It's day 11 and still not much movement in the bowel. The new resident, Dr. Fatima, and the nurses all say that patience is needed, in addition to lots of walking. Everyone's system reawakens following surgery at an individual pace.
Despite the fact that I am not yet allowed to take food by mouth, I am well-nourished through the IV drips and feel stronger each day. I walked well over a half mile of hallways today and sat in the chair much of the rest of the day.
I feel well enough now to watch movies on the "movies on demand" feature on my room television. When I am finally allowed to eat and no longer connected to the IV tower, I will feel much more free to move about the hospital while waiting to see if the food I eat goes through my system as planned.
Thanks to Spencer, Andy, David, and Lauren who visited on Saturday and brought a beautiful basket of flowers from LSM, and to Norma and Harley for bringing me a contraband lime to put in my water. Small things sometimes make a big difference.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
8th Day After Surgery
A lot of things happened today, the eighth day after my surgery.
I received the dreaded PICC line, which I was fearing after a failed attempt yesterday to install it in my room. It is just a large scale IV in a large upper arm vein, but the technicians yesterday kept running into resistance and had to stop (due to my screaming). The doctor in the procedure room with special tracking equipment (and a large injection of narcotic in me) had no trouble.
Dr. Farnell gave his final in person report on my progress, as he will be away for the next two weeks: the drain from the incision has been almost dry for a day and none of the fluids reveal any leakage from the pancreas--so the drain came out--yeah; although my bowel is still not moving much, he said that is normal and will return to activity soon; he gave orders for the catheter to be removed--yeah!
Also, Dr. Renata Maricevich finished this quarter of her rotation with Dr. Farnell's group and will be leaving. I am sad about that.
Many visitors today, including Matt Tschimperle, Jim Griesheimer and his son, John, Christine Gowdy-Jaehnig, Darla, and Yvonne Knoepfel. Darla introduced me to a couple who are here from Peoria area, Bernie and Kay; Kay is recovering from a similar, but less extensive pancreas surgery. She is also cancer free.
Thanks to all who are supporting me, caring for me, putting up with me, etc.
I received the dreaded PICC line, which I was fearing after a failed attempt yesterday to install it in my room. It is just a large scale IV in a large upper arm vein, but the technicians yesterday kept running into resistance and had to stop (due to my screaming). The doctor in the procedure room with special tracking equipment (and a large injection of narcotic in me) had no trouble.
Dr. Farnell gave his final in person report on my progress, as he will be away for the next two weeks: the drain from the incision has been almost dry for a day and none of the fluids reveal any leakage from the pancreas--so the drain came out--yeah; although my bowel is still not moving much, he said that is normal and will return to activity soon; he gave orders for the catheter to be removed--yeah!
Also, Dr. Renata Maricevich finished this quarter of her rotation with Dr. Farnell's group and will be leaving. I am sad about that.
Many visitors today, including Matt Tschimperle, Jim Griesheimer and his son, John, Christine Gowdy-Jaehnig, Darla, and Yvonne Knoepfel. Darla introduced me to a couple who are here from Peoria area, Bernie and Kay; Kay is recovering from a similar, but less extensive pancreas surgery. She is also cancer free.
Thanks to all who are supporting me, caring for me, putting up with me, etc.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday evening, June 24, after TWO Long Days!
Well, after so many responses to my previous positive entry I must now tell of some not so positive intervening hours leading to what I hope is now again some positive progress.
Soon after that previous post on Monday evening I developed an agonizing pain caused by swollen stomach and bowel and that pressure on the incision. (Dr. Farnell pointed out that it is still an incision and not a scar, and that it is more like 18-20 inches long.) As I had been taken off of self-administered pain medication, as well as IV fluids, no directive or pain medication was available to the night nursing staff. It wasn't until 6:30 a.m. yesterday that any relief was forthcoming. The doctors saw me mid-morning and Dr. Farnell determined I needed to be re-attached to IV, catheter, and other IV port administered medicines such as antibiotics (precautionary) and pain relief injections. Having a catheter installed when one is under general anesthetic, and when one is not, are two very different experiences! Ugh!
I had several visitors yesterday, but some were unable to come into the room because I was either screaming in pain or sleeping. I thank them for their trouble anyway. Norma Refsal was able to stay a little over an hour and a half, though. Being a nurse herself, she took over arranging the untidy room, getting the nursing staff attentive to my needs, etc. Just what I needed. Later in the afternoon H. George and Chris Anderson were able to come to my bedside and share a prayer with me. Just what I needed, also. Darla has been very attentive and came to stay a while after the successful surgery performed earlier yesterday on her son Erik.
