I was going to detail everything; tme and energy forbid me from that so I"ll give the Reader's Digest condensed version.
In 2006 I had stomach cancer, even gave a kidney for it.
In late 2008 I began feeling off; my blood work said I was okay, Giacamo wasn't back. I breathed a sigh of relief and ignored the discomfort. In mid-January I took a fall at home and needed a neighbor to get me back up (I see nothing strange about a 49 year old calling a 76 year old for this sort of help-besides which, I've wanted him for years.)
Once more I ignored things. I had plans! A work situation was taking me to Europe and my ticket to the Ukraine was in my then sweating hands.
Then I slept most of the day and night for a week or so, then I became dizzy. Finally as severe abdominal pain and vomiting of bile joined in I called a friend. He came over, I called an ambulance and headed to the hospital
Diagnosis: SBO (small bowel obstruction-right at the point where the stomach and intestines meet up).
Solution: Plastic tube in nose to stomach to drain bile continually and surgery.
Doctor: A stunningly handsome man from India in his 40s or 50s (I forgot to ask). After surgery I began thinking of grabbing his crotch , a behavior which I would easily have attributed to the pain meds I also liked his able bodied assistant who was from Bangladesh, but a little to young for me.
ICU staff: Wonderful in all aspects.
The post ICU staff: Mostly fantastic (there were some off moments)
Food: Not a thing for some 2 weeks (great way to lose weight), then slow reintro which progressed well from liquid to mush; but, became trouble at solids. Then back to square one of no food, just the IV drips.
Finally it was determined I could try again. It went well. Then more horrors. My legs tripled in size as fluid retention took place, a catheter was shoved back in so I could urinate (or at least release urine). I lay in bed for several weeks, lingering to some degree even though the surgery had been a success. The doctor said it was a success and his groin wouldn't lie to me (or sadly, evern with me, I really wish I had groped him-it would give me something to remember which may well have been sizeable and enjoyable-he might even have taken pity on me and not billed me). I returned to food and was given a dreadful supplement called Ensure Plus. It did help even though the taste was not that great.
One day two fools came in from the physical rehab department of the hospital. They stood me up and I sat down-on the floor. My leg muscles at atrophied. For a week they did bedside exercise of my legs and arms; still I could not stand unassisted. Even assisted I was limited to less than a minute.
The perky good looking woman from the rehab spoke to me and then some others and I was informed I'd be shipped to the physical rehab of a local nursing home. I stayed there for 9 weeks as I learned to walk again and rebuild some strength. Day two was nice, they got the catheter out of my penis and I successfully urinated..
Today: I'm still weak and a bit more addled than usual, often unable to remember the simplest words;and the future as always is unknown.
Oh yes the promised nudity-I had a cheap hospital gown which was often removed for examination of my being by the interns and others on their morning rounds and for the daily bathing by a nurse's aide. One was very gentle with me and he'd apologize whenever I yelped in pain.
(you didn't think I'd put those pictures here did you? I have standards-you'll need to pay me -and my medical bills-to get them).
So, I am here (or not) and will post (or not) depending on what I feel like as I proceed.
In 2006 I had stomach cancer, even gave a kidney for it.
In late 2008 I began feeling off; my blood work said I was okay, Giacamo wasn't back. I breathed a sigh of relief and ignored the discomfort. In mid-January I took a fall at home and needed a neighbor to get me back up (I see nothing strange about a 49 year old calling a 76 year old for this sort of help-besides which, I've wanted him for years.)
Once more I ignored things. I had plans! A work situation was taking me to Europe and my ticket to the Ukraine was in my then sweating hands.
Then I slept most of the day and night for a week or so, then I became dizzy. Finally as severe abdominal pain and vomiting of bile joined in I called a friend. He came over, I called an ambulance and headed to the hospital
Diagnosis: SBO (small bowel obstruction-right at the point where the stomach and intestines meet up).
Solution: Plastic tube in nose to stomach to drain bile continually and surgery.
Doctor: A stunningly handsome man from India in his 40s or 50s (I forgot to ask). After surgery I began thinking of grabbing his crotch , a behavior which I would easily have attributed to the pain meds I also liked his able bodied assistant who was from Bangladesh, but a little to young for me.
ICU staff: Wonderful in all aspects.
The post ICU staff: Mostly fantastic (there were some off moments)
Food: Not a thing for some 2 weeks (great way to lose weight), then slow reintro which progressed well from liquid to mush; but, became trouble at solids. Then back to square one of no food, just the IV drips.
Finally it was determined I could try again. It went well. Then more horrors. My legs tripled in size as fluid retention took place, a catheter was shoved back in so I could urinate (or at least release urine). I lay in bed for several weeks, lingering to some degree even though the surgery had been a success. The doctor said it was a success and his groin wouldn't lie to me (or sadly, evern with me, I really wish I had groped him-it would give me something to remember which may well have been sizeable and enjoyable-he might even have taken pity on me and not billed me). I returned to food and was given a dreadful supplement called Ensure Plus. It did help even though the taste was not that great.
One day two fools came in from the physical rehab department of the hospital. They stood me up and I sat down-on the floor. My leg muscles at atrophied. For a week they did bedside exercise of my legs and arms; still I could not stand unassisted. Even assisted I was limited to less than a minute.
The perky good looking woman from the rehab spoke to me and then some others and I was informed I'd be shipped to the physical rehab of a local nursing home. I stayed there for 9 weeks as I learned to walk again and rebuild some strength. Day two was nice, they got the catheter out of my penis and I successfully urinated..
Today: I'm still weak and a bit more addled than usual, often unable to remember the simplest words;and the future as always is unknown.
Oh yes the promised nudity-I had a cheap hospital gown which was often removed for examination of my being by the interns and others on their morning rounds and for the daily bathing by a nurse's aide. One was very gentle with me and he'd apologize whenever I yelped in pain.
(you didn't think I'd put those pictures here did you? I have standards-you'll need to pay me -and my medical bills-to get them).
So, I am here (or not) and will post (or not) depending on what I feel like as I proceed.
I don't know how I missed this! 
