For everyone who has called and left messages, sent texts, comments, emails....thank you ! and I tell Bruce everyday who has asked about him. I have his phone, so if you are calling it, I am checking messages until he is able to speak to anyone. He can have visitors, but he is in too bad of shape to talk right now. I will keep this blog updated and let everyone know when he's up to calls and visitors.
Today was typical day and Slow Central Hospital. He was moved to room last night about 10pm. He was able to get up 2 times today and move around!!!! We had awesome nurses today. I made sure to let tell them "NO MORE MORPHINE!" and why. It is a miracle that he doesn't need any pain meds. He does have a lot of pain when he moves but he doesn't complain much or feel like he needed medicine for pain in a few days. One good thing in this recovery I guess.
BP was high so he was given meds for that late in day. He looked more "with it" and I didn't notice any confusion but he was feeling terrible. He said he felt worse today than before. We could barely have a conversation because he was throwing up so much. Nephrologist said it was becoming too much so they put tube back in nose. This goes down to his stomach and sucks out everything so he doesn't throw up. He was very frustrated with it but his mom explained again to him what it was doing and why it was necessary and he seemed better.
They called a Gastro Intestinal Dr. to consult and he thinks it is a ileus which means bowels not woken up from surgery yet or just not functioning and building up acid in stomach. They did an xray around 3pm to verify but we didn't get results today. He thinks he is not sleeping well so they tried to give him attarax tonight but that is pill that he swallowed with sip of water while they turned off the suction of the tube for 5 minutes or so. There is a chance some of it got dissolved in him. I hope he has a nice restful sleep for once. So hard to sleep in ICU. I couldn't do it.
So tomorrow is for hoping they find out why his stomach cannot hold down anything and get a solution that works. I think sitting up and moving around more is going to be the key.
Since by Man Came Death - A Podcast Text
2 years ago
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yay! so glad to hear he got moved out of icu! even though he's throwing up and feeling worse.. it sounds like things are slowing improving.
ReplyDeletethanks so much for coming to my blog.. yes, you did inspire me to start it back up and to share my story with my husband and pkd.
(((((HUGS))))) and continued prayers for you and the boys!
Amy, "paralytic ileus" is not uncommon after such surgery. It results both from the bowel being moved around and "handled" during surgery and is further complicated by morphine and such drugs that relax smooth muscle and thus inhibit the normal contractions of the bowel. The NG tube is about the only thing that can help until things get moving. Limiting the use of drugs that make it worse is helpful as is moving as much as possible. Walking is best, but if not possible just moving around in bed is good (turning side to side and moving legs up and down....very much like you would when a baby has colic). Taking anything by mouth is not very helpful until the tube is out. Whatever little fluid goes in is pulled out by the NG tube and it takes electrolytes with it which can cause further electrolyte imbalance. Limited ice chips and using lip balm to keep the lips moist is about all you can do and do keep the ice chips limited. Dialysis has to be established and maintained if he is to get his bloodwork back in equilibrium. When that happens, the mental status should resolve itself. I, personally, think it is absurd to give oral anti-nausea drugs to someone who is vomiting or has an NG tube in. Most of these (compazine and others) are available in suppository form as well as injectables. Suppositories work well in these cases and I still request them when my adult children have nausea and vomiting from flu, etc. In spite of how bad he seems to feel, continue to get him moving as this will be the key to getting those bowels functioning again. We used to have an injectable drug that was used in some severe cases of paralytic ileus. It is called ilopancholine. Not sure if it is still considered an acceptable therapy and is usable with Bruce's condition, but you might ask. It stimulates the bowel peristalsis. Hope some of this info helps and is not too overwhelming. Jan Collins
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