Last night was not as horrible as Monday, but close. This morning I had a CT scan, returned to my room, regurgitated a good amount of bile, felt better, took my first shower since Friday morning at 5 a.m., and felt even better. Had several visitors, including Julie Jensen who had tried yesterday, Norma again (thanks again) and Peter Liermann and Jessica Paul. While Darla was visiting late in the afternoon, Dr. Maricevich came by to tell me that the CT scan had revealed no leaking in any of the internal organ sutures, but that the distension and bloating of the stomach and bowel were in need of relief. She proceeded to tell me briefly about inserting an NG tube, which is a plastic tube that goes into the nostril and down the back of the throat into the stomach. Sounds fun, right? It was even more uncomfortable than the catheterization had been. However, it immediately began to suck out all manner of air, fluid, and unspeakably horrid looking stuff. Dr. Maricevich said that that was what was causing my bowel not to function efficiently. It is hoped that tomorrow that second issue will be addressed so that I may get on to the necessary next step of digestion.
Sorry if my graphic descriptions are too much for some of you, but they help me to keep a record of what is happening in this process. Right now I'm feeling much better, even though there is a plastic hose hanging out of my nose and irritating the back of my throat. Everything is relative, I guess.
Soon after that previous post on Monday evening I developed an agonizing pain caused by swollen stomach and bowel and that pressure on the incision. (Dr. Farnell pointed out that it is still an incision and not a scar, and that it is more like 18-20 inches long.) As I had been taken off of self-administered pain medication, as well as IV fluids, no directive or pain medication was available to the night nursing staff. It wasn't until 6:30 a.m. yesterday that any relief was forthcoming. The doctors saw me mid-morning and Dr. Farnell determined I needed to be re-attached to IV, catheter, and other IV port administered medicines such as antibiotics (precautionary) and pain relief injections. Having a catheter installed when one is under general anesthetic, and when one is not, are two very different experiences! Ugh!
I had several visitors yesterday, but some were unable to come into the room because I was either screaming in pain or sleeping. I thank them for their trouble anyway. Norma Refsal was able to stay a little over an hour and a half, though. Being a nurse herself, she took over arranging the untidy room, getting the nursing staff attentive to my needs, etc. Just what I needed. Later in the afternoon H. George and Chris Anderson were able to come to my bedside and share a prayer with me. Just what I needed, also. Darla has been very attentive and came to stay a while after the successful surgery performed earlier yesterday on her son Erik.
Last night was not as horrible as Monday, but close. This morning I had a CT scan, returned to my room, regurgitated a good amount of bile, felt better, took my first shower since Friday morning at 5 a.m., and felt even better. Had several visitors, including Julie Jensen who had tried yesterday, Norma again (thanks again) and Peter Liermann and Jessica Paul. While Darla was visiting late in the afternoon, Dr. Maricevich came by to tell me that the CT scan had revealed no leaking in any of the internal organ sutures, but that the distension and bloating of the stomach and bowel were in need of relief. She proceeded to tell me briefly about inserting an NG tube, which is a plastic tube that goes into the nostril and down the back of the throat into the stomach. Sounds fun, right? It was even more uncomfortable than the catheterization had been. However, it immediately began to suck out all manner of air, fluid, and unspeakably horrid looking stuff. Dr. Maricevich said that that was what was causing my bowel not to function efficiently. It is hoped that tomorrow that second issue will be addressed so that I may get on to the necessary next step of digestion.
Sorry if my graphic descriptions are too much for some of you, but they help me to keep a record of what is happening in this process. Right now I'm feeling much better, even though there is a plastic hose hanging out of my nose and irritating the back of my throat. Everything is relative, I guess.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, June 22 A Long Day
Today began much as yesterday, with some pronounced abdominal pain when I tried to raise myself from a prone position to sitting on the bed. One of Dr. Farnell's wonderful assistants in the surgery, Dr. Renata Maricevich, greeted me at 6 a.m. with news that the catheter would probably be removed after Dr. Farnell's visit at 10:30, which it was. This was also Dr. Farnell's first viewing of the finished sutured scar, which had been completed after he had left the operating room on Friday. He seemed very please, even smiling (a rarity, it would seem.)
I was instructed to remain on clear liquids until I can pass some gas (too much info for some, but it is the way things go.) I tried eating some of the mixture that passes for chicken broth, but I just couldn't get myself to eat much more than a couple of tablespoons. I ate about half of a small container of raspberry ice and some raspberry juice. It was somewhat freeing not to be tied to the catheter, but I still have the wound drain and the nutrition IV line.
Later in the morning I had a visit from Dr. David Larson, a Luther grad and former member of Luther's board of regents. I had met him when I was a faculty rep to the board some years before. He is a good friend and neighbor of Dr. Farnell's and was interested in seeing "the scar", which had evidently gotten some notoriety from Dr. Farnell from his earier visit. Dr. Larson has as good natured and smiling a personality as one could wish for. He certainly is an admirer of Dr. Farnell's work and told me so.
