Just happened to drop by and noticed you are back and doing well and in good spirits..I don't know if it is a miracle or because of your sheer strength and determination..I think it is a little of both..I am sure what ever changes you need to or have to make you will be able to take in stride like you always do. It's so good to have you back...
Sunny,
Thanks for the update and for hanging there through this whole ordeal..This was a real test thats for sure..You are a very strong woman and a inspiration to everyone..So nice to have you back. Sending prayers and well wishes your way for a speedy recovery with injured back..Sounds like a good time to sit back and enjoy the beautiful weather you are having and feast on your beautiful harvest...
I forgot to mention the up to 14 needles a day. I think that was the hardest part, knowing they were coming and that I needed them. Some were very painful so the expectation got to me. When I was back on solid food and most of the needles were replaced with pills it was a great relief. When the IV lines were removed and replaced with more pills it was another relief. But then I tried to stand. I so much wanted to be rid of the catheter. Six weeks in bed had taken its toll. There were no muscles left and I had lost almost 25 pounds. Everyone promised me that I would walk again. Three days later I took six steps and never looked back till now. Now I am realizing I have to make some big changes and I'm not prepared. I survived two horrible months in hospital, I can survive this.
Yes miracles happen but who causes them is still up for debate. I think we have a big say in them though. The mind is a pretty powerful tool. But we need instruction on how to use it. Never give up, if it isn't working there is probably a good reason, probably a simple one too.
For now I am taking some pretty strong medication and a mood stabilizer. I won't be on these for ever, this I know so it is okay.
Time to catch up on my reading, I have missed a lot.
It is so wonderful to hear from you and Sunny, Davit. I have been praying for you and keeping you in my thoughts. With every passing day, I believe more in the power of miracles and in what our minds and bodies can accomplish. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from you in these forums. Wishing you well, Carmie
The long and the short is that the combination of stress and a medication for my Arthritis caused a hole to form in my duodenum. The operation failed at about the fifth day and it leaked again. This leakage became infected and very quickly got out of hand. There were other complications also with my heart rhythms. The Doctor said I made them work. Sunny stayed with me the five (?) days I was in ICU. They opened me up again and tried to clean up the mess. It didn't work. They put in nine retention sutures to hold me together (sort of like trussing a turkey) and pumped in the antibiotics and a med to stop my stomach from producing anything. I had four IV lines running into my neck and a heart monitor and some other breathing tubes sharing the bed. Over the next three weeks I had nothing to eat, not even a sip of water. I traded the central line in my neck for a PICC line with four ports. Three for antibiotics and one for other stuff, including food. I became diabetic for a while. My kidneys quit for a while. And I got three blood transfusions of two units each. I bled all over the bed most days. I had edema so bad it leaked out my arms and soaked the bed. Four changes a day. The infection bubbled out the incision and there was pain. But there was also morphine. Hallucinations were like nothing you can imagine. I lost parts of my memory. Some is still gone. There were other problems of a mental nature too.
I'm still here. I believe there is a reason. Was there a miracle? Could be, I'm healing about eight times as fast as I should be. Even the Doctor didn't think I would make it. Yes he did say that. He also kept saying it would be a long haul. It may be yet but for now with help I'm at home.
The key board in our computer died about the same time I tried to. I had a perforated ulcer that got infected and went bad. I was going to put some information here about my experience with hallucinations caused by medication and even worse ones caused by infection. Believe me you don't want to know about or have them. Just know they happen for real. The first month in hospital was real bad and it did not look good for my chances of recovery. Then all at once I started to heal at an unbelievable rate. I'm home and although weak everything is working fine except that I have had to drop one medication and I have to get off another.
I'm busy right now setting up our new computer. I will send the old one for repairs as soon as I have this one working.
