Wow day 50 I can’t believe its been that long or not very long. We got great news, its official we are going home to Colorado tomorrow!! My appointment went great with Dr. Dunn this afternoon. But I’m go home with my J-tube. Dr. Dunn wants me to go a week without needing nutritional supplemental feeding through the J-tube. My nutrition will be coming from a nutritional diet which means I CAN EAT. I will then do blood work on Monday to see if my nutrition is where the docotor’s want it to be and then hopefully the J-tube will be out next week. Dr. Dunn also told me I can slowly start to exercise 🙂 yippe I can Zumba, but no ab work out.
Day 50 2 comments
Day 47 I think? Leave a comment
The last few days has been going pretty good. Dropped Insulin down to 4 today which is a good thing, but I noticed my blood sugar has been a little high since. Not to sure about why that’s happening but we will find out from Dr. Bellin tomorrow.
So Great News, we are coming home on Wednesday as of yesterday!!! We are so happy to get that news. But mom and I feel its too good to be true. It doesn’t feel real lol. It will feel more real after my appointment with Dr. Dunn on Tuesday afternoon. It all depends on how my blood work comes out on Monday and what Dr. Dunn thinks. So please pray that we get to come home and my blood work comes back great. We are praying for high protein count because the doctor’s are concerned about it. It doesn’t surprise me considering I haven’t been able to eat protein for 7 years. Also praying for no feeding tube when we go home. It would be nice to be able to come home tube free 🙂 I’ll find Tuesday if that will happen. Please pray, I know I will be! We told my dad about coming home and he was excited he got tickets right away. He will be flying into MN Tuesday and we leave the next day! I think he’s more excited than we are. Can’t wait to be home!
Tomorrow we are going to take it easy and start packing. I will post again on Monday. Thanks for all your support. Have Faith, Expect Miracles
Day 45 1 comment
This is the 3rd day since the Gastric tube removal still very sore abdomen, but greatful it has been removed the pain has improved, I’am able to sit with more ease and able to take a deep breath without discomfort. Walking is easier as well, my J-tube(feeding tube) is still uncomfortable but tolerable. On Tuesday we had an episode of vomiting which we came to the conclusion that is was the Miralax which is to help with constipation we had a similar nausea problem a few days before with the Miralax so that has now been discontinued. Thank goodness, that was miserable and made the muscles in my stomach more sore. Dr. Dunn mentioned that if you are going to vomit you won’t have much warning and up it will come, boy was she right. There was only one long episode of vomiting and then it passed other than being tired afterwards the nausea was minor and I was back on track the next day. Cream of wheat, and a piece of toast for breakfast, later yogurt, chinese food with consisted of rice noodles and chicken with snow peas, Not Bad !! Dr. appt. Monday, to do lab work if the labs come in with improved protein levels then the J-tube will be pulled, if not may end up going home with the feeding tube intact and continue of tube feeds at home. I will see Dr. Dunn on Tuesday for the final, I hope doctor’s appt. Yes, believe it or not they are really considering sending me home.. Thank you for all your support and prayers !
Have Faith and Expect Miracles!! God
Bless !
Day 42 3 comments
Well day started out a little rough, a lot of pain coming from my G-tube. If you ask me I think its because it was ready to come out. We had a check up for nutrients through blood work. While waiting we ran into Louise the Islet Auto Transplant Coordinator who organizes everything and appointments with the surgeons. She suggested that pull the G-tube because it was time and with the G-tube hurting it couldn’t hurt to ask the doc. Off she went and call the doctor. So at 1pm Dr.Borja came in and removed the the tube 🙂 🙂 Let me tell you how much better that made me feel. I think most of my pain was coming from that tube because my pain has been improving today since I got it out. I also freaked Dr.Bojar out because I told him I ate a hamburger for dinner last. I thought he was going to fall on the floor (lol). He told me I can eat whatever I want when all of my tubes are gone and to take it easy for now. Now I know better. But the great news is that for the first time in 7 years a hamburger didn’t make me sick or cause pain, what a change. As for the rest of the day mom and I have been taking it easy back in the hotel. Louise is talking about possibly sending us home to Colorado next week if all goes well. Praying every day for this to happen, but not getting my hopes up too high.