Bill and Yvonne Kuhlman visited around noon, bringing an unusual and interesting book of quotations. On one side, with a white paper cover is the title The Optimist's Handbook: a companion to hope. Flip the book over and the other side, in black, is titled The Pessimist's Handbook: a companion to despair. Quotations from great thinkers, philosophers, writers, musicians, theologians, etc. are included in both sections. The two books are further subdivided into 57 categories such as "adventure", "baldness", "genious", "love", etc. It should prove an entertaining read.
Darla came by around 5:30 p.m. for a short visit. While she was here a young man, Hal Sundt, from Mayo's Episcopal Pastoral Sevices came in the room and asked if there was anything he could do regarding scheduling a chaplain visit, Eucharist, etc. After speaking with him about those things for me, I asked him to join in a prayer for Darla's son, Erik, who will be undergoing surgery tomorrow.
After Darla left I took my sixth walk of the day. Later, Dr. Maricevich came by to speak with me. She was still waiting for the pathology report, which didn't arrive until 9:30. It showed no signs of full-blown cancer, but the cyst was described as an Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, with high grade dysplasia. Apparantly, it was as close to being cancer, without being cancer, as is possilbe. In other words, Dr. Farnell's decision to remove it immiediately was life saving.
I was instructed to remain on clear liquids until I can pass some gas (too much info for some, but it is the way things go.) I tried eating some of the mixture that passes for chicken broth, but I just couldn't get myself to eat much more than a couple of tablespoons. I ate about half of a small container of raspberry ice and some raspberry juice. It was somewhat freeing not to be tied to the catheter, but I still have the wound drain and the nutrition IV line.
Later in the morning I had a visit from Dr. David Larson, a Luther grad and former member of Luther's board of regents. I had met him when I was a faculty rep to the board some years before. He is a good friend and neighbor of Dr. Farnell's and was interested in seeing "the scar", which had evidently gotten some notoriety from Dr. Farnell from his earier visit. Dr. Larson has as good natured and smiling a personality as one could wish for. He certainly is an admirer of Dr. Farnell's work and told me so.
Bill and Yvonne Kuhlman visited around noon, bringing an unusual and interesting book of quotations. On one side, with a white paper cover is the title The Optimist's Handbook: a companion to hope. Flip the book over and the other side, in black, is titled The Pessimist's Handbook: a companion to despair. Quotations from great thinkers, philosophers, writers, musicians, theologians, etc. are included in both sections. The two books are further subdivided into 57 categories such as "adventure", "baldness", "genious", "love", etc. It should prove an entertaining read.
Darla came by around 5:30 p.m. for a short visit. While she was here a young man, Hal Sundt, from Mayo's Episcopal Pastoral Sevices came in the room and asked if there was anything he could do regarding scheduling a chaplain visit, Eucharist, etc. After speaking with him about those things for me, I asked him to join in a prayer for Darla's son, Erik, who will be undergoing surgery tomorrow.
After Darla left I took my sixth walk of the day. Later, Dr. Maricevich came by to speak with me. She was still waiting for the pathology report, which didn't arrive until 9:30. It showed no signs of full-blown cancer, but the cyst was described as an Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, with high grade dysplasia. Apparantly, it was as close to being cancer, without being cancer, as is possilbe. In other words, Dr. Farnell's decision to remove it immiediately was life saving.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sunday, June 21
Woke up this morning tangled in drain hose, catheter tube, nurse call remote, and cell phone charger cord. Couldn't get up or lie back down. Pain! The nurses were laughing at my predicament, but soon got me loose.
Dr. Iqbal, a resident assigned to my case for the weekend, removed the protective surgical covering from the scar across my abdomen. Much to my surprise, instead of being a wide, six inch, vertical scar, it is in reality a very thin, neat, twelve inch scar running in an arch following the general arch of the diaphragm beneath it. I think it will heal into a much less noticeable scar. It is clean so far, with no indication of infection.
I walked several times today, the last two times unaided by nurse or rolling walker. I am not as dizzy now, either. For dinner I had a couple of sips of vegetable broth and a few small bites of lemon ice. So far all of that has stayed down; hope it passes tomorrow, because that would be a sure sign of progress.
Plarent returned to his home this afternoon; Darla will be staying into the week to care for her son, who is having surgery Tuesday. She has been a very good friend, putting up with my moodiness in addition to her own emotional stress anticipating Erik's surgery.
The nurses assigned to me have been wonderful. Lisa, James, Janet, Dawn, Mallory, and Tonya have been especially helpful and good natured. Tonya is also a Luther grad and was in band with
Fred Nyline in the mid nineties.
