I'm in the hospital

[Riki]

I've been kinda hinting at it, and those who have me on FB already know most of what's going on.

Yesterday afternoon, I woke up from my post-dialysis nap in intense pain.  I had been having pain for a few weeks beforehand, but it always went away within a few hours.  This time was much worse than before, so we decided to go to the ER.  As time passed, the pain got steadily worse until I was having trouble breathing.  I had some x-rays and bloodwork done, and they gave me something for the pain.  When the bloodwork came back, the doctor said that something to do with the pancreas was high.  I didn't understand it then, and don't really now.  Anyway, they admitted me.

I spent the night in the hospital, and had more bloodwork and an ultrasound done today.  What they thought was going on was, that I had had gallstones in the past, but they thought that the gallstones, instead of blocking the ducts, they were falling back and blocking the pancreas.  I had suspected gallstones a few weeks ago, when the pain had started, and already had an appointment with a surgeon, via my family doctor.  When the results of the ultrasound came back, it appears that I have both an inflamed gallbladder AND pancreas.  They are unsure, but they believe that the original theory is standing true, only the stones are blocking both ways.  I'm told that bloodwork done tomorrow will verify this, and then they will look at surgical options.

I have not had any pain since they gave me the major painkiller last night.  They said that the reason they are not moving quicker on the surgical options is because I am stable.  If I were sicker, they'd move faster, but they do have everyone ready in case things should change.

Due to circumstances and doctors orders, I have not eaten since Sunday night, and am about to gnaw off the fingers on my right hand... *L*  I'm hoping that the bloodwork will firm some things up, so that they can either go ahead with the surgery, or put it off a few days and let me have a bite to eat.

[iketchum]

Sorry to hear you are in such pain. I had to have my gallbladder out and it was very painful. I am hoping you get sorted out quickly.

[MooseMom]

I hope you have a pain free night and will be able to get some rest.  I'm very eager to find out what is really going on! 

[willowtreewren]

Oh, dear, that gall bladder pain is, well, a real pain! 

Hoping you get this sorted out ASAP!

Aleta

[Riki]

If there's anything new, I'll try to post tomorrow after dialysis.  Hopefully by then some things will be figured out

It was kind of cool, after telling the doctor covering for my family doctor the story about the ER docs not believing me when I said I had peritonitis.. they said I had gallstones.. we were both right in that instance, but the peritonitis is what was causing the real problems... She came into the room, and the first thing she said was, "you were right..again."  *LOL*

[okarol]

  I hope it's something easy to fix (is it ever? lol) - good luck!! 

[galvo]

Beat wishes

[Riki]

So, I'm still in limbo.  They're waiting for some more bloodwork to come back, but from what they've seen so far, everything seems to be doing what it's supposed to.  The doctor said that if they're not going to do any kind of surgery for a few days, then they might be able to get me something to eat.  Since I haven't had anything since Sunday, well, this excites me

[obsidianom]

It sounds like pacreatitis. Your pancreatic enzymes are probably elevated on the blood test. The amylase and lipase which are the ezymes that digest food. Pacreatitis can be caused by blockage of the bile ducts backing the enzymes into the pancreas causing inflammation and SEVERE  pain.  It may be trated non surgically or sometimes by endoscopy down through your upper GI sysytem into the ducts. It should get better in time . Hang in there.

[Riki]

It sounds like pacreatitis. Your pancreatic enzymes are probably elevated on the blood test. The amylase and lipase which are the ezymes that digest food. Pacreatitis can be caused by blockage of the bile ducts backing the enzymes into the pancreas causing inflammation and SEVERE  pain.  It may be trated non surgically or sometimes by endoscopy down through your upper GI sysytem into the ducts. It should get better in time . Hang in there.

That's what I have.  The blockage is caused by gallstones.  The next thing they want to do is see if there's still stones blocking the ducts.  If there are, they're going to remove them, and then they're going to remove the gallbladder so it doesn't happen again.

[willowtreewren]

I certainly hope this is resolved soon!

 

[Rerun]

I hope you stay out of pain.  But, if in a lot of pain they will do something.  Exhausting!

Hang in there.

[billybags]

Riki , I am glad they are trying to sort things out, the pain must be aweful. Keep us informed.

[Riki]

I had the MRI test today, and there are no stones in the ducts. YAY!  That means food!  I still need to have the gallbladder out, but with no stones blocking anything, like the pancreas, so that's good.  I think.

I went over my data on my phone, which is what I was using to connect my laptop to the internet, so that's why I haven't been around.  I think it's time to get a dedicated mobile internet stick for my laptop.  Maybe I'll see if I can't get out of here for a quick shopping trip tomorrow.

[RenalSurvivorDotCA]

Hope you get to eat soon, Riki. Also hope for a speedy recovery. Hospitals aren't fun.

