Absolute Chaos Discussion Boards

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Remember, site banner rules apply here too!

Author Topic: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (Read 2393 times)

Teri

  • Minion of Mayhem
  • *****
  • Posts: 545
  • *giggles*
    • Drifting-In-Between-Dreams A Place to Lose Reality if Only for a Moment
I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« on: September 14, 2007, 04:58:43 PM »

Okay hi everyone! I'm back from the hospital, just got back yesterday night. For those of you that don't know I had major surgery on Monday and spent 2 days in the ICU and 2 in the regular unit.

The surgery I had is a laproscopic Myotomy. This was to treat/cure achalasia which is a malfunction of the lower esophageal muscle that lets food in to your stomach but keeps acid out. Most commonly people have a lazy LES (lower esophageal sphincter) which causes acid reflux disease. Well mine was the opposite. My LES wouldn't open unless you forced it to with water. I've had this problem since I was a kid, being un able to swallow pills. Then in high school food became a problem. And in college it got so bad to where it was a challenge to eat or drink period. So they diagnosed me with Achalasia the disease of the esophagus. The only feasible treatment for me besides balloon dialtion (can cause perforation and death) or botox (which is what that was originally intended for but only works for 3 months, then have to get it redone and makes future surgery impossible) and last the myotomy which is five incisions that go in and cut the sphincter and then take a piece of muscle from my stomach and wrap it around my esophagus.

And now I can eat applesauce, pudding, drink water and juice without coughing or choking for the first time in years. The doctors saved my life. I just have to be on prevacid an anti reflux medication for the rest of my life to help me stay normal. Now if only my insurance would stop being so completely stupid and let me have it.
Logged
Spike: "Hey big guy I'm going to need some new wheels the other one ended up in the...drink..."
Angel: "Spike.... just walk away"
Spike: "You're a..."
Angel: "Don't say it!"
Spike: "You're a bleeding puppet!"

mare

  • Banner hater
  • Queen of Fanfiction
  • Supreme Time Waster
  • *****
  • Posts: 23817
Re: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2007, 05:03:16 PM »

Wow Teri, i'm sorry to hear you were going through all of that.

I'm glad to hear all went well. Hope you have a nice, speedy recovery.

Logged
Writing is something you do alone. Its a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don't want to make eye contact while doing it. ~ John Green

honey

  • Supreme Time Waster
  • *******
  • Posts: 5321
    • Being Jamie Baker Website
Re: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2007, 06:14:42 PM »

Yay Teri! That's a mighty cheerful subject! lol. I'm ecstatic that you survived! Seriously though, I'm glad it all went well and hopefully you get lots better and it all becomes worth it! Gald to see you back around here! Get some rest and welcome home!
Logged
If Ryan looked at me the wrong way, I lost it. If Ryan looked at me the right way, I lost it. And whenever he tried to kiss me, something usually blew up. Someone ought to teach him a little control.

Teri

  • Minion of Mayhem
  • *****
  • Posts: 545
  • *giggles*
    • Drifting-In-Between-Dreams A Place to Lose Reality if Only for a Moment
Re: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2007, 06:12:24 AM »

Thankees! I'm doing remarkably well, lol they call me their posterchild for a speedy recovery. They've never been able to send someone home on the third day post-op before. Now I'm almost fully off of the morphine yay! And my pain has diminished significantly. However since I have those five incisions I'm not allowed to work, lift heavy things, or do much of any exercise except for walking 15 minutes a day for about 6-8 weeks. It's okay though it'll make me get back on track with school and writing and all that jazz. Now it's just trying to get off this stupid schedule the hospital had me on of waking me up every 4 hours for blood work, blood pressure, medicine and such.

It was a real struggle the first few days mainly because it was so invasive and that I had freakin two tubes in me besides an iv and cathader (yuck and ow!). I had a tube from my nose to my esophagus that helped swelling and drained everything out of my esophagus cuz yeah everything was coming up yuck! And then in one of my incisions I had a tube to keep it from getting infected.

