Yet Another Surgery

As you may have guessed from the title, I had yet another surgery. This past October, I had another hernia repair. To recap what led up to this surgery, here's a quick time line of events. Surgery as a baby led to scar tissue causing a bowel obstruction in 2005 requiring surgery. That surgery created more scar tissue that led to another bowel obstruction in March 2014 requiring surgery. That surgery caused a hernia that was repaired in August 2014. That hernia repair failed leading to this hernia repair in October 2015. 

Needless to say, I'm done having surgery for a loooong time. This time they used a plastic mesh to do the repair. I asked them to do that last time, but the surgeon was insistent on not using plastic and I know him and trust him. I work with him on a regular basis. After it failed he admitted that he severely underestimated how much and hard I cough with having CF. A point I tried to iterate before the hernia repair in August 2014. I need a strong incision not just because of all the intense coughing I do on a daily basis, but because I need to be able to exercise without the risk of causing another hernia. There's always a risk, but the risk is significantly smaller with plastic mesh. So I had surgery. 

This time the recovery went A WHOLE lot smoother. The incision was the same, only slightly smaller than before by an inch or so, from just below my sternum to right above my pubic bone. The amount of intervention required was the same with the addition of plastic mesh and a few more sutures. The one variable that changed: I got an epidural. Epidurals scare me. Monica has gotten two and was fine. I've taken care of hundreds of patients with epidurals all who were fine. BUT, I've seen what happens when they go bad first hand and it's not pretty. It's scary. I did not get one with the first three surgeries. This time I had a great anesthesiologist who convinced me to do it. One big kicker was that he gave me versed (a sedative with an amnesia effect) before doing the epidural. I don't remember a thing, lol. I think it truly made a HUGE difference in my recovery. 

With the prior surgeries I was up walking the day of or after surgery but with lots of pain. Lots. Doubled over and walking very stiff, and unable to take deep breaths which hugely affected my ability to cough up mucus and oxygen requirements. In fact in August 2014 I almost got sent home on oxygen but weasled my way out of it. Perks of being an RT. :) In fact I had probably the scariest moment of my life after my August surgery. Directly related to my inability to take deep breaths and needing to be on oxygen. That's for a different time though. This most recent surgery though I was up walking the day of surgery with virtually no pain. I could cough like I normally do and get mucus up. It hurt but nowhere near like it did the other times. My hospital stay was therefore shortened and my total recovery time was shortened by a couple weeks. It took about 8-10 weeks to really feel back to myself. This time I felt great after 6. The only thing I can pinpoint it to is that epidural. I'm a believer now! :)

On a side note, I discovered that I'm very allergic to mastisol. A liquid adhesive used to adhere steri-strips. I broke out in a horrible poison ivy looking rash with huge weeping blisters. It spread all across my abdomen, back and down my groin. Super fun! I was out of it for about a week. I was taking the maximum amount of Benadryl allowed in a 24 hour period combined with pain pills and a couple tubes of various anti-itch medicine. That was the worst part of the whole recovery. So the moral of the story is: get the epidural. In all reality the odds are pretty rare that anything should go bad. I was just being a worry wart. And a little macho too I guess. Which I may add the anesthesiologist called me on, lol. 

On a final side note, I no longer have a belly button. After 4 surgeries they said it was time for it to go. It created a weak point in the incision. The boys were very confused by it. Maybe I'll have to get a tattoo of a button in its place! Haha!

Hernia Recovery Update

These posts are more for me than anything. I think it'll be neat to have a journal of sorts to keep track of things we go through in life. With that being said, here's some rambling about what's gone on since the last post.

It's been 3 weeks to the day since my surgery. I'm still amazed at how much smoother the recovery has gone this time around. I expected that with the same size incision (actually it's an inch longer at 10 inches this time) the recovery would be the same as in March. It's been leaps and bounds better! I'm getting around almost like normal. I got the drain, staples and sutures removed this past Wednesday. The difference after that alone was night and day. The area around the drain had become very red and irritated and was the main source of pain. Coughing was still rather painful because of the drain and the staples.

