Some of you know this already, but I’m on my way back to the NIH today. In the last 2 weeks these belly pain episodes have only gotten more frequent. This pain is difficult to describe with words. Just know if comes on pretty fast and is completely debilitating. When it’s happened at work I have had to go ly down and try to work through it. It’s too bad to even get in the car and drive home at that moment. Thankfully the last few have only lasted about an hour or so. Last week it happened 3 or 4 days in a row so my surgeon got a bit concerned. He’s worried I’m having intermittent partial small bowel obstructions that are resolving on their own. His words “it’s good they are resolving on their own. That’s fine until it’s not”. He’s doesn’t really know what’s causing this but is thinking it’s adhesions. Anytime you have abdominal surgery you are risk for developing adhesions. When his nurse coordinator called me yesterday and asked “can you fly out today?” I was a bit shocked. So we settled on the next day (today) So I’m currently on the plane and am planning on going back into the OR on Friday. He wants to do a diagnostic laparotomy to have a look see in my belly to see if they can figure out what is going on. Fingers crossed it is something simple like adhesions they can just fix and be done with it. He’s going to fix my umbilical hernia at the same time. Who knows, maybe that is the root cause of all these issues. We won’t know until we know.
I am just so grateful to have such an amazing team looking after me. I was actually beginning to feel like I was going crazy with these pain episodes. My dietician and I couldn’t find any correlations with food or drink intake. Nothing I tried would make it any better or go away faster. It just seemed to be on its own course and I just had to hope it wouldn’t last long. It was a huge relief when my surgeon told me it he was concerned and thought I should fly back out sooner than later. As much as I hate the idea that I need another surgery and that I have to take 6 more weeks off from work, I have come to terms with it and am ready to figure this shit out.
I am also so fortunate and grateful to have such an amazing support system. Yesterday, when I talked to my bosses at work, they didn’t even bat an eye when I told them I needed to get on a plane the next day. Even in the midst of our short staffed unit and our busy schedule. Their last words were “remember...the most important thing is taking care of you”
And the same goes for my family. I had a couple conversations with my husband before ultimately deciding this was the best thing to do. On the same page from the beginning. And my mother-in-law, without any hesitation, came to our house at 6 am this morning to stay with the kiddos until we get home. And she is not a morning person. Haha. We don’t have a definitive day to go home as it depends on what happens in the OR. But we are all hopeful it’ll be by early next week.
To top it off, flights were insanely expensive with les then 24 hours to take off. My aunt who works for American Airlines was able get Matt a buddy pass. And he got on my same flight with no issues. It’s really all come together nicely at such short notice.
Anyway, this affects so many more people (family, friends, and work) than I’ve mentioned here and I am so grateful to each and every one of them. It really does take a village. I can’t imagine having a better one.
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