Those two tubes, getting those out were an experience in themselves. But after they were out I was finally allowed to eat (for the first 48 hours I was not allowed food or water unless it was through my IV). The hospital stay royally sucked just because its a hospital and there wasn't much to do except get shot up with more morphine, sleep and watch tv (BORING!). Anyways I had my first shower last night and it was HEAVEN! lol My mom had to help since I'm still a bit dizzy from the meds but she helped me clean my incisions since she's a Nurse I wasn't too embarassed and hell she's my mom she used to clean my butt as a baby! LMAO still hard to think about that way.

Crystal (presley) came over last night after she got out of work and was so happy to see me. Ever since I've known her she's never seen me eat or drink without having a major problem. Well I had a bowl (small of course) of tomato bisque soup from safeway and two cups of apple sauce with milk and apple juice (not mixed i swear!) and didn't even flinch! She was ecstatic and so was I. When I first ate in the hospital I broke down crying because I've never EVER been able to eat properly. And I had soup and pudding and ice cream and it didn't get stuck where a week ago I would have been choking and may have had everything come back up on me. Honestly my doctors rock! They came in at least twice a day to my room if not more to see how I was doing.

My life though a bit painful at the moment, is going to be so much easier as time goes on now because of them! No more embarassing episodes in restaurants, no more telling people to not talk to me if I'm trying to swallow food or water. No more choking on my own saliva!!

You guys have no idea how happy I am that I finally have that out of my life!
Logged
Spike: "Hey big guy I'm going to need some new wheels the other one ended up in the...drink..."
Angel: "Spike.... just walk away"
Spike: "You're a..."
Angel: "Don't say it!"
Spike: "You're a bleeding puppet!"

RokofAges75

  • Supreme Time Waster
  • *******
  • Posts: 18641
    • Dreamer's Sanctuary
Re: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2007, 10:56:57 AM »

Wow, Teri!  That sounds terrible, but I'm glad you made it through it, and I'm sure life's going to be much easier for you once you're recovered.  I wish you a speedy recovery too!
Logged
~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

Teri

  • Minion of Mayhem
  • *****
  • Posts: 545
  • *giggles*
    • Drifting-In-Between-Dreams A Place to Lose Reality if Only for a Moment
Re: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2007, 12:55:21 PM »

Thank you hon! It's rough but it's getting easier day by day. My incisions itch alot but that's a sign that they're healing yay!!!
Logged
Spike: "Hey big guy I'm going to need some new wheels the other one ended up in the...drink..."
Angel: "Spike.... just walk away"
Spike: "You're a..."
Angel: "Don't say it!"
Spike: "You're a bleeding puppet!"

julilly

  • Master of Havoc
  • Supreme Time Waster
  • *****
  • Posts: 8639
Re: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2007, 11:04:04 PM »

I'm glad to hear you're okay but to be honest I didn't read what you had done lol Discussion of surgery gives me the willies, I once passed out from someone talking about carpal tunnel :P Good to see you back though!
Logged
~Maple Jellybean~

What's the difference between ignorance and apathy? ... I don't know, and I don't care.

Steph

  • Minion of Mayhem
  • *****
  • Posts: 912
  • Trying to forget; the pain's still there.
    • Facebook
Re: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2007, 05:58:20 PM »

Wow, talk about an interesting post! I'm glad the surgery went well and your life has improved so much from it, Teri. Keep getting better!
Logged

Dean & Sam Winchester.
Hunters. Protectors. Survivors. Family.

Teri

  • Minion of Mayhem
  • *****
  • Posts: 545
  • *giggles*
    • Drifting-In-Between-Dreams A Place to Lose Reality if Only for a Moment
Re: I survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2007, 06:24:27 PM »

thanks hon! yeah it's been an experience thats for sure, and *hugs* jullily it's okay i hate surgery too!
Logged
Spike: "Hey big guy I'm going to need some new wheels the other one ended up in the...drink..."
Angel: "Spike.... just walk away"
Spike: "You're a..."
Angel: "Don't say it!"
Spike: "You're a bleeding puppet!"