Well, I jinxed myself. Sadly, my stomach cramps have returned in full force and my stoma appears to have stopped working. They’ve given me paracetamol, codeine and oralmorph which has only numbed most of the pain. I’m really worried it’s a blockage of some kind. I haven’t eaten anything that could cause one so it might be scar tissue.
And I was feeling so much better yesterday.
The TPN is finished! I still have the PICC line just in case but they’ll likely take that out tomorrow. The doctors are happy and are looking at Wednesday as a home date. I just hope nothing happens in the meantime. I do get the occasional ache in my gut but it’s bearable and paracetamol numbs it.
Feeling pretty good today; I slept ok last night (it took me a while to actually get to sleep though) but because it’s Sunday, they let us sleep in a bit later than during the week. (Meaning lights on was at 8am instead of 7am).
I’ve been eating solids with no problems and my stoma is looking a little healthier now. The stitches, which gave it a sort of spider-on-its-back kind of look, are dissolving and it’s not quite as flat now. The skin around it is pretty sore but I think that’s because of all the bile that was coming out of it before. I am using my barrier cream which sends to be helping a bit.
I’m still on TPN until tomorrow evening but hopefully that’ll be the last of it. I’m not as achy around the middle as I was after my first surgery so I can walk a lot easier, however, I’m going to take it easy still incase I accidentally hernia myself.
I slept a lot better last night which I think has helped me feel a lot better. They’ve moved me onto a light solid food diet so I’m eating low residue but in small amounts. I’m still on TPN for at least the weekend, and I’m having Forticreme yoghurt in the morning and evening.
The doctors were a bit worried because my blood pressure dropped this morning but it was because I wasn’t drinking enough. I have been drinking plenty this afternoon so they aren’t worried anymore.
I’m feeling so much better than I was last week so I’m hoping this means I can go home early next week. Fingers still crossed!
I didn’t sleep as well last night but I did sleep at least. I haven’t needed painkillers all night or at all today, and they’ve finally removed the NG tube. I’m now on free fluids and, so far, no pain nor vomiting. The doctor seems pretty happy and he said I might be able to try solids tomorrow but we’ll see; I don’t want to do too much before I’m ready.
human: *gentle “owl” hooting*
actual owls: *tiny velociraptor screams*
Nothing at all to do with IBD (obviously) but I found this adorable and felt compelled to share. It’s important to find joy in small things, especially when you are unwell or recovering.
I slept much better last night so I am feeling a lot better today. I’m still on TPN and it looks like they’re going to continue that over the weekend (the nutrition doctor said they want to up the calories I’m taking in). They’ve closed off the NG tube but it’s still in just in case. Nothing is coming out of it but it’s making my nose run so I’m going through tissues like a mad woman.
Overall, no pain so far today, not even when my stoma is doing stuff. I haven’t had a IV paracetamol since this morning because I didn’t feel I needed it this afternoon.
I’m currently enjoying not being on the ward and am sat in the lobby of the hospital. It’s pretty warm here but not overly so. I can also smell all the food from the M&S cafe and Costa that this hospital has (it’s like a mini shopping centre). It’s a shame I can’t eat any of it but I’m sure I will be soon.
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.
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.
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.
What Can I Eat 