MAJOR Surgery Coming Up This Monday (10th)

[el_em_en_oh]

Need positive thoughts & energy from all you drunk a$$es & pill-head's that I've come to know and love over the last 2 years!

I've got major surgery this coming Monday, and I know they're going to be placing me on a PCA-pump (pain pump) post-op. For the type of surgery I'm having, doing it any other way is too difficult, as it would require almost 24/7 nurse attention to monitor my pain-level and administer small doses of meds to control the pain.

Sooooo..... I'll be in charge of my own Dilaudid pump (my DOC incidentally).

My Mother will be in the room with me the entire time, and she knows my addiction history and is well aware of the Do's & Don't/In's & Out's and my specific triggers (pain being my BIGGEST trigger).

Wish me luck, and think about me on Monday.

Love you guys;-)

~LMNO

[atthebeach]

any word from carl yet?

[atthebeach]

KARL!!!!! OH KARL.

[snakejones]

Hope you'll soon be well enough to pos!t. You have a lot of friends here who wish you the best, including me. We are (more or less) patiently waiting to hear from you---feel better soon!

[gnarly_1]

HEY dude you out of the hospital yet??? and if so how you doing??
usually these ins companys will have you out b/4 your ready lest thats my experence I hope all is welll post as soon as your able I will pray for a fast recovery for you good luck and God bless,,,,,Gnarly

[atthebeach]

hey karl,
how are you? please give us an update.
you are in my thoughts and prayers
debbie

[Psychobillyqueen]

Hope your surgery went well!

[laurel453]

up with it ! :)

[vicki595]

I'm going to keep bumping this up until we hear from the wild man!

[vicki595]

Hey Kiddo!  Time to check in with us!!

[dominosarah]

Thinking of you and hoping you are feeling better~~sara

[ImDONENoMore]

Thinking of you el_em_en_oh - and hope the surgery was a success!

[snakejones]

thinking of you today........

[Psychobillyqueen]

Last year September. I went to the walk in clinic for pains in my stomach. They told me it was my appendix cooking and gave me a letter and said go to the emergency. When I got there I had to. Wait nine hours in the waiting room. I was on methadone at the time for three years. When they finally got me in to see the doctor I was pretty well unconscious. He gave me a shot of gravel and sent me home... Yes home. Said they would call the next day afternoon for surgery. By that time that night my parents took me to a different hospital. They said they would do the surgery. While I was waiting for the doctors to come from home to operate. My appendix burst. While I was in surgery I flatlined twice. After they also gave me a hydro codeine pump. That was my weakness. Everytime the light would go green even if I wasn't in pain I'd press it. The temptation was just too much. Now I'm embarrassed at myself. Today's your surgery stay strong!! Hope everything goes well!

[laurel453]

Hope everything has gone all right  today  !!!

[dominosarah]

How long is this surgery supposed to last?

[vicki595]

Hey Carl:

Listen, I was speaking with your buddy "tommyjames716", told him about your surgery and he asked me to send his very best wishes to you!

Be well!

V.

[el_em_en_oh]

My doctor told me I'll be IN the hospital for 3-5 days, max, so not too long.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed as well, that this surgery will take care of the majority of my ER trips. Going to the hospital 2 & 3 times a month, for kidney stones, ***** a$$, let me tell you.

Take care, and I'll catch you on the flip side Sara.

Carl

[vicki595]

LOL Sara!!   Poor Carl would never rest!!

Well, I don't like to "romanticize" any of the pain meds. We take them if we need them,thank God they're there, and then need to forget about it! You know all this Carl...you've been down this road sooo many times!! I'll sure be thinking of you on Monday!

How long do they estimate the recovery time? Will Mom be staying at the house?

And listen, you know I hate to disagree with other members here but Lucky is wrong about the coughing after surgery.  You MUST cough,turn, deep breath OFTEN!   They'll remind you...the nurses always seem to take very good care of you!

Lots of love and prayers your way...and remember...we'll be right here waiting to hear from you,okay??   ((♥))

[dominosarah]

Well now that i have picked my a$$ up off the floor i think i can respond!!

I will be thinking of you on Monday.  Hopefully this surgery will take care of your problems.  Hopefully the pain will be tolerable when you come home.  How long do you stay in the hospital?

I would love to come and help vicki but i am rather busy that day!!        sara

[Luckytwice]

I had the pain pump a few times after some surgeries.  I wouldn't worry about being on it for long. Just as you start having fun pushing the button the second it resets,(you don't really think they will let you have as much as you want, do you?) they take it away.  They don't want you to start developing addiction.

Diluadid, Morthine, it's all good stuff, LoL! Except for demorol, which seems kind of "harsh", and gives you a chemical smell/taste, like it's leaching out of your skin. Plus it gives me the itches after being on it a day.
Diluadid make be stronger, but they reduce the dosage so that it's effect is about the same as morphine. Dilaudid has a cough supressing effect as well, and is probably why they want to use it instead of morphine, so you don't cough after surgery.

Anyways, good luck with the surgery, and don't worry, they know what they are doing. Enjoy  the nap! I always did!

[el_em_en_oh]

Thanks all for your words of encouragement.

You all inspire me to be a better person, a better man, and a better recovering addict.

I'll be thinking about you all come Monday, post-op, and will jump on to say hi, and "I'm alive!"

Later.

~LMNO

[littlebit667]

I hope all goes well with the surgery :)

  Many years ago, I had a pain pump (external) for 3 days when my back would  not quit spasming.  You would not believe all the visitors I had (medical) to see the pump.  Apparently, then it was a big deal.  I learned really quick how to use it.  You used it too much and then you had to wait a LONG time to be able to get more relief.  I am just wondering if that will be the same with you.  It sort of trained me what I could and could not do and at some point you hit your limit and TOO BAD, SO SAD until you could use it again.  

[ImDONENoMore]

You're just too cool.  Seriously.  (good luck and you're going to be FINE).  :)

[vicki595]

Sure!!

Listen, you'll be okay with Mom there. You'll be uncomfortable to say the least so you'll need the PCA. Does it have to be Dilaudid? What about Morphine (I just think it's less harsh)?

Remember, there's a lock out on that pump so you (or Mom) can only release the drug in a timed manner. You can't just keep hitting it and get as much as you want...you know that...so that part is okay. How will the pain level be when you get home?  Maybe I should plan to come out then?

OMG!!  Suni is too funny!!!    

Also, if you're not too wrecked post op, you can post or email me(us) as much as you want!  You'll be good...It's just a drag that you have to go through all this!  I will be calling the doctor to tell him to BE CAREFUL with that cystoscope!!!

Big hug!!