I wouldn't have to drag that damn pole with me when I went to the bathroom or walked. The blood was still draining a lot. He even said I might have to where the drain home. Yuck. I can wash my butt but just dab it. Can't rub. And no sitz baths either when I get home. Just showers. He wants me to keep that area as dry as possible. But it always seems to be oozing a bit. They put a salve on it every morning. I also helped change the colostomy bag today. That will be no problem when I get home.
I am very anemic again. It's down to 8 and it's supposed to be 12 so I had to start taking iron.
I had instant scrambled eggs and wheat toast every morning for breakfast, along with a glass of orange juice.
At lunch that day, the 26th, I had a piece of fish and spinach that wasn't cooked all the way. I like it that way but it's harder to digest. They really didn't want me having any of that kind of stuff. But I ate it all. The girl from the kitchen had gone over everything that I liked that morning so at least now I should be getting more decent food. And having my green tea! She even brought me extra Lorna Doone cookies to keep in my drawer.
I had a bowl of soup and a tuna sandwich for dinner. That tasted good.
I had to have a Loritab that night. Had too much pain in my butt and was very uncomfortable. My blood pressure was finally starting to come up where it should be. It was too low at times.
I still have not gone in my bag after eating all that solid food.
Sat. 27th
Had another Loritab at 4:30 am. Hard time sleeping yet
The butt stitches were bleeding a bit. Had lots of pressure in lower belly. Almost felt like I want to go the old way. That's a phantom thing they say. Between the nerves and your brain. Had a pain run through my Bladder area. Worried about that a bit but it didn't happen again. My uterus felt like it used to when I was having my period. Weird.
I hadn't gone in the bag yet so Dr. Delpino ordered them to give me some Milk Of Magnesia. The iron pill every morning probably wasn't helping either.
They had to keep changing the dressing on that blood tube. It always leaked when I stood up. After a while I tried to roll up some of the tube and tape it so it would fall when I stood. That worked pretty good. Had to always pin the round drain thing to my gown too.
I had to breathe through the Spirometer every hour also. I always did good with that and finally they left me alone and let me do it on my own instead of watching me a couple times a day. I never did it every hour.
I actually liked my lunch Saturday. The chicken breast was real tender. Carrots and instant mashed potatoes.
I'd walk the hall a few times a day to keep my legs moving but had to wear those damn Flo Max things on my legs at night. I quit wearing them Sunday. Told the young girl that always made me wear them that I didn't need them any more. I was always moving my legs in bed anyway. And those damn hoses got in the way. I could sleep on part of my side anyway. One side then the other.
Had Tuna sandwich and soup for dinner. They gave me a Benidryl every night to help me sleep but it never worked. Did not want any Loritab Sat night. Didn't want to take them if I could handle the pain. They are addictive.
Sunday, the 28th
I still hadn't gone to the bathroom in my bag. One of the nurses brought me some warm prune juice with butter in it to see if that would help. In fact when they brought me my iron tab that morning I didn't take it.
Sunday was a routine day. I had a nice fruit salad that day for lunch. Lots of cottage cheese with pear and peach slices and mandarin oranges in it. They had also brought some sliced pork with gravy and carrots but I didn't eat that. The salad was enough.
Had some pain that night where the tube was inserted on my right side for the blood to drain. And with four days of food inside me yet I was wondering when I'd ever get rid of it.
I took a Loritab that night. I needed it.
By 8:30 Sunday night the bag started filling up. I finally started to feel better. I emptied it and it filled up again by morning. Never took any more Loritabs. Just a Benidryl at night to help me sleep, even though it didn't.
This one younger nurse's assistant had so much perfume on that I smelled her every time she came in to check by the hour through the night. It was awful! They should not be allowed to wear that stuff. It makes me gag.

Monday, the 29th Going home today!! Yaaayyy!!

Dr. Delpino came in at 7:30 and said I was good to go. He said that since the blood draining had subsided that they would be taking that drain out before I left. Yippeee! I did not want to have that thing on my side when I was home.
They took my last vitals and gave me my last shot of Heperin in my belly that morning.
Beth, the nurse with all my Stoma supplies came in that morning and watched me change my bag. She said I did a great job. She loaded me up with a big bag of stuff that I'd need and was going to have a travel kit sent to my home. She was very nice. All the people there were real nice really. I really had no complaints except for the perfume.
At 11:30 the other doctor that was in the operating room ( Bob) came in and took the tube out of my belly. That thing grossed me out! It was so long and when he pulled it out I felt that same pain along the bladder or groin area that I had felt a few days before. I bet when I tried to lay on my side I had moved it and caused that pain. The pain went right away after they removed it though. Left quite a hole there but they just put gauze over it. It really looks like it needed a stitch but glad I didn't have to have one. He also checked my butt stitches.
I had to wait for some paperwork to get done and sign and then I was ready to leave at 12:30. Rick was there to get me and carry my things down to the truck. I got wheeled down in a wheelchair. Would have been too far for me to walk anyway, even with my crutches.
I was so glad to be going home. I missed my birds.
I got home about 1:30. My pet Cockatiel, Ricky, couldn't wait to get out of his cage and get on my shoulder and he was hugging me and kissing me and purring at me and saying his name over and over..Ha! He was so happy!
My brother Jim came by while Rick was still there to give him his half of the cost of my private room. Jim wanted to make sure he paid some of it too. I am so grateful for that. I would never have liked sharing a room with someone. Bad enough I could hear the lady next door moaning and all that. And she was on the toilet so much. A nurse told me that her appendix had burst and that she was going to the bathroom a lot. How do you go to the bathroom in a double room when they have to measure everything that comes out?? I really enjoyed my private room. Thanks Jeanne, Rick and Jim!!! Love you all so much!!
Jim and Rick left at 2:00 pm so I could rest and they had to get back to work anyway.
I had kept notes each day. That's how I remember so much.
So that was my stay in the hospital. I am so glad I survived that operation. I feel much better already not having that pressure and pain from the tumor. The bag is easy to handle!! Maybe now I can live a much more normal life for the time I have left.