Friday, April 26, 2013

Complications.... What doesn't kill us makes us stronger!

                  I am just dropping a line... It's been a while since I've updated. Mainly because this month I have spend 15 days in the hospital. I got my sleeve on April 1st... I was in the hospital for 5 days and when I came home I took it easy for a few days, and when I got back to my old life, I thought I felt better. Well, I went to my PCP on Wednesday, April 10th, just for a a followup and I wanted her to check my lungs. I was struggling to breathe slightly. She listened to my lungs and said they sounded clear. I was thrilled and relieved. But I kept feeling worse and worse.                                                                                                                                                                                    On Saturday, April 13th... Breathing hurt so much and I couldn't sleep or get comfortable. I sat on the edge of my bed for hours. On Sunday, I realized I couldn't wait anymore and I called my surgeon's on-call... They told me to rush to the ER. I went to the ER at the hospital I had my surgeries. Within a short time, a chest Xray and a CT Scan were done... and they found that my spleen cavity was filled with fluid and my left lung was surrounded inside and out with fluid... making it almost collapse completely. The pain I was feeling was because of a severe infection and being forced to breathe with only one lung. I was admitted and put on IV anti-biotics every 6 hours. I was on painkillers around the clock too. On Monday,  I got a chest tube inserted through my ribs into my chest and over 2 liters of fluid drained immediately in the Procedure room which was so painful they had to shoot my full on Fentenal.(not sure of spelling)...just so I could move back onto the stretcher. It was awful! On Tuesday, I got a tube put through my ribs into my spleen cavity(The place where my spleen used to live) They removed a ton of puss since that was where the infection started. 

                Over the new week, I tried to recover... I had daily blood tests to check my white blood cell count, daily chest xrays( which they came to my room to do, Nice!), I got a blood clot in my left leg and they ultrasounded that right in my room too... I started feeling stronger everyday. But the Infectious Disease dept came to see me after testing cultures from my infection. They said that the infection was a rare strep bacteria which was resistant to the IV Anti-biotics. So they spoke to the CDC and started me on another Anti-biotic regiment which I am still on. They still may call me if these anti-biotics don't work on the cultures in the lab.

               It can take 4-6 weeks for my left lung to complete bounce back and re-inflate.... so I am taking it easy and doing breathing exercises every hour. I do love my sleeve so far though! No Regrets!

9 comments:

  1. OMG, you have had it bad. I hope you are back to your normal self soon.

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  2. Wow youve been through so much! I hope your recovery goes smooth from now on. Fingers crossed the antibiotics do there job.

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  3. I had seen some stuff on your FB page, but hadn't realised it was that bad, I do hope you start to feel a little better and that this round of anti-bioethics does the job for you.

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  4. I seriously can't believe everything you have had to go through...I am so sorry for all of this. How do they think your spleen was hurt and your lung??? I really hope everything gets back to normal soon and you are feeling better...prayers out to you!

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  5. Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, at first what you described I was thinking "leak" but it does sound like a rare infection. I'm so sorry you are dealing with this and I hope you are on the right track (ie right meds) to continue healing. Sending you thoughts and prayers!

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    1. They did check for a leak... the tests were never ending and mostly awful! Thank you for your well wishes... I can't wait to feel better and really be able to enjoy my new sleeve.

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  6. I think my comment got eaten..

    Anyway, here it is again. I'm SO sorry you are dealing with this. When I first was reading this I was thinking "leak"? But it does sound like a rare infection and I hope you are on the right meds now to combat it. Sending you thoughts and prayers...

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  7. Just checking on you. Please update us when you can! Hugs!

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