It’s been an interesting year for me health wise. There was a possibility of ovarian cancer and as I have a family history of ovarian cancer and watched my mom go through painful chemo treatments for 5 extra years of life, I was not in a good place emotionally.
In August I went in for a total hysterectomy. Even with a possibility of cancer my surgery was scheduled for March of 2011, however, my doc put me on a cancellation list. The pre surgery process was great, everything explained. every effort taken to put me at ease.
The morning of the surgery I was in a room where you change, the IV is put in your arm and you have a chance to try to relax. Then you walk down to the OR waiting room. At this point those involved in your surgery come and talk to you, doctor, anesthesiologist, interns in this case as also as it was a teaching hospital. Again every effort was taken to make me feel at ease. Everyone in the OR was great. It was the first time I was laughing even as I was being put under sedition
The floor experience was not as good. Not any fault of the nurses, most of them are wonderful, caring people who really try to do their best with the system they have been given. I recovered well from the hysterectomy, got sprung sooner than expected and followed all the admonitions not to lift, push, pull, do housework (woohoo!). A few days later I got my staples out and that night my incision opened, completely… all the way down to the fascia (holds your insides in) which also had a hole in it. Really not a good thing. Got a cab to the ER and spent about 36 hours there because there were no beds on the ward.
Sept. 2nd I had my second surgery. This time I was not sewn up as the tissues were not healthy enough. This left me with an opening approx. 8 inches long, 4 inches wide and 5-6 inches deep which required being packed with a special gauze everyday. This was to enable the wound to heal from the bottom up. Needless to say I was not able to do much of anything and required a lot of care and nutrition. Both of which were sadly lacking.
There are far too few nurses and they just can’t tend to everyone and do all the admin work they are required to do. So patient care suffers. Meals come in microwave trays and for the most part are inedible. I went 3 days without eating anything as the food made me gag just from the smell. A far cry from the days when hospitals employed cooks who made each meal and nutritious soups and well-rounded main courses were available providing for the nutrient needs of those whose bodies were trying to heal.
After release from my second surgery I required, and still do, daily nursing care at home. The nurses have been great, but again overworked with high patient loads.
I am very, very happy that I am not dealing with chemo treatments, but I am getting tired of a having wound in my stomach and not being able to do anything. I can’t shower because of the risk of infection so only bird baths. Who knew I would one day long for the luxury of a shower!
At first not being able to do housework is pretty cool but it gets old quickly. The latest estimate of when things might be healed up is christmas but even then I will still have 4-6 weeks of healing.
Anyway that is why AR has been silent for so long. I hope to be up and running again soon.
When a friend is in hospital, the question arises: should I take her some really good soup? And in your case, the answer was obviously yes! I’m so sorry that you went through that lonely experience, April. People try, but we don’t always know what the right thing is to do.
It’s horribly frustrating to be restricted for so long, not to mention medicalized for so long. Don’t rush it, though. I’m sure you’ll sense when the real healing has begun, and you’ll get a special kick out of that. It will make you stronger than ever.
*hugs*
Thanks skdadl. I am now down to an every other day visit and there is even talk of a shower in my future! 😀
The Guardian recently had several articles and posts about the food issue. Often people recovering from surgery can’t stomach full meals, but soups are made for that. I had a friend on chemo some years back (she is fine now) and I kept taking her homemade soups with organic or at least grain-fed chicken and vegetable bases, and easy-to-eat chicken and veg.
I’m so sad this hospital-based secondary injury is taking so long to heal.
Thanks lagatta. It is odd that so little concern is given to food. Whether in a hospital setting or caring for the needs of the poor.
Oh, April, what a horrid experience! No wonder we haven’t heard from you. Yikes! Take your time to heal and insist that your family treat you like gold. Or they’ll have ME to deal with!!! 😉
Thanks regina mom.
Ah, April – thanks for giving us this view of what you’ve been going through. What an experience; you are a true wound warrior. I’m sure you have a lot going on in your mind and around you, so I’m looking forward to all you will have to say when you feel up to it. And I must say, your experience makes me respect and honour everyone who goes through these experiences and lives with the tissue healing for so long afterward.
*hugs*
Thanks brebris noire. I saw a news story the other day with injuries far worse than mine and knew how they would be dressed. It gave me much more empathy for the person involved.
Oh how horrible. One always needs an advocate/caregiver in the hospital, somebody to scream and yell, get you a clean gown or towel, and bring you half decent food.
You just shout if you need a visit with mouth-wateringly delicious home cooked food for you and yours!
Thanks Antonia
Hang in there, girlfriend, your biggest job right now is just healing you.
When you get a little further on in your convalescence, may I suggest taking up some quiet new diversion your busy life never allowed you the time for before – I dunno – knitting? painting? writing poetry? playing the flute? There’s something about feeling the progress in learning something new that is healing in itself. Promise.
Thanks Alison. I guess I am learning some new things, some personal like not always having to be in control, and code – I’m delving much further into coding.
Though I would like to take up painting.
It’s good to hear from you and I can only imagine how frustrating it is to have such a long convalescence. Awful to have to experience the shortfalls in hospital services when you really need quality care – you definitely need an advocate/caregiver, if not you remain forgotten and neglected. Take care and keep your spirits up.
Thanks Beijing York.
This reminds me of song. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBDF04fQKtQ
Sorry to hear about your health troubles. Get well soon. God Bless.