Update on my visit to the hospital on Thursday
By Katlady2
@Katlady2 (9904)
United States
March 1, 2008 11:11pm CST
First off, I want to apologize for not being able to post this earlier. When I got home Thursday, my daughter was hogging the computer and didn't get offline until bedtime! I'll explain Friday here in a minute.
I went to my appointment on Thursday, and the whole issue with my belly button actually stumped the nurse practitioner. She pulled a bit of dried "stuff" out and she just didn't know what to make of it. So she went to call the surgeon that had performed my surgery, but the one that came back with her to my room was actually the "big boss"...the supervisor to my surgeon, and actually the main doctor that performs the Rouxen-Y gastric bypass there. He did a lot of poking and prodding (thankfully there is no pain there so it didn't bother me). And then he got out the scope that is usually used for looking in ears....that totally made me start laughing because I just KNEW they were going to have to use something like that to look inside my crater of a belly button. He reminded me that they had done a hernia repair in my navel during my surgery.He told me that this could be one of three things: a minor infection that could go away by itself or with antibiotics, a separation of the tissues inside my navel, or when they sutured up the navel after the hernia repair they could have caught a small part of the underlying layer of tissue thus attaching the navel to it, which isn't supposed to be like that. (If that is the case, he will have to go in using the laparoscope and surgically repair everything.) So he packed up my belly button with gauze and taped it all down so that the drainage wouldn't be so darned annoying for me. Then he ordered a CT scan to be done as soon as possible. But they couldn't get me in until the next day, so I had to go back again.
Which leads me to my explanation of why I wasn't online then either. I went in for the scan, and they made me drink something like 32 ounces of a nasty tasting contrast liquid. That took me about an hour and a half to drink too (ICKY!). Then they injected me with another kind of contrast that made me sweat buckets! I won't know the result of the scan for a few days, so I will post another update as soon as I find out what is going on. Anyway, when I got home, I was still nauseated and exhausted and I ended up conking out in the recliner with the cats as my warm fuzzy blankets. Thank you all again for your continued support and caring. Big hugs to all...........Carryl
8 people like this
12 responses
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
2 Mar 08
Thanks for the update hon. You sound like you're on the mend in a humorous sort of way which is a good thing! Keep laughing, it makes the long days shorter. Good to hear from you!
4 people like this
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
2 Mar 08
I think if I didn't have the humor, I would be in tears or screaming the house down. The surgeon and nurse laughed even more at me when I told them that I don't go with the flow in life, and that even my body does it's own thing. LOL! Thanks hon. Hugs!
2 people like this
@jiffys_frog_woman (4050)
• United States
2 Mar 08
i hope everything turns out good wish my surgeon was good as yours mine just cared bout getting his money
3 people like this
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
6 Mar 08
Hi hon. I got your email. Thank you. I haven't heard back from them yet. I guess I'm going to have to do the dialing this time. LOL! But everything seems to be healing up, because the swelling has gone down, and the drainage seems to have stopped for now. There's still a bit of bleeding, but there is only tiny spots on the gauze when I go to change it. So hopefully that means no surgery. Love you bunches.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
6 Mar 08
Hello sweety. You are such a dear tyo go out of your way to keep us up to date...you are doing so much better than me...I just seem to keep getting further behind.
This is all sounding pretty uncomfortable for you. The backwards and forwards to hospital must be a pain. I so hope everything gets sorted soon so you can just get on with things.
How are you feeling otherwise?
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
7 Mar 08
I'm actually feeling a lot better. I don't know if you saw my reply to your response in my other discussion about this, but things seem to be healing up on their own. The drainage seems to have stopped, and there is only a tiny bit of bleeding once in a while...not enough to even fret over. Most of the pain has gone finally. I still have a couple of spots that act up if I move a certain way, but it doesn't take my breath away anymore like it used to. Now if my energy level would just move up the ladder a bit things would be even better. Oh well...I'm glad I feel this good for now. Hugs to you hon.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
11 Mar 08
I did read that discussion earlier today...or yesterday actually cos it's nearly 1am here now. It's all getting better slowly, your body is healing and you are sounding more relieved and easier in yourself. In a short space of time this will all be behind you and you will be a new woman. Each new day will be better than the one before...you wait and see. I'm really pleased for you. You sound as if you have a new lease on life, you're ready and rarin' to go....lol.
