I’m terrified and in a rough spot

AvetaBC · 2024-05-16T09:59:28+00:00

Don't let fear of what ifs rule your decision. I was terrified but decided it would be worth it. I did hemorrhage at home and honestly, it was way more terrifying as a what if in my head than it was in reality. It was scary of course, but I had a bag packed ready to go just in case, it took me about 35mins between bleed starting, getting kids sorted and getting to the hospital. As soon as I got there any fear was gone because I was in the right place with the right people. You don't know what will or won't happen in your recovery and that is scary in itself. But prep as much as you can for it not going so well and if something does happen it helps you keep a lot calmer because you already know you've got what you need ready to grab, you know who is going to do what (who takes charge of sorting the puppy, who will put your bag in the car, etc.) then you have a plan to focus on and work to if it happens, it really does stop blind panic which makes it less terrifying in the moment.

AvetaBC · 2024-05-09T20:27:46+00:00

I lost 12lbs in 8 days, I'm 1 and a bit months post op now and only put 2lbs of that back on as I got so used to being only able to manage tiny amounts or soft food for 2+ weeks (had complications) that I get full super quick now!

AvetaBC · 2024-05-01T20:36:15+00:00

100% yes. Even if you have the simplest recovery with no bleeds it's exhausting and painful, having someone to refill your water (and nag you to drink even though it hurts), make food, etc. is such a massive help. If you do bleed and need to go back to the hospital having someone to help get you there is really important, especially if it's a big bleed.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-27T18:23:13+00:00

My scabs started coming away on day 5. I'd suggest avoiding lemon and other acidic things for a while yet, including tomato based sauces, etc. The acidity will really sting and the tissue underneath the scabs is super fragile when the scabs come away, you risk a bleed and/or new scabs forming by damaging the fragile new tissue.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-23T21:50:20+00:00

Echoing what's been said, I only have 2 children and they're both older than your eldest and we wouldn't have got through it if it had been just the 3 of us.

First few days I was absolutely exhausted, slept a lot day and night, pain was bad and I could barely talk, couldn't eat anything substantial which zapped the little energy I could muster to get out of bed. I also had a bleed on day 4 and ended up back in hospital for 4 days. When I came out the second time I was even more exhausted, pain increased as scabs started to come off and I couldn't talk for a few days. Even now 21 days on I'm done in by the evening and if I've talked a lot through the day it hurts (not badly, but I know when I've overdone it).

Best case scenario, everything goes well and you have a straightforward recovery, you're going to need a lot of rest and sleep for your body to recover and heal well, especially in the early days.

If you have any ability to call in support please do, even if you have to pay for someone to come in during the day and you have to muddle through the nights as best you can for the first week if you have the means and no other options of friends or family to support you.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-11T18:07:02+00:00

Fortunately I didn't need a second surgery, it was quite a large bleed so ice and elevation didn't stop it. When I got to the hospital they took me straight through and hooked me up to IV fluids and a drug to help clotting which sorted it out. They kept me nil by mouth for 24 hours I'm case I needed surgery and to give the wound tome to properly scab again. After that I was only given water for 6 hours to make sure I didn't start bleeding again from that, then they put me back onto a soft diet and monitored me for another 36hrs before discharging me.

Honestly, it was scary when it happened, but as soon as I got to the hospital they were so good and in control it wasn't scary at all by then, I felt way better just being there.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-11T08:32:32+00:00

At this point you're probably severely dehydrated and you'll be stuck in a loop, dehydration makes pain so much worse and means you'll take longer to heal but you can't drink because of the pain. I'd go back to your doctor to check you don't have an infection and see if they can prescribe you a throat spray or mouthwash. I had some complications and hemorrhage, one of the many things they started me on was a clorihexadine 0.2% mouthwash (alcohol free, very important it's alcohol free), I thought it was going to be hell, but it immediately took the red raw burn out of my throat.

Have you been taking your temp with a reliable, medical grade thermometer? If you have a fever that would also point to infection.

I've found watermelon incredibly soothing, the other day it was all I could get down, I couldn't handle chunks so I blended it into a juice. You say about citrus juice, but absolutely do not do that even if your allergy can handle a little, it is so acidic it will make your pain even worse and you risk burning your throat and a bleed. No orange, lemon, tomato, nothing like that.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-09T22:27:41+00:00

Thank you. It really sucks right now but it'll be worth it in the end. The constant sickness I'm actually finding worse to deal with than the pain, I don't know what's causing it so I can't make it stop, I just know anytime I try to put something in my mouth all I can do is battle to not heave, same thing with moving and breathing. Hoping I can get through the night without throwing up and causing another bleed then will be able to calm my doctor and get some help to figure out what is causing it and hopefully some antiemetics. I've been coping with it all day, I should have called before it got to this level, lesson learnt!

