Day 2 Post Surgery

Alarm clock just not giving you the old kick in the pants these days? "snooze" and then "snooze" again? Well, folks, I have the answer to your can't-wake-up woes. Invite a team of two GI surgeons to come into your room at 6am, turn on the fluorescent light, say commandingly "we're taking that suction tube out now," have one of them hold your shoulder while the other rapidly un-tapes and then pulls out a tube that has been running through your nose, down your throat, and into your stomach. (Forget you invited them or the whole effect will be lost.) Honestly, that's probably the best way to accomplish said tube removal as any prediscussion would lead to the conclusion that it simply should not be done. But bloody onions, what a way to wake up!

Day 2 post surgery: little less pain, little more energy, slow and steady said the tortoise.

Random observations:
More than half the phlebotomy staff at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is Russian. And they all announce themselves in the same way: (drawled eastern European accent) "Hellllo, I am he'a to take you blood." It's a little skin-crawly and a little hilarious.

When an anesthesiologist says, "yes, this is going to hurt a lot but after the surgery you won't remember this part happened" did it hurt? If I hurt in a blackout do I say ouch?

......medicated ramblings.....peace to us all - MG

spleenet

Well friends, a weight has been lifted from me. Yesterday afternoon I had an operation to remove my colon (colectomy, in official medical terminology). Those of you who know me well...and probably most people who've met me in passing...probably wouldn't argue with a
description of me as 'stubborn' (though I prefer 'steadfast in my beliefs and pursuits). In the current situation, I appear to have been able to take this mental trait straight on to corporeal. My body simply would have nothing to do with the 'medical route' and so surgery became the best path.

So, I'm minus one colon BUT it turns out I have 2 spleens!!! The surgeon says this is not really that uncommon, the second one being very small and actually called a spleenet :)

My surgeon, a woman who radiates competence and overall kindness (like exactly what you want from a surgeon) says the surgery went very well. It will take some time to recover (duh), but for one day out, I'm feeling pretty well, have a button that I push that feeds me pain drugs, may get to eat real food again pretty soon, and am one thankful little spleenet.

miss you all - MG

Remicade to the Rescue (?)

Well, took my second infusion of Remicade yesterday - to keep people reading I'll interject quasi interesting facts such as: Remicade is an antibody that is biologically part mouse! I've been craving cheese! (I actually crave any and all foods as I have been being fed by intravenous nutrition for a couple of weeks now - It's amazing what actually not be starved but starved of sensation can make you want for.)

Unfortunately, so far the encouraging effects seen after the first infusion are absent. That's, well, discouraging and brings the possibility of surgery closer to the proverbial table. Appreciations for prayers if you pray and thoughts if you think as that rather scary and confusing decision moves into the sightlines.

A few random observations: Ragtime by EL Doctorow is a great book. thanks John :)
Buying a giant frog balloon instead of 'reading material' as suggested by your mother is a wise decision. thanks rosie :)

Love - Mary

Letter from Mary

Hey Friends,

First, thank you all for your support and interest in my health. One learns many lessons of patience, acceptance, etc. with an extended hospital stay, but one amazing thing one may learn is how much support and care they have scattered out in the world.

With the help of the technical expertisse herself, Rosie Daniel, I wanted to give you all a way to check in on me as (in)frequently as you choose. Not so much because I am interesting, but rather because my current situation makes it hard for me to be consistent in my communication with everyone I'd like to be. Hopefully I can keep this updated every day or two.

History (cause we love the drama):
At the beginning of May, while preparing for my inevitably fabulous photo opening at International House :?, working on First Person Arts' major fundraiser, and running up against the end of my lease, my stomach started to hurt a bit. and a bit and a bit and a bit bit more. On May 5th when my Logan arrived into town to view inevitable fabulousness and have a veggie cheesesteak, he was instead forced to revert to paramedic mode days and drag my dehydrated, dirty sad-girl bum to the ER.

To Pick up the Pace: I was diagnosed with acute colitis, which basically means major inflammation of the colon. The doctors spent some time trying to determine whether this was an infection or an inflammatory condition - IBD - either Chron's Diseases or Ulcerative Colitis. They were unable to do so, but send me home on steroids, which is the common treatment for colitis. I checked myself back into the emergency department on May 22 with all symptoms back. More steroids, no luck. Two weeks ago I took a drug called Remicade and will take my second infusion of that today. Many things remain in flux. The Remicade may help me to turn the corner. Surgery is also an option that is on the table, and is an option that is used pretty routinely in acute colitis. I am also in the flux of being stuck in Philadelphia and hoping to go back to Baton Rouge as soon as possible. Depending on the effects of the Remicade this time, I may be able to transfer to a hospital there fairly soon.