Post Post Surgery

Most of you followed my progress on Facebook so I wasn’t in a hurry to update. Plus, most nights I’m in bed by 9pm. So, here’s a little recap and a “Where is she now?” for your reading pleasure. Surgery went great. They removed my appendix, gallbladder, sections of my small and large intestine (this is where they found my primary located), some lymph nodes, and 25 tumors from my liver ranging from the size of a softball to a pea. There were some tumors they could not take out so they applied chemo directly to my liver. Cool fact, they froze all of my tumors to use in research studies in the future. To think, Bubba could find the cure to NETS.  

ICU was hardcore. I peed green for 2 days and got to give myself pain meds by pushing a button connected to my central line. Speaking of IV’s; when I came out of surgery I had 4. One was even stitched into my neck; called a central line. I do not recommend benedryl through IV. Fablah. The thing in my nose is not oxygen, it’s a CO2 monitor to make sure I didn’t OD on pain meds. Dumb thing beeped like crazy if you took it out. My incision was glued together which was neat. And I repeatedly asked for root beer floats whenever a doctor came by. No luck tho. Did con a nurse into apple juice. It was heavenly.  

  
  The week in the hospital had its good days and bad just like everything else in this world. I LOVED all of my nurses (except the ones on thanksgiving; we aren’t going to talk about that day tho) My nurses: Kia, Jamie, Rosa, Mike, Amanda….all fantastic. The floor I was on is the only floor carcinoid cancer patients stay on and all of the nurses are trained in carcinoid care. 

When I was released I stayed at the Hope Lodge a few days. American Cancer Society is pretty badass for having these lodges by the way. 

Once I made it back home I had a rough go at things. Lot of pain, lack of appetite, emotional strain from being useless, fever, chest pain, fatigue and hives. You would have thought I was 85. Ended up in the ER a few times from hives. Funny thing; they had to do a chest x-ray in ER and dr comes back and goes “your liver looks like it’s been through a war zone.” 

I am still recovering. I can finally lift over 10pounds and the outside of my scar is healed. Still having issues figuring out what I can and can’t eat and I get tired really easy. But, I feel good. Finally over 100 pounds which is awesome and I can put Elijah in a shopping cart. And no more hives! I have tumor marking blood work on Jan 14th and a crap load of scans on Feb 15th which I’m not looking forward too. After that we will know where things stand. I have to go back to New Orleans at the end of Feb for a follow up. 

As I have said from day 1; out of my hands and in God’s.