Look Good, Feel Good

I was told after my first follow-up doctor's appointment that I could start trotting and return to normal activity at a slow pace.  Normal activity in this case would be considered basketball, jogging, and eventually lifting weights. Jogging is different than trotting.  It took a day of me jogging to realize that trotting is a much slower pace, maybe to control the up and down, side to side movement a stomach may experience during a jog.  Evidently, trotting was recommended for a reason.  After my first few jogs, I was sore, but didn't think anything of it, figured it was just 'recovery' soreness.  That soreness would take 36-48 hours to subside.  Sneezing is the absolute worst, random I know, but I mention that because I sneezed about 90 seconds ago and my stomach still hurts.  My doc informed me that I had a tear in my abdomen, and through a CT scan canceling out a hernia, and testing various things, the pain is now in more areas of my stomach, so in my mind, the tear has expanded.  But I've learned ways to keep the pain low, the problem sometimes is discipline.  Not only working out, but also my eating habits.

Cycling has been fantastic, but not spin class type cycling where you're standing on the bike and going crazy for an hour, but the type of cycling that makes me work hard, real hard, but concentrates on my leg muscles, and at times, my core.  I've always read that cycling is a great core workout, but I've noticed that I'm able to stabilize my stomach when I'm on a stationary bike more so than jogging on the treadmill.  I'd love to get on the treadmill, and I usually feel good enough once a week to get a few miles in, but for the most part I'm going for a solid 35-45 minute cycling session.

Anyone that knows me understands my love for food.  I've said before that I eat food for it's flavor, not necessarily concentrating much on what it can do to me.  For people that don't know, my large intestine was removed, and now my small intestine is in a J-shape pouch which has seriously affected how much my 'stomach' can hold.  When it's full, it won't empty automatically, it's just a series of stomach growls, and painful shifts in the interior stomach region (take a hint).  And while I need to not eat as much, there are also certain types of foods that I have to avoid.  While trying to control my weight, it'd be nice to have a salad every once in a while, but I am only able to manage lettuce on a sandwich, but an entire salad is out.  Too many leafy greens.  Nuts and corn are out, and for some reason peanut oil and all peanut oil products are out, sorry Five Guys.  But then again, if you're at this point in my post, you recall I mentioned discipline, and sometimes I just want a burger, or french fries, or a damn milkshake, but I know they aren't the right choice for me.  Before surgery, I knew those things were bad, I was spoiled while I had my ostomy bag because those foods wouldn't cause pain or a bad smell, but now it's yet another adjustment back to 'normalcy'.  This 'normalcy' is something I haven't experienced since I was a 20 year old sophomore at Radford University.

Next weeks blog: Issues with drinks (Alcoholic & Non-alcoholic)

Reflections

I always knew this, but today, I realized how amazing the important people are in my life.  We watched 50/50 today and while I am not trying to compare my situation to getting cancer and going through chemotherapy with the eventual surgery on the main character's mind, I found ways to relate.  I nodded out a few times during the movie, but from what I saw, it was like a different perspective from what I went through a few months ago.  The first comparable moment was when the main character had to say bye to his family and girlfriend and remind them that he'd see them in a few hours - very similar.  The waking up in the recovery room with caring ones around, skip a few days ahead when the main character is already home recovering, his best friend had to help him put dressing on his wounds - my best friend did the same.

I'm mainly reflecting back to the first surgery.  The couple of weeks leading up to it were filled with anxious moments.  The day before my surgery, I wasn't allowed to eat anything, and had to follow a clear liquid diet.  While dealing with the stress before a medical procedure and being hungry, our region also experienced some crazy downpours  and a power outage.  I also had some errands to run, so with the stress, the hunger, and the rain, I was starting to look forward to waking up from surgery and starting recovery.  

I'm not trying to say that my surgery was more traumatic than any other surgery.  I consider the removal of a tumor higher on the scale of medical procedures than having a colon removed.  I only experienced this event as the patient, never the concerned family members, or the loving best friend(s), but I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you!  Sorry, the thanks are probably getting repetitive in every post, but is it wrong to be too thankful?  I tend to lean towards Zen ideologies, and right now, I am very aware of the care I've received.

