Come On Down - I know You're There

It's 4 AM and I can't sleep!

The TV is off, my door is closed but it's still loud in here.
I'm not in pain at least there's no chest or wound pain. I'm taking drugs for that and have found the right balance between feeling groggy and feeling like I can't move or cough. I'm comfortable, sort of.

I look at the clock again. It's still 4 AM. Uggghhhhh, you're loud, why don't you just come on down and make everyone happy!

No bowel movement yet! Lots of action especially with 3 containers of prune juice joining the mix last night butt still no results. No pain, plenty of discomfort and gurgle noises loud enough to wake up the neighbor I'm sure but still no results!

All systems go?

Obviously there are certain parameters that must be passed (sorry for the pun) before one is discharged from the hospital. To be thinking that I may actually go home tomorrow (today) is still mind boggling to me but other than the lack of a poop there is really no reason why I couldn't cut and run from this Popsicle stand!

Breathing on my own, including being extubated shortly after surgery was a good sign and a major hurdle. Getting that catheter out and not having to put another one back in again means the kidneys and the water works are doing what they're supposed to do! My blood sugars are under control (more on that later), there's no fever and my WBC count returned to normal after only a short little stint on the other side.

For days (3 to be exact) bowel sounds have been present, a very good sign and one that currently is easily measured with or without a stethoscope. Besides listening to my lungs and heart every caregiver takes a moment to put that cold little device on my tummy to listen for some gurgles. When present they are a really good indicator that the intestines and stomach are coming back to life after being told by the body during surgery that they're really not needed right now. That stethoscope is REALLY not needed right now that's for sure.

So passing gas has been rather exciting for the past few days and the topic of many conversations. Now it's just not enough. We need some definitive action. Things are there and ready to go. In the absence of heart surgery the answer would be simple - PUSH.

However, in the setting of OHS the last thing we want to do now is to push. Pushing puts a lot of strain on the heart and that would not be good. Sooooooo we take stool softeners and we wait. With every passing fart things feel a little closer. With three containers of prune juice last night things feel so close that moving too far away from the bathroom is a little scary AND yes with each one I'm just not sure if I should risk not sitting on the toilet! Again more detail than anyone needs but it's 4 AM and I can't sleep because of this so you'll either have to just deal or not read the blog!

Joe (he's my nurse again tonight) just came back in to measure my blood pressure and to reiterate there will be no pushing. Just be patient he says but I couldn't actually hear him over the gurgles this time! Try to rest he says. Translation - put your computer away and try to sleep!

Be sure to stay tunned for the results!!)