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Finally okay, leaving hospital after appendicitis.

backwardsandinheels

backwardsandinheels

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Messages
680
I'm just leaving today after a whole week in the hospital including Thanksgiving. Last week a CT showed a 9cm mass. When I went in I had bad pain but was not sure at all what they would find. It has been one scary ride. Instead of a burst appendix, my body had encapsulated it and tried to wall it off. Since it was more of an exploratory surgery at first, I have a 12-inch staple trail. A tummy tuck after they saved my life would have been nice. :bigsmile: Anybody with advice to recover the rest of the way?
 
Scary!

I'm glad you're finally going home. Hope your recovery is as quick and painless as possible!
 
Hi backwardsandinheels,
I'm glad it was just your appendix.
I hope you feel better soon!
Take it easy and give yourself plenty of time to heal!
 
I'm glad the surgery was done in time and went well!

My post-appendicitis tips (based on personal experience) - first and foremost - try not to laugh for the first few days!

Also do not try to rush back to work. You might think you feel well enough after a few weeks, but you'll tire easily and find that those afternoon naps are essential. I think I went back after 4 weeks - it was definitely too early. I'd go home each night and just collapse. Six weeks would have been better.
 
Wow, what a scary and traumatic experience! You've had a rough time of it…so glad everything went well and you're home now and doing ok - sending positive thoughts and good wishes as you recuperate!
 
Backwards, yikes! You must be wrung *out* - both from the emotional ups-and-downs, and from the physical toll a thing like that will take. I wish I had better advice, but from having watched a close friend go through an emergency appendectomy in her 30s ... basically, as posters above said, take it easy: try to keep from straining your abdominal muscles; don't push yourself too far, even on things like short walks; basically, treat yourself as nicely as you'd be treating your best friend, if you were taking care of her or him after surgery. I hope you feel much better soon!
 
First off I am so sorry to hear this and happy to hear you are okay - that must've been really scary.

I say: make it all about you - do as little as is possible for you. If the house gets dirty, just ignore it as it too shall pass. If things really need to happen, then ask for help. People never know what to do in situations like that, and it makes them feel terrible and useless doing nothing. Get over your embarrassment (talking about myself here, so ignore if its not applicable) and let people in. Let them make dinners, do laundry, walk the dogs or clean. I am sure if the tables were turned, you'd be happy to do the same for them. Don't cut corners - like pain meds - because you think you can "handle it." Just play by the doctor's rules. You also may need a little bit of time to catch up on the emotional aspects of what you went through and that may be tiring you out as well (it sounds like it was scary and might have wrung you all out), so even if you are fatigued but feel fine, pay attention to that and take it easy. Trust that when your body is ready, it will tell you so. I hope you bounce back quickly - it sounds like you probably will.
 
What a scare!! Glad all turned out well & you are home to recover. I echo all of the above. I have never had my appendix out, but I have had 2 C-sections, one with a teeny 6 inch scar, and one more complicated hip to hip scar. All I can offer is rest, rest, rest. Do NOT push the hoovver around & do not go running around or lifting things. Cutting through your abs is major. My youngest is 3 next month, but I still get awful muscular pain when I sneeze along my scar lines. I am amazed my tummy ever went flat again!
 
Take your pain meds. Take stool softeners. Eat fibre. Drink water. Take lots of little walks. Pump your feet up and down every 15 minutes or so when sitting. Get out of bed by rolling onto your side then pushing yourself up with your arms as you let your legs pivot out of bed, this saves your abs from any sit-up like action.
If you start to feel really crappy, have a fever, or your wound starts looking bad, go to your doctor. If you can't poop for a couple of days, go to your doctor.
Take as much time off as you can afford.
Buy yourself a sparkly. 8-)
 
just wanted to pop in and send you some dust for healing :)

and a few people have said take your meds i wanted to add it is easiest to keep pain under control by taking your pain meds at their scheduled time. if you allow them to wear off it is much more difficult to get the pain back under control
 
Thanks everyone, I am doing everything you say. Except buy a sparkly. ;) A friend suggested she bring some pals with her to decorate for Christmas today. I thought that was so nice since I certainly can't do it. Meals come every night except weekends when husband has to cook. MIL comes at 2:00 to catch kids home from school, help in general, homework. I feel 3% better everyday. One thing I noticed if anyone has similar trouble, I tried a lidoderm patch on my back from the uncomfy hospital bed and it really helps in a way meds do not. I'm declining colace until antibiotics stop because they see to it that you are not stopped up. I walk around like I'm 100 years old but everybody says keep walking around so I am. I feel like an anatomical model where the parts are just a bit jumble another lined uo quite right. Wrung out is right. I cried a bit last night upon hearing my daughter's teacher's family included me in their prayers. I am so relieved it wasn't cancer. They said the mass was the size of a small melon.
 
So glad you're OK! What a horrid experience. ((((hug))))
 
Hope everyday brings you closer to feeling 100%. I have heard and based on hospitalizations I've had , that you need
1 week for every 24 hours you are in the hospital!!!
So plan accordingly. Even when you do feel better, take it slow. I had mine out at 16 and "bounced" back in 3 weeks. My sister had hers out at 34 and was out for 6 weeks. Its a pretty invasive procedure you had.
 
I guess I can count myself lucky. I had mine out at 26, and 1 week after was was in europe, and 2 weeks later I was hiking in the alps! In no way am I advocating for you to do what I did. :lol:

I guess the fact that mine was caught early and I had a Laparoscopic removal helped.

All the advice given so far are good. Mine is simple. Don't lift Laundry (Never thought about it until the nurse said it, but its one of those things you probably dont even think as heavy)

Also get a vitamine E oil and rub on your scars when you are well on your way to healing. I did this and I cant even find them in the mirror any more, even though I know where they are supposed to be.
 
Yeah, at least 30 staples taken out yesterday. The advice seems to be rest, but keep moving as much as you can within your ability. I've never had surgery, just babies the standard way. All I can say is try to be fit your whole life because if something happens, it sure makes recovery easier from a place of strength vs. going into recovery already weak. So, for me it'll be 7 nights, 7 weeks. Never heard that one before but it makes sense. Thanks!
 
I was wondering about that-vitamin E? Mederma?
 
Bless your heart!!! I am so sorry to hear about your surgery and hope you are getting better day by day!
 
Yes, thank you I am. I just want to know why my belly still looks 4-5 months pregnant when they took something out? It should look smaller! These steri-strip-holder-togethers where the staples wereare still a little hurty. It must be everything healing up.
 
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