From a Small Surgery to a Big One

This has definitely been one of those weeks where you want to forget... Last Tuesday was meant to be a straight forward day, I had a planned surgery for a new JEC, adhesions taken out and a full thickness biopy taken. However, I should know with my luck that nothing ever goes goes to plan. I said my goodbyes to my amazing mum who stood by my side until I went to night night world, with the last words I heard from the anaesthetists, 'soon you'll feel like you've had a large glass of wine'...If only. Then when the surgeon went in there, my bowel was full of inflammation and had gone rock hard and also had a kink it in. He took all that part out making it quite a major op in the end! He put a new modern JEC in too and left me with lots of scars...any ideas for anything to help scars? I came around in recovery and lets just say...not very comfortable and in huge amounts of pain. But they soon got everything under control. Unfortunately I had to stay in recovery over night so they could keep an eye on me and by the next day I was moved to a ward and was put in my own room. 3 days later and I woke up, tried to freshen up with as little moment as possible, and sat in the chair to look as best as I could for when the doctors came around, despite being in so much pain still, all I wanted was to be at home in my own bed. My plan worked...such pro and by that afternoon I was aloud to go home and rest, because as all that needed to happen was for everything to calm down and heal. This really does show that you really don't know whats around the corner! And all you can do in this situation is to be brave. I must say the nurses all the way through from the anaesthetist nurses to the ward nurses were outstanding. They were so caring and attentive. Because of the wounds should I say, I couldn't sit up or get out of bed etc without help, and they were always there being so attentive. In times like this, I couldn't of asked for anything better, It helped keep me so calm and upbeat at hard times. You know, in this world the little things really do mean a lot and small things really go a long way. I think because I don't have a choice with my illness I really appreciate and admire people's support.

Home Sweet Home.

I have been free from hospital for 3 weeks now and everyday feels just as amazing as the first day I got home! You really do appreciate the little things, especially your very own comfy double bed with a duvet instead of the hospitals rock hard beds, with scabby sheets and blankets! ...no offence NHS! As you can see I couldn't be happier leaving the ward in the picture below!

Its been quite a busy few weeks since I've been home...opps as I'm meant to be taking it steady and doing all that pacing yourself mer-lark. But after laying in a hospital for so many weeks your brain just wants to go crazy when you're out...if only! But as Ed promised, I was whisked down to devon a day after I was home and taken straight to my favourite place in the world, sitting on the beach. There's something so relaxing about breathing in the sea air and listening to pure silence with crisp sea waves! I must admit it was pretty chilly but a few cosy blankets soon sorted that out. Those few days seemed like pure heaven after being in hell. However wherever I go at the moment I have to have my feed with me as I'm on it for 20 hours at the moment. Nonetheless this didn't stop me from not going to the beach now that it has its very own back pack! 

When I was coming to the end of the hospital stay, I probably got the best news I've heard in a very long time. I don't know if you remember, but when I was having botox done to keep the opening of the intestine open, one of the consultants who did the latest one said how bad it was in there, and that I had to have a dilation done. This is when they use a ballon to stretch the muscle open causing it to ripe open...I know, doesn't sound nice. They say you never know how long this way will last, but hopefully longer than having to have the botox down every three months. Since having it done its made eating orally so much easier as I don't get the nausea as badly...yayyy! I then got some pretty exceptional news from the dietitian that the consultants are now happy for me to try purees/semi-solids...yes you did see that right, that does say solids! Even typing that still feels very ser-real! After 2 years of liquids I get the green flag...THIS IS AMAZING! We couldn't believe it. However I'm not aloud anything with fibre in it, onions or garlic, not much red meat or nuts or seeds...ok so that does still sound restricting but who cares after only being aloud nothing! They call it a white diet, white bread, white rice, white pasta etc. Anyone who's reading this who's on a similar thing, ideas would be so valuable! On my way home from hospital we had to stop so that my relatives could got a cheeky well known burger place where I tried my first soggy chip in 2 years...

On a more downbeat hand, this week I got the phone call I've been dreading for a long time. I've got to have surgery next Tuesday...with just 6 days notice. This is the operation for a new JEC, taking the adhesions out, this is the narrowing part of my bowel from scar tissue. Also taking another full thickness biopsy and while they're in there they're going to have a look at this opening into the intestine. I'm already pretty nervous, but this will be a positive as hopefully this should help the pain because as at the moment, my left side is so painful from my JEC. So I've just got to be brave and go with my worries to one side and let them do what they have to do. In times like this all you can do is be a solider and not worry because its got to be done! My one wish for christmas this year is to be stable and be in as little pain as possible... lets keep everything crossed! x