Since those have come out I'm virtually pain free. I have one spot that gives me a lot of trouble only when I cough in any other position besides sitting. So for now, anytime I need to cough, I try to hurry and sit down somewhere so it doesn't hurt. As long as I'm sitting, it doesn't hurt at all. It's very strange. The nurse and doc said I may have some pain from where the drain was, and the source of my pain now is exactly where the drain stopped under the skin. Besides that, I feel really good! Now the hard part is taking it easy.

I feel really good, so I will be more inclined to start doing a lot more and lifting more. The surgeon told me I can increase the amount of weight I lift by 5 pounds each week, starting at 10 pounds. Pain being my indicator as to when I'm going too far. My first feat will be to tackle the yard. My sister was kind enough to mow the front yard for me after I got out of the hospital, after 2 weeks of not being mowed. It's been another week and a half and we've had a lot of rain since the last mow. It's looking like a jungle again. The backyard hasn't been  mowed for almost 4 weeks now. It really looks bad! They boys were out playing in the backyard today and Jace found some weeds that were up to his chest. No joke! His chest! It's gonna be a blast mowing that, lol. It'll be good exercise though. I do have a self-propel mower that I will take full advantage of as well.  I have a CF clinic appointment Monday. I'll post the results of that. I'm anxious to see where my lung function is at.

Everything has been going good around the Parks' home! The family is happy and healthy! Life is great!

Surgery #2 of 2014

March 2014 surgery incision

For those of you that don't know, I had my second pretty major surgery of the year. In March, I had a bowel obstruction caused by scar tissue from two prior surgeries (1984 & 2005). It required emergent surgery. I had a short 5 day stay post-op and a 6 week recovery. It was much more painful than I remember from 2005. I had to dress a 2 inch portion of my incision that had been left open for draining purposes. Overall, it was a lot harder than I remember and a whole lot more painful (did I mention it was very painful). The surgery in 2005 was the exact same scenario, bowel obstruction caused by scar tissue, only it wasn't emergent. I don't have any pics from that surgery.

Fast forward to a couple months ago and I noticed a bulge in the center of my stomach near my belly button. I knew instantly it was a hernia. I could just tell. On the plus side, it didn't hurt. I had no feeling left in that area of my stomach from all the surgeries. After a couple weeks, it kept growing, sticking out more and more. I called and had an appointment to have it looked at. Fast forward 6 weeks, a CT scan and two more doctor visits and I had a surgery scheduled to fix it. I had my appointment with the hernia doc on a Wednesday afternoon. The only opening they had was for that Friday (two days from then). I'd have to wait another month or so before having it fixed if I waited. I scurried to make all the arrangements with work, etc. and went in Friday, August 1st to have it fixed.

I'm just over 2 weeks out from surgery. This time has been much, much better! So much less painful than in March. So far the toughest part has been not being able to hold my two precious boys. It's a 6 week recovery again and I can't lift anything over 10 pounds. They didn't leave any part of the incision open this time, thankfully. However, I do have a drain in place. It honestly hasn't been that big of a deal. I expected it to be much worse. I have to empty it once a day and that's about it. The past few days it has been causing me a lot of pain. I think mostly because my body is trying to heal itself, but can't because there's a suture and large tube in the way. It's very red and irritated. It keeps forming scabs that get torn off (which is causing most of the pain) from the dressings and from moving around. The skin around the drain is extremely tender. My incision on the other hand is doing great! It looks awesome so far! The surgeon did an excellent job of putting me back together. He used a biologic mesh to hold my guts in and reinforce the area. The scar will look phenomenal compared to the two I had prior. It looks like someone drew a line down my stomach with an ink pen. It's put together so well and I think it'll leave a very nice, neat looking scar. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it's much better than the one in March I promise.

