Our Weekend didn't start very well

9 years ago

On Saturday morning, I woke up and made a cup of coffee then sat at my computer to slowly wake up. I had planned on baking a coconut macadamia cheesecake, clean the bathroom and kitchen and do a little laundry. But I need a few coffees to start my day first. My husband was already awake and came into my office holding his stomach and said it felt like it was on fire. I thought it was one of a few things, first: flu. So I made him a cup of lemon/ginger tea to settle his stomach. That did nothing. So I took a quick shower and went to the store to buy Gavison and Tums thinking heartburn or indigestion. Neither did a thing and he said he felt it was getting worse. I asked him if a trip to the ER was a good idea and he put on his shoes. Jokingly I said, "if you burp or fart and feel better, I'm smacking you", but I could clearly see he was in agony. I asked him if it was kidney stone pain. He's had them before and he said it's completely different. I threw gall stones at him but he's never had them so he didn't know. The pain seemed closer to his belly button and he said it was pushing up. I know the appendix can hurt around the belly button so I figured that. Our ER's can often take hours to get into. Once he was seen by the initial triage nurse and got his information taken by the unit clerk we sat for what I thought was going to be hours. There were about a dozen people ahead of us. My husband tried to sit but couldn't. He tried to walk. But couldn't. The he laid down on the floor. A nurse told him it wasn't a good idea but it was the only thing that helped. For two minutes. He was taken in rather quickly, I think because of his pain. The medical team acted very quickly when he described his pain. He was writhing on the bed and could barely lay still. The doctor quickly did an ultra sound on his upper belly thinking the same as me: gall stones. But nothing was found. Then he brought in the ecg machine and his heart was perfectly fine, but beating rapidly from the pain. I overheard a nurse say, "He looks worse laying down than he did when he walked in here. What have you started to do with him?" She looked very worried. He was taken into the main ER area where they watched his heart and took a lot of blood. They gave him a type of morphine (hydromorphine, I think it's called) every 1/2 hour but it only seemed to help for 10 minutes at a time. He had to drink a litre of liquid and then they did a ct scan. The results came back quickly: it appeared to be a twisted bowl, but the scan was different. The lining of his intestine was thick and they thought maybe something else was going on. They took him to surgery at 7 pm. My kids and I went to eat dinner as I hadn't eaten since Friday. His surgery could last 2 hours minimum depending on what they found.

The surgeon phoned me just after 9 and said he had to take 132 cm of small intestine out. When my husband was 5 years old, his parents sent him to get a bottle of milk. It was winter and after he bought the milk, he started walking home. It was winter and there was snow on the ground. The snow hid the fact that the sidewalk was a bit broken. He tripped over the broken sidewalk. His first instinct was to save the GLASS bottle. He landed on top of it, but the bottle had broken. All he remembers is he thought he was going to be in trouble for breaking the bottle, walking into the house and hearing his mother scream. He passed out and woke up in the hospital. The bottle had broken and not only gone through his winter coat, but cut open his stomach from his belly button to his hip bone. His intestines had come through that large hole. He had internal bleeding so he had to be reopened and fixed up again.

58 years later, a ring of scar tissue built up over his small intestine. He had NO symptoms until Saturday. It killed off part of his intestine so the doctor had to remove 132 cm of his small intestine and attach it to his colon. While they were in there, they removed his appendix. I just talked to him a few minutes ago, and his pain meds were lowered a little bit. When I was up last night, two nurses helped him out of bed to walk a little bit. Our grandson missed him so much. He kept asking if grandpa had "widdle holes in him" and would hold his hand. And because he couldn't give grandpa real hugs, he would hug his hand. It was so sweet. I've been googling his home care when he comes home. I like food with flavour, as does he, but he will need a bland diet for several weeks. I'm making bone broth today and will freeze it. He should be able to sip on that during the day.

When he first walked into the ER, and the triage nurse asked what was wrong, he said, "I think I'm going to die". She said, "Oh don't say that, it's probably something small." Little did we know, he was dieing. (how the heck to you spell such a simple word???) This could very well have killed him. But he's on the mend and will hopefully be home within the week. I'll be taking next week off to give him a hand.

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Dakota

9 years ago

So glad the ER worked quickly to figure out what was going on!

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Comments (44)

katlan
9 years ago
Good Lord! That is terrifying, amazing, crazy and thankfully has a happy ending. Take care of you so you can take care of him. He will be in my prayers for a speedy and complete recovery.
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ravencajun Zone 8b TX
9 years ago
Wow he is very lucky he didn't die. That can be a fatal situation. In large dogs it's bloat, where the intestines get a twist or fold over themselves. It will kill a large dog in a very short amount of time. I always worried about it with my Great Danes.

