www.incontinentsupport.org

as some of you on may be aware i was in and out of hospital for diverticulitis infection i when i posted my last message on here i again ended up in hospital for nearly 2 weeks in which things have gone seriously wrong.

i was initially treated for the bowel infection but after a few days in hospital the surgeon was very concerned that something was not right and called in other teams.

during that time i lost my mobility from terrible dizziness which resulted in me walking punch drunk and also started getting cardiac issues 180 per minute.

ent were called and it was found that i had suffered from benign vertigo which i still needing further investigations and then the hammer came as a blood test was carried out to which my potassium levels were very low causing all sorts of issues it is so dangerous that i could of gone in to a coma and died.

for 2 weeks i was on endless IV and also potassium treatment as they need to raise it very slow.

from a simple infection i have come home with a zimmer frame and tray trolley and am waiting what they call a rollator which will allow me to at least get outside for a little while to build up my strength.

i am also facing a life long barrage of tests of the dangerous incidents in hospital.

for someone who was fully independent this is a living nightmare for me to sadly say.

in hospital my incontinence was a nightmare and ended up with grade 7 diarrhoea and because my issues were so bad i had to be escorted to the bathroom or use a commode with the staff cleaning me down.

i did feel like really crying my eyes out.

when people think it couldn't happen to them then think again.

mike not so well at the moment and all ready fed up with pushing this tray around to keep me mobile.

My heart goes out to you. Although I am nowhere near as bad off as you, I do understand. I have a brain injury plus a bi-lateral inner ear disease, which can make me fall at any time, and have hospitalized me for a long as two weeks, and housebound for three months afterward. However, I never had the serum chemical issues that make your life so miserable, so I have been lucky. With you, I resent being the subject of caregivers. I wish I could be of more service to you; just remember, as long as you are here, there are folks who understand, because they have been there too.

I understand too mate. When you get into such a state wearing a diaper is the least of your worries. I really hope you get on top of all this and you make a full recovery in time. It's not going to easy and except help when it's offered of needed. You take care and get well soon. 4wheeldave

when you are fully independant and go to something like this it is a massive shock to the system and the amount of teams to see causes overload

also it is the dignity thing going from dealing with your own bodily functions to someone else having to clean you down on daily basis.

there is a whammy to this i was hoping that the surgeon would put an end to this with a stoma so that the bowel problem could be rested and put to bed but she thinks even under keyhole i may not survive and the other issue my abdomen is a funny shape so that trying to make a stoma would be very difficult.

so basically it will be a case of dealing with infections and stuck in diapers for the bowel fluid problem.

my rectum is also affected which is very rare and this is then causing the above incontinence issues.

at least i am still here to tell the tale which is a godsend and with right help i will get through this be it slowly.

the potassium thing does scare me a little but is been monitored my first bloods will be done sometime next week.

any way guys got a busy week with OT and Physio coming to see me and yes put me through my paces

t.c for now and i will come back on for a update of how i am doing,

mike

Hi, Mike - I'm so very sorry that you're dealing with multiple serious medical issues. I truly understand the concept of being a high-functioning and independent person who positively contributes to society, then suddenly reduced to needing assistance with even the most basic daily functions. Been there. I had a stroke 7 years ago. I went to bed one night and became a different person literally overnight. A very difficult reality to wrap one's head around.

Hopefully the assaults to your body have not/will not result in nerve damage or other permanent adverse effects, and that you will regain your ability, strength and independence and move on with your life once the crisis aspect of your medical care is over. It appears that you are in the care of competent medical personnel, and they have developed a realistic treatment plan for you. If ultimately you require a bowel procedure that results in a colectomy, that, too, isn't all that drastic. I have a friend who has a bag and he travels all over the World. He got married about 3 years ago. His wife is a bit younger than he is (and beautiful!) and has no medical stumbling blocks. She knew about the bag before she married him. She's always been totally okay with it and they have a great relationship.

W.

these are the 3 things that happened to me in hospital -

i was initially treated for diverticulitis then for reasons unknown developed benign paroxysmal vertigo which ent diagnosed but still is under investigation as there may be something more going on then potassium issues causing various symptoms including cardiac events.

i also suffered what they call antibiotic related diarrhoea resulting in grade 7 type it is unclear at the moment why my mobility is poor but the surgeon thinks it is through suffering from the 3 issues above.

the stoma thing i think following 3 ct scans that there is some issue in getting enough bowel to the surface to make the stoma, i will be going back in due course for more testing including bowel cancer check and will discuss this more.

on the subject of strokes i am living with a elderly person who last new years was in the kitchen, he came in the front room and then called for an ambulance he lost the use of his left arm. luckily i was fully independent so could offer full help.

at his age he is doing very well although does struggle a little the situation with me falling ill is just making it so hard.

i am now getting in the services to try and ease things a little, i think this was making me very frustrated and not helping the situation.

the team came today and have told to just take it one step at a time, it is really hard as my mind is still before i fell ill and that is resulting in me still trying to do things i can no longer do at least for the time been. from morning till bedtime i am having to constantly think through before trying to do any tasks.

one thing i will be certainly fit pushing this tray system i have from morning till night before long i will be able to do a marathon

The necessity to have to think through physical actions, even the simple ones, such as hand washing, before doing them can be frustrating. However, it is common with folks who must deal with brain injuries. Eventually you will become accustomed to this situation, although it may never become automatic. Good luck.

When i was in hospital Patrick and other nice people on here the potassium issue resulted in problems with my meds not controlling my B.P which then resulted in very high blood pressure then something strange happened my body auto system kicked in and i then ended getting a condition called diuresis something i have never experienced before.

it certainly kept the nursing staff busy at night with the vast amounts of urine flowing in to my night drainage bag the snag was that they then had to monitor my B.P every 2 hours talk about lack of sleep.

the on call doctors were made aware of the situation and some techno explanation was provided as to what my body was doing.

as a result by morning my B.P had resolved.

for the first time since been out of hospital i went for a lay down and became totally relaxed sods law that the telephone then went with the hospital wanting to speak to me, why do people all ways phone when you are in bed

That happens to me most mornings, lol. And it's usually a medical person!

I totally agree with Patrick as to the need to think and plan nearly every move, but it is what it is, and I've adjusted to it. My IC truly gets to me at times, but I know that my life could be so much worse.

W.

got a catheter in but over the weekend my bowel leakage has been the pits end. i am supplied with so many nappies a day luckily i was in hospital for nearly a month so still have a good supply.

also i do buy my own and am able to get tena active plastic back which although stay put can become very hot after wearing a while so the breathable of what i am supplied does what it says and keeps my below parts cool.

well update got the Physio coming on Wednesday so the hard work to recovery will begin with set exercises for the diagnoses which has been made, me thinks this is going to be some workout

main thing is that i am still out of hospital it was beginning to feel like a prison and my mind was beginning to freak out.

although i can't venture out so far at least we have a patio so i can get some fresh air for most of the day while watching wildlife.

i will come back with more updates to how i am doing over the following weeks.