Hi-I am new today. I am 76 and had my surgery at age 72. For 10 days all was well, but then I developed both an abcess and blot clot. I was one sick old lady. I was in and out of 1 hospital after another for 30 days hospitalization. Then I spent another 30 days in a cramped up room in a Rehab Hospital. This all happened when Covid was beginning to flare. When I came home I was extremely weak for months. I had undergone 5-6 surgeries while hospitalized for one drain, then its removal due to terrible rash, replacement drain and stent placed in my esophagus. A month or more later after 2 long rounds of different, strong antibiotics, the docs thought it time to remove drain and stent. That was done. This entire time I could not eat but was fed thru an IV. Each meal time I did get down a spoon or 2 of oatmeal. After final removals, I gradually started with eating by mouth. Nothing tasted good--probably from the length of time I was on antibiotics. It took me months to regain any strength. I had home PT and OT. I had to pay helpers to do household things I could no longer do. It was a nightmare. All the anesthesia really messed with my brain. I had been quite intelligent all my life and was a highly achieved academic. My brain was like mush. After being at home a couple of months, a hernia developed. Soon I went under the knife again to repair that.
Now for the last several months I am having diarrhea almost daily. I eliminated some things I thought might be causing it, but it continues on. I am Googling how long the effects of the last antibiotic I was on for a UTI can continue.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated. And oh, I did lose all my 50 pounds by the time I returned home from the 60 days of hospitalization. I have kept it off with a few extra pounds added on every so often. But they are easy to lose unlike before the surgery when this thin or normal all her life except the last 10-15 years before the surgery. I had a number of medical conditions and was no longer able to lose any weight. That had not been a problem. I am really glad I went thru all this as a number of medical conditions disappeared and I was able to stop several medications. Overall I felt much better. Thanks from Knitting Nancy
