Wednesday, November 26, 2008

pureed turkey?

Hey everyone- Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I am so thankful for so many things, especially to be here with everyone. I have had a few up's and down's this week. I thought I was all better and clear then I started having a great amount of pain (like labor contractions) in my abdomen, above my ostomy Monday night. It was a sleepless night, ontop of the pain, nothing was coming through my ostomy that night. I started to get very concerned that somehow I had another obstruction. With pain significant pain medication and some advice from my dad, at 1:30am, I finally got some sleep. The next morning, I thought things were okay. I got Ella to school and by 10am I started to feel rotten again, not as severe pain but still discomfort and ended up back in bed. I had to cancel my lunch/pedicure plans with my friend Kelly, who immediately came over and helped me all day from consoling me to,massaging my arm and back and even going to the grocery store for me and getting me a smoothy. She was so helpful, I am so grateful for not only her help but her friendship! Betty Boop, I also want to thank, another friend who I got to talk to today and always feel wonderful after talking with her! One more while i am on the thank you/love you roll... thank you Dustin for coming over today and helping me too ( I will get to that in a minute). Ang- I have to thank you too for coming over this past weekend and helping me out with Ella, it is nice to have a friend who i can hang out with and who helps me play with Ella at the same time..

(I didn't want to leave anyone out or offend anyone by not acknowledging them, and I know there are sooo many more to thank, but that is just for the last couple days, hopefully everyone else knows how much I appreciate them, I try to tell them as much as I can).

Anyway, back to my story, where was I, oh, so I made calls all day Tuesday to my surgeon to find out what to do, then after she suggested trying to use a catherer to put through my ostomy ( I know, sounds fun, huh), I had to call around to find that type of catheter to use. What a hassel all this is, while in bed, feeling like crap, just wanting to sleep. Finally I got the products I needed, thank you for my parents who picked them up for me and that evening my dad and Doug helped me do the cathererization. Oh, this is after I threw up. When Ella got home, I sat up in bed to try to look okay and started to feel nauseous. I had not eaten much but had some of the smoothy and tea and every time I just felt fuller and fuller. Finally it just all came out. So when we did the catheter, nothing seemed blocked and eventually things started to go threw last night.

Today I thought was all better. I ate a bit here and there very cautious about what i am eating and how much so as not to have the same problem. Well, I was fine until this afternoon, Dustin was visiting, I had a little applesauce and part of my smoothy from the day before and all of a sudden, I didn't feel well again and within a few minutes I was racing to the bathroom, brought it all back up. I have to say if you are going to get sick, drink something that tastes yummy right before. It is much better getting sick with the taste of Strawberry smoothy than anything else! So, again, I was on the phone to my surgeon, to atleast let her know what happened, especially before the holiday weekend. SOmething always seems to happen right before a holiday, when no one is around, except the stinkin' ER. For now, I am to be on a soft/full liquid diet and see what happens. If things still aren't staying down, I will have to page her(thankfully she is on call all weekend) to get a CT or Xray on Friday and possibly have to be readmitted. ugh. So hopefully things are resolving and there isn't a major problem.

I was so looking forward to gorging myself tomorrow, especially since I haven't been able to eat a lot lately. Now it looks like i will have to be very cautious again and not eat a lot of the food. Oh well, the food isn't everything, right... that one takes a lot of convincing.

We are kicking off the holiday weekend Ella, and I are in our sleeping bags on the floor, Doug didn't get his sleeping bag, but we are all watching Cinderella together and she is getting to stay up late. Wow, I just looked at the clock, it is 9:15p. really late... Don't you all love the Cinderella movie, so good, but those sisters and the step mom infuriate me!!!

Happy thanksgiving everyone! I hope you enjoy every last bite of yummy food, guilt free because everything is fat free on this holiday, I declare. Most of all let everyone know how thankful you are for them in your life and remember all you are thankful for! good night, sleep tight, don't let the turkey's running for their lives bite, hehe. good one I must say. teheehee. Shawndra

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shawndra -
I am praying Exodus 15:26 over you tonight which at the end of the verse reads "For I am the Lord who heals you". I am also praying Jeremiah 17:14 "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise". I hope that you can find healing through these passages. I look forward to getting to spend whatever time I get with you tomorrow for Thanksgiving, for it is always a blessing. Love you sister!
Andrea

Anonymous said...

I hope you were able to eat a little bit tonight. Thank you for letting me spend some time with you today. It made me smile that you got cozy in your sleeping bags tonight - I only wish I didn't have to leave and could have joined you! Doesn't that sound like a perfect plan for a cold and snowy day?! :)
I love you and all of your family. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. To somewhat steal from Andrea (aka Shawndrea), I am very thankful I have had you in my life all of these years and look forward to every moment the future has in store for us.

I love you - d

ps - it's too bad we can't get you one of those "bahama mama $1.95" for your liquid diet! ;)

Anonymous said...

I wish that you were feeling better and I hope that you do not have to go to the hospital. Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the time with your family! Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Susan McRae and family

The Mama Monkey said...

Prayers for your issues to be resolved promptly. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

Mashed potatoes are always great, and they are soft. So eat away. prueed turkey sounds a bit, um, YUCKY so perhaps you should steer clear of that option.
Enjoy the holiday without too much focus on missing out on the food. Fix a plate for later in the week, we all know how yummy Thanksgiving leftovers are! Being with family is the real treat anyway. Give Mom, Dad, and Andrea a big hug from us all and tell them happy Thanksgiving.

nancygrayce said...

Praying for you this Thanksgiving day!

Anonymous said...

Is it possible you have a stomach flu... I know that is going around here in Canada.

Prayers for your speedy recovery.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

You are welcome!! I love hanging out with you so hopefully we can do it more often! I hope you are feeling better and got to at least enjoy some dessert-it's usually soft and the best part. Talk to you soon. Ang

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Shawndra! I'm thinking about you and praying for you!!!
-Amy K.

Anonymous said...

Hope you are feeling better soon. I will be thinking of and praying for you.

Mandy (Hamlin) Featherston

Anonymous said...

Im so sorry Dear, I wish I could say something to make you feel less pain and nausea...if you need a laugh..well I too am on a liq diet 90% now, so my thanksgiving wasnt what it used to be, but be thankful we are here w/our kids and take comfort the lord is there w/you ..if you need me please call, the army is sending my hubby off Dec 1 for 2 weeks, its gonna be a lonley scarey time..being sick and no fam nearby, I hear ya on the nausea, although throwing anything up no matter what it is , has always been my fear, I hate when I do it, my son,my friends, its a awful feeling,..my heart and prayers are w.you my dear.
((hugs))Your sister in prayer and emails Naomi

Anonymous said...

Shawndra--do you take Ememd before your chemo infusion? I would be so sick if I didnt take that. You take it right before infusion and then one a day for 2more days. If you havent tried it you might want to ask your Dr. about it. I am sorry for all that you are going thorugh...I have been there so many times too...love, Sue

Anonymous said...

I meant Emend...typ error..sue

Anonymous said...

I hope you get home soon and feel much much better to enjoy Christmas .

We love you .

Roswita and family

Anonymous said...

I'm praying for you Shawndra. I hope you feel better soon!

Nancy in NJ