Hotel Recovery Day #2- 9pm

So things have gotten worse..... My fever overnight was up to 103.3 deg and we couldn't get it to go down even with all the tylenol and cold rags. Finally this morning it dropped a bit and right now we're on our way back up at 101.9. I truly feel that I have the flu from the vaccine. We looked it up on the internet and all the symptoms match. Also, it says that if you have a low grade fever and infection that you should not take the flu vaccine because it will cause you to get the flu due to your body not being able to fight it off. Unfortunately, I called the nurses station again and she had no idea!! Thank God for Google! Surprisingly, the nausea and vomiting didn't hurt my stomach! Things are going amazingly well in that area. I am having problems eating, but I believe it is due to this flu. I had no trouble keeping food down or not being nauseous in the hospital before the flu shot. we did do the CT scan and chest X ray, so we are pretty confident it's nothing to do with the surgery. Also, the place where I got the vaccine is hot to the touch and red! So, I am getting as much rest as I can. I was so excited to get to the hotel since they wake you up every hour in the hospital, but Tara has taken over that roll and the alarm goes over starting at 4am! So, We are going to see how the weekend goes and if things get worse, we'll go to the ER, but right now, don't feel it's any complications to the surgery. Please pray for this to pass quickly. Love, Nicole

Hotel Recovery # 1 8:45 pm

So she is finally out of the hospital and back in bed in the hotel room. Unfortunately, things aren't off to a very good start. When I got back from picking up Nicole's many prescriptions (18 bottles, 7 boxes, 3 emergency insulin syringes, and her regular insulin pens), Tara had just taken her temperature and it was back up to 102 degrees. We immediately called the hospital and they said that she has a small infection and she just got a flu vaccine today that could be also adding to the fever, so we need to just keep a close eye on it. What is weird is that she has such a high fever, but does not feel bad (except for her irritating cough). So, we are a little scared, and may have to go back to the hospital if things don't improve, but for now we are just going slow and watching things very closely.

Hoping / praying for the best,

James

Recovery Day #7-4pm

I am getting discharged! It took over an hour to get an IV in my arm and lots of sticks and tears, so I was hurting pretty good from all that. The Ct scan showed some fluid in the pelvis and something in the chest area( I don't know medical terms that they keep saying-like the infection i have!), but they said they are not worried about it too much! So, I am waiting for my meds to get written and discharge papers. We are going to stay in the hotel until my tuesday morning appt at 8:30am. After that, we're home free to recover on my nice, comfy couch! Thank you to all of you for the cards, flowers, and cheering up items! They all helped tremendously! It will feel really good to be in the hotel in a bed where no one wakes u up every hour to check vitals or blood sugar!! So, we have lowered my insulin to 10 units instead of 18, so we'll see how it goes. I did set the record for quickest hospital time, so the pancreas has pulled through in one way! I will keep you all updated throughout the weekend on how we progress and how monday and tuesday's appts go. Thanks to all of you for the sweet thoughts and prayers again! love, nicole

Recovery Day #7 1pm

Today is the day that I get to get out of the hospital! It was really iffy last night if I was going to go home tonight and we're pretty positive we still are, but not completely out of the woods yet. Yesterday, I started to get this tickle in my throat and just figured it was becuase I couldn't really cough. Well, last night at about 8pm, I started developing a low fever. My usual temp is 97 so at about 99.2, we just figured it was because of the central line, since it's common to develop a fever after having that for a week. Well, by midnight, I called james and mom becuase my temp was 100.4. At 4am, it was 101.5 and there was a dr. in my room. He ran some culture tests and kept checking my temp, every hour. It went up a bit more and held until this morning. I was then woken up at 7am to a huge glass of apple juice with sugar. I had to down three of them! After the first one, they tested my blood sugar, which was 59 (normal is 80-120) After the second one, it was 54! we had no idea why it was dropping!! After finally the third glass, it was 65, and the endocrinologist came in and thinks that maybe I'm on too much insulin during the day, which is a very good sign that my islet cells may completely work and I will not have to be on it after a few months. Well, then the doctor and interns came in and told me that my culture came back positive, so i had some kind of infection, like a bladder infection, or something like that due to the catheter. Well, I now have to drink this nasty contrast and get another IV in becuase they want to do a cat scan to see if there is an abscess in my stomach. That could be why I don't feel too terrible, but my fever is up. I have developed a pretty good cough that hurts like hell, so I just figured I was getting a viral infection. So, I just had a chest x ray as well and will have a ct scan at 1pm. We should get the results back by 3 or so. The dr said that if there is an abscess that I could get an antibiotic and a drain put in, so no need to go back in to surgery. So, I am still on track for getting out of the hospital this afternoon, I hope. We'll be up here until tuesday, when I'll meet with the dr for my final follow-up and then head home. I will keep you updated! Love, Nicole

