<p>My free advice. Don’t be a martyr with regard to the pain. Take the pain medication if you need it. If the pain gets ahead of you, it can really be miserable. You will mend…it’s just time. DD had two surgeries in three days and was in the hospital for almost a week. She was still very render when she got home, and needed to be careful. She had great friends who helped her out.</p>
<p>The worst part is over…now…just mend!</p>
<p>I’m a baby with pain. They just stopped giving the shots so I could switch to the pills. </p>
<p>I’m discharged now. Have keep the discharge thing on until my followup appointment. </p>
<p>Hopefully now all my stomach problems will be more or less fixed. I can take the pain for a while longer to avoid gallstones for the rest of my life lol</p>
<p>romani, when you get home, get cozy in bed, let your dad take care of you, and watch total crap on TV.</p>
<p>It’s the cure for post-surgical pain.</p>
<p>Romani, I am so glad the second doc paid attention. Glad to hear you are up and about – don’t push too hard right now. As others have said, keep ahead of the pain, move as much as you can, and if you’re tired, rest.</p>
<p>Romani, </p>
<p>I hope you aren’t walking the highway on pain meds. That would be bad…</p>
<p>Take it easy.</p>
<p>^^Okay, this will all be hilarious when romani gets some sleep and is allowed to laugh!</p>
<p>Honestly, I finally understand what people actually mean when they say keep ahead of the pain. They mean, take your pain medication at the prescribed intervals, even before you feel the pain…as once you do, it may be too late to really stop it.</p>
<p>My husband had a major operation a couple of years ago, and they told him to do that. But we were both really paranoid about taking too much pain medication and addiction…plus, he really, really wanted a beer (can’t mix that). So he felt he was okay, and started delaying the pain medications early. Big mistake. He ended up in so much pain, he just couldn’t catch up, just couldn’t take enough medication to stop it and had to suffer. No beer is good enough to be worth that!</p>
<p>
You are discharged with the discharge? ;)</p>
<p>Agree with everyone that you should control the pain- don’t let it control you.
You might also want to consider calling the hospital administrator at the first hospital and explain the situation- that you were inappropriately discharged which led to a more complicated surgery. Then ask then to waive any copay you might owe for their ER hospital bills. They would much prefer to work with you in a situation like that than to risk a call from an attorney. They should own up to their error and do right by you.</p>
<p>I hope romani is sound asleep, all curled up in her own bed, healing well.</p>
<p>Oh gosh, curling up would hurt. </p>
<p>Jym, I don’t know what else to call it. The pump that collects my blood? Discharge thing sounds so much less graphic lol. </p>
<p>I will call the hospital and explain what happened. I’m honestly sure I reached my out of pocket max for the year for this surgery and hospital stay so I’m wondering if it’ll make a difference. Not that I want the first hospital getting a dime after all this but it’s not a battle I want to fight until I’m feeling better. </p>
<p>Now that my pain meds are kicking in, back to sleep :)</p>
<p>Romani,
The pump is a ‘drainage device’.</p>
<p>Rest and recover well.</p>
<p>It’s called a JP drain (Jackson-Pratt).</p>
<p>Romani: I see you on other threads so I know you’re feeling OK. How about an update?</p>
<p>I actually think I’m in more pain than I was yesterday but I have an appetite (which is the first time I’ve had one since Sunday so I’m happy about that). I’m up and walking around about once an hour. </p>
<p>I got offered a job today that I turned down because I got a follow-up interview at a job I really want. Unfortunately, I had to turn it down by email because I woke up without a voice. I felt bad because I normally would never do that, but I wanted them to be able to fill the job as they seemed to want someone really quickly.</p>
<p>I tried to contact the doctor for the follow-up appointment I’m supposed to have in 10-14 days. No one answered the phone at the office and they didn’t call me back so I’m a bit irritated by that. Then I talked to my aunt (a gastroenterologist) who said there’s NO WAY the JP drain (thanks, nrdsb4!) should be left in until my follow-up appointment like the nurse said. I would <em>really</em> like to get it out before then so I don’t have to wear it to my interview >.< </p>
<p>Overall- I’m getting there. I’ll be very happy with the JP drain is out and even happier when I can cough and laugh without being in a lot of pain. :)</p>
<p>The voice thing…yeah I had that too I forgot! My day early three (day one being surgery) was the WORST…it got rapidly better after that. Keep your chin up!</p>
<p>Glad for the great update and it sounds like things will be soon better and better. Good that you were able to talk with aunt GI. It IS wonderful having medical professionals to check things out with, isn’t it?</p>
<p>Please keep moving AND resting; you’ll be back to 100% before you know it!</p>
<p>Jym, I ended up following your advice. We happen to know someone in billing and got a lot of the bill waived. Couldn’t waive the labs though for some reason or another but that’s fine. </p>
<p>Today has been my worst day since I’ve been discharged. I’m aggravated :(</p>
<p>Hope you’ve taken the advice to take stool softeners for a few days. The pain meds have a bad reputation for causing major constipation (and crankiness).</p>
<p>Take a nice long afternoon nap if you can. Try to walk and move around the house/apt.
Continue to drink water throughout the day. No lifting. Keep a pillow close by to hug tightly over your abdomen if you have to cough or sneeze. Wear nonbinding clothes around your abdomen. </p>
<p>It will get better. I had mine out July 22nd. Spent 6 days in the hospital (infection, stones, blockage, etc). It gets a little better each day, but sometimes you have to really listen to your body. There will be days where you just need to shut everyone out and sleep. Today was one of those days for me 
.</p>
<p>I’m trying, ny. I’m sleeping probably close to 14+ hours a day. It’s the nausea that’s kicking my butt today.</p>
<p>sometimes the pain meds can make you nauseated. if it gets bad ask your doc for an ant inausea med. the JP drain does not hurt when it comes out, it feels kind of weird. Mine came out before I left the hospital. But I had chest surgery and went home with 3 I hated them, with that surgery it takes awhile,I had them 3 weeks</p>
<p>By the third day, I stopped taking the pain meds. I did take one before bed on the 4th night post op.</p>
<p>Maybe the pain meds are making your nauseous. See if you can do without them during the day. Stick with simple soft foods for a week or so. I know this is gross to post on CC, but get your bowels moving.</p>