... and one step back.
Hello All,
This has been a very tough week. A week of ups and downs. It seems the balancing act we’ve been running between eating, exercising and medicating got a bit out of balance. Sherri started feeling worse early in the week and Tuesday morning we had our first follow up appointment with the surgeon. When he saw Sherri and checked her symptoms, he readmitted her to the hospital. Her symptoms pointed to low blood volume and they were preparing a transfusion while waiting for confirmation from blood analysis. But when the labs came back, there was no identifiable issue. Her scans were clean as well.
By Wednesday afternoon she felt fine and was eager to get back home and the doctors released her. Unfortunately, Wednesday night turned out to be the hardest one yet. She moved in and out of extreme discomfort, was unable to take any nourishment in at all and was unable to take her pain meds. We were up until 4:30am trying a variety of things to resolve this at the behest of the advice nurse and the on call docs. A few hours later we were back in the hospital for another surgical procedure to replace a clogged feeding tube and there she remains. That procedure went flawlessly (as have all the surgical interventions). Sherri will likely be there another day or two.
It was very hard for Sherri to face another procedure so soon, but all this turbulence ultimately helped us get to the heart of the distress which appears to be a reaction to the pain meds and this is being slowly and surely resolved. Sherri is improving steadily now and the really good news is that she is now off the opiates and on to some far less intense pain meds. Her healing is progressing well and the side effects are diminishing dramatically.
She is in excellent spirits now and very happy to be back in the hospital receiving good care. It looks very much like she will be home soon and this time for good. I say this hesitantly, but it really looks like the worst of it is now behind her (but so is the best of it, as we are all behind her 100%) :)
I delayed updating until we got some sort of resolution about this episode. I didn’t want to put you all through the same tumultuous ride. That and the fact that I was too busy trying to find resolution myself to write anything. This was a very hard week for both of us. I am trying to find ways of increasing my self-care as well (as many of you have thoughtfully suggested). I am taking some time to walk a bit more and catch a movie here or there. The stress is very taxing and addressing this is an increasing priority. This much is clear: your love and kindnesses as well as your continued thoughts, wishes and prayers made this a much smoother week than it might have been otherwise. Thank you so much! It’s amazing to see the difference positive attention/intention bring to difficult times like these. We so appreciate your support, it continues to buoy us. I have to go take my walk now. :)
Yours in gratitude, love and increasing health,
H&SW
This has been a very tough week. A week of ups and downs. It seems the balancing act we’ve been running between eating, exercising and medicating got a bit out of balance. Sherri started feeling worse early in the week and Tuesday morning we had our first follow up appointment with the surgeon. When he saw Sherri and checked her symptoms, he readmitted her to the hospital. Her symptoms pointed to low blood volume and they were preparing a transfusion while waiting for confirmation from blood analysis. But when the labs came back, there was no identifiable issue. Her scans were clean as well.
By Wednesday afternoon she felt fine and was eager to get back home and the doctors released her. Unfortunately, Wednesday night turned out to be the hardest one yet. She moved in and out of extreme discomfort, was unable to take any nourishment in at all and was unable to take her pain meds. We were up until 4:30am trying a variety of things to resolve this at the behest of the advice nurse and the on call docs. A few hours later we were back in the hospital for another surgical procedure to replace a clogged feeding tube and there she remains. That procedure went flawlessly (as have all the surgical interventions). Sherri will likely be there another day or two.
It was very hard for Sherri to face another procedure so soon, but all this turbulence ultimately helped us get to the heart of the distress which appears to be a reaction to the pain meds and this is being slowly and surely resolved. Sherri is improving steadily now and the really good news is that she is now off the opiates and on to some far less intense pain meds. Her healing is progressing well and the side effects are diminishing dramatically.
She is in excellent spirits now and very happy to be back in the hospital receiving good care. It looks very much like she will be home soon and this time for good. I say this hesitantly, but it really looks like the worst of it is now behind her (but so is the best of it, as we are all behind her 100%) :)
I delayed updating until we got some sort of resolution about this episode. I didn’t want to put you all through the same tumultuous ride. That and the fact that I was too busy trying to find resolution myself to write anything. This was a very hard week for both of us. I am trying to find ways of increasing my self-care as well (as many of you have thoughtfully suggested). I am taking some time to walk a bit more and catch a movie here or there. The stress is very taxing and addressing this is an increasing priority. This much is clear: your love and kindnesses as well as your continued thoughts, wishes and prayers made this a much smoother week than it might have been otherwise. Thank you so much! It’s amazing to see the difference positive attention/intention bring to difficult times like these. We so appreciate your support, it continues to buoy us. I have to go take my walk now. :)
Yours in gratitude, love and increasing health,
H&SW
Replies
Wow! I am so glad that she went back to the hospital each time to get checked out and fixed up! I agree with you, now that they found out the pain med was the issue and got that sorted out, that things will begin to improve.
Nice and easy....recovery takes time and it sounds like she knows how to keep a positive outlook and get some R&R.
It\'s nice, too, that you have found some time to relax and enjoy some things you like. Being a caretaker can be taxing and they always warn us that our health can be at risk, if we ignore our own issues. We want to be there for our loved ones, so we have even more reason to keep an eye on ourselves too. I was my husband\'s caretaker for 2 1/2 years after his stroke. I wouldn\'t trade a minute of being by his side through it all.
Thanks for the update & I\'m so glad it looks like she\'s about to come home again and continue to improve! Keeping you both in my prayers. Brenda
Good Morning mtdhiker,
I just read your journal OMG you are a true fighter!
May the NEW YEAR bring you and your husband all the happiness,love,good health,and all your dreams and travel plans come true
Love Prayers always\\
Bevfirejon