We have been lamenting our lack of posting over here (as usual), so I thought I would take a moment to post a brief update before I drag myself out for my daily perambulation.
All in all, I am healing well, as would be expected - generally, this is what bodies want to do, right? I seem to have turned a corner a week or so ago and have generally, had less pain, and more energy. I have been able to reduce my pain medication to a daily dose equivalent to what I was taking every 4 hours in hospital. Of course, I expected to do that weeks ago, but that was the unrealistic planning of someone who had never undergone major surgery before - sheer insanity.
Today marks 46 days from my emergency surgery - 6 weeks a few days. I can hardly believe that it has been that long. Yet, each time I push myself and get hit by exhaustion, I remind myself that it is a blip in time, really, and that I just had two intense surgeries. It is, to say the least, a test of my patience.
It goes a little like this...Thursday was an action packed day, with two doctors appointments and a trip to Trader Joe's. A couple of weeks ago I stepped foot in a store for the first time, and just about fell over with hot flashes and exhaustion....so it felt like a big deal that I was able to endure all of those errands. On top of that Tony took me on a date to the movies to see Iron Man 3 - which was nerve wracking and exhausting but fun. I was pretty pooped after all that activity. But, I didn't realize how much so until the next two days found me laying about like a slug, slightly grumpy, and with some resurgent pain. It truly is a two steps forward, one step back process, this healing. Luckily today, three days out, I am finally feeling some energy return and can resume pushing myself in small ways.
One of my Thursday appointments was an impromptu visit to Dr. Whiteford's office to talk to him about some pain I've been having (all is well, nothing to worry about). In the next two weeks I will get a scoping and CT scan to see how the hole in my colon is healing. I'm trying hard to not get TOO optimistic, but am hopeful that things are healing well and that Dr. W will be able to give me a clearer sense of when my next surgery can be scheduled. As some of you already know, I came out of the second surgery with a temporary body modification. No, I didn't get a new piercing, or bagel head, or a tattoo, but I did come home with a temporary ileostomy. And I am anxiously awaiting the third surgery where it can be reversed and my plumbing reconnected.
I can share more about the ileostomy later, if folks are curious - the short of it is that it's an amazing, life-saving option, particularly for folks with ulcerative colitis, Crohn's, and other GI diseases, or in situations like mine. For me, it has also been life-saving, since it allows my colon to take a break from it's job, and heal...and for that I am grateful. However, learning to manage the ostomy has added a very challenging component to my healing process, and boy am I ready to return this stoma for a refund. Before that can happen the hole in my anastamosis (the location where they stapled my colon back together after resecting the part of it around the tumor) has to heal, and I need to be healthy, strong, and fattened up to endure a third surgery - though this surgery should be much less intense than the other two.
Whew...well this post has gotten longer than I intended, but there you have it. The essence - all is moving in the right direction, and I (and we) continue to be so grateful for the amazing support, love, and positive vibes from you all. I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Mother's Day celebrating the amazing women who have made our existences possible and helped shape the people we have become. If not for all of them, I would not be so blessed with all of your loving support.
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| Me & Mama - several weeks ago, when she was still here. |
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| Recuperating on Friday. Though I was exhausted, Tony had me in hysterics in the backyard |
That is some awesome laughing going on there! :)
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