During the evening my kidneys were not functioning up to par and I was retaining fluid, getting more and more bloated as the day progressed.Lasix was added to the meds in my IV. Early Tuesday morning we started to get some results but not enough that DR K wanted to let me go home as had been the original plan. My abdomen looked like something between a ripe plum and a prune with six puckered incisions with the largest one spreading its coloration even across my back, this was the major work site. Pain meds were administered frequently but not upon demand so I learned to deal with an increase in pain about every two hours which soon became my new sleep pattern.
Late Tuesday night I started to run a fever and lungs were filling with fluid so once again new medications were added to the IV cocktail. The team came in frequently to help me cough, pillow across abdomen and sucking on little device until it brought on deep coughing and this seemed to be under control by Wednesday afternoon.
A new issue was discovered and that was a low(negative) potassium level so after consultation among the team it was decided to give me potassium via the IV. Now I was told that there would be some burning, I had experienced this with some other injections, but if any of you have had this treatment you know that it is not quite the same. The burning sensation started with the first point of entry and just grew stronger as it flowed through my system. I wanted nothing more than to rip the IV out. The nurses were there, placing hot packs all over my body as I gritted my teeth and cried. I watched as the bag emptied but any elation was quickly dampened when the Resident said that there were “only” three more bags to go. I was spared when after bag #3 DR K told them to start me on oral potassium and I got to swallow large pills and eat bananas for the rest of the night.
Things looked good for a late Thursday discharge. Around 6PM I got the okay (a little white lie that said I had someone waiting at home to help me) and eagerly prepared for my trip home with members of the team scheduled to do follow-up with me on Friday. I headed down to Admissions to retrieve my ring from the safe but while waiting for the clerk to return I remember hearing someone say to my escort, “she doesn’t look too good.” and afterwards seeing members of the medical response team bending over me. I was taken to ER where it seemed that my fever had returned and there was concern about fluid again. So it was back on IV, some more lab work, x-rays and finally at around 4AM I was given the okay to continue my discharge with strict instructions to follow.
Once at home all I wanted to do was sleep and I have been doing that for most of the week. While others were out enjoying the beautiful weather I was curled on the couch, wrapped in fleece and alternating between being hot and shivering. Tonight has been the first time that I have felt good enough to sit up for any length of time. Bruises are fading; some feeling is coming back into the poor IV arm so things are looking good.
Dr K called Friday night to tell me that the biopsy report was back. The tumor measured a little over 5 CM and had grown faster than expected. It had gone through the uterine wall but the lymph node biopsies did not show any signs of malignancy but we await the secondary report. Unless there are complications, my next visit is set for April 11 at which time my case will have been reviewed and the next step selected. In the meantime I just need to concentrate once more on getting back into shape.
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