Trying To Describe a Bowel Obstruction

Some Fresh News Before we Start

Before I begin with my short segment of writing that may get to a book. My first order of business is to promote a poetry book filled with poems for those of us that attended a class at the WellSpring cancer resource centre in Stratford. When I first went there I used the centre for mainly Reiki or Therapeutic Touch, ya something pre-cancer Steve would’ve never tried. I found both treatments helpful as a stress relief, along with healing benefits. If I could stay awake. When I was told about a poetry class I could only picture my old English teachers laughing, loudly. I was never a good student in high school and my grades reflected that. Like everything though change is part of life and I happily attended class. The teacher was a well known local published author Heidi Sander.

I enjoyed the poetry so much that when a second class was announced I signed up right away. I have featured a couple of those in past blogs, alongs with new ones as a way of improving my writing and expressing emotion. Something once upon a time I did very little of. A few months ago we found out through the help of Heidi that a book was going to be published that included our poems. This book was made possible by the hard work of Lisa Stacey and Heidi Sander and her team. There was also a few of us from the centre who helped put this together. The best part about the project is 100% of the revenue from sales goes back into WellSpring to help anyone affected by cancer. The book launch itself is on November 10th and some of us will be there to read our poems, pretty cool. Right now we are taking pre-order sales at this link https://wellspring.ca/london-region/ways-to-give/events-and-fundraisers/?

I Think the Staples are Going to Blow!

I believe my first obstruction came while I was still in the hospital. It was never confirmed, but holy man! I had just finished my first “meal” in three days. If you want to call beef broth, jello, ginger ale and juice that, my neighbour had just finished his…I going to say fourth meal of the day. Don’t get me started on that guy! I ate slowly as instructed, tried to sit up in my bed to help the food work its way down. A buddy of mine was soon coming to visit and I was looking forward to talking with someone.

Within fifteen minutes a bead of sweat came from my brow, then a little pain in my chest. Remember my whole abdomen is frozen at the time. Something bad was about to happen as quick as I could that nurses bell got rang. A voice came through, “Hello”. My response and trust me I’m always pleasant with healthcare worker, but this was different. “I need something to barf in right now, please!” was all I could get out. Trapped in a bed, legs don’t work because of the freezing, the catheter basically preventing me from any movement. I prayed the nurse would make it in time. My belly swelled and I turned from grey to white and back again, trying my best to hold it in.

The dam was just about to burst when the nurse walked in, I truly feel sorry for her. She help one of those kidney shaped bowls (not sure of the technical name) I said, ” That’s not going to be big enough”, as the meal I waited for three days to get came rushing out. That small bowl was not match for what projected out of me. I believe only a little spilled out on the floor as a second nurse heard the commotion and deliver a much larger pail. There’s nothing quite like getting sick for, no word of a lie a good two to three hours. During which period my buddy arrived, point and laugh giving the old “YES!”, before I said this is not a good time. Trust me Jay wasn’t being mean or unsympathetic in any way. As a matter of fact I more than deserved it after his stay in the hospital two years prior…it’s a guy thing. He also returned the next day with some reading material for me.

Like I said this went on for hours, nearly blacking out a couple of times. Nurses trying to calm me down to no avail. My biggest fear was somehow my intestines got twisted and then surgery would have to be redone. At one point I remember retching so hard I screamed, “I think my staples are gonna blow!” I’m not sure how much morphine they gave me during this episode, but I did feel at one point like it was an out of body experience. A terrifying one at that.

Just like that it was Gone

After filling a couple buckets and I really don’t know how I did that. Based on the small amount of “food” I had consumed over the last few days. Just like a switch the sweating stopped, my colour came back and I felt, normal. The staples had held, like the nurse said and immediately I felt like an ass for what I had put them through. I was brought a fresh pillow, since the other had been soaked with sweat. Thank them and apologizing man times over, I asked them what just had happened. The answer wasn’t completely clear. When your intestines are operated on and then aren’t used for a while. Sometimes they “go to sleep” and forget to do their job. They get lazy and stop moving food along. Leaving it only one way to go after sitting for too long. The other thought was that it could have been an obstruction. Caused by scarring tissue or worst another tumour. That attack I never really got an answer and the next day the meal they gave me made its way through me and out the correct way.

After that attack was done and my senses came back to me. I looked at the clock and it read 6:30 p.m. It had lasted over four hours my guts hurt even with the freezing and my only thought was I hope this never happens again, ever! As I relaxed I thought about apologizing to my neighbour, but only minutes later a delivery driver showed up with KFC and I thought, “what an asshole!”

There is much more to read about this and maybe it happened again or not? I have decided, with some help to move forward on authoring a book. In the meantime click that link above and order that book of poetry. I have also offered a challenge, since the cover of the book is a picture I took. If anyone can guess where that is I’d buy them copy. It’s a tricky one and you have to be specific and if anyone can name the park I may consider that. Good luck!

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