Brief update

I figured I'd better get online tonight and give at least a brief update.

I'm feeling better today. I'm diligent about ensuring they give me my morphine shot every four to five hours because it helps me stay on top of the pain, which is very important. Being pain free means I move around, can adjust myself in bed and, most importantly, heal. I do have a giant incision in my abdomen and two big port holes. That's going to hurt. I absolutely need good painkillers right now.

I blew another IV site today. It wasn't a really good one to begin with, but I took a shower and the movement dislodged it and meant I needed a new site right away. Unfortunately, the good IV nurse couldn't come immediately. So I sat in my bed, with nutrition supplement all down the side of my clean hospital gown and waited for more than an hour (and it could have been longer because it sure felt like long time) for the nurse to come and put in a new site.

It took four times to find a site where the vein didn't collapse or move. And while it's not the most ideal location because it's sore, it's in and I don't set off alarm bells by doing things with that arm. I'm just happy I have the two sites I need to get the intravenous fluids I need.

After that ordeal, I took a nap. Then I got a new hospital gown and went for a half hour walk around the floor. I'm encouraged to get up and move around. My shower, which is a chore in itself, and the walk got me up and moving like the doctors ordered. If I didn't have to bring my two drain containers, my catheter and my IV pole, I'd be up and about a lot more. But to take a walk, it's a bit of a production that involves both the nurse and my family.

I'm also feeling a little frustrated because I'm not getting the answers I need and want. Of course, it is the weekend and I'm getting residents who stop by at 6 a.m. to talk to me. Then I ask them to stop back at the end of rounds so they can answer the questions my sister has (she was at the hospital by about 7 a.m.) and they didn't. Grrrrr.

Right now, I'm getting some potassium in my IV because it's gotten a bit low. I'm getting lots of stuff designed to help me in my IVs all day too. They're taking good care of me.

I'm getting a PICC line put in tomorrow so they won't have to stick my poor, damaged, collapsed veins all the time. I'm not sure how much more they're going to get out of them anyway. And they can also give me my total parenteral nutrition (TPN) through it too.

Earlier today, I was told I was going to have a procedure done tomorrow where contrast would be put down into my stomach to determine if there's a leak. Now I've been told it's been put on hold. I will ask questions in the morning as to why because I think it's a great idea. If they don't find a leak, I can eat and drink again - and get the NG tube out of my nose.

When I see the docs tomorrow, I'll ask my questions and next steps. But I've also realized I have to learn a little more patience because I'm going to need time to just heal too. That could involve the status quo with all the lines, external sources of nutrition, the NG tube, no food or water, etc. All that means being dependent, with all its frustrations. I know the people who love me don't mind, but as I said, it's hard for me. I need patience with a capital P.

So that's the scoop. I'll share more as I know more.

Goodnight all.

Tina