Hemicolectomy & TAHBSO (Part 3)

The next morning, I took over sister in-law's shift at 7.30am. Dr Khairil wrote me a prescription to get Enoxaparin (Clexane)Injection 40mg/o.4ml and Etoricoxib (Arcoxia) 120mg tab from UMMC pharmacy. Clexane by Sanofi-aventis is a "blood thinner" which helps prevent formation of blood clots. It is used after certain surgeries. Arcoxia is a painkiller by Merck that works by blocking the production of prostaglandins, chemicals in the body which cause pain, swelling and inflammation. The PCA connected to mom would be removed soon and she would be on oral painkiller for the next 10 days.

The physiotherapist came and demonstrated the following exercises to reduce the effects of the general anaesthetic and speed up the recovery process.

• 
  
  Deep Breathing Exercises
  Practise the breathing exercises sitting up in bed, supported by pillows, or out in a chair. Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold for two seconds and then sigh the air out of your mouth. Repeat four times then try to ‘huff’ the air out.
• 
  
  Coughing
  Support your abdominal incision by holding a small towel or pillow firmly over your tummy.
• 
  
  Circulatory exercises
• 
  
  Ankle - Bend and stretch the ankles up and down firmly and quickly. Repeat 10 times.
• 
  
  Knees - Tighten your thighs by pushing the backs of your knees down against the bed. Repeat five times.

When I got back from the pharmacy, the Ob & Gyn was at mom's ward examining her and she apologized for not telling us before the TAHBSO was performed as it was an unplanned surgery.

The small tubes dangling all over mom were taken off on 2nd and 3rd day post-op except a drip (infusion) which gives sodium and glucose through a thin tube (cannula) inserted into a vein in mom's hand. The nurse said it would be taken out once mom was able to eat and drink normally again. Mom was now able to sit up on the chair and went to toilet with little help.

The last tube was finally removed on the 4th day and mom was allowed to take porridge. I ordered fish porridge for mom. The four meals provided daily was quite tasty and satisfying and there was a menu to choose from. Breakfast with a hot milo, lunch with fruit, tea-time with milo and dinner with fruit.

Mom was recovering well and I took turns with sister in-law to take care of her. UMMC allowed visitors anytime of the day as long as the crowd wasn't too big and noisy. We brought a foldable lazy chair so that we would be able to catch a nap whenever possible. The days in the hospital were almost unbearable for me seeing mom with all the tubes, nurses poking her every few minutes and all these made her almost impossible to rest but she reassured us that she did get her rest especially at nights. Well, a tough mom I have here, she would endure all the pain and suffer in silence and would try her best not to let us worry. But mom, this time around, you just can't shoulder this alone, it would be just too much for you to bear, let us walk through this journey of life hand in hand as a family.

Mom was discharged on the 8th day of readmission. The total hospital bill including the 1st admission bill came to slightly over RM2k which I personally reckoned to be reasonable.

Mom was given an outpatient appointment two weeks from the date of operation at the surgical clinic for her removal of clips and post-operative check-up. Another appointment was fixed four weeks later with the ob-gyn clinic.

Mom and dad were still in the dark as to what the doctors had told us about the maglinant tumour. Mom had been very optimistic about her condition and that made me even more worrisome for fear they could not accept the fact. I would get very depressed and disheartened thinking about the date that drew nearer and I just did not have the guts and heart to be the one who break the news to my two old folks but deep down, I know I must stay strong to be their pillar of strength, the time when they needed me the most.