Surgery, June 10, 2014

****WARNING graphic photos below****

I did not come out of the dark until June 26. Sixteen days of what they call ICU Psychosis. Sixteen days lost to me. To everyone around me I was awake. For me, I was in a dream, not knowing where I was.

Backtrack… The surgery was to help me get some semblance of life back. To be able to go out more and to help those taking care of me. It did not go as planned. All seemed well when they finished and stapled my tummy back together. Sadly they soon knew there was a problem. I’m no doctor so this is in layman’s terms. The stoma was not producing and I was filling up with bacteria. After a week of excruciating pain and testing, of which I have no memory, they realized I needed emergency surgery as my white blood count shot up over night and they new right away I had a serious infection.

Once the un-stapled me they realized they had to stop the colostomy and re-route everything by ileostomy. Sadly the area was highly inflamed and the wound needed to be opened more. So, now, I have a large open stomach wound which will take some months to close.

***GRAPHIC PHOTO***

At this time I have to have a wound vac done twice a week. Sorry, but it’s fucking painful every time.

After wound vac is placed:

Basically once it’s covered, it vacuums out any type of infection, and helps the wound the slowly close back up. Mostly I’m bummed because I might lose my cute belly button. Kind of sucks. ;-P

At this time it has closed up over 6cm in a short time. My surgeon says I’m the strongest person she has ever met. That even when it got really bad and they the I might go septic, my body fought hard and won.

Honestly, I don’t feel strong right now. The nausea is awful, it’s hard to sleep, and I’m in constant pain… but I will NOT give up now. I’m looking forward to the day they can hook me all back up.

My biggest issue is the anxiety from all of this. It’s a fight not to just break down in tears. But crying makes it hard to breathe and I have to be careful. Sneezing is a bitch as is coughing. But, again, this too shall pass.

I’m thankful to be home. Sadly the second day I got home my house flooded…

Go figure! 😛

Peace