Just a quick update... I'm finally starting to feel better so I figured I should post while I can..
I had a stricture that was relieved by a balloon EGD procedure on November 10th. I was able to eat and drink pretty well for a few days... then the stricture started up again. By the 18th, i was admitted back into the hospital, unable to eat or drink anything. Two sips of water would bounce right back up.
I was given a barium swallow test to confirm that my stomach had completely shut. Yep.
On November 22nd, another PICC IV line was installed into my left arm. I was started on IV nutrition and monitored for a few days before the doc was confident enough to send me home in IV nutrition. His plan was to schedule a surgery with an esophageal specialist as back-up since i had very little actual stomach tissue remaining.
Sooo.. I went home with the glorious task of setting up a 12 hour a day IV feeding schedule... I was discharged from the hospital on November 25th. The day after Thanksgiving. Yep. I missed Thanksgiving with my family =( I was in the hospital with a picture of a turkey taped to my TPN IV nutrition bag.
At home, I had an infusion specialist nurse visit me once a week to change my PICC line bandage, take bloodwork, and make sure my levels were all at a basic minimum. My nurse was awesome. My PICC line sucked. IV nutrition for 12 hours a day sucked. My surgery was scheduled for 10am on December 20th. Oh great, I might miss Christmas, too...
So, for weeks I bummed around the house, toting a little black "discreet backpack" filled with a gallon bag of nutrition and a pump that made the cat freak out ( "pssssst...psssssst....pssssst"), with an IV line stuck to my left bicep. I think I'll have a miniflashback everytime someone goes to get my attention... Pssssst!
I had a stricture that was relieved by a balloon EGD procedure on November 10th. I was able to eat and drink pretty well for a few days... then the stricture started up again. By the 18th, i was admitted back into the hospital, unable to eat or drink anything. Two sips of water would bounce right back up.
I was given a barium swallow test to confirm that my stomach had completely shut. Yep.
On November 22nd, another PICC IV line was installed into my left arm. I was started on IV nutrition and monitored for a few days before the doc was confident enough to send me home in IV nutrition. His plan was to schedule a surgery with an esophageal specialist as back-up since i had very little actual stomach tissue remaining.
Sooo.. I went home with the glorious task of setting up a 12 hour a day IV feeding schedule... I was discharged from the hospital on November 25th. The day after Thanksgiving. Yep. I missed Thanksgiving with my family =( I was in the hospital with a picture of a turkey taped to my TPN IV nutrition bag.
At home, I had an infusion specialist nurse visit me once a week to change my PICC line bandage, take bloodwork, and make sure my levels were all at a basic minimum. My nurse was awesome. My PICC line sucked. IV nutrition for 12 hours a day sucked. My surgery was scheduled for 10am on December 20th. Oh great, I might miss Christmas, too...
So, for weeks I bummed around the house, toting a little black "discreet backpack" filled with a gallon bag of nutrition and a pump that made the cat freak out ( "pssssst...psssssst....pssssst"), with an IV line stuck to my left bicep. I think I'll have a miniflashback everytime someone goes to get my attention... Pssssst!
I am sorry you had to go through so much but thankful they found out whats going on and can get you all fixed up!
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