By the way, this week I had a CT scan to determine if some abdominal pain was a hernia, and luckily or unluckily it turned out negative.  I mention luck because had it been a hernia, we knew a definite resolution.  Unlucky, because now I must test various habits(eating, drinking, exercise) and continue to work to get to 100%.  I thought I was getting close a few weeks ago since I was able to play basketball, but it was too soon, and could have contributed to my abdominal pain that was not a hernia.  I may have increase the amount of torn abdominal muscle from doing too much too soon.  This week I controlled my portion sizes, and monitored my exercise output, and I'm feeling pretty good.

Figuring Out What Normal Is

I've been testing some things out now that I am getting closer to 100% healthy.  I predicted shortly after my first surgery that I would get to 100% by February.  I define 100% by the ability to play basketball at full speed.  Prior to surgery, I played basketball typically around 2-3 times a week.  Short bursts of sprinting, I've been told, is a great workout.  Prior to surgery, I also started bicycling and getting more interested in obtaining fitness through more cardiovascular challenges; bicycling, basketball, and jogging.  I've been getting back into the gym, and I thought the stationary bicycle was a good starting point before jumping on the trails with my new bike, and I may have to wait a bit longer before attempting the 17+ mile loop around Arlington.  It may have to do with the position of my body as it crunches the abdominal area with every rotation of the pedals, but the pain isn't pleasant.  The pain isn't any higher than a two on a 10 point scale, but the goal is to not be in pain at all.

I played basketball with the MU crew twice and it's been rather painless.  I think I've been able to come back pretty successfully since I hit the game winner on my first day back playing.  I will absolutely have to change my style, probably stay out on the perimeter a bit more.  I'm reluctant to receive an elbow or even a bump around my abdomen, so I haven't crashed the boards or cut too hard to the hoop yet.  In due time.

This past weekend, I "hiked" the Billy Goat Trail with Megan, and I really had no clue what rock scrambling meant.  I had been recommended to try the Billy Goat Trail by a co-worker, but was under the impression that she had already done the hike, not the case.  This trail is definitely not a beginner's trail, many times throughout the "hike", I would be on rocks for hundreds of yards, hopping, skipping, and jumping up and down various large cliffs.  It's about a four mile, two hour adventure.  The most amazing part was standing on the MD side watching a kayaker carve their way through the rapids while simultaneously seeing a rock climber work their way up a cliff on the VA side of Great Falls.  This view was seen at about 200 feet above water level.  The next key moment was when we had no other choice but to take on an ~80 foot climb at a very upward angle.  It felt very accomplishing to complete this hike.  There were moments that I was nervous to fall or slip and hurt my stomach, but had no instances.  Also, and I mention this every once in a while, I wouldn't have had this opportunity to even go on a hike had I not done the surgery.  Not once did I have an urge to use the bathroom.  Thank you to everyone that had my back and supported my decision to have this surgery, it's been life changing.

Looking straight up, we had no lessons in this, we made it ours. Yea. 

Top left corner, the blue spec is the rock climber

Back In The Basement

Since my last post, recovery has been uninterrupted.  I've been feeling better and better every day, but less marginal than the second week of recovery from the second surgery (last week).  I say this because the surgeon had to remind me that I am still early in a recovery stage that typically last eight to twelve weeks.  The doctor gave me the nod to start some moderate exercise in the form of trotting, and in the last 48 hours, I have shot the basketball a bit and worked on some cardiovascular machines at my parents YMCA in Staunton, VA.    

I am on winter break so I've had my opportunity to enjoy more relaxation time, but I spent Christmas in Winchester with my girlfriends family, and then spent the final two nights of Hanukkah in Staunton at my parents.  It was a bunch of driving which was something I've been concerned with due to the seat belt crossing my abdominal section.  I pretty much drive with my right hand holding the abdominal portion of the belt like a cowboy would do at a rodeo.  It's better than having a pillow.  The festivities were fun, the company even better, but I got to enjoy crisp latkes, and an incredibly moist rum/vodka chocolate flavored cake.

I've been listening to sports radio on my drives this week, and it appears that Andray Blatche will most likely be traded before the year is over in my opinion.  I wanted to call in but it was too difficult to get past my GPS on my phone and get to the dialing pad, and then hope I don't lose service somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains (BRM).

