Comments on: First Surgery Post Mortem: Suck it, Colitis

By: J-pouch Life

J-pouch Life — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:07:50 +0000

[...] know how to add pictures as a comment. November 11th will be my 6 month anniversary of the first surgery and well, it’s pretty amazing. So much so that I have no idea what word in English conveys [...]

By: J-pouch Life

J-pouch Life — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:51:42 +0000

[...] today before lunch and already feel a billion times better than compared to the same time after surgery one. It’s truly amazing and I feel blessed. This has been a long time coming. Below is some recap [...]

By: Brevin

Brevin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:22:52 +0000

Hi Ted, I have this update here: http://www.jpouch.net/2009/06/10/the-first-surgery-one-month-later/
I’m going for my post-op follow-up appointment this Friday and have a bunch of questions, so hopefully I’ll have some more info soon. But really, how awesome is it to sit through an entire movie, go shopping at Costco, and not worry about running off to the bathroom? So frickin’ awesome.

By: Ted

Ted — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:33:53 +0000

Any updates? I’ve heard you went to the same surgeon I soon will probably go to.

By: Brevin

Brevin — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:26:44 +0000

Oy Elise.
Feel free to email me at br3vin@gmail.com! I can cheer you up easier this way by sending you horrible, horrible links : )

By: Elise

Elise — Sun, 31 May 2009 00:18:19 +0000

Brevin, how are you doing? I have been thinking about you. I am at home, still waiting on June 23rd for all of my fun and games to begin. I am pretty miserable and not sure how the world I am going to make it that long, hopefully I will get a little better before surgery. Please let us know how you are doing.

Sincerely,

Elise

By: Elise

Elise — Sun, 24 May 2009 22:43:24 +0000

Brevin you make me laugh I had to self inject Humira for awhile, it is an anxious feeling to get the nerve up. Is the Lovenox a pen or a syringe?? I am hoping it is a pen. Glad to hear you are doing better, sounds like you have turned a corner. I got to eat lunch and dinner today and so far so good, no unbelievable pain, so it looks like I get to go home tomorrow and go back to the original plan of the 2 part surgery – 1st one on June 23rd, provided I can get my pred dose down to around 25 mg. I did sneak outside last night Rich and I told the nurses we were going to walk around a little bit, but we shot straight to the elevator and went out through the ER, it was a beautiful 30 minutes of freedom despite my friend the IV Pole. We stayed out there till it started beeping low battery.
There was also a great game of cards with my family and Rich with my hospital bed as the table played yesterday! Who imagined fun could be had in a hospital Everyone rushed up here for my surgery and then after it was cancelled we just had a small party – hahaha, like false labor! I am also disconnected today from the IV pump, but still have the IV in my hand till they let me go. Keep them coming Brevin

By: Brevin

Brevin — Sun, 24 May 2009 18:23:47 +0000

Surgery Update 2: I was hoping to escape the hospital today, but nooooo, my Stoma is being a jerk (stoma doesn’t have a name… yet). My output is a bit too much, so they want to see if an Imodium dosage will bring it under control. My last daily output was 1.7 liters. 1.7 liters! Holy crap (ha, get it: “crap” … don’t judge me). They want it to be under a liter a day. If I have over a liter of ileo bag discharge, then there is concern about dehydration. I’m fine with staying another day or two if need be. Everything happens for a reason.
In other fun news: The blood thinning meds to help my blood clot (hilariously called LoveNox) comes in a little syringe that you have to inject yourself in the love handles. The problem is I’m down to 150 pounds (gadzooks, at least my appetite came back) and have no love handles, so I don’t have much to squeeze on the sides. I’m proud of myself for doing the first injection today, considering my hatred for needles. I just imagine I’m Nicholas Cage in “The Rock”, having to inject the antidote straight into my heart through the sternum. Tonight I’m starting on Coumodin, a med that will tag team with the LoveNox in getting my blood thinning under control. I have to get my blood checked every two days until it’s at a balance the docs prefer.
At least I’m more mobile each day and can finally laugh without too much pain. My JP-Drain and IV’s are removed! I still have an IV in my arm, but it’s disconnected (I will have it until discharged). I think the JP-Drain caused a lot of pain, so I’m a ton more flexible with what I can do now.
Daniel, what’s your link?
Elise, If you were on the West Coast I would totally visit when you’re in the hospital just to mess with you while you’re drugged up: change the clock, take a few days off the calendar, pretend I’m a doctor, you know.

By: Elise

Elise — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:18:12 +0000

Brevin, I hope you are feeling better and have gotten to go home. I still haven’t had my surgery, I got bumped from the schedule both yesterday and again today. I am going to try to eat for the first time in a week here in a few minutes. If all goes well, I am going to go home and just continue with my original surgery date of June 23rd. I feel like I am on a crazy roller coaster and would like to get off soon I really do want to go home, so I hope the food doesn’t send me down a dark path. Keep us updated Brevin

By: Daniel Durrant

Daniel Durrant — Sun, 24 May 2009 05:59:14 +0000

unbelievable. The progression of your days is almost mirror to mine. I just had 30 inches of my small intestine removed this last Saturday, May 16th . It was completely unexpected. I hope you’re feeling better and I’m glad I found comfort from your blog and the media/blogging project I began for myself, in order to cope. Anyway, feel free to stop by. I’m going to make note of this excellent site and link to it from my community.