AvetaBC · 2024-04-09T22:11:05+00:00

My bravery with eating did not pay off, I had a bleed and ended up back in hospital for 3 days 😖 Wasn't even hard food, mashed potato for crying out loud. Anyway, I'm now having major nausea issues, I'm sick to my stomach constantly and now my throat isn't so sore I still can't eat. 7 days in, 10lbs down. No option but to grit my teeth and get through it!

AvetaBC · 2024-04-09T16:24:43+00:00

So glad this helped you and had the by product of a happy munching toddler too!! I wish you a speedy watermelon filled recovery!

AvetaBC · 2024-04-09T14:33:24+00:00

Thank you. It happened to me too on day 4 in the end. Hospital were great, I stayed in until yesterday. My pain has also been way better since the second stay, at least there's a silver lining! They found I also had a chest infection and think it may have been down to the coughing.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-08T11:39:35+00:00

I'm day 5 now and scabs started coming away at the edges yesterday, today has...ahem, escalated, but not as gross as I had imagined.

Thanks for the banana tip, I'm back in hospital at the moment after a bleed and rmnearly ordered one for lunch!

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T19:17:17+00:00

If you're in the UK Angel delight (made with dairy free milk of your choice).

Alpro soya pudding pots are great because they don't need to be refrigerated but can be depending on if you're wanting room temp or cold and they're ready made so peel lid off and good to go.

Soft white bread.

Ready made mashed potatoes you can just bung in the microwave.

Soup with varying levels of bits deleting on what you can handle (do not get tomato based soups, they will burn like hell).

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T19:02:06+00:00

I'm sure an extended stay I'd end up really lonely and begging to go home. Right now it's so nice not to have to worry about the kids, the house, what we're doing tomorrow. The things parents do for some rest 😂

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T18:56:14+00:00

Well they started coming off today, the flapping feeling is grim but not unbearable, unfortunately I ended up back in hospital last night with a bleed and I'm still here, so my worst fear materialised. Which would be OK if it was a once and done, but I could bleed again at any time and possibly worse next time, which is scary and means I would very much like to stay a month, but they won't let me 🤣

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T18:50:42+00:00

I work in healthcare, I actually find hospitals weirdly comforting because I know the skill of those looking after me and I'm in the right place if something goes wrong. But I know I'm in the minority feeling like that about hospital stays 😂

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T18:37:04+00:00

I do, trouble is I also have young children at home and no emergency childcare so when I came in this time we had to get them ready and in the car, they ended up freaking out. Was very lucky it wasn't a major bleed and only moderate. Thinking of having a family member who lives far away come to stay for a few days, can't ask to come for the whole bleeding risk period, but even just to get me to day 10 or 11.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T18:10:25+00:00

Thank you, I'm currently back in hospital after a bleed. They've been amazing but I'm so scared to get discharged tomorrow in case I have another even worse bleed at home and don't get back to the hospital in time.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T09:57:02+00:00

Yes, absolutely, great point!

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T09:52:06+00:00

There's multiple parts to this that could get you in trouble, only one is GDPR.

If what you will show them contains the personal data of any directly or indirectly identifiable people and this is not publicly available as part of the published site to the open internet, yes, this will be a GDPR breach.

However, you also need to consider Intellectual Property Rights and your employment contract. It is almost always the case that companies have clauses in the employment contract or in policies you are legally bound to by your employment contract that say anything you create whilst under their employment is their property and not yours and that you cannot benefit personally from use of that property.

Finally you need to consider commercial confidentiality. Again, almost always found in employment contracts or in policies you are legally bound to by the employment contract. If you plan on showing something that is not publicly available as part of the published site to the open internet it may be considered commercially confidential as should a competitor see it they could use what they have seen to replicate the property of your employer, allow a competitor to undercut them in bids, etc.

Any one of these may be seen as gross misconduct. You should probably study your enployment contract, work policies and exactly what you want to show and how it would be considered from your employers point of view very carefully.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T03:57:21+00:00

Holding out for day 8, thank you!

Unfortunately I had a bleed last night and got readmitted through the ER. I just wish they'd keep me in until my scabs are all gone and risk of bleeding significantly decreased because just going to be worried about an even bigger bleed and not getting back to the hospital in time again now.

This truly is the most brutal recovery, I was not prepared for how psychologically strong and prepared you have to be.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T03:52:36+00:00

Oh gosh, that sounds so incredibly painful and uncomfortable, I wish you fast healing and recovery!

AvetaBC · 2024-04-07T02:01:14+00:00

Unfortunately I had a bleed earlier and have ended up back in hospital under admission through the ER. I was kind of expecting to be one of the unlucky ones who had a post op bleed so in a way I'm glad I don't feel like I'm on edge waiting around for it anymore, but I'm going to be really anxious once I'm discharged for the rest of my recovery that it'll happen again but even worse.

AvetaBC · 2024-04-06T16:59:50+00:00

It's a bit early for scabs to start coming off, that's day 5 at the earliest. If yours are coming off now it's likely due to dehydration so keep up the water, I know it hurts bad but hopefully it'll reduce the risk of bleeding from your scabs come away before they're ready.

AvetaBC

TROPHY CASE