Day 14 (minor TMI warning)

Today has been a much better day despite the rocky start this morning (I struggled to sleep again last night because of the NG tube). I’ve been on the TPN since yesterday evening and it’s given me a big energy boost so I was able to shower and go for a nice walk to outside the hospital, but still on the grounds, with my aunt.

The NG is bringing up very little now so I’m hoping it’ll come out Friday. Also, my stoma is still producing green bile but nowhere near as much and it’s more mucusy which I think is definitely a step in the right direction.

I’m going to try and stay as positive as I can so I can continue to recover. I don’t think I’ll be home before Wednesday next week but I’m content with that for now.

Day 13

I’ve got a PICC line in now. They haven’t started the TPN yet but I think they are going to soon. I’ve still got my cannula in but that’s only so I’m getting some fluids while I wait. The NG tube is still here. I was hoping they might take it out but when they asperated it last, there was still a bit if green bile coming out. My stoma is still producing green liquid too. The doctor is hoping that by having a few days on TPN, my system might have woken up. We just need stuff to stop coming out of the NG and out of my stoma. Fingers and toes crossed this will all be over by next week.

Day 12 – update

They did a CT scan this afternoon and, although there are no twists in my bowel like they suspected, it does appear my small intestine has gone to sleep. They put in an NG tube last night so I’m no longer throwing up nor do I get major stomach cramps anymore, but it is irritating my throat a bit. Still the lesser of two evils.

As for cannulas, I’ve been through three in twenty-four hours so it would seem my veins are starting to give up.

I’ve been nil by mouth for the best part of a week so they want to put in a PIC line (sorry if that’s the wrong spelling) tomorrow morning so I can have some nutrition.

To be honest, I don’t want anymore tubes in me. I’m hurting and uncomfortable from everything they’ve had to do already and I’m not looking forward to having anything else. But I know it for the best; if I want to go home, it’s through a path of tubes.

Day 11 & 12

Sorry for the lack of update yesterday, I was in a lot pain all day, and last night they put in another NG tube. I’m nil by mouth and can only sip water. My throat is sore from the tube, my stomach is still cramping and now my cannula had blown so I can’t have anything to help with either the heat or the pain until they replace it. My stoma is working but it’s alot of green liquid coming out which the nurse said is the same as what I was throwing up over the weekend. They don’t know what is causing my pain and they want to do either another xray or a CT scan to see if my bowel is twisted.

I’m feeling pretty miserable at the moment. All I want to do is sleep but I’m in too much pain and too warm to get comfortable enough. I hope everyone has had a better weekend.

Day 10

Sorry for posting so late, it’s been another interesting day. I was able to sleep a bit better last night because of the paracetamol and morphine they’d given me and I woke up with very little pain. I had a couple mouthfuls of cereal but couldn’t eat anymore. I then started having a mild cramp in my stomach which got slowly worse as the morning went on so I requested only jelly and ice cream for lunch. I managed the jelly but a few hours later, I threw up a load of green bile (green, we’ve deduced because of the bright green colour of the apple fortijuce I had drank the day before).

This prompted the doctor to try a second NG tube but the nurse accidentally hit a blood vessel and I had a big nosebleed so they’ve opted not to put one in for now. The doctors also don’t think a tube will help as what I’m bringing up is mostly bile and my stoma has started working, albeit slowly. It seems I’m being sick over the pain in my stomach so they are giving me IV paracetamol every six hours and a morphine injection as a top up.

I threw up again this evening, which seemed to oddly help with the pain. And I’ve been going for walks up and down the corridor to try and shift the wind that’s still trapped in my bowel.

I don’t think I’ll be going home any time soon but at least I’m in the best place for me right now. I just wish I could be better so I could go home and sleep in my own bed.

Day 9

I didn’t sleep again last night due to stomach cramps and some really noisy drunks having a shouting match right out front of the hospital! I’ve had paracetamol and oralmorph to deal with the cramps and I’ve been sleeping for most of the day. Right now, the pain has been bearable and I’ve been able to have (and keep down) cheese and crackers for lunch. I’m still eating with caution because I don’t want to agitate my stomach by eating too much and end up back at square one again. They are still looking at tomorrow as a discharge date but we’ll see. Fingers still tightly crossed!

Day 8

I’m feeling a lot better today compared to the kat couple of days. I was able to sleep again last night and I’ve had very little pain. I’ve had soup and jelly today for lunch and so far so good. I’m going to try something a bit more solid tonight in the form of mashed potato but I don’t want anything much more today just in case. I’ll try some cereal in the morning, though, I think.

Day 7 – update

Well, I’ve had an interesting day; I woke up without any cramps but a very stiff back from actually having slept and a sore throat from the NG tube. They took me for an xray of my tummy and, whilst waiting for it, I gagged a little from the tube, causing me to cough and strain my stomach muscles. Because of said strain, when it came to laying down for the xray, I was quite uncomfortable. The technicians were kind and offered an extra pillow and helped me get back up again though.

Once I was back on the ward, I started gagging on the tube again and started to bring up watery bile. This happened a second time and I asked them to remove the tube, which they did. It helped immediately and I was feeling quite OK for a few hours. This afternoon, however, I had a massive stomach cramp that was causing me to heave and they had to give me IV paracetamol and anti-sickness. I then promptly threw up again but then the pain died down. They gave me oralmorph and I was able to sleep for an hour or so.

Since having woken up, my pain has been minimal and I’ve even been able to drink some water (which I was throwing up before). They’ve taken me off IV fluids for now as the blob is working a bit more now and I’m able to drink. I’m really hoping this is it and I’ll get better from here. Fingers and toes crossed!

Day 6 – another update

I’ve been throwing up today and been in constant pain with my stomach cramps which only oralmorph seems to help take the edge off of.

The surgical doctor thinks I’m a bit distended and has ordered a tummy xray. He also wants to get an NG tube inserted. I’ve never had an NG tube and, other than what I’ve seen of others having then fitted, I don’t know what to expect. To be honest, I don’t really care so long as it helps.

Day 6 – update

My stomach cramps have been pretty bad today. Paracetamol does absolutely nothing and codeine only takes the edge off for a short while. They’ve given me another oral painkiller in liquid form which sounds similar to morphine but isn’t (I don’t remember the name). This might have worked but, unfortunately, I’ve just thrown up so it obviously won’t now. They did an ECG earlier and may have to do another one.

I’m just waiting on the doctors now.