1 person likes this
@bikespot (483)
• Canada
2 Mar 08
Long
Its good you got that looked at though , because you have no idea what it could be.
I'm guessing the reason they gave you the thing that made you sweat is so they can get everything out of you. Same with the thing you drank.
Anyways i hope everything goes well for you.
2 people like this
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
6 Mar 08
Actually both of the contrasts were so that they could see if there was leakage from inside my body coming out of my navel. But they did sure help to get everything out of me. I'm finally not feeling nauseated from them. Thanks so much for the encouragement hon. I appreciate it.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
2 Mar 08
I bet at this point you're getting so fed up with doctors, hospitals, MRIs, CT scans...why do they call them CAT scans anyway? Anyway my prayers are still with you and that there's nothing wrong.
Ekk! I'm just realizing what 32 ozs. is...half a gallon! No wonder it took you and hour and a half to drink! And why can't they give stuff like that to drink that tastes like a chocolate milkshake..LOL Oh and yes, heaven forbid when you zonked out with your fuzzy blankets that you disturbed them...Heehehe
2 people like this
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
6 Mar 08
Yeah.....all of this visiting doctors is so exhausting anymore. They have me so well trained that when I go in I already have my arm out for the blood pressure cuff! LOL! And as for the contrast stuff, my tummy is just now back to not being nauseated and "rumbly" from it. Just the thought of it makes me gag!
I always did wonder why they called them CAT scans myself. I'll bet kitties don't like those people at all. Teeheeheehee!
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
6 Mar 08
I missed you too my dear friend. I'm starting to feel like my old ornery self finally. I think this thing is healing up on it's own, thankfully. Yaaayyyyyy! But I'm still being careful just in case. I don't want to get it all aggravated again. Thanks hon. Hugs!
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
2 Mar 08
And a big hug to you. Hope you feel better soon and find out the cause of the problem with your navel. I know how sensitive that area can be. Had my appendix removed through my navel about 10 yrs. ago. As a result, developed 3 different kinds of infections so recovery took longer.
Take care,
carolbee
1 person likes this
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
6 Mar 08
Awwww...thank you hon. The drainage in my navel seems to be stopping finally, although there is a bit of blood on the gauze when I take it out to change it. But there's not enough to send me into a tizzy over it. I think it's finally healing, because it is itching up a storm right now. I haven't heard back about the CT scan, so I will probably be giving them a call about it. Hopefully they won't decide to do the other surgery. Keep your fingers crossed. Hugs to you hon.
@AmbiePam (85496)
• United States
3 Mar 08
I'm glad you at least have some real possibilities to consider for why you are experiencing leakage. I was just reading about hernias, and how doctors fixed them. That is totally off point, but what the heck it's almost midnight and I'm jacked up on caffeine from a coca cola. : ) I have had to drink that nasty stuff quite a few times. They gave me two flavors to choose from, berry and pina colada. Considering I had the test three times, I got to taste both, and took a second trip with the berry.
1 person likes this
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
6 Mar 08
OH....no fair! I didn't get any flavored stuff! I just got "bitter water" flavor (UGH!). LOL! I can't even think about it or my tummy does a flip flop on me. Well, so far, the leaking has stopped, although there is a bit of blood on the gauze still when I go to change it. But I think it's finally healing up. I think I will have to call the hospital about the scan, because they haven't gotten in touch with me. Hopefully that's a sign that nothing serious is going on. Thanks so much hon. Oh.....and stop keeping yourself up late with all that caffeine (you're making me jealous cuz I can't have any LOL).
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
6 Mar 08
I'm thinking it must not be something serious or I would have heard back from them by now. The discharge seems to have finally stopped, but there's still a bit of bleeding. And the pain is gone too, so hopefully that is a good sign. And my kitties are still cuddling up to me every chance they get, as if they are giving me big hugs. Thanks hon.