Oh yeah! On Sunday, Megan and I drove around Winchester for a bit and then decided to go to the Bears Den somewhere around the beginning climb of the BRM, and it was incredible.  Honestly jaw-dropping.  I'm excited to do things now that I can hold it, and for any of you who knew me before this surgery, you know what I'm talking about.  It's the little things that are so awesome, going for a walk after dinner at a restaurant instead of rushing home.  Went into DC last weekend and I wasn't locating the first hotel or restaurant closest to my car because I knew I could put it off.  A miniature hike to some sweet views and a small sweat was worth it and especially when I didn't have to find a port-o-potty.

Still have some recovery photos to post, but decided to post our Bears Den picture this week.  Shit was ill.

Post-Op Follow-Up

I had my post-operation follow-up appointment with the surgeon and it couldn't have gone any better.  The steri strips are all off now.  The two outside strips fell off on Sunday night, and the middle one which I thought was clinging to some scabbed skin fell off in the shower.  I have an indentation, hopefully temporary, about one inch to the right of my belly button.  Well, whatever that thing is that looks like my belly button, it now has a scar that makes it look real strange, at least from my view.  Photos to come.

I now have an educated guess for that pain that, I recently mentioned, is to the left of my belly button.  The surgeon thought it could have been a hernia, then he thought it could have been due to the infections that caused the belly button scar, and finally after some hard resistance on the area, he concluded it was an abdominal muscle tear.  I can't lift weights for about 6-8 weeks, but can start trotting next week.  I'm taking a guess that trotting is less than a jog?!

I'm finally able to eat lettuce and it was been awesome.  I love that crunch and finally can use a few salads for meals to control my weight.  I have to understand that just because I can finally eat what I want, doesn't mean I should celebrate all the time.  I've been granted this second chance, I need to make the most of it.  I'm still unable to drink anything with fizz, my co-worker tried to convince me a drink wasn't carbonated earlier today, didn't pass, I can tell when it goes down.

A Different Perspective

Big Cat Week is on channel Nat Geo Wild this week, and I pity the fool that thinks Shark Week is cooler.  I'm really looking forward to this one.

Recovery, recovery, oh sweet recovery.  Four or five months ago, I knew there would be some different things to expect from this recovery.  A few months ago, I had my small intestine stitched and sewn into a pouch shaped as a "J" and while I had my bag for nearly three months, it was healing with the eventual result of a new colon, or new "exit canal".  The way this pouch was going to heal involved turning my bowels off for three months, which is why I had a stoma sticking out of my stomach.  The stoma was a different portion of my small intestine pulled out of my stomach, cut open and peeled back like a banana.  With a bag attached, for three months, that was what I was emptying into after I ate.

With the above described, I hope people reading this can understand a slight bit of the science of the surgery rather than the gross thought of what happened.  It saved my life as I see it, no more risk of colon cancer, and being 20 years old when diagnosed, and never having my symptoms go into remission, my risk percentage was going to be very dangerous as I got older.  I feel like I have been granted a fresh start.  

A good read for how others deal with ulcerative colitis, check out how Darren Fletcher of the Manchester Red Devils deals with the chronic disease.

While I've been back at work for two days, and sitting in an upright position working at a desk on a computer, I have noticed some new pain.  The pain level isn't that bad, mainly awkwardly uncomfortable, but the pain is there consistently and is about a 1 on a scale 1 to 10.  Oddly, this pain is on the left side of my stomach, nowhere near where the first or second surgery left any marks, so my only uneducated guess is that it's the "J" pouch still healing.  I had some interior stitches to my muscle and fat to sew me back up, but I can't imagine my pain has drifted that far left.  I'm talking my left as I look down when I pee.  I'll have a more educated idea next Monday after my post-op follow-up appointment.  Stay tuned.

Mobility is getting more back to normal, and I am starting to experience some normal bowel movements.  I am thinking to just continue walking thru 2011, and start a slight jog in January, and hope to try playing some hoops late January.

Just a video of me walking for the first time after surgery.  Anyone that's had surgery knows that's the toughest one.  Not a fan of the gown, but this is an all-access site.  Thanks to Megan Wolk for sweet video recording skills.