[Riki]

I had food.. it was the best crappy vegetable soup and dry turkey sandwich I've ever had.. *LMAO*

They're staying that the gallbladder can come out at any time, and perhaps it'll happen sometime this weekend

[cassandra]

Glad to hear you were fed. All the best honey, and stay strong.

Lots of love, Cas

       

           

[Big E]

Crappy vegetable soup and a dried-out turkey sandwich? Yum!!! Sounds delicious!

Seriously, Riki, I'm so glad you're feeling better. I'm sure the gallbladder surgery will go well and you'll be feeling way better in no time.

[Riki]

The original plan, though it wasn't told to me, was to have the gallbladder surgery today, but when the surgeon and I had a little conversation, we decided that it might be better to leave it till a non dialysis day through the week, for a couple of reasons.  One, I think he's afraid to do anything surgically with me, because I'm a dialysis patient.  He told me that he was unsure of how I would heal and recover after the surgery because I was on dialysis.  I know how well I heal and recover, and I know it'll be no big deal.  Two, I was in no way prepared mentally for surgery today.  I knew nothing of it until I got no breakfast this morning.  This way, I'll have a conversation with the surgeon who works during the week with regular scheduling, instead of the seemingly overworked surgeon on the weekend who had been doing emergency surgeries until long after midnight last night, and we can schedule the surgery, and I can mentally prepare myself for it, instead of having it sprung on me like it was this morning.  I'm stable and in no pain, so we both believed that this was the best course of action.

My next task will be to talk to the renal dietician on Monday to see if she can fudge something in the computer and get me on a regular diet, cuz the renal diet here that they automatically put me on is absolutely disgusting.  I don't think the food will do much for me if I don't eat it.  She knows that I know how to choose the right foods for me, and I keep my levels almost normal without the use of any binders or supplements, and she knows this, so hopefully it won't be a problem.

Today, the lovely little lady that I was rooming with and I were both moved from the "surgical" unit to the "miscellaneous" unit, unfortunately, not in the same room.  She's on the other side of the unit in a semi-private, and I'm in another ward with 2 other very cute, lovely ladies.  It's too bad we all couldn't have been put in the same room.  I think we all would get along really well.  At least I can walk over and visit with her and play a game or two of cards.  One of the ladies in the room bares a striking resemblance to my paternal grandmother who died 13 years ago this week.  It's kind of eerie, but still, I like her.

[AnnieB]

You know what they say about hospital food.... I'm sorry you're going through this. It really sucks to be in the hospital, but at least it sounds like your pain is under control. Hope you get better soon!
Anne

[Riki]

thank you.. I really think I'm on the home stretch now

[boswife]

So glad to hear that at least your 'thinken'  your on the home stretch!!  Geesh, theres no place like home, and i hope you get there quickly and safe and sound 

[jeannea]

OMG! That renal diet. Once I was in the hospital and I couldn't figure out how to order because the menu wasn't renal. I did my best. They rejected it and sent me an empty plate! The doctor asked me if I was eating and I told him what happened. He got on the phone with them and still had trouble getting me something I would eat. They were so obnoxious about it. But on a later admission I did finally get a menu where they blocked out the things I couldn't have so I finally had a chance at getting a meal.

[Riki]

I know my way around the renal diet.  I've been working with it since 1991.

I have a whole new saga today.  This morning, a doctor I didn't know came in and told me that he thought I was well enough to go home.  My thought was, "what? I haven't have my surgery yet."  He told me that the surgery was elective so I could just go home and contact the surgeon myself to book a time to have the gallbladder out.  Now, I never thought that it was elective.  It seemed to me that all week, the other doctor had been saying that they needed to be sure I had no rogue stone in ducts so they could take out the gallbladder and be done with it.  I think what happened was, they were going to try to squeeze me in somewhere yesterday for surgery, but I knew that the surgeon had been doing emergency surgeries well after midnight the night before, and he did seem a bit tired when I talked to him.  He seemed very hesitant to do the surgery at all, and he was making me a bit nervous about the whole thing, so when he asked if I thought we should go ahead, I said that I'd like to talk to my mom about it first.  That's where he said we could leave it for the day.  I didn't think anything of it until the doctor here today said that the surgeon put in his notes that I had refused treatment.  Between me and my mom, we fought for me to stay in the hospital because if I went home, it could be anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months before I could get in to have the gallbladder out, and I certainly don't want to wait that long.  I don't want to have another attack either, especially if both my gallbladder and my pancreas are affected.  That was the most pain I've ever felt in my life, and it's not something I'd like to go through again.

At any rate, I'm still in the hospital, and I'll have to talk to another surgeon tomorrow to see what's going on.

[MooseMom]

Well, color me confused!  To be sure, though, I wouldn't want an overworked ER doc to be operating on me!

Ya gotta get that gallbladder out/resolved.  That's a horrible pain.