On May 5th, I checked into the hospital and entered into surgerical procedures early as the docs wanted to use an epidural to lessen my pain levels. The epidural procedure went smoothly and I was off into medicated lands easily. This first procedure went well and I was slipped into a room to recover which I did apparently smoothly, emerging without Bladder and prostateless but with 40 staples running from my sternum downward.
Until about 1am May 7th.
At that time, while being moved in my bed, I felt something 'give' and shred in my abdomen. Due to procedures, nursing staff isnt permitted to remove surgical binding so, from that time until my doc came in around 10am I had issues. I hiccupped agonizingly every few seconds until I would pass out. After passing out, of course, the nursing staff would have to wake me from the bliss of painless oblivion to begin hiccupping again. Come 10am the doctor was able to check my wound and determined that my fascia had torn, in essence the muscles of my abdomen walls had torn around the staples. Emergency surgery ensued and I awakened hours later with more tubes emerging from my body than an elaborate Halloween costume, 30 new individual stitches and several sutures securing my abdominal wall.
Since that time, recovery has been slow but systematic with some odd fits and starts.
May 14th was a delightful day in which I was cut loose from the hospital and permitted to return home. Settling into home I am relearning parts of how to live and expectations to have for myself. Home Health is entering my life to assist in changes that are being necessary. Currently, for instance, sitting up for long periods (more than 15 min or so) can be be painful due to the folding of my abdomen.
On May 17 I visited the docs and they removed my lengthy list of staples and sutures. My wounds continue to drain well and at a 'healthy rate' and I basically wear a tight tension binder about my abdomen and chest (sort of like a corset). The idea is that if I sneeze, cough, hiccup or make other 'rather expected and violent' reactions of my chest, the binder should keep my abdomen from reinjuring while it slowly heals.
However, as is normal in the chronicle that has become my life, "it just doesn't end". Last night my wife was driving myself and our housemate to a large store to get fresh wound dressing supplies. when, at a stop light, we were rearended by a large pickup truck.
Police ensued and the other driver ended up being arrested for Driving Under the Influence and I ended up going to the nearest hospital. Despite being on Oxycodone, my head and neck and shoulder were hurting and.. we pretty much all felt it important that I be looked over to ensure no complications to my abdominal wounds had occurred due to the jarring impact.
Three hours of examinations and Xrays later, I was back home with a seriously strained right trapezius muscle (the big triangular muscle that connects the neck to the point of shoulder and downwards). This morning as I type this, it is pretty much a solid mass. No additional damage was done to my existing wounds but 2 doctors, 4 ER nurses, 2 police officers and Lord knows how many other medical staff got one of their first chances to see an 'almost new' chest stoma and my other wounds. I have gotten accustomed to sort of feeling like an animal on display at a zoo to a degree.
So.. that is the latest word. Feel free to ask questions as you have them if you do.
