Day 5 - Willow comes home

[laurieg6]

Hey, I'm from the Bronx, then moved to Rockland County (Spring Valley, NY - really close to Hackensack, NJ) where I grew up. I think I'm right around all your ages - graduated HS in '79.

[mariaf]

Yup, Laurie - I graduated in 1978. And Spring Valley, as you know, is within about an hour of where I am. I used to love taking trips up that way, and further north, this time of year when the kids were little to go apple and pumpkin picking and check out the beautiful foliage.

[Pooka1]

I graduated in HS in 1977 but was a year ahead. I suspect Maria and I were born in the same year.

Maybe we have at least a plurality of NY folks?

Anyway, the salient point here is that Ti Ed is older than ALL of us.

[debbei]

I graduated in HS in 1977 but was a year ahead. I suspect Maria and I were born in the same year.

Maybe we have at least a plurality of NY folks?

Anyway, the salient point here is that Ti Ed is older than ALL of us.

But as Ed says....remember.....50 is the new 40....actually he says it's the new 30!!

[titaniumed]

Thanks for reminding me. I also have done quite a few years with scoli pain. It definitely changes you.... Its great to be pain free now.......

We used to do trips to "the city". That's Manhattan for you readers from elsewhere. It was an experience back then, Mayor Lindsay had things under control. 9 murders per day, garbage piled up for days because the garbage men demanded big bucks, punk bands in the village, studio 54. Nixon, trips to the moon.Those were interesting times.

As I get older, I like things slower and quieter. Even Reno is too crowded for my tastes.

Billions and billions is fine, but not in our population. I'm sure Carl Sagan would agree.........

Years ago in Nevada, you could drive and not see another car for a long long time.
Today, you could be anywhere, and hitchhike and get a ride in a few minutes.

On another note, its been determined that vets with ALS,can now get disability bennies.

Proven chemical exposure........isn't that lovely?

Everyone needs to be an environmentalist... It should be taught in school.
Ed

[mariaf]

Since I will be turning 50 in March, I'm glad to hear it is the new 40....and I like Ed's view that it is the new 30
even better!

[Pooka1]

I'll be 50 in January and am relying obligately on the "50 is the new 40 or 30" thing.

Ti Ed, in re ALS, have they ruled out that it is long-term Lyme?

Lou Gehrig had a summer home in Lyme CT which seems like more than a coincidence at this point.

What is the culprit toxicant?

[Snoopy]

I graduated in HS in 1977 but was a year ahead. I suspect Maria and I were born in the same year.

Maybe we have at least a plurality of NY folks?

Anyway, the salient point here is that Ti Ed is older than ALL of us.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone for making me feel really young! I graduated High School in 1985!

Mary Lou

[Pooka1]

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone for making me feel really young! I graduated High School in 1985!

Mary Lou

Yep I see your point.

Could Ti Ed technically be your grandfather I wonder?

ps. We loves ya Ti Ed!

[gabs mum]

Hi Sharon,


I was so pleased to read your posts and see everything was going well.
I gather strength from all the Mums on this forum and the valuable information you all share so willingly.
Did Willow enjoy her memory foam mattress toppers? Did they make a difference? I am looking into buying one or two, just not sure.
Did you find them really helpful and whats thickness are they?
What about the pillow?
Still trying to work out what the bit about the "no fluid until the tummy rumbles" is all about. Anyway, would love to know.

Regards
Donna.

[Pooka1]

Hi Sharon,


I was so pleased to read your posts and see everything was going well. I gather strength from all the Mums on this forum and the valuable information you all share so willingly.

Hey thanks, Donna. I appreciate it.

Did Willow enjoy her memory foam mattress toppers? Did they make a difference? I am looking into buying one or two, just not sure.
Did you find them really helpful and whats thickness are they?

Yes she absolutely LOVES them. I asked my husband to get a medium thickness and medium firmness one (~ 2-3 INCHES) because I had no idea which would be best. They only had the 1.5 inch (whatever firmness) so he bought two. She she is laying on 3 inches of foam. It makes me die 1,000 deaths because we did NOT get this for my other daughter. Never realized it existed or would help.

What about the pillow?

She just has two fairly thin regular pillows.

Still trying to work out what the bit about the "no fluid until the tummy rumbles" is all about. Anyway, would love to know.

The point of that is to avoid bloating which occurs if you put food or drink in the stomach before the gut wakes up and peristaltic action resumes. Our surgeon considers bloating a major setback and is strict about restricting food and drink. It is extremely painful per the testimonials on this forum, maybe more painful than the surgical pain.

Now as I mentioned, this is a bit of a moving target as to ice chips. In March 2008 with my first kid, the rule was no nothing, not even ice chips, until gut sounds occur. That was three days. She had zero bloating.

With the second kid last week, they relaxed the "no ice chips rule" and allowed them before gut sounds but we were told to go easy. After the "riot act" with the first kid, I went VERY easy on the chips. Zero bloating. So I died another 1,000 deaths knowing the first kid didn't have to suffer with thirst quite so much.

Now all that said, based on what I could gather, I suspect some kids might in fact have bloating with ice chips before gut sounds and they make swing back to no ice chips before gut sounds at any point.

Hope that helps.

[gabs mum]

Thanks Sharon.
Just went out and bought two toppers! Well, put them on lay-by.

Thanks for explaining the tummy rumbles and ice chips!
Is that normal for all operations and I wonder if that is the norm in Australia?

Donna

[titaniumed]

Sharon,

Aw Shucks! Y'all luvs me. (I have a classic look on my face right now)

Today I feel like grandpa, Its late and I'm whooped. Too tired for luv. LMAO. I'm cuttin everyone off of the luv stuff....Must be the headache.

I was reading so fast the other day on the ALS thing, now I cannot find the name of the supposed chemical. I should have saved. I will keep looking.Anyway, some of us in metalworking, have been exposed to some lovely things through the years. I'm very concerned about it now, I'm very very funky about toxins and chemicals. Oh yeah, and that includes drugs also.

http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pres...se.cfm?id=1583

The highest rates happen in the Air force.
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Donna,

Get the foam. Its a must. At least 4cm thick

Some info on "no fluid until the tummy rumbles"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ileus

I was NPO "nil per os", nothing by mouth as I had a 9 day Ileus.

They use a NG tube.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasogastric_intubation

FYI
Ed

[pmsmom]

I think the advice about nothing before gut sounds is correct. They told us that Paula could have ice chips/sips of water and I kept asking, "Are you hearing bowel sounds?" They said yes, so I'd give her a sip here and there.

Not that she felt much like eating anything anyway. Those strong pain meds take away the appetite as well as making them nauseous so they really don't feel like eating much (at least that was our experience).

She still ended up bloating and being constipated. And that is an awful feeling. She said (mainly after we got home) that her bloating and gas hurt more than her back.

I do recommend the Miralax for constipation though. Paula's GP recommended it once we got home and I've seen it mentioned several times on the board.

Great stuff!

[mariaf]

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone for making me feel really young! I graduated High School in 1985!

Mary Lou

Yeah, folks our age have a way of making others feel young - LOL!

But there is one day each year when I feel particularly ancient. I work at a large law firm in Manhattan, and every September the new batch of first year associates come in. It got depressing a few years ago when I realized they could be my kids!