Procedure=Surgery

Yesterday didn't go so well. 

The gastro doc had problems with her "procedure" and now she's referred Papa's case to a surgeon. 

Apparently, after she put the tube in his stomach, she couldn't get the other part down into the small intestine due to "loops" and the fact that his organs are just not arranged like most folks', due to all his previous abdominal surgeries. 

Fortunately, the surgeon is very familiar with Papa's insides, although he wasn't the last doctor to operate, so there's been some changes in the "layout!"  The surgeon is going to consult and review all the info from the December surgery before deciding his course of action and said that he'd probably take him in to operate on Monday. 

He feels that it's going to be a tough job to find a suitable piece of intestine to use, since Papa's had so many intestinal resections.  The other problem is the healing process.  Due to his diabetes and the fact that prior radiation has caused such tissue damage on his belly, it's difficult to find a "good" area to cut through and then expect it to heal properly.   

In the meantime, I am concerned about him developing pneumonia because he's coughing and sounding congested, so I asked the nurse to get him checked. 

Although one good thing....Papa said he got a good night's sleep for a change (before the procedure), since they had him really doped up on Dilaudid.  I may have to speak to them about his pain meds, because last night he was beginning to talk pretty crazy, which is typical when he starts getting frequent doses.  Then, if they don't back off a little, he'll start becoming a "management" problem with hallucinations, trying to get out of bed and pulling at all his tubing.  I've seen it so many times during his hospitalization over the years.

Besides just being downright sensitive to the effects,  since his liver isn't working right, he doesn't process it through as fast as others in better health.  So, we get a cumulative problem. 

Well, it's off to the hospital again, after I call work and give them an update.  One positive thing about all this is that I have had some quiet time to sit and review the manual for my new digital camera.  This thing is amazing and I look forward to getting some great pictures with it someday.  I practiced on the flowers I got for Papa!  Problem is, I don't know how to upload them to the computer yet!  More to study!

See ya!