If you would like more specific/different information on this blog, let me know. Thanks again for your interest in reading it and in my reovery. I truly feel empowered from everyone's support in prayers and messages.
Ed
Dr. Iqbal, a resident assigned to my case for the weekend, removed the protective surgical covering from the scar across my abdomen. Much to my surprise, instead of being a wide, six inch, vertical scar, it is in reality a very thin, neat, twelve inch scar running in an arch following the general arch of the diaphragm beneath it. I think it will heal into a much less noticeable scar. It is clean so far, with no indication of infection.
I walked several times today, the last two times unaided by nurse or rolling walker. I am not as dizzy now, either. For dinner I had a couple of sips of vegetable broth and a few small bites of lemon ice. So far all of that has stayed down; hope it passes tomorrow, because that would be a sure sign of progress.
Plarent returned to his home this afternoon; Darla will be staying into the week to care for her son, who is having surgery Tuesday. She has been a very good friend, putting up with my moodiness in addition to her own emotional stress anticipating Erik's surgery.
The nurses assigned to me have been wonderful. Lisa, James, Janet, Dawn, Mallory, and Tonya have been especially helpful and good natured. Tonya is also a Luther grad and was in band with
Fred Nyline in the mid nineties.
If you would like more specific/different information on this blog, let me know. Thanks again for your interest in reading it and in my reovery. I truly feel empowered from everyone's support in prayers and messages.
Ed
Saturday, June 20, 2009
June 20 visit with surgeon
Dr. Farnell came by my room (Francis 2C-125) at about 4:45 p.m. After examining the dressing over the incision, the drain, and the catheter and fluid from it, and after reviewing my vital records for today, and after asking me how I felt, he said things looked very good and that I seemed to be progressing quite well. The cyst and other tissue that was removed have been preliminarily determined not to be malignant. However, the official report from the examination of the complete frozen sections will not be available until Monday.
I may be able to try liquid foods orally also on Monday. Visitors are welcome beginning Monday, too.
My thanks to Plarent and Darla for their countless acts of help and good advice. Dr. Farnell thinks that if things continue to go as well as they have I may be able to return home on June 29.
An interesting sidebar: Dr. Farnell said he had performed six of these surgeries just this week. He is aiming for a career total of 1,000 by retirement.
I may be able to try liquid foods orally also on Monday. Visitors are welcome beginning Monday, too.
My thanks to Plarent and Darla for their countless acts of help and good advice. Dr. Farnell thinks that if things continue to go as well as they have I may be able to return home on June 29.
An interesting sidebar: Dr. Farnell said he had performed six of these surgeries just this week. He is aiming for a career total of 1,000 by retirement.
The day after - Plarent posting for Ed
Ed is doing well. He has already walked short distances twice. He feels some pain but he is getting some good use out of the pain medication.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Ed is out of surgery and doing ok - (Plarent posting for Ed)
Ed just came out of the post operation anesthesia and he is in a hospital room. The surgery went well and the doctor mentioned things went as smoothly as can be expected and that no cancer was found. We will receive a full pathology report on Monday but, so far, things look good.
Ed is semi-awake at this moment. I have spoken to him and he already told me a joke. I will keep you posted.
Plarent
P.S.
Call me at anytime if you have questions.
Ed is semi-awake at this moment. I have spoken to him and he already told me a joke. I will keep you posted.
Plarent
P.S.
Call me at anytime if you have questions.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Day before surgery
Darla Thorland drove me to my appointments in Rochester this morning. I've been through the testing and pre-op instructions; the consultation with Dr. Farnell went well. My friend, Plarent Ymeri, was present at that meeting. Plarent will be updating the blog in the time that I am still recovering from the surgery.
After reviewing the CT scan of the pancreas and cyst, Dr. Farnell approved going ahead with the surgery tomorrow, despite some remaining inflammation in the pancreas. Both Dr. Farnell and his nurse were very encouraging of a positive outcome and quick recovery. I certainly hope they are right.
The likely time I will report for surgery is 5:30 a.m., with a 7:45 a.m. incision (that is the term they used.) I should be out of the operating room around 3 p.m., with two to three hours in post-op recovery.
After reviewing the CT scan of the pancreas and cyst, Dr. Farnell approved going ahead with the surgery tomorrow, despite some remaining inflammation in the pancreas. Both Dr. Farnell and his nurse were very encouraging of a positive outcome and quick recovery. I certainly hope they are right.
The likely time I will report for surgery is 5:30 a.m., with a 7:45 a.m. incision (that is the term they used.) I should be out of the operating room around 3 p.m., with two to three hours in post-op recovery.
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