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So I finally got the courage and went in to see my surgeon (what a kind and gentle man!).

All good, all well, all happy.

I didn't dare go to see him with all of the aches, pains, pulling, cramping etc that I was living with post op. It was apparently all normal for the most part.

The stabbing pain that I was feeling with my full pouch pulling on the sutures was apparently due to the fact that he sutured the pouch to the 'peritoine' (don't know the name in English) and the Muscle. He also moved it twice because he tried to intubate me in O.R. and found that the angle was all wrong and couldn't get the tube in. Thus all of the pain.

Ditto for the pain where he released a loop of bowel from emprisioning adhesions...it was apparently (and this part I do not understand at all) erroding 'into the muscle' and thus he had to dig into the muscle to get it all out...says that he had never seen anything like that before.

His comment was that he was shocked that I wasn't in more pain pre-op considering what he found.

As for the pain around the old galbladder site (right side)...he felt around and prounounced that it was the floating ribs that took a hit when he inflated my abdomen.  

So other than the button hole where he shoved the cannula on my lower left side that is still inflamed and sore he finds it all well and good.

I have a script for a contrast study in 2 months to make sure that it is all settled into place and happily functional. 

I am still somewhat swollen inside and will take a bit longer for things to be completely healed. My pouch, other than when it is very full, is functionning fine and dandy and loves a light, carb-free, low residue diet. I think that I will cooperate and be nice to it.

Sharon

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Wow Sharon, I’m so glad you’ve learned what’s been going on inside you! It’s too bad your surgeon didn’t tell you earlier about all the things he did so you would have understood what you were feeling, and maybe would have (if you could have) taken more time off from work to heal! Who would have thought they could do so much in a laparoscopic surgery? Wow, a loop of bowel surrounded by adhesions and eroding (embedding?) into the muscle! Like a piece of wire into a tree!  I had marlex mesh that traveled from the outside of my pouch and ended up inside of my pouch and then came out through the valve. It’s crazy what can happen! I pray that you’ll be able to hang in there until you can take a break and get the rest you need and deserve!

Debbie

Last edited by DG78

Thanks for the 'peritonium'..yup, that is it...

And the embedding too...sometimes I lose my English (must be that darn menopause again).

As for the time off, that is not even close to happening before the month of May...then I get a blissful 3 months (hopefully to move!)...need to get out of here!

School is out in May (except for a couple of classes and exams to correct) and I plan on at least one (pain-free?) week somewhere nice and easy where I don't have to cook or clean!

Wouldn't it be nice if this was The fix that I needed and that we were done? 

Keeping my fingers crossed...

on another note...France is in the process of reforming their health care system and all of the doctors/surgeons from the private sector are in an uproar. If this new law goes through we will end up with the broken British system where you cannot choose your generalist, treatment or surgeon...let alone your surgery.

My surgeon explained that they will become 'employees' of the government and therefore have no freedom. The older surgeons are being pushed out of the system. Their insurance will no longer cover them or if it does the prices has trippled and therefore they will have to up their fees and become impossible to pay.

They are also forcing doctors to no longer have offices that are not accessible (you must understand that many practicianers work and live in the same apartment and are not all accessible by handicapped people)...therefore they must move and most cities are too expensive for this.

It is a disaster.

So he is planning to leave the system, become 'uncovered ' by the insurance compaines ...I won't be able to afford him unless I win the lottery.

If it gets that bad, he says that he will retire.

Thousands of doctors are saying the same thing. The older, more experienced surgeons are leaving and letting the younger more 'flexible' doctors pick up the slack.

The system, if the law passes this month, will be permanently and definitively broken.

Crap!

Sharon

Great News!!!

I see why you wait so long to be operated on by him and not someone else.  I've never heard such a good "play by play" report from a surgeon before.  I'm not surprised at his amazement of the pain you had to be in.  You were counting the days and had your game plan running down to the main event.  Thanks for sharing it all with us.  If I ever need further surgery I am going to expect more post surgical details.

 

Do you get any sort of time off for a spring break?  I don't know how those things work in the greater Paris area.  It's warmed up here the last few days and I hope your weather is improving.  That always helps when you have a hectic schedule.

 

You rock 





What a shame about the health care change! You would think that there would be a way for the older practices to survive while accommodating changes gradually. I do get the need to accommodate disabled folks, especially with the growing population of elderly people, but to force out experienced doctors sure seems counterproductive to me. Makes one think that living longer is not such a great thing...

 

We are having "growing pains" too with our U.S. health care reform. Can't please everyone, that is for sure!

 

Jan

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