Corpse Cruncher

Mum is OK. OK is just it, not better not worse, not the same. She is just OK. Not much she can do being stuck again in the medical limbo void. As she puts it herself there are others worse off than her. And others better off than her. Not much you can do but go and deal with what the minute begins.

One thing she don't need is gossips spreading some cruelty around for no reason than spite. Mum can't abide cruelty or gossips. More so those who make with the comments behind your back and not direct. Mum's ill, it happens. Her condition happened. It can happen to anybody. Just as anybody can point to a contributing factor or lay blame on somebodies doorstep as to why mum's small intestine/bowel twisted itself stupid as. The truth is we as a family don't know, mum doesn't know. She doesn't know is this how her life will be for the rest of it, or is this the worst part and it gets better down the line. Why take it out on her, for the situation she didn't choose to be in?

You can't say that of gossips. They chose to be underhandedly sneaky and cruel. What right has anybody to kick somebody when they are down, especially by those who mum considered friends.

One thing about us Hoarde, we value family as highly as we value friends. When we consider people friends it is because we value them. It's not a light thing we do. A friend to any of use Hoarde, is one we make for life. We soon close rank when one us is hurting. Mum is hurting because her trust and belief in those she calls friends has been shattered by their cruel whispers.

Mum is ill and she deals with it the best she can. The vids she made to defend herself from the barrage of gossip and being 'ignored' shows only the surface wound.

What Arthwollipot said... (about being worried about you!)

This is the funniest I've seen Pirate do. She likes to play hide n seek in the car.

Pic is clickable

This is Onion. Only mum can getaway with this. I get teeth marks and swooshed.
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The dirty great fur ball is 'Gog. Onion, the other great hairball, stayed with mum, she's an old lady and her hips are not so good these days. Mum has one very strong bond with all the furballs.

I second what Arthwollipot stated. Great to hear your voice, deary.

Aw, that's nice. Pirate is beautiful but the dirty great Alsatian is gorgeous too.

It seems to me that a lot of people are rightly concerned for RSL, but there's other people too to be concerned about, who seem to get forgotten sometimes. Get well, Corpse Cruncher. Our thoughts are with you.

Oops second one is wrong it should be this.

Vid taken by a very cold me.

Hopefully this is correct way to do this.

Vid taken by mum

Thinking of you guys! Can't wait for the vid!

I'm smaller and I don't resemble family. Unless its a minced-meat family.

Mum's OK, bit peed as she can't go and play in the snow with the dogs. They fight too dirty. The dogs wait until there is a big slippery patch and then they strike. You end up on your butt and they run off laffing in their doggy ways. Bit too rough for mum yet. She just gets all the snuggles and I get a major sore n frostbitten butt.

Mum's has done a vid. When she can find the cable I will stick it up here.

Slow progress is still progress, and promising. Tell her to take it easy, and COMPLAIN the instant anything isn't the same or better!

Awesome. Things are looking up!

Yay!!! Hope you're feeling your frypan-wielding self soon, CC! Take it easy on Ju-ju - she's been great to post updates while you've been gone. And the family resemblance is scary!

A YAY update!

Mum's just rang and she will be home today. YAY! The Team have been round and they've agreed to let her home, with a warning any changes and she's to come straight back in. Dad's going to collect her at 11am. By that time her discharge letters and meds will have been sorted so she's ready to go.

She didn't come home yesterday, due to a cock-up by the House- Reg. She was supposed to have an ultrasound done in the morning which wasn't. Mum had that mid morning, after some strong words by the Team, and the results were looked over during a meeting later in the afternoon.

Results much the same just slow shrinkages, so things are recovering in their own slow time.

I making like a chicken, saving my hide from being minced, and off to work for the next 4 days, so no updates from me. If I don't appear Monday I will be languishing in a nice hot pastry and gravy bath care of mum.

Mum says hello and apologises that she won't be online until she's settled, comfortable and more like her own self.

Short update. I'm back to work now the flu bug has relased me. Still coughing but better than the snot and shivers anyday.

Mum won't be home this week. They want to finish the antibiotics first before sending her home. Home is now scheduled for Monday next week, pending everything OK.

Mookyshakes are staying down. Burps are on the up and increasing - put down to stomach finally getting its teeth into some food. Blood pressure OK, machine they were using was the problem. Some more number 2's have been evicted.

She's finally got a bit of colour too. Mookyshake colour LOL. As in black and white with a tinge of strawberry pink flush. You guessed it, mums turned into a cow, quite literally before our very eyes. I am so going to be flayed for that.

Yay! Good news -- baby steps -- but still good. Love to all.

for our Dear CC.

Yay for a gradual improvement! Much love,
Orph.