Thankfully, my lungs have remained healthy through all of this. I give all the credit to God! I've stayed faithful to my treatments and kept myself busy, up and moving around to help keep my lungs healthy. I haven't had PFT's post-op yet, but I know they'll be much better than the last go around. My FEV1 dropped to 47% after the surgery in March, which was pretty scary. Even though I knew it was because I was still in a lot of pain and couldn't give a maximal effort, seeing that 47% was scary. I know I'm doing much better than 47% this time and for that I'm extremely grateful.

I get the drain and all 29 staples and 7 sutures out this coming Wednesday! I couldn't be more excited! I'm anxious to get on with my recovery. I feel like I never fully recovered from the surgery in March. I got the hernia so soon, I never got to get back into running and working out. I'm extremely motivated! I've been down and out for almost 7 months when it's all said and done. I'm ready to get back at it! I should be back to tip top fighting shape after this surgery and am looking forward to getting myself back into the best shape of my life!

I'll keep you all posted on how things continue to progress! Thanks for reading!!

Thankful Thursday: Spouses, Savior & "Normal"

We started this a week ago but never posted it. So, here is our Thankful Thursday post from last week for this week's Thankful Thursday post that we haven't done in a very long time! (Whew! That was a mouthful)

It's been awhile since we've done a Thankful Thursday post! There's always something to be thankful for. Even in the midst of a storm, there's something. The past 5 weeks have been extremely rough on us. It's been the most challenging time we've had. I've had some of the scariest moments I've had to date related to my health. For Monica, I know it has been especially rough. For the first couple weeks after surgery, I was pretty much out of commission. She had to do pretty much everything around the house and with the boys. It wasn't just the physical toll it took on her, but the emotional as well. Watching me go through some very tough moments with my health was hard for her. It brought on all kinds of feelings of worry and fear for both of us. Thoughts of what the future will hold and how with CF although there are plenty of times of good health, the overall trend will go downwards. This was nothing compared to what a lung transplant will entail, and it has opened our eyes to the struggles we will face someday.  I've always said though, CF is hardest on those who are closest to the person with CF (in most cases their spouse). I truly believe my having CF is harder on Monica than it is on me. Thankfully we know who holds tomorrow and trust Him completely. That being said, we are past the worst of it. My PFT's are coming back up toward normal and I'm very close to being back to my usual state of physical health. I've taken on the task of all the house work (cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.) and twin duties for the past few weeks, since I'm still out from work. Mr. Mom ain't so bad, lol. :)

Right now it's Thankful Thursday! As I said there are always things to be thankful for! Here's our lists:

Monica's List:

I am thankful for my husband. Can I just be real here? Can I just say that sometimes I'm not always positive? And sometimes being a CF wife is hard. I mean if I'm being real, I can admit that even though I try to always be the girl with a positive smile, that's not always the girl inside. To be honest, in the hard times I do have moments that I wish that Jeremy and I had a "normal" life. I guess when we think normal it'd be a life where he didn't have CF and the trials it brings? But  you know what? There's a lot of people in this world who would love to have our life. There's people that have so much bigger problems than we do. And they might would look at our life and say, "Man, I wish I had a "normal" life like Jeremy and Monica." People who are: starving in other countries, in the middle of war, sold in trafficking, orphans, persecuted for their faith, physically disabled. They'd love for the chance at our "normal." God forgive me for not being thankful for my "normal" life. It has been perfectly crafted by you and I am thankful for it! And thank you to my husband for loving me when I'm not so lovable! I'd marry you again Pookiebear!