Recovery Day #6 noon

So, I just got my central line taken out! that feels wonderful to not have that in my neck anymore!! I was worried it was going to hurt because it's super long and everything, but removing the sutures hurt a teeny bit, but I couldn't even feel the central line being pulled. that was awesome. I had my meningitis vaccine last night too, so I have two more before I can leave tomorrow. I was a huge baby about it after my nurse told me it would hurt, but it actually didn't! We are still going to do the blood thinners until tomorrow though. My hemoglobins have dropped again and they are 7.2. They start to freak out at 7.0, but mine have kept going up and down and not on a straight down trend, so we're going to wait and see how I feel to see if we're going to another transfusion. I also am apparently starting to get a fever again or something, so they are doing a few tests to make sure if I am getting sick, they can treat it before the symptoms really hit. My blood pressure dropped again but we're going to just watch that. So, I will be out of the hospital tomorrow and heard from Dr. Sutherland that he has clinicals on tues and weds, so I am hoping maybe we can see him on tuesday! So, I slept on my side and got to actually toss and turn last night (I know it sounds weird)! The pain is under control and I am going to be able to not get back on the suckers, I believe! That is wonderful news for me! So, I slept most of the morning from walking all over yesterday, so it's gone a bit quicker for me today. Hopefully, we'll be out of here in no time!!! Em, I don't know how you do these blood thinner shots. OH MY! Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Love, Nicole

Recovery Day #5 8:30pm

So, today was very long. The doctors came in and we discussed that it's probably time to switch to oral pain meds. so, we have taken me off the lipids, TPN, and pain pump today, so the only thing I'm left on is a bit of saline that should be done probably tomorrow. It's been pretty good. The pain is under control and I don't have to be on the suckers again, we hope. we got a plan from the pain management team to wean off for some months, but they are very adamant that everyone is different, so we'll have to see how everything goes. Today was probably the worst emotional day for me. Dealing with something for so many years is very overwhelming and also to get over the pyschological aspects of associating eating with pain is very weird. We have a wonderful nurse here, Liz, and she sat and went over all of this with me and explained all that she has seen qith different patients, so it made me feel better. We've walked around a lot today and I actually blow dried my hair and put on some make-up to feel human again. I still have about 15 lbs of fluid still on me, so it's weird!. It was funny walking out in the hall after that one since they didn't recognize me! So, We talked to Dr. Sutherland and Dr. Hughes today and the plan is that I should be out on friday, I believe. My diabetes counselor read thurs or friday, but I doubt it thanks to all the weaning of meds and vaccines i get to have in the next couple of days! Yeah, the bruises in the arms from the blood thinners, insulins, and vaccines aren't feeling too pretty anymore. So, hopefully we'll be out of the hospital on friday and then will have to be up here until my appt. with dr. sutherland on wednesday (he only does them on weds, i guess)so we should be home by wed night or thursday I hope! I am craving taco bell so badly! this hospital food is awful!!!! Thank you for the beautiful flowers and cards I've received! So hopefully, only a couple more days, which will still be the record for the shortest amt of time in the hospital! woohoo! Happy V day tomorrow everyone! Please eat some chocolates and lots of unhealthy food for me! Love, Nicole

Recovery Day 4 8:30pm

So, I have been up and around most of the day, which has been nice, but I'm getting pretty bored. IMy back is starting to get really sore from overuse since can't use the stomach muscles. The lidocaine patches on both sides of my incision has helped quite a bit with the pain too. I had a full liquid diet this evening which was so tasteful. right. I had cream of chicken soup without the chicken and a few bites of ice cream, so it was my first meal since the surgery. I did watch TLC all day and watched all kinds of good chef shows for good food ideas! My diabetes meter acted up today and we're not sure what is going on with that yet. it was 40 points lower than the hospital's meter. I am back on the shots of the blood thinners since my hemoglobin is back down and the internal bleeding seems to still be going on. We're either going to do another transfusion or we may just hold out and see how it goes on its own. I heard tonight that we're probably not going to do the re-surgery! woohoo! so, it looks like the plan is wean off more tomm on the pain meds and I have been on the shots of the insulin since the morning too, so another thing that is off the list. there is a male nurse here that gave me my anti-nausea med with benadryl last night so I could sleep, so I was super thankful for that! i only was up at 2,4, and 7am, and then officially up by 8:30! i know, megs, you're shocked, but I can't sleep in the hospital at all!!! :) not to mention, they prick my finger every hour to the point where they are bruised! So, hopefully we'll be out by the weekend, but we'll keep seeing. i'm still pushing for the 8 day goal. Talk to you all tomorrow!! Love, Nicole