That's what all that shrieking was a few weeks ago... I swear I heard that row here in the States! Much deserved by the idiot nurse, most assuredly. So great to hear Fred hasn't shown up again too! Adhesions are no fun at all; I have some and am seeing my gyno for a followup next week, on account of the ouch. Haven't been on the forums much myself due to busy-pain-pain-busy-sleep, but know I'm rooting for dear CC and her frypan skills! Life with chronic pain/illness is not exactly fun, but I've found my sense of humor has gotten way more twisted, and I'm sure she will appreciate that as they years drag on.

Ultrasound results came back. Haematoma is continuing to shrink, sponge like object, between scar and abdominal wall, has shrunk far more. Team have put that down to it being an infectious body which is oozing out of the opening in the lower part of her surgical scar. Stomach is still inflamed and the twisted sections are still dilated. More of the gas pockets have dispersed. Loops of adhesions matter still evident as are the twists to the entire small bowel. Bladder no change. All other items liver, right kidney, gall bladder etc normal. Colon and rectum slight inflammation, again not unexpected. What you would expect given the exit door is a little on the rusty side.

Left kidney slightly enlarged. Urine tests shows ketones present with traces of blood and pus. Again not unexpected due to infection in surgery site and antibiotics have been issued.

Mum has slight temperature of 37.5, nothing that seems to be of any worry. Blood pressure has gone a bit potty, very roughly lowest @ 60/40 highest @ 150/90 but mum has been moving around far more. Again observations are in place and the rise and fall is put down to the infections and increase in activity. The blood pressure fluctuations don't appear to bother mum. She was only moaning about being hot and dislikes the vanilla milkshake. Tastes of sick were her exact words. And it stayed down despite tasting like sick.


No Fred like appearances have been noted still.

Small update, not much changes and is not expected to change for sometime. This condition mum will have for the rest of her life. They don't expect many changes to occur. It may; but the outlook is the whole of the small bowel is badly twisted and adhesions are looped and caught up with it all. Anybody who has adhesions will know these things are not good.

If and it is a last resort ever if, an operation is to be preformed the whole of the small bowel will be removed. As this is one of the major organs for food processing you can work-out for yourself the problems that will soon be known.

Mum, may be home next week. This all depends on keeping things down. The bowel is moving, slowly and a few have been shown the exit door. She's had an ultrasound this morning and is awaiting the results. Roughly it looks better than it did but until the results are up nobody knows for sure.

Mum has introduced milkshakes, Complan type of build up milk shakes. She is to remain on those and slowly introduce food when she can tolerate the milkshakes.
She has one for breakfast, when she has had that for a week, then one for lunch will be introduced, week later one for dinner etc. It is then, when she can handle that liquidized food, as in soups can be added slowly and so forth build up to solids. It is going to be a long slog.

So far the milkshake has stayed down. As mum is so miserable and down the Dr's agreed she could go home next week for a few days, although she's arguing to stay at home. This is under consultation. But it has been agreed that as soon as she's sick again she must return back to hospital.

The pain she has, is classed as chronic and the Dr's don't think mum will be pain free. It may happen but the prognosis is permanently pain and a daily cocktail of medication for life.

Not entirely good news but things have begun to show some signs of improvement.

So fingers are crossed for her returning home. The dogs miss her badly and I know she misses them and as for the rest of us Hoarde we miss the old fruity bat and she misses our smelly ways.

Hope these small steps are moving towards more gradual improvement. Thanks for the update, Ju-Ju, and hope your flu is getting better!

Auwe! What a laundry list of meds!

And you're not reporting significant improvement, but perhaps that's just too much to hope for; perhaps not getting worse is the best that can be expected...

As expected the canula has failed so no more drips. The Anesthetist was called in and he agreed no more to be put in, her veins have collapsed and are no good. If one is needed it will be placed in her neck but as that needs a sedation it is a last resort only option.

The canula lasted a fair while despite the concern it would tissue. More down to the Consultant making sure that mum was taught how to change her drip and a bag was to be given as soon as she asked for one. She's sneezed out her stomach tube and they are going to see if she can manage without it. She's now on free fluids again but struggles to keep down milky tea, about 2-3 cups are the limit. She is still feeling very full and is very tender abdominally.

The sickness is under control, just, by the medications she's taking. Paracetamol for temperature control and inflammation. Cyclizine for the sickness. Lansoprazole for the stomach acid. Hyoscine N-Butylbromide for the colic pain caused by the twisted small bowel. This medication slows down the bowel and mum has already come to blows with a House Register over it. After he attacked mum saying no wonder her bowel was shut down taking this. Until mum raged back in swear words, she was prescribed it here. Then he was told to go away in swear words and not to return until he had better manners and a more appropriate Doctoring technique. As required she can also take Tramadol Hydrochloride, again for pain relief and it makes her sleepy. Peppermint water for the trapped wind. She's allowed to suck on a small amount of mints to ease the wind pain. Mum refused Morphine as she reacts to it.