Iknow that had to be a horrible thing for all of you to go through. So glad he got the attention needed quickly. Wishing him a full and quick recovery.
User
9 years ago
That's one heck of a childhood accident come back to haunt him. I'm so sorry to hear he had to go through that. So glad to hear he's recovering nicely! Hope it's smooth sailing and no more bumps....wishing you both well...
gmatx zone 6
9 years ago
Debby, wishes for quick healing for your husband! Please take care of yourself, also.

DH had about 10" of large bowel resected in 2005 at the junction of the large and small intestines. The one thing that he ate the most of was mashed potatoes. I used vegetable broth in them sometimes, other times beef or chicken broth. Seemed to be easy on both his stomach and intestines, and with the broths, butter and milk he was getting a good supply of protein and carbs to assist with quick healing.
sweet_betsy No AL Z7
9 years ago
Isn't it great when the medical profession comes through for us? Sometimes we don't give them the credit that they deserve. They really came through for you and your hubby as they have for me and mine. Wishing both of you a complete and uneventful recovery.
rob333 (zone 7b)
9 years ago
Glad it was treated seriously. And he's on the downhill side of this. Whew. Keep on healing guy!
gadgets
9 years ago
That's a truly amazing story that it took 58 years to show that he had a problem. I'm glad to hear that he is now on the mend. Keep us updated.
glenda_al
9 years ago
So glad he is on the mend.
sjerin
9 years ago
Oh, my!! Yes, I'll add my thank goodness too that the medical staff took him fairly quickly, figured it out and didn't pooh-pooh his words, for the most part. Both parts of his story are humdingers, Debby! Rest up while your dh is still in the hospital and my best wishes for his speedy recovery.
Alisande
9 years ago
That's a remarkable story, and thank goodness it had a good outcome. Poor little kid with the milk bottle....

PS: It's spelled dying. Glad we can smile about it.
User
9 years ago
Horrible story with a good ending. I'm happy to hear the problem was found and your husband is on the mend.

Not to sure if this is something your Dh would find appetizing. I had some stomach problems several years ago. I found rice and gravy or rice and cream of mushroom soup to be something I could easily handle. Just throwing it out there as an option.
linda_6
9 years ago
OMG - I'm so very glad you had a happy ending. Wow, what a little fall can do to ya. After all those years.
lindaohnowga
9 years ago
Thanks given that the problem was found, corrected, and your hubby is now on the mend. That had to be so scary for him and for you too.
Fun2BHere
9 years ago
What an amazing story! I hope your husband's recovery is quick and trouble-free.
stacey_mb
9 years ago
What a dreadful event for you and your husband! It's so good to hear that he was treated promptly and is getting better. I hope the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend is more enjoyable.
mare_wbpa
9 years ago
That was really scary. Glad they found his problem quickly and that he's on the mend.
chisue
9 years ago
Lucky man, not to have died of the obstruction, home remedies, or infection when they operated.

Maybe the triage nurse learned something. It's not always 'business as usual'.

I'm so glad your DH is going to be all right. You must have been terrified. Give yourself a little extra 'space' to recover while he's in hospital.
nanny98
9 years ago
Oh My.....What an amazing event. And, your DH must have a busy guardian angel to have survived two such near fatal events. Sending best wishes and prayers that he continues to heal and return to his lucky life!
Jasdip
9 years ago
Debby how horrific! Thank heavens they took his pain seriously and started doing tests right away.

My first thought when you said remove part of his intestine is that he'd have to have a colostomy bag. He will probably have to have a diet similar to Crohn's disease and avoid nuts and hard things which can cause diverticulitis.

All that aside prayers and good thoughts coming your and your hubby's way. Keep us posted.
bossyvossy
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow glad your story has a bright ending. Am I understanding correctly that scar tissue on exterior side of small intestine grew and strangled a portion of intestine? No symptoms for 58 years? No abdominal pain ever? I think scariest thing is no warning signs. At first I thought you were going to say a piece of glass from childhood snuck into intestine. Tell DH he's tough as nails for having endured this nightmare
pkramer60
9 years ago
So glad you took him into the ER and that he is doing better now. I would think that foods like broth, cream soups, cream of wheat. Ask if he can have meats and vegetables that have been run through the food processor, a bit like baby food but with some herbs added for flavor.

Just last night Trump, during the debate, said that Canadian health care was a disaster. Just another thing he is wrong about!
sjerin
9 years ago
My husband had a bit of intestine removed some years ago and I remember on the second day someone brought him some chicken to eat. He went ahead and ate it but felt very sick afterward--it was too soon!! Eggs were our friends, for awhile anyway.
Elmer J Fudd
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Before I go further with something of much less importance, debby, I'm glad your husband was seen in time and is on the mend.

-------------------------------------

"Just last night Trump, during the debate, said that Canadian health care was a disaster. Just another thing he is wrong about!"

