Rough two days

I think I'm coming out of it, whatever it was.  Yesterday I still had no energy or appetite, had 3 boosts during the day.  Just had no desire to even try to eat anything, walked between the recliner and bed with my comforter.  Starting to feel like that Charlie Brown character.  Had the shakes and shivers pretty much all day yesterday.  Last evening, I wrapped the comforter around me in the recliner and the wife put another one over me and that stopped the shivers.  PS, never had vomiting through out this ordeal

Gradually I flipped off the top one leaving me just wrapped up in one comforter.  Then I was getting hot and starting to sweat and my wife said you have a temperature.  Great.  So for next 2 hours we kept taking a temp. reading every 15 mins, she got on the phone and called the week end phone number for IU hospital to check in with them on what to do.  I told her I think I just may have overheated my own body. The temp. was slowly dropping during this time and by 9:30 was right at 100, down from a high of 102.  The shivers were over and I would occasionally sweat, but not for long.

The night went ok, just slept under a quilt, not the comforter, shivers gone, and right now am feeling better.  It's 7:30 AM on Sat. morning.  I already know what I want for breakfast, so I feel like eating something, yeah.  Going to take a shower directly to wash  all that sweat off, and put on real people clothes, that always make me feel better.

Just took my temp. and it was 97.0.

Thanks for all your prayers and positive thoughts through this journey, God Bless you all, Captain

Today I hit the Wall

It's 1:30 PM and I just got out of bed.  I think I have overdone it the last week and it caught up with me. 2 small trips to the grocery alone, mowed a small patch of grass, Musical with first graders at Avon schools ( our grand daughter was in it ) yesterday trip to the hospital and the lunch and the drive around Indy.  Feel like I have a slight sunburn on my face, my arms and legs have been shaky all day, and a cold chill every once in awhile.  NO, I'm not running a temperature. 

And I had planned errands to get done today.  I left bed around 7:30 and went to the recliner with my comforter.  I had a boost for breakfast, didn't have the energy to actually cut and eat anything. Drinking my second Vitamin water for the day, avoid dehydration.  Probably have another boost and crawl back in bed.

Sorry, but I can't sit and type anymore right now.  God Bless, Captain

Wednesday Morning Updated

7:45 AM  Getting ready to head to the IU Simon Cancer Center for a visit.  Hopefully I will be tube free afterwards, back to a normal person, as if I can be normal.

See you later with an update.  God Bless, Captain

UPDATE  3 PM

Most is good news.  The drainage bag is gone, the tube is still there until next Thursday, just to make sure.  Obviously, once you remove it, you can't just stick it back in there.  So we are pretty much a regular person, but sleeping on my right side is out cause I got this tube still sticking out.

The X-ray scan showed all the bile ducts open and working good, except for one constricted area, and of course we are watching it.  The liver is working fine, it is growing back or I wouldn't be here.  The liver must regenerate that fast in order to keep you alive.  If it was slower, the liver couldn't do it's job and death would follow shortly, that's why 80 % is regrown in the first 3 weeks.

So, the wife and I went to Iaria's for lunch (great Italian food ) then took Meridian st. north and just enjoyed the beautiful day, the flowering trees on houses and landscaping we can only dream about.  Ended up at Trader Joe's with nothing in mind to buy, just looking, and we only spend $11 on frozen lobster meat.

I'm going to take a nap now.  For UPS, I and the Doctor are looking at May 7th to return to work without any complications popping up.

Thanks for all your prayers, God Bless, Captain

Tuesday Morning

Things are going well, but it is once again cold in Indiana.  Yesterday I could not get warm.  I wrapped up in a comforter, I put on long underwear and wrapped up. Just fought it all day.  I did make another trip to the grocery by myself.  Did just fine.

Tomorrow is another doctors appointment for blood work, a  X-ray of the liver, and hopefully removal of the final drain tube.  Then praying for no leaks internally, and more healing to occur.