The Cyclizine has already made mum have a reaction. She went very dizzy, the room blurred and span and felt as though a huge ball went up her neck into her brain. But they were looking to see if it was another med or combo of meds that caused it. She was told by the Ward Sister to lay flat and that made the reaction ease off.

The bowel has started to gurgle a lot more and part of the flattened area has rounded itself up. The stomach and upper section of bowel are still very inflamed. There has been some movement of the trapped bowel contents, so it does look like the bowel is attempting to heal itself and re-function.

The one thing that bothers mum and us is nobody seems to say what she can eat, when she can and what not to. They just say you can eat and choose from the set menu. Which seems very odd given that most of it is not what I would call bowel friendly.

Wholemeal bread is a good bowel friend, as it bulkage through fibre, but is it when the bowel is twisted?

Hoardette is on full speaking terms with mum. Dad and mum are speaking. I am on limited communication, more due to having a sore throat and persistent cough, so I am not visiting her at present. Mum's still depressed and angry but is at least trying to be more social.

Moebob, I'll enquire about the problem with friendships. It doesn't sound like mum, she'd tell you straight up if she was removing friendships. Hopefully it's just a forum glitch.

Thinking of you. :hug5

And boosting your popularity: http://www.zooreka.com/photo-455575.html :D

CC, I know I don't communicate with you a great deal, but what you're going through is simply unreal. I'm hoping the incompetents who are doing this to you are seriously punished for what they're pulling.

Hang in there, kiddo. We're with you.

For some reason, I keep seeing(break friendship) on my computer,I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed you know, plus I've had problems with my computer, but I didn't do that, and I hope you didn't. But in any event, you better get better soon! I can't be the only nasty witch out here, besides that you are a whole lot smarter than I am, and I have alot to learn from you! Seriously, get better soon!

I think I'm appalled at the level of medical care she's receiving. And I'm worried and scared for you and the entire Hoarde.

CC had every right to get angry -- it's good she did, because otherwise she'd be at home -- or worse right now. And that nurse needs to be fired for overstepping her bounds, hugely!

My love and concern to all of you.

Thanks heaps for the updates, AG. If ever CC puts down the frypan, tell her we miss her and wish her all the best. And we wish earwigs in the ear of that nurse.

Mum's CBT specialist said mum is angry at herself for exploding like she did. Until she stops beating herself up about it. Mum won't open up to anybody or see anybody.

Not that stops any of us. I will push the wall down even if I have to grin at her through the glass in the door. She means too much to us to leave her on her own fighting her own demons.

Updates may be spaced with large volumes of silence until Mum's wall is breached. That or Dad gets his head bashed with the hammer of common sense. Not that I wield it that much. That's mums job.

Atishoo!

I have a cold and hoping not to get the full flu effect.

News, bad and very much badder news first.

Condensed:- Foul language - air very blue, stomping - lots of and item throwing, anger -lots of, and threats to decapitate. That was just mum.

Badder news :- Discharged, venomous rage, not speaking and tears.

Gist is, a nurse got the wrong end of mum and rubbed her up something wicked. Mum exploded and Senior staff and Consultants were impolite summoned to save blood being spilled.

This nurse, called mum a waster of bed space. Taking it up with just minor stomach ache. Mum bit her tongue at that point. She'd marked the nurses card as a power-hungry leech and wannabe Ward sister and something this nurse will never be. Then the nurse could not let it be and kept harping on at mum. Banana and bran flakes are what's making her stomach ache and she's doing it to herself, mum that is. Next mum is being moved to another ward pronto. Gets down to the new ward to learn she's being discharged as she is just a tummy ache and that can be resolved at home not worth occupying a bed space for.

That point, mum exploded and the carnage of her anger was felt all round the ward and ensuing other parts mum raged through in pursuit of her consultant or register.

Mum has a temper and it is never unleashed. She may raise a voice but to lose her anger is just not her. She's loathe to hurt people even with words let alone resort to violence of any kind. Just not her scene. She acts mean; but is cuddly. She lost it all in a few minutes. Made herself very ill as a result.

To cut is short she found her consultant and let him have the full lowdown. He went up the wall and had mum wheel chaired back to the ward immediately and called for mum's CBT specialist to politely get to mum fast.

The activity on the ward was as blue as the air as the Consultant took charge and issued demands and whatnots. Mum's CBT specialist was shocked how manic mum was and rightly so, sedated mum.

