Question regarding post op

Suggestions
Number 1. Call the surgeon ASAP.
Number 2. Call the surgeon ASAP.
Number 3. See number 1 and 2.

This is not the sort of problem you want to discuss here, but could be a life-threatening situation if your father is developing a late leak at his anastomosis. A friend is in the hospital, and has been for the last 3 weeks, recovering from such a leak and he nearly died because of massive infection in his chest from the leak.

Once this problem is resolved, please tell your father that no medals are given out for the unnecessary tolerance of pain. Nothing good comes from suffering pain and it appears that pain slows the healing process.

From the Mayo website:
"If you're having surgery, it's natural to have concerns — or even fears — about the pain following the procedure. Some pain is common after surgery, but you shouldn't have to endure severe pain. Pain medications are a key part of your recovery. Well-controlled pain using pain medications can speed healing and lead to fewer complications. "

My best to your father and the family, but please... CALL THE SURGEON!

Eric in Atlanta

I will pray for a speedy
I will pray for a speedy answer from your surgeon, diagnosis of the problem, and solution. What a frightening experience you and your dad must be going through. Please keep us informed of progress.

pam716 said:

Thank You Heeran for your prayers
The surgeon did call back and thinks that the spasms are related to the speed of infusion on the night feeding and possibly to the amount of food my father was attempting to ingest by mouth. My father hates the tube feedings and pushed it too much in an attempt to be able to begin to cut down the amount of time on the night feed. We also had a visit from the home health care nurse which is a godsend. She reinforced to my dad the need for pain management. She is also going to check with the surgeon again to see if there is anything in addition that can be done for the spasms since he had some when she was there.

Overeating is a bane to our existence...
It took me years to learn not to overeat and my post-cancer life became more bearable once I did. I was a BIG eater before diagnosis and was packing on the pounds until I weighed close to 220 pounds at the time I was diagnosed.

After surgery, eating was the toughest thing I had to re-learn, but was eating pretty well 6 months later. So well that I'd tend to eat too much for my new, re-engineered digestive system. One bite too many lead to gagging, retching, choking and general misery for a couple hours.

It's good your father feels like he can eat. I had no choice because my J tube fell out at the hospital and was never replaced. I HAD to eat, but lost an additional 16 pounds in the two weeks between leaving the hospital and my first appointment with the surgeon post-op. So, it's good about your father, but not so much at one sitting!

It's a long healing process and he's doing everything possible to extend it even further. If he really wants to help his healing, make sure he starts walking every day. My wife (a physician) would take me out for a daily "drag around the block" - actually, the first day we walked 100 feet to the neighbor's driveway and back and slowly extended the distance until - several months later - I could make it around the block (a mile or so and every foot of it was UPHILL!) I hated the walking and fought it tooth and nail, but I think (and don't you EVER tell her this!) that it was a critical part of my healing process.

Suggest to your father that he slows down on the eating - at least for the first few weeks. He may not like it, but he's not doing himself any favors by making himself sick by eating too much.

Eric in Atlanta

sandy1943 said:

Make sure your dad is
Make sure your dad is sleeping elevated. This is something that most of us have to do to control reflux. I sleep with a 7 in.wedge and a pillow. As long as I stay on the wedge my reflux is controlled.

Eric gave good advice on exercising. Make sure he walks a little each day. Not only does it help regain strength, it also helps control depression.

The whole eating process is learning a new way of eating. Praying each day will get better,
Sandra

Bump
A bump to bring the double post back up to the top.

Eric in Atlanta