Sunfish Is Home Too

[Sunfish]

hi all-

sorry for the delayed post....i seriously thought that i had posted (and sent a PM to the other mods) on wednesday night when i got home but evidently not. very strange, eh? sorry for any undue worry my lack-of-posting/ updating caused. i suppose i can blame whatever i did to goof up my "posting" on the fact that i ended up having heavy sedation (general anesthesia according to some, but no intubation) only several hours prior to my discharge.

at the last minute my G tube started causing trouble, or rather escalated in terms of the degree of problems it was causing, & as such needed changing. originally everyone (docs & myself) thought this would be an uncomfortable yet quick bedside procedure that would take no more than 10 minutes, but in the end the type of tube i'd previously had made that approach impossible & it had to be changed endoscopically, which for various reasons requires heavy sedation for me (which, according to the anesthesiologist i had this time, is technically general anesthesia but without intubation; he said that technically the "sedation" i'd had two other times in the past several weeks was also general but that b/c may patients/ families consider general to mean intubation some of the anesthesiologists go along with the family/ patient definitions, despite the fact that, technically, they aren't correct. but anyway....i guess i just found this "battle of definitions" interesting). i use my G tube exclusively for drainage &, without it, i have greatly increased nausea/ vomiting 24/7; an added bonus is that having it is what allows me to "eat" liquids & some soft foods (i.e. ice cream, smooth applesauce) as they drain out of the tube as well. having problems with it wouldn't have been a reason for hospitalization but since i was there the docs were leery to send me home knowing i'd have to get it replaced soon & would be symptomatically much worse in the meantime, and i couldn't have agreed more! but anyway....the procedure delayed my discharge by a few hours but thankfully didn't require another overnight stay so other than my mom having to drive (again) in the dark, something we'd hoped to avoid, we got home around 8pm wednesday evening.

i'm on 3 antibiotics - 2 IV & one "oral" (via my J tube) for varying lengths of time (the longest being IV vanco for the MRSA infection through january 5th) & then have to head back for an infectious disease appt in early january (with the doc that i REALLY like). i have home nursing daily too, largely for the wound packing/ care as i do all the abx stuff myself, but the wound is healing well so my nurse thinks it will only need packing for perhaps a week or so more.

i'm understandably a bit wiped out, not only from being ill but also "just" from the less-than-ideal sleep one gets in hospital land, but other than that i'm doing light years better than i have been at many times in the past. if i'd been allowed i would have been up for a shower yesterday but b/c of the hickman insertion i'm not allowed to shower until tuesday, though depending on how the open wound is i may or may not have to hold off a bit longer than that. BUT....i was actually okay enough to go get my hair done yesterday, something that was a push & that was motivated more by wanting a great hair wash than anything else. obviously this would have been impossible many/most other times the day after i'd been discharge, so while i've paid for it by being in bed since it was great to get out. otherwise i've pretty much been catching up on rest in between taking care of all the "medical stuff" and the nurse visits but all in all am doing relatively well. and am thankful that we got back before the snow/ storm hit northern ohio.

thanks again for all of your prayers & good thoughts....i'm now of course planning on seeing how long i can stay out of the hospital & will try to break my previous record (in recent years) of staying out from may until early december. at the very least i'll hopefully be able to stay away through the rest of the christmas/ holiday season.

love to all,

melissa

[Sophia3]

Wow! thanks for the big update...and glad you are home.

Sophia

[momofsara]

Fishy, Fishy, so glad you are back in your own fishbowl. I was so worried about you and an so very happy to read your post. Hopefully, you will continue to improve and be able to really enjoy the holidays. I certainly hope your wound continues to heal properly. Great big (gentle) hug to you and take very good care------ Susan

[pat57]

Where is the MRSA at?

Very glad to hear you feel better then you expected too.

XXOO

[Ernie]

Hi,

OK, Now you have to promise that you will stay home for the Holidays!!!!

[flop]

Hi Melissa,

glad to hear that you are home (if a little jealous that you beat me in the "discharge from hospital" race!). A proper hair wash sounds lovely and I bet it felt good! I've just booked in to have mine done at the hair dressers on Wednesday (there is only so much that you can do with dry shampoo).

I hope the line site and wound keep healing up so that you can get your shower soon.

take care,

Flop

[Heiferly]

So glad to hear you are back home and recovering! Please do take care of yourself. Gentle hugs, Heather.

[juliegee]

Wow Melissa,

Nothing like an added procedure just as you're about to head home! I'm so glad you got your G-tube issue straightened out before you left. In the long run, it makes everything so much easier for you. I know how much you've suffered with similiar infections in the past and am so relieved that you got through this one a little bit easier. Happy belated B-Day and even happier Holidays, little fishy!

Julie

[MomtoGiuliana]

Glad to see your post and that you are home.

Katherine

[Maxine]

Thanks for the update Melissa.

Wishing you and your family happy holidays.

I hope you can stay away for hospitals in the future---

Maxine :0)