I can't tell you how many times in the last three weeks I thought I had taken my last breath. This has been the hardest ordeal in my life to come back from. A GI bleed that took all my blood and more.
I think it all started on December 17, 2018. I went to the hospital, fainted in the ER, fast tracked to trauma, was admitted, and they thought the GI bleed had corrected itself. I came home a few days later, was home a night or two, started bleeding again and was readmitted to the hospital. I went through multiple tests; 2 CATA (CAT scan angiogram), then a Red Blood Cell Nuclear Scan specifically to (finally) locate the bleed, then an Angiogram to coil and cauterize the bleed. It ended up being behind my liver in the GI tract. I lost a lot more blood and had many transfusions, but after the angiogram I went unconscious and they moved me to ICU for the night. The next day I went into a regular room and was sent home with no more bleeding a day or so later. I was home 2 nights.
New Years Day, I was just starting to recover from all the testing/blood loss, when lo and behold, I started bleeding again - I had been home two days. Back to the hospital again the Dr informed me I had to have a colectomy. He would determine how severe when he got in there, but thought it would just be the bleeding side. I had a right hemicolectomy (right side of my bowel was removed) and finally the bleeding has stopped. I am home. I think I came home on Jan 8th. My days and weeks are all messed up...
I am sure I was weak from 14 units of blood prior to the surgery. The blood was irradiated because I cannot fight white blood cells with my immune deficiency, so I got only whole red blood cells, which also means I got no antibodies as the irradiated blood takes those away as well. And since I had none of my own blood left, I had no IgIV antibodies left.
My Immunologist was out of the country in south Africa. I missed his steadfast confidence. My Drs were able to contact him and NIH for advice, and I got IgIV the night before surgery. He will be back on the 28 of January and I am his first patient. We have a lot to catch up on.
I didn't know even one Dr who oversaw my care while I was in St John's hospital, but every Dr was top notch. Every nurse was as well - well, except Shannon. Shannon and I will never see eye to eye. She is not worth telling that story. Other than her, I had some pretty incredible Drs, nurses and aids.
The family medical group that oversaw my care was from IHI in Tulsa. IHI = In His Image. Can you imagine? They prayed with me every visit. I loved them and I loved having their prayers with every procedure.
I would not be alive if I hadn't had thousands of prayers coming from all parts of the world. I asked on Facebook to be added to prayer lists and was put on dozens of prayer lists. I kept getting messages more were praying for me. What an incredible feeling. Knowing people were praying for my healing.
That is all to this story. 3 long, very bloody, terrifying weeks. And I am alive to tell you about it. Praise God. And I am getting better every day; stronger and finally determined to get through this. 2 weeks ago, I wasn't.
And one amazing man that was there encouraging me every step of the way. I love you, Steve. Thank you for being my rock and encourager when I wanted to toss in the towel.
