Status Post Small Bowel Obstruction

Hi:
I usually never went to this board. There was too much scary info for me to re pre-op.
Anyway, here I am Post LAVH. I had my "Routine" surgery on 1/17/05. I was told "Everything went well". The only problem I had post op was throwing up. It was due to the anesthesia or so I am told. I was discharged on a "Regular" diet the next day. Everything was looking up. I was feeling rather good and was glad I really did not have much pain. I did not even use the percocet I was sent home with. All I needed was motrin as necessary.
No bleeding either which was a double plus. I was told that I may need a small pad for 4-6 wks.
Well, I was off to getting better.
A few days after I was home, I felt so good that I asked my husband if we could use our Christmas gift card and go out to Chilli's with our son for dinner.
I ate chicken fahita's and nacho's. I began to feel ill and asked my husband to get the rest to go.
As soon as I got home, I began getting gas pain and vomiting. It got so bad, I paged my doctor in the middle of the night. She said it may be gas due to the procedure. They blow up your abd with air. To lay on my left side, take the pain med prescribed and if needed, I could use a glycerine suppository. I did not have any suppository's so I just stayed on my left hand side with the pain med. I finally fell asleep. In the morning, I awoke only to have the most intense pain ever. I was still throwing up bile and could only find a comfortable position believe it or not on my knee's like I was praying. I again called my doctor and she said to come right into her office.
I came in throwing up and in intense pain. She said she needed to urgently admit me back to the hospital to run tests on me i.e. cat scan's abdominal x-rays, lab work etc...
So, off I went to the hospital. I spent almost 10 hours in the emergency room as there were no beds available. I got bounced around on my stretcher but at least was given pain med and anti nausea meds. I finally got to my room at 7:30pm.
In the emergency room, an abdominal cat scan and abdominal x-rays were done. They showed that I had an Ileus which was was: An obstruction that occured because the bowel is physically blocked and its contents can not pass the point of the obstruction. This happens when the bowel twists on itself (volvulus) or as the result of of a hernia.
Well folks, that is what happened to me. I then needed an NGT (Nasal gastric Tube) (Which I hated the most out of anything in the hospital) Then, finally on Wednesday, I was rushed to surgery to have emergency bowel surgery to unblock the obstruction. I was NPO (Nothing to eat or drink) except for my iv for a few more days and then graduated to a clear liquid diet, then full liquid then soft bland, then finally a general diet Then I sat and waited to "Poop" before I was discharged.
Well, I am finally home now. I was released after an almost 2 wk entended stay.
I was released last monday and on Wednesday, I awoke to throw up all over again, I immediatly called the general surgeon and he put me back on clear liquids for 2 more days and said if it happened again, I needed to go to him and get "Re-Admitted" for another possible obstruction. I was extremily lucky and prayed an awful lot to please only let it be the percocet I had taken the night before for pain control. I also had a very bad migraine and I believe that it was the cause of my throwing up. I have not thrown up since and today is Saturday. I also finally "Pooped" again for the first time since I left the hospital yesterday so I believe I am getting better. No one told me that I would feel so drained and tired all of the time. I feel like someone is hiding me and some time I will come out of hiding. All I want to do is lie down. Nothing like the person I was.
Well, thats my post op story. I guess it could have been much worse but for me it was plenty bad.
Susan

Oh ((((Susan)))) I'm so sorry you've been having such a hard time of it I do hope that this was your last visit to the castle for a long, long time and that you are not dealing with another obstruction.

Considering all that you've been through in the past month, it's little wonder that you are tired and have little energy: your body has been through a lot and needs rest to recover.

Sending lots of s your way. Please rest and let us know how you're doing, when you feel up to it.

Dear Susan,
I am so sorry you have gone through all this

Don't be too hard on yourself about feeling drained and tired-I don't know how you could feel any different at this point.

I see you have a comment about your dogs in your post. You just curl up in the most comfortable place you can find and get one your dogs to sit next to you and give you the comfort only a pet can do.

's

Thank you.
I actually own 6 dogs. My poor family, they did not only have to contend with me but also needed to be dog sitters and care takers for all of us. I think I was the worse though. Lucky for me that I have a fenced in yard so it did make it some what easier because they did not have to walk the dogs.
And its funny that you say that about the dogs because my dog Cairo decided that he was going to be my babysitter and never once has he left my side. He is with me 24/7. I think he knows when I am in pain too. He is a great nurse.
Thanks all.
Sue