Yesterday, the disability people called.  I think I said it had been approved, now they are trying to figure out the amount to send me, I have received nothing yet.  They said we notice you are receiving Social Security, I said yes.  I suppose you are going to have to deduct that from the disability check, she said yes.  I told her the whole process was a pain in the butt and hardly worth it.  I'll be back at work before I get the first check.

It's a good thing they didn't ask how much I sold on Ebay last year, or if I sold a car and made a profit, they would want to subtract that.  Jerks...................  Why even bother.  Glad I got that off my chest.

Otherwise all is good, guess I will have to figure my taxes soon. 

God Bless you all, and thanks again.  Captain

Sunday Morning

Went to church, first time back since surgery on 3/1.  Everybody glad to see me, and I to see them.  This morning was a good first for me.  I gained 3 pounds, yeah.  Am getting my appetite back, had breakfast yesterday, ( 2 eggs, 2 pcs of bacon, hash browns and 2 pcs of toast ).  Sandwich, potato salad and 3 pickles for lunch, warmed up spaghetti for dinner.  Things are looking up.

Friday night, I took the car and went on a small trip to the grocery by myself.  Did fine, I wasn't looking for 40 pounds of dog food, don't worry, I still have a brain. 

I'm no hero, but I'm not an invalid either, every thing I do is one step on the road to recovery.  If it doesn't hurt me, why not do it.

I'm feeling better every day, less naps, a little more energy.  Restless at night though, can't get a complete nights sleep, but I wasn't doing that before surgery.

HEY, All you bowlers, don't forget April 14th, 1 PM .  I know it's been awhile and other events are getting added to our lives but I want to see you all there, and some of you own me $$$$$$........lol

Thanks for all your prayers, God is in our lives each day, look at me, an unworthy sinner. 
God Bless you all, Captain

Friday

Waiting on my buddy Mike to visit me this AM.  You just can't do with too many friends.

Did I say the surgeon gave me the ability to drive again ( a little freedom ).

Finally got my disability time approved from  UPS ins provider.  I'm approved till 4/11, heck I can't even sit for 3 hours, let alone stand for 3 hours.  We'll see, how it works out.

Better go for now, eating good, feeling pretty good, trying to walk upright without hunching over.  Weight loss may have bottomed out.

Luv you guys, thanks for all you do for me, remember there are lots of others fighting problems in their own lives.  God Bless, Captain

Liver Anatomy 101

Here goes as I understand it in general.  This organ has 8 independent sections that comprise the liver, each section has it's own artery and vein so any section can be removed without much problems occurring for the rest of the liver.  The liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself, but you have to leave some of it for that to happen.

I had an 8 hour surgery, "extensive" as the surgeon says.  I only have 2 sections of the liver left sections 6 & 7, they removed 80% of my liver.  As we speak supposedly it has already regenerated to 80 % of it's size.  That's why all my energy is going to the liver and I'm so nap ready and can't go for long periods of time.  Of course that will change, the whole process takes 6-8 weeks.  That's probably also why I'm not gaining weight at the point, because everything I eat is going to the liver.

Here is a drawing that the surgeon made yesterday showing what's left of the liver and the bile duct routing.

Well, fudge, I can't seem to upload an Adobe file.  So anyways, I have a plastic tube that is protruding from my body, I left the hospital with it, perhaps for this situation.  It is inserted into the bile duct leaving the liver.  So that could be the site of the blockage, some of the bile is getting through, just not enough to keep me from turning jaundice.  In other words some of the plastic tubing is actually blocking the bile duct.  When they remove the tube that could clear up the problem.

But, the surgeon does not want to remove the tube too early as it needs to create some scar tissue.  If you remove it too early the hole in the bile duct may not seal correctly and you end up with a leak inside your body, We don't want that.  Also it could slow down the regeneration of the liver.  So we are going to err on the side of caution.  Next Weds, it will come out and we will watch the results.

I messed with it enough that I got it to work, now my above description may be clearer.  Remember you can click on the picture to enlarge it, if you want.  I will not show any actual photos, might be too graphic.

Thanks for all your prayers, it's not over yet,  God Bless, Captain