Cath Sheard Art

Tag: weight loss surgery

  • Hospital dramas

    It’s more than a month since I blogged or did any art – here’s why.

    I’d been doing really well, but suddenly developed severe stomach pain about 5pm, just as Tony got home from Wanganui. By 6pm it was so bad we called the ambulance. Millie took me to Hawera; the Dr suspected a twisted bowel so had me transported to Base on Sunday morning. The surgeon, Mr Hadawi, spoke to Atul Dhabuwalla who thought a piece of bowel might have got trapped in a gap from the surgery, and they arranged for a gastroscopy on Monday 10th May.

    Mr Hadawi did the gastroscopy late morning under heavy sedation. Unfortunately the suction unit wasn’t working properly and the nurse didn’t realise. Because of the blockage I had a lot of bile in my stomach and vomited during the procedure. Due to the suction unit not working I got a lot of bile in my lungs. I was went back to the ward but, bizarrely, there’s no handover after gastroscopy so the ward staff were not told what had happened.

    My nurse, Siji, noticed my heart rate increasing and oxygen levels dropping; she was keeping a close eye on me because she couldn’t understand why I was deteriorating. Mid to late afternoon the surgeon came to get me for acute bowel surgery just as I started to really go downhill. He kept asking if I felt ok, and I can remember saying yes – tired but ok. He called the peri-arrest team (used when someone is about to have, or just had, a cardiac arrest) and I could hear them talking about tachycardia, intubation, and bag masking. Between Mum’s dramas, and Tony’s ambulance work, I knew exactly what was happening but was so unwell it wasn’t really scary. Just as I was about to say I suddenly didn’t feel well at all, they took over my breathing. Talking to the surgeon later, he said if you’re young and fit your body compensates until suddenly it can’t anymore, which if the point I had reached.

    Poor Tony had turned up just as all this was happening. The Dr explained what was happening but he wasn’t allowed to see me. Ailsa and Jim were in New York and the hospital phoned her at 6am to tell her I was in ICU. She rang me most mornings and kept in touch by text throughout.

    I woke up the next day in ICU after they took the tube out, and spent the next four days in either ICU or HDU recuperating from severe aspiration pneumonia. The day after they extubated they did x-rays, fluoroscope and CT scans of the bowel but none of it was conclusive. Because of the trauma to my lungs the surgeons felt I couldn’t have surgery for another month or more anyway unless they were forced into it. I spent two weeks in hospital in total, with the Drs saying it would probably take 6 weeks to fully recover.

    I’ve had another two weeks at home recovering. I’ve been incredibly tired, am walking slowly, and have very little voice. The Drs think it’s just a reaction to pneumonia and intubation but if it isn’t right after a month they’ll investigate further. I’ve also had a MRI scan at Base and have an appointment with Mr Farrynt on the 18th May to get the results and plan any surgery.

    Re the medical mishap that led to the pneumonia; the hospital are investigating all aspects and made some changes straight away.

  • Weight loss update

    When I last blogged about this, on January 14th, I had lost 38kg to date. Yesterday I reached the 50kg milestone, so only another 10kg to go. I’m beginning to wonder if I could be reasonably small boned and 15kg might be a better goal, but I’ll reassess it with the nurse and see what she thinks nearer the time – probably towards the end of March.

    In that last post I said I’d bought jeans off the rack at Farmers. This morning I popped down to Wanganui and replaced them with a pair that’s another 2 sizes down. I’m now a 16/18 on the top and an 18 on the bottom. Unheard of…

    Here are some update photos. Hardly great shots admittedly but Tony’s not that comfortable using my iPhone!

     

  • Weight loss update

    It’s a few weeks since I updated progress. Following my pre-Christmas trip to Base Hospital I am feeling *much* better. Having lost over 38kg so far, I’m now under 100kg for the first time in a couple of decades and am about the same weight, but not shape, as I was in my mid-to-late 20s.

    I went to Farmers and bought jeans off the rack; the first two pairs were too big – unheard of! More importantly I am starting to feel like myself again, and have more like my usual energy back. Instead of going to bed at 7pm like Mum used to, I am staying up till 10pm or later, am crafting in the evenings and generally doing ‘stuff’. I’m also on the exercycle every night and, although being cautious in case of injury, I am increasing both the time and distance a little every night.

    I had a couple of phone appointments this week with staff from the weight loss surgery office; they are pleased with how I’m progressing now, having been very concerned about how sick I got. They expect me to keep losing weight for another 9-12 months but at a slower rate as I eat a little more variety and quantity. At this stage I can’t increase the volume, my pouch just won’t let me, but I am trying more foods. I’m managing to drink around 1200mls a day, with only minimal nausea. So, all good finally!

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  • One little word – prepared

    Every year I choose a word that is my keystone. In previous years I have had – mapping, balance, determined, calm and, in 2016, intention. Each has served its purpose, constantly bringing me back to what I want for myself for the year, both at work and at home.

    This year I mentioned ‘one little word’ on Twitter and people suggested hope, courage, and strength. They’re all good words, but the one I keep coming back to is “prepared”. It just feels right. So, in 2017, I will be PREPARED

    • to spend quality time with Tony
    • to devote time to my art
    • to ensure I eat properly
    • to use the tool of my weight loss surgery wisely
    • to make my lunches even when I don’t feel like it
    • to drink enough each day despite the nausea
    • to use the exercycle despite the pain
    • to put enough time into my own professional development
    • to say no to things that I don’t want in my life

    So often what we want is just out of reach, and what’s required is more effort or a deliberate action. In 2017 I believe being prepared will help me achieve more of my goals.I think it’s a good word for my professional life as well, and will write about that at on my KiwiLibrarian blog.

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  • Progress update Dec ’16

    Last time I blogged about my weight loss surgery I had been in Base Hospital, and was feeling better. Hmm. This last week I have been back in Base after developing a blockage, partly due to dehydration. It was two days of drama but all good again now. I have new meds and a determination to drink despite the nausea. The nurses and surgeons I saw were fantastic; patient and prepared to really explain things to me. I’ll say this though – it took 24 hours to go through two Emergency Departments to a ward and, oh my god, I was exhausted!

    I’m on leave for the next two weeks and am hoping to rest and spend some quality time with Tony. He’s done a great job of caring for me, yet again, and it’s past time we had some fun. I hope the sun shines…

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