post surgery.

Surgery was supposed to go fairly quick and easy.  A 3 or 4 hours in the OR and I'm out with an ileostomy bag on my side for a couple of months.  Maybe a day or two of recovery in the hospital to make sure everything went fine.

I went in, the anesthesiologist suggested an epidural and I accept his suggestion.  Seven hours later I'm in recovery with a huge wound on my stomach as well as the ileostomy bag.  Turns out that it's really hard to do laproscopic surgery on a three hundred pound man.

The next week in the hospital is a blur of clear fluids, morphine, a catheter, and doctors looking at the wound in my side with a worried look on their face.

No blog for three weeks
Just not ready to write it
starting again now

Saturday, a week after surgery still in the hospital

 Well things didn't go exactly as planned.  But I've gotten a lot of rest.

early friday before surgery

actually that's just a detail of a bigger piece but I liked it.  Well I'm cleared out.  I hope to be eating at least pudding in the next 48 hours cause I haven't eaten anything for the last 36 hours.

cut out the bad pieces
make whole by cutting away
this will be done soon

Thursday, prepping for the operation

 No gentle laxatives today.  4 ducalax at noon.  7 doses of miralax at 2 and another 7 at 6.  And no eating.  Clear liquids only.

Forturnately, in the morning at least, coffee, sans milk, counts as a clear liquid.  I take mine black so it's OK. 

I do like to eat tho.  and I get to do this every three months for the next year to make sure that I am still cancer free. 

Gotta say that my team is doing everything they can to prepare me for the surgery.  My questions are being answered, most of them are even being anticipated, and even the questions I didn't know enough to ask are being answered.  Turns out they've done this before. 

I'm pretty pleased that this ostomy bag thing is temporary.  Everything I read and hear about it though is that about the time it gets to be routine, it'll be reversed.  I'm OK with that.  Better 50 days than 50 years.

I don't eat today
my bloodsugar is falling
I'll get some fruit juice

Wednesday, seeing the nurse today

So tomorrow I start fasting for my surgery.  Don't talk to me as I'm sure to be cranky.
Not sure what the nurse is gonna say today.  I've tried to do some research on ostomies so that I have a clue and can ask some vaguely intellegent questions.  I've been remarkably unsuccessful.  Course if she ends up telling me stuff I've already found out.  I will not be happy.

spring heading my way
a few frost heaves in the road
bumpy but that's all

Tuesday, puke free since 83, no more

 well I was under the weather last yesterday. Feeling much better today after a good 12 hours of sleep.  Fever broke sometime during the night and I am prolly cleaned out enough for a colonoscopy.  So cleansed and rested I face another day. 

would like a few more hours of sleep but I'll deal.  As for puke free.  Well the last time I puked like that was nearly thirty years ago when I went shot for shot with a friend of mine drinking a fifth of Lawrence Vodka in about 45 minutes.  The day after that was the day I gave up drinking games. 

clearing my system
get ready for surgery
I blame the time change

Sunday morning

 Lovely breakfast.  As I get closer to surgery I realize how lucky I am.  Things really are going well and I am getting essentially what I want albeit in a way that I didn't expect. 

I was watching a video of a fellows first time at Burning Man a few months back and one of the things that struck me was that he said he had the best and the worst time of his life during that period.  He also said that on reflection that those feelings were caused by him and nothing else. 

It was a friend of mine's birthday celebration last night and they took me to see Wanderlust.  I highly recommend it.  Also when I came out of the theater there was a box that said free movie posters.  I picked up the John Carter one.

sunny day outside
warmish heading towards spring
time to hang up coats?