UPDATE _ GOOD NEWS! Need medical information - NOT advice

[csziggy]

Last edited Thu Dec 1, 2016, 08:05 PM - Edit history (1)

My husband has been diagnosed with a bowel infarction. He's scheduled to see a surgeon this afternoon and will probably have to have surgery in the next few days.

I've read the basic facts on the internet at sites like WebMD but that doesn't give me much information about prognosis, recovery and long term treatment. I know much of this cannot be determined until they actually get inside him and see how much of his intestine is involved.

Does anyone here have any experience with this kind of surgery/illness?

I'm not asking for advice, just some real life experience information. Thank you!

UPDATE - we saw the surgeon this afternoon. It is NOT a bowel infarction. It is either an appendix or a diverticulum abscess. He still has to have a procedure but not an operation. They will put in a tube to drain the abscess and he'll have to spend a couple of days in the hospital but they should not have to open him up or cut sections out of his intestines. What a relief!

[Kali]

1. no personal experience

but isn't it considered an emergency? maybe it is a small area in his case.

my husband had a large resection of his bowel a few years ago and was up and recovering pretty well in a week. being a somewhat typical man, that week was miserable (at least for me, LOL)

at any rate, sending good thoughts and wishes for a fast recovery!

[csziggy]

2. I'd consider it an emergency but apparently the surgeon couldn't see earlier

Than this afternoon.

I'm glad to hear that your husband recovered so quickly! I'm feeling guilty since I am a horrible nurse for humans. When the horses are sick, I will do anything for them.But when my husband is sick, he's mostly on his own. OTOH he is a GREAT nurse and has taken wonderful care of me through all my surgeries, illnesses and injuries.

I should have taken him to the emergency room last Thursday. He started feeling bad while visiting his Mom the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, drove home Wednesday so he could take me to his family's dinner in Panama City. But we never made it - he felt so bad Thursday he stayed in bed all day. He kept insisting he felt better, but he never got better.

Tuesday I had to drive a friend for a echocardiogram and in talking to her and her husband realized that my husband really needed to go to the doctor. I made an appointment, took him in yesterday and here we are.

I'm kind of freaking, which means I tend to shut down. So this thread is me trying to keep lines open. After the surgery I'm going to have to either keep him in the hospital or get a nurse to come in to take care of him. I can't don't it physically (or mentally).

Thanks, Kali! I'm glad your husband recovered quickly.

[csziggy]

6. Kali see my update in the OP nt

[Turbineguy]

3. I had a major resection 26 years ago.

Techniques have no doubt improved. I became extremely ill. That was on a Monday. Monday night they operated. The surgeon went in and discovered a mess. Bits were removed and new routes were connected. Tubes and bags for various functions. They put me in control of the pain meds. Smart idea on how to deal with a control freak. By Thursday I was up and walking. On Tuesday I went home.

As it turned out, there had been a problem for many years but symptoms were subtle. There were blockages blind loops and fistulas. The periodic blockages would open back up before becoming critical, so nothing got done.

The operation changed my life for the better, although the scar made modeling swimsuits an impossibility.

The biggest problem is how hungry you get. Liquid diet, jello, finally.... cream of wheat. What a treat that was!

No problems since.

[csziggy]

4. Thank you for telling me about your experience

He's had some digestive symptoms for a while, but they got severe last week. I was surprised that they didn't send him straight to the hospital yesterday from what I've read. Problem is that he is not very reactive to pain so he may be very much sicker than he appears. That happened with me and a shoulder surgery years ago.

I don't think hunger will be the biggest problem - he hasn't eaten in over twenty four hours. Blood sugar will be since he's diagnosed Type II diabetic but he has controlled his levels by what he eats. They'll probably have to put him on a glucose IV that will bring his blood sugar under control.

The other fun part is that he becomes eligible for Medicare January 1 and he needs to make his final choice for supplemental or whatever. We haven't had a chance to look things over at all. I thought the deadline was Dec. 7 so I was worrying about that, but I just talked to our BC/BS agent and he has until Dec. 31.

[csziggy]

7. Turbineguy see my update in the OP nt

[Turbineguy]

15. Good news!

[hibbing]

5. Not sure if this applies to your situation but..

My mother had some major colon reconstruction about 20 years ago. She had a colostomy bag for about 6 months I think, that was eventually reversed and removed. She has not had any issues regarding that. Good luck to you and your husband.


Peace

[csziggy]

8. Hibbing, good to know your mother has been good since!

One we saw the surgeon it was a major change in diagnosis! See my update in the OP.

[Fla Dem]

9. Happy 😁 Dance!

Glad for you and your husband.

[csziggy]

10. Thanks - and yes, we are very relieved!

I'm still stressed, but not as worried I will lose my husband. I expect to get at least another twenty years out of the man before I am ready for him to go. Just kidding - I don't want to lose himk at all and we haven't made it to our fortieth anniversary yet!

[mainer]

11. bowel infarction is a medical emergency

requiring immediate surgery. So glad this is not what he has.

I've seen several patients die within hours of a bowel infarction.

[csziggy]

12. That's what I gathered from my internet research

So I was confused when the appointment with the surgeon was not until this afternoon. I should have realized that the nurse with our GP was giving the worst case scenario, not the most likely!

Lat night we were both freaking. Tonight we're much happier!

[Kali]

13. WHEW!

glad it wasn't so serious (not that an abscess can't be serious but if they can work on it laproscopically or even "the other way" that is sure a lot easier.

[csziggy]

14. A huuuuge WHEW!

What they plan to do is have a radiologist locate the abscess exactly and put in a tube to drain it. He'll probably have to have the tube in for a week or more but that is nothing compared to having to be cut open! He won't even have to have general anesthesia, just be sedated.

I'll post how he's doing tomorrow once he's out of the procedure.