Since I posted last things have changed around our house. A few days after posting Chris' pain became VERY severe. Like couldn't walk, vomiting, screaming in pain severe. I could not get him down the stairs let alone into the car to drive him to the hospital so he got to have an ambulance ride! I dialed 911, cried on the phone to the operator, kids were crying and running all over the place, it was like a scene from a TV drama! He was immediately admitted back into the hospital and a day later they took him in to drain one of his pseudocysts. They drained the one on the front because it was easiest to get to and in a good position for doing so. Dr. told us that he would feel relief depending on how much fluid they took out at the beginning, well let me tell you they got about 4 cups of fluid in the first few minutes that drain was in. Can you imagine 4+ cups of yucky fluid sitting in your abdomen pushing all of your other organs around and causing pain? The other cyst is on the side of his abdomen and still causing a lot of pain but they cannot drain it from the outside they have to go in internally and cannot do that for at least another week.
So he's been in the hospital for 9 days and they have been trying to control his pain. A day after that cyst was drained I got Chris back! It was amazing how much his personality came back and he started talking to us, being more alert, giving the nurses a hard time, and taking charge of his own health once again. The staff was shocked at what a difference there was in his personality. Right now we are trying to find a regimen of oral pain meds that will work to go home on and keep him comfortable until we wait for the next step. Right now oral morphine seems to be doing the trick. I am crossing my fingers that tomorrow is the day he gets to go home but they are letting him judge his level of pain and work at his pace as to not send him home too early. We don't want a repeat of last week.
He will come home with a drain in his abdomen, a PICC line with TPN, oral meds, a liquid only diet, and lots of restrictions I'm sure. However I am happy to have him back.
When I say "have him back" this is what I mean...
There is a level of intimacy that you get used to when you have a spouse. I'm not talking sex...that's for another post on another blog that I will never write. I'm talking about conversation, having that person talk to you again and remember your chats together. I'm talking touching (no not that kind of touching, again not about sex!) just holding hands and hugging. Being touched by your spouse even just a little is truly missed when you go through something like this. Even being touched by another person is missed. Now I have 5 kids and they touch me all the time but that's not what I'm talking about, it's different. It's kindness, and caring, and concern, and love! Getting a hug just from our Bishop the other day was just about the best part of my week because I could feel his concern. I'm also talking about concern and care. Your spouse takes care of you (or should) in a way that no other can. He can find my phone charger when it's missing, he makes sure my blood sugars are good and that I slept well the night before. Those kinds of things.
Also his personality. He's teasing us again, and happy to see us. He's able to handle the loudness of home life and have the TV on. He is sleeping better and talking to us and less depressed. We are so happy to have Chris BACK!
So he's been in the hospital for 9 days and they have been trying to control his pain. A day after that cyst was drained I got Chris back! It was amazing how much his personality came back and he started talking to us, being more alert, giving the nurses a hard time, and taking charge of his own health once again. The staff was shocked at what a difference there was in his personality. Right now we are trying to find a regimen of oral pain meds that will work to go home on and keep him comfortable until we wait for the next step. Right now oral morphine seems to be doing the trick. I am crossing my fingers that tomorrow is the day he gets to go home but they are letting him judge his level of pain and work at his pace as to not send him home too early. We don't want a repeat of last week.
He will come home with a drain in his abdomen, a PICC line with TPN, oral meds, a liquid only diet, and lots of restrictions I'm sure. However I am happy to have him back.
When I say "have him back" this is what I mean...
There is a level of intimacy that you get used to when you have a spouse. I'm not talking sex...that's for another post on another blog that I will never write. I'm talking about conversation, having that person talk to you again and remember your chats together. I'm talking touching (no not that kind of touching, again not about sex!) just holding hands and hugging. Being touched by your spouse even just a little is truly missed when you go through something like this. Even being touched by another person is missed. Now I have 5 kids and they touch me all the time but that's not what I'm talking about, it's different. It's kindness, and caring, and concern, and love! Getting a hug just from our Bishop the other day was just about the best part of my week because I could feel his concern. I'm also talking about concern and care. Your spouse takes care of you (or should) in a way that no other can. He can find my phone charger when it's missing, he makes sure my blood sugars are good and that I slept well the night before. Those kinds of things.
Also his personality. He's teasing us again, and happy to see us. He's able to handle the loudness of home life and have the TV on. He is sleeping better and talking to us and less depressed. We are so happy to have Chris BACK!
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