I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I tell Jeremy all the time that I don't know how people go on with out the faith we have. We all have our own burdens and trials. It is so encouraging to know that Jesus said in Matthew 11: 28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

For those who ask me how I know Jesus is real and alive... I will say. "You ask me how I know he lives, He lives within my heart!" I have absolutely felt His touch so real in my life. All I have to do is whisper His name ,and in my darkest hours he has proved to me that He sees me, loves me, and cares about every aspect of my life! Wow, that's pretty Awesome! I can tell you right now, there's something precious about needing God. We all need God every day. Sometimes we don't realize it though because everything is going so "perfect", and what do we really actually "need" Him for? I know my walk with God wouldn't be as strong as it is without my constant need for Him. God has used CF in my life to draw me closer to His side. It is so neat how he works! Praise God!!! I'm about to start preaching!!! :)

Jeremy's List:

I'm thankful for speaking opportunities. I was able to travel and speak at another RT conference this week about CF. It is always fun! I enjoy the traveling process. Seeing different airports, flying, it's all fun in a childlike way to me, lol. I also really enjoy speaking. It's become a true love of mine. I'm not a super outgoing guy and tend to keep to myself when I'm traveling or around people I don't know. When I get on stage and am able to talk about something I'm passionate about (CF), somehow it just comes second nature. It's easy and I really enjoy it. I like the questions I get afterwards. I can tell people are learning and are inquisitive. It's awesome! I always get to meet at least a couple parents of CFers as well. It's always nice to encourage them and answer any of their questions. I really enjoy it!

I'm thankful for CFit and Ronnie Sharpe. As most of you know, I am in a program called CFit. It's a fitness/nutrition program for people with CF. I was one of ten very lucky individuals to get picked to participate. When you have abdominal surgery and a 9 inch incision running vertically down your stomach, you can't lift weights or run, lol. The surgery brought the CFit program to a complete halt. I thought it was done and over. After all, I couldn't run 3 days or lift 3 days a week like I was. No lifting anything over 10 pounds for 6 weeks and running would be far too painful. In my mind I was thinking what's the point of continuing. I can't do anything. Ronnie told me he was with me for the long haul and wanted to help me get back to and beyond the shape I was in. If it hadn't been for him, I know I would not have pushed myself as hard to recover like I have. He's stuck with me, continuing to do our weekly phone calls and giving me weekly goal sheets. The goal sheets now are super wimpy compared to what they were, but it's progress. :) I'm thankful for his dedication to me. He owes me nothing and is doing it simply because he's a great guy! Thanks Coach!

I'm thankful for my wife. I've never loved someone the way I love her and didn't know it was possible. She has brought a joy into my life that I didn't know a spouse could bring. Life is so much more fun when you have someone to share it with. It's even better when you don't want to spend a minute away from that person. It's not easy being married to someone with this disease. There's a lot of sacrifices and struggles that only those married to someone with CF will know or understand. I'm thankful she hasn't split like pea soup ;) Kidding of course. I love my wife!!

P.S. I'm back to work now, but will be out again starting Monday for a "tune-up." Lungs still aren't in tip top shape. It's not going to be fun at all going back in The Hole 7 weeks after I got out from having a major surgery. Also, I hope this post didn't sound too negative in the intro. After re-reading it, I almost changed a few things but opted to leave it as written the first time, when I was going through it. 

All Backed Up

I've had another lengthy absence from the blog. This time is was brought on by some backed up bowels. :)

Aaahhh what is this thing?!

A week ago Tuesday I was at work. I ate lunch and shortly after started experiencing some very intense abdominal cramps. I thought maybe I ate something bad. After all... I do work at a hospital and eat hospital food for lunch. :) That evening the pain was still so intense I couldn't eat dinner. I was awakened around 2am and lost everything I'd eaten for what felt like a week! I fell back asleep and woke in the morning with just as much pain. It felt very similar to the pain I experienced in 2005 when I had a bowel obstruction that required surgery. I waited hoping it would subside. It didn't and so off to the ER I went. After a 5 hour wait I got a room in the ER. They started an IV and fluids after 1 failed attempt and blown vein (unusual because I have great veins). I had to swallow an NG tube (it actually went very smoothly). They sent blood work, took an X-Ray and sent me for a CT. Then I waited to hear from the docs.