Sure. But I have heard many gripes about the Canadian system. I don't know which are valid and which aren't. Excessively long wait lists for some docs and procedures, too many foreign trained doctors, gaps in coverage (some things not covered at all), and no coverage of some expenses incurred in other provinces when traveling outside of one's home province while still in Canada, are among the criticisms I've heard.

They have broader coverage than we have in the US. Our system is great for those with adequate insurance coverage, not so great for others, but overall it's full of problems. It's easy to pick out any one country's approach and throw rocks, all have soft spots and problems.
hounds_x_two
9 years ago
Sorry for a scary time, and so glad to know he is on the road to recovery.
sleeperblues
9 years ago
Oh man, that was a scary story to read. I'm sure it was much worse to live it. I'm glad he's on the mend, sounds like he had a top-notch team!
Rusty
9 years ago
What a frightening experience for both of you! So glad you were able to get prompt attention in the ER, they found the problem and were able to fix it! Sending up prayers that his recovery will be fast and complete. Take care of yourself, too. That's of utmost importance!

Rusty
justlinda
9 years ago
From a fellow Canadian may I wish both of you a Happy Thanksgiving, not only for food, family, etc. but also that your husband is going to be just fine. So to you especially I wish a HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Georgysmom
9 years ago
Glad to be reading about this AFTER the final outcome and glad to hear he survived a terrible ordeal. I know you must be very grateful for competent doctors, nurses and medical care. Wishing your hubby a speedy recovery
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
9 years ago
Just want to say, in reference to a comment upstream, that the triage nurse was the one responsible for getting him in quickly.

I'm glad that things are turning out well. Don't rush it on the food and drinks, but do make sure that he does drink enough water once he is home, and make sure that he gets up and moves around regularly.
boops2012
9 years ago
Glad to know it turned out well and that he is on the way to good health.
chisue
9 years ago
I suspect your DH (and I) will be 'enjoying' Low Fiber Diet for some weeks to come. Blech!
User
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you everyone for the kind words. Our health care can have long wait times for non emergency surgery but when it's life threatening, it's quick. His pain meds were lowered today and he's looking much better. His pain is down to a 7 since surgery from an 8-9. He is still NPO. And can only wet his mouth with a small sponge on a stick. He is not allowed to swallow yet. He can get in and out of bed by himself to use the washroom. He keeps dozing off but can't stay sleeping. He only nods off for a few minutes st a time.
Jasdip
9 years ago
Elmer/Snidely is right. Each province has it's own coverage, and no one can assume that things are covered when they travel.

Hubby has a floater in one of his eyes and it's a quick (3 sec) zap with laser to fix it, at the hospital where he had his cataract surgery done. He called mid-Sept and he can't get in to get it done till Nov. 27.
lucillle
9 years ago
So glad this had a good ending, what an ordeal.
PKponder TX Z7B
9 years ago
That must have been terrifying for both of you! Thank goodness the medical staff was able to take care of him and correct the issue before something more dire occurred!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
moonie_57 (8 NC)
9 years ago
Good gosh!
User
9 years ago
How absolutely terrifying, and what a relief everything turned out well. Best wishes for a fast, complete recovery for him.
blfenton
9 years ago
Oh I'm so glad he's going to be ok. You must have been so scared. ((((hugs))))

I guess turkey dinner is still to come sometime in the future.
kathyg_in_mi
9 years ago
Sending up thankful prayers. Glad everything is looking up.
cynic
9 years ago
Glad to hear things are progressing. My best for a speedy recovery. Glad you both knew to go in when you need to go in. I'm always annoyed when I see people in the ER who "just don't feel good" and taking up time when someone who really needs attention has to wait. I was concerned while reading your report that it might be needlessly delayed. Glad to see they gave priority where it was needed. Yes, Canadian healthcare isn't a shambles, quite obviously.
OklaMoni
9 years ago
Oh my! I was out of computer range over the weekend, and most of yesterday. What an ordeal. I hope, the road to recovery goes without incidents.
amicus
9 years ago
So glad to hear your hubby is now on the mend! Yes, we (Canadians) can't get immediate surgery for elective procedures, but I can't say I know anyone who had to wait if it was an emergency. DH's friend was out for a walk with his wife when he complained (with slurred speech) of a sudden excruciating headache.

She called an ambulance from her cell, he was taken to the local hospital where they diagnosed a bleeding aneurysm. He was airlifted to a nearby Toronto hospital that specializes in neurology and had emergency brain surgery. He was extremely lucky to survive, let alone be fully functional and able to resume golfing several weeks later, with no bill to worry about.
sleeperblues
9 years ago
That's an amazing story, Pickyshopper. Glad to hear of the good outcome. I guess Trump's declaration that the Canadian health care system is a DISASTER is just more of his BS

Our Weekend didn't start very well

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