Over the last few days a lot has changed as you could tell with the G-tube coming out we also have made changes to my diet. I’m now on night feeds only, which means I only have my feed tube connected at night and I’m free to eat during the day. We also have lowered my Insulin its now down to 6 units, which means my Islets are working and starting to kick in. Dr. Bellin also put me on NPH which is a 12 hour insulin which peaks around 5 to 6 hours. This is because I’m eating on my own during the day. The goal is to get off the night feed tomorrow and not have to use NPH. They want to make sure that my nutrients maintain just as if I were using the feeding tube.
I will let you know what happens next. First time blogging since surgery so I’m getting tired, I will blog tomorrow. God Bless.
1 month and 2 days from surgery 3 comments
Haven’t posted for a couple days, I apologize it has been fast and furious. Once you leave the hospital which is a mix of joy and of fear because now your on your own. Although you have the resources at your finger tips to call for questions and help it’s an ominous feeling. The first few days out of the hospital it takes time to get medications and tube feedings down so there on a workable system. Preparation is time consuming, and takes up quite a bit of your day just as soon as you think your caught up it’s time to mix another medication or tube feed. We are still monitoring her blood sugars every 4 hours around the clock so bed time is at midnight then blood sugar check at 4 am with medications and then at 8 am which then starts the medications and tube feed replacement again. Each day there is Doctor appointments, lab tests, dietician, diabetic classes. Some can last an hour to 4 hours which is exhausting for Angie so it great when we get back to the room so she can rest. I find my self organizing her notebook rechecking to make sure I haven’t missed any medications or beginning to start new mixes of tube feed when were back. The last 2 days have really been a roller coaster we went from clear liquids to full liquids to today, real food WOW. We celebrated by eating a grilled Walleye (fish) and mashed potatoes, although it was only a few bites of each it was the beginning, a little nausea, but the nausea was well controlled. The doctor’s said that if eating went well then tube feeding would be reduced to only night’s,( wow) one less bag and back pack to carry. Her insulin will be reduced, which her blood sugars have been wonderful and they have been reducing her Lantus (long acting) daily. It’s taken time to get here but we are moving forward, a light at the end of the tunnel and as my daughter says,” and it’s not a train.” We also had the privilege to meet Ethan and his Mom and grandma and also another mom and Ben who has also had the same surgery Ethan is 6 weeks out of surgery, Ben 5 weeks and Angie 4 weeks, it was good to see them all together at the dinner table enjoying everyones company and the food. How blessed, we all felt to be together sharing the same journey and watching God’s blessing’s on all our lives. I can’t tell everyone what it mean’s to us for your support, and prayer’s. Thank’s so much! Angie and Beth
ANGIE’S JOURNEY 2 comments
All is well!!! Praise the Lord!! Two really good nights and days!! Getting lots of rest. First day out really was hard on Angie. Going to transplant infusion center for 4 – 5 hours was way tooo much and she paid for it the next day. Extremely sore and nauseated, body wasn’t used to up right position for that length of time. She has since recovered from that little journey. Lots of rest. She is still sore and needs help getting up from sitting position. We are now mixing medication and food every 8 hours. Made a schedule for food (8 am, 4 pm and midnight) we mix 360 ml (Peptamen), 120 ml of water and 8 capsules of (Creon) enzymes, this is pumped into her feeding tube at a rate of 60 ml an hour. Creon is dissolved by opening capsules mixing with 1/2 tablet sodium bicarbonate(650mg) and15 ml of warm water(sitting a minimum of 20 minutes to dissolve). She is also getting some liquids orally(sugar free popsicles, flavored vitamin water and chicken broth). Keeping track of when to give medications and what to give I leave up to the nurse (MOM). She has the medication sheet and doesn’t let me near it and I don’t blame her!!! She has a system and it works. Angie is now on 19 different medications.WOW!!! They have actually whittled it down some. GOD Bless MOM!!!! Praise GOD!!! Angie is a lot more comfortable at home away from home and its starting to show(freckles) we haven’t seen those in a long while. She is getting pain medication about every 3-4 hours. Nausea only seems to be in morning after sleeping all night. Praise GOD!!! This used to be her biggest complaint( being nauseated all the time). Really good afternoon,went for a walk around hotel with her mother then after napping is crafting( making some kind of flowered headbands and hair clips) for fund raising. GOD is Great!!! Truly amazing watching transition.GOD Bless!!!