A surgeon came in maybe 45 min later. By this time it was 2am. I work with him on an almost daily basis. It was nice to see a familiar face. He told me the CT looked bad. I definitely had a bowel obstruction and it looked like part of my bowel was not receiving blood flow (it could be dead and would need to be cut out). I needed emergent surgery. If the bowel was in fact "dead" it could lead to a spread of infection throughout my body and cause major problems. I signed all the paperwork, sent a text to my parents and poor wifey and off I went to pre-op holding. My case actually got bumped by an emergency. I was actually nice. I was able to spend some time praying for the surgeons, anyone that would be working on me, for God's will, and praying just in general. I was also able to get in a 1-2 hour nap. By then they were giving me pain meds so I was much more comfortable. My pre-op nurse was a lady I worked with for years on night shift and hadn't seen in a long time. It was nice to catch up with her. She's a sweetheart and took great care of me! I doubt she'll ever read this, but if she does, thank you Denise!

Post NG tube being pulled

I got out of surgery and everything went great. The obstruction was caused from scar tissue (adhesions) from my surgery in 2005. It had grown and wrapped it's way around my bowels, eventually pinching them closed. They didn't have to remove any bowel and were able to clear most of the obstruction easily. I had to keep the NG tube for several more days. They gave me Golytely and Mucomyst through the NG, and suppositories to make my bowels start working and to clear out the remainder of the hard stool. After having exactly 5 bowel movements, they finally agreed to remove the NG tube and start me on clears. My first meal was chicken broth, blue jello and apple juice! Later that day they let me have real food... a turkey sandwich and bag of Baked Lays with some Sierra Mist! I went home the following day! I went in on Wednesday afternoon and left Tuesday afternoon. Just shy of a week. In that short amount of time I dropped 15 pounds. It's amazing the amount of energy, weight and strength 6 days following a pretty major surgery can take out of you.

I left with some pretty awesome battle wounds! They tore my arms up, lol! I have great veins and have never had any problems with blood draws or IV's. I've had hundreds of sticks and IV's started all with no problems. This time I had 5 IV's, 4 of which blew. I had several sticks, and each time was left with a giant hematoma and bruise. My eyes and cheeks are sunk in from the weight loss, and I look beat up! My incision is massive (It starts about 4 finger widths below where my sternum ends and stops an inch or two above my male parts)! Overall this surgery went much better than the one I had in 2005 where I was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks. All except the massive scar, but I do believe it will look better than the other one when it heals.

Now starts the recovery process. Gaining strength day by day. The incision is still very tight so it's hard to stand up straight and keep good posture. This makes it hard on my back from hunching over so much. Little tasks get me breathing heavy and take a lot out of me. I can't be on my feet more than 30 minutes and I'm completely whooped and have to sit for another 30 or more to recoup. The hardest part of recovery is not being able to pick up my boys. It's torture. No lifting anything over 10 pounds for 6 weeks. That and the coughing is killer with such a huge incision. No amount of splinting makes it any easier. It's flat out tough. Every day get s a little bit better though. I'm able to be on my feet moving around more each day. Some days are more painful than others. On those days, my posture usually suffers.

It's great to be home! It's great to be around my wife and boys!

It has been a whirlwind of a week. I went from feeling on top of the world going to bed Monday night after a great workout, to having a major surgery and barely being able to get around. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed about all of this. It's going to be a long road to get back to where I was. I was on week 5 of CFit. I was gaining weight, getting A LOT stronger and feeling AMAZING!!! I felt the best I had in a long time and looked the best I had in a while. My shirts were fitting tight, and I was gaining a little bit of confidence, lol! It's hard to look in the mirror and see my now bony shoulders, sunk in eyes and cheeks and hunched over stance. It's not gonna be easy, but I'm determined. It's hard not to be when you have a gorgeous wife and two amazing sons to live for!!! I'm gonna end here before I cry on my keyboard. :)

Jeremiah 29:11
Romans 8:28