All now is calm (of sorts) and mum is back on her original ward, said nurse is off-duty pending full hearing to answer the charges issued against her by mum, other patients and mum's consultant.

Dad's not speaking to mum when he learned just how much mum withheld back from us about these whole load of operations, especially the resuscitation parts after the operation, heart problems and multiple organ failure and she keeps suffering unconsciousness. Last one the ward sister found mum unconscious in the shower, despite issuing a nurse instructions to check on mum every 5 minutes and to be outside the shower room. This didn't occur Between they had a huge row over this as well as Dad and Mum at it. Mum's now retreated well into herself and isn't talking to anybody.

I'm angry; but can see why she protected us from the full details. Damned either way she is in this. Still it hurts and Dad's reaction is evident of this.

Mum's back on a drip and has a nasal tube to her stomach taking the acid as she's being violently sick. Hematology have refused to take any blood as mum has no veins left to use and is black and blue all over. If this canula fails mum is in serious trouble. They've used feet, hands, wrists, arms etc and the canula's fail within 2 -24 hours. Most fail as the drip bag is left too long before being replaced. Mum's Consultant is livid about her treatment and several Registar and Ward Dr's have been called into, what will be a very unpleasant meeting.

To top that, her surgical scar opened, and she's in one helluva depressive state. That part is the scary part and she cannot hide it.


The good news, she had a number 2, another 2 times and had managed to keep small amounts of food down. Although she struggled to keep food and drink down.

Aunty O, Fred as a cyst exisited. He burst just before operation. His fluidy residue was evident. Wether he will return is as yet an unknown event. Fingers crossed he won't.

Triple twisty Fred was a newly discovered problem at the opening ceremony of mum's abdomen. Did it just occur or was it there as a result from the January 07 operation, is as yet unclear.

Triple twisty Fred is very much back, and has more twists in his than a tongue twister. Hence mum's current problem and hosptial confinement.

So Fred was a phantom??? I don't know which is worse - Cysty Fred or Twisty Fred. All I know is I hate Fred.
But Yay for number 2 making an appearance!
Lots of love to you CC!

Good news.

She's managed to eat and more important keep down a small, 5 spoonfuls, amount of solid food.

Today she managed to eat half a banana and quarter of a bowl of bran flakes for breakfast. Not so good it came back up. Mum's allowed free fluids, which is milky tea etc and the drip was turned off today to see how she can cope without the potassium infusion, or whatever is in the bag of fluid. She's managing to keep that down but still feels overly full. Tomorrow food is going to be reintroduced again and see if it can stay down.

Bowel opened yesterday slightly, so it looks as though it is kicking back into action. Never seen anybody so excited of doing a number 2 as mum was when she had been.

Last update until after Xmas.
Non-Mum will remain in hospital over the festive period. Dr's have stabilized the sickness with medication intravenously but she's stuck on a drip. The pain also is now more tolerable due to the medication she's on. Again all intravenously as she can't keep down the pills. Small sips of water are now tolerated, so things look on the up, although slowly.

The idea of the drip, for energy and what the body needs but to also give the small bowel a rest and hope it will kick start later. The latest scan reveals that the stomach, and small bowel are inflamed. The small bowel has loops that are dilated and blown up. as such mimicking an cystic mass. Which you can begin to understand why they may have mis-read the bowel twist last time for Fred. Although a bowel ballooned or otherwise should still resemble a bowel you would have thought?

The small bowel is also stuck to the operational scar and adhesions are looped around all over the abdominal area.There is also a large blood pool, between the skin and abdominal wall and another pool a bit further down. Again all maybe contributing to this blockage and twisting.

Mum feels full and until that feeling subsides she won't be allowed to eat as its a sign the bowel is obstructed and everything that should go down will come up. That is not good.

What the Dr's hope is as she is post-op she is still recovering and is swollen up from the surgery, as this subsides the small bowel may free itself or work its self in a limited fashion. Operation is not an option as it means the whole small bowel will have to come out. In base what goes in comes straight back out and mum will spend more time in hospital getting nutrients etc than out. Not a great outlook for living. It is the final last resort option. We think the surgeon is not qualified enough to do this kind of operation and he caused this to occur. It is something we will have to research up on what it is like to live without the whole of the small bowel and all that is involved. It's a major organ that provides the nutrients for the whole body so there are some complicated issues in it's removal.

Mum will be in hospital over the festive period, there is no choice. She sends her Xmas greetings care of a frying pan and a curse or two involving sprouts and over indulgences.

Good heavens, will it never end!?! She can't just get better? I hope she does that soon, before I start worrying and she needs to chase me all over with a frying pan and rolling pin!