Waited for about 45 mins in the waiting room after “signing in” to get called to check in and taken to ER and placed on a temp bed (around 1pm). The doctors and nurses came and asked the same question over and over again. I felt like recording it onto my phone and play it back for each one of them haha. Basically they ask you what happened, where’s the pain, from 1-10 how painful is it, what time it happened, are you allergic to anything, any medical problems, any medications, etc. They told me a ct scan is needed to determine if it’s appendicitis, bowel obstruction or others (cancer). They gave me morphine to ease the pain but I had an allergic reaction to it this time. The left arm veins all popped up and turned reddish from where the IV needle entered. They had 3 doctors came to look at it and all of them said they have never seen it before. I felt an itch on the arm in the very beginning morphine is administered. I found myself scratch the left arm and then I was like hey I think I am having an allergic reaction and show the nurse Chris the itching area. The vein started blowing up and turning red. They gave me Benadryl to stop the reaction. The popped up vein last for quite a while. The result from the ct scan came back and they told me it is bowel obstruction and it’s serious. They were already talking surgery and checking me into the hospital. They said they will have the surgical team look at the ct scan and talk to me about different options. I called my other surgeon’s office they said usually these type of obstruction they will apply a “conservation” approach which is to insert a tube to suck out food and liquid and wait to see if the bowel recovers itself. If it doesn’t, then surgery will be considered. The doctor here came back and inserted a tube through my left nostril down to the stomach so it’s the same as last time. By around 8:30pm I got a room in the hospital and began my “vacation” there. I bumped into a friend who worked at the hospital. He saw my name on the computer but wasn’t sure and checked with my info on faceboook. He came and I was surprised to see him. He helped with some things and I am grateful for it. Thanks!

While in my room, 2 doctors came and told me the ct scan is showing a 5cm dilation of the intestine and that’s pretty big. I think in their mind they were thinking surgery already. I was like no no no. At the end of their visit, I had passed gas, a small one and I told me about it. They said it’s good, keep it up. I had my bro go home it was 9ish because sil and kids still at my house waiting. I recorded my gassing time on the phone. 10pm 2 ba-ba-bas. 10:20pm another ba-ba-ba. lol I fell asleep maybe 11pm or so and woke 2 hours later at around 1:30am because the need to go to the bathroom. I was excited but wasn’t sure if anything is coming out. Went to the bathroom and voila, some came out (harder ones), and then some more (softer) and then some more (liquidy). That was a huge load of it. I told my nurse immediately and she was happy about it. I went back to sleep and feeling really good.

Next morning a doctor came and I told her about last night’s bowl movement. Another doctor came and removed the tube from down my stomach. It was a quick pull out but the acid from the stomach stung the nostril when the end of the tube passes through the nose. I was tearing like crazy. I think they should offer us some water first to wash down the tube before pulling it out. They did that when inserting the tube they should do the same when extracting it. What a relief for the tube to come out but my throat was hurting from all that friction when it was inside. It almost feel like being sick with a swollen throat. The pain went away after about a day. Liquid diet was finally ordered for me for dinner. It came a bit late around 6ish I almost thought it wasn’t coming. I enjoyed it and drank everything. I spent the night playing with my G1 phone and the apps on it. It’s awesome to have a phone with web access! I downloaded a few games for the phone and they kept me busy for a while. Also finally checked out sharing photos and videos from the phone.

Monday morning a whole bunch of doctors showed up and one asked me a few questions and told me that they will give me solid food and see how it goes. They said if everything goes well by late afternoon then I should be able to leave in the evening. Around 9am breakfast came. There were scrambled egg, potatoes, oatmeal, banana, tea, and a piece of bread. Yums haha The nurse also gave me the liquid diet my roommate couldn’t eat because he was going to be operated the same morning. An hour later another doctor came, a surgeon, that I met 3 years ago at the same hospital. He remembered me and said he didn’t operate on me 3 years ago. He saw that I was doing good and had passed gas and told me I can go home soon. Later a nurse came and said I can be discharged just waiting for papers. My sister came “pick” me up and we walked home. Sweet~

I was hospitalized from 3/11 to 3/13 due to intestine blockage while on a business trip in California. The trip was suppose to be 2 weeks. For most part of the trip it was great, a little exhausting because of the early wakeups but overall fine. My original flight was to be on the morning of 3/12 but I didnt make it. On the evening of 3/10, after dinner around 7ish, I feel there’s something wrong with the stomach. Initially I thought it was food poisoning or something because I wanted to throw up periodically. I did that for about every half an hour. I tried my best to let it out. However, by midnight, my lower ab area was in pain and I was still throwing up except there’s nothing coming out. I sort of know there’s something wrong, but I was hoping it’d just go away if I rest up a little. The urge to throw up gets stronger and more frequent. The pain gets more intense. I was so exhausted by 3am I was wheezing while breathing. Finally I woke up others to take me to the hospital, but not before I went online and look for my insurance info and prepared a throw up bag myself haha My friend found a hospital near by so we got into the car. I think by this time I was a little out of it. but I remember being driven around for a while and I believe we were driving in the wrong direction for a few minutes. Finally we got to the hospital. It was long but at the time it felt like forever lol We went thru the ER door, while still throwing up. Got admitted and they wheeled me to a bed and had me lay on it. I was uncomfortable because of the pain and wanting to throw up. The nurse and a doctor asked some questions and later gave me pain killer as well as anti-nausea drugs. They really worked cuz I felt much better after a short few minutes. I told them about my prior surgeries and chemotherapy so obviously they had to put me through CAT Scan to check my ab area. After the result came out, they said it’s intestine blockage but they also saw “SOMETHING” as well as kidney stone in one of the kidney. It’s the worst whenever they said they saw “something” but not sure what it is. The blockage can be caused by different things but they can’t pinpoint which yet. But first thing first, they have to fix my blockage problem.

Sweet IV, you hate it yet you love it lol Also got poked with needle a few times a day for blood tests.

Basically they put me on IV and place a tube thru my nostril down to the stomach to suck out all food particles and fluid and placed me under NPO which means no food, no water, nothing through the mouth. They told me sometimes the blockage will go away by itself, if not, then I will need a surgery to “clear” it up. They way they know if the blockage is free is when I start to pass gas. So I was thinking, come on, it can’t be that hard. I was trying a few times but nothing was coming out. Then I started walking around the hallway hoping it would help with the condition but it didnt. By evening, I think I felt a small one but I wasn’t 100% sure because it was really small. Second day, there was still nothing until the afternoon right after I saw the doctor, I felt it! There will two tiny pops haha I was soOoOoo excited! Then even better, I have the urge to go to the bathroom for #2! I went and some pasty brownish stuff came out! I took a pic of it so I have proof to the nurse and doctor that I did it lol I told the nurse and they emailed the doctor I believe. By 3rd day, they saw my condition was really good so they let me take the tube in my nostril out (the worst part of it all, gagging and made an abrasion on the under side of the tip of right side of my nose). What’s funny is that the scabbing resulted from the abrasion looked like a piece of booger stuck at the opening of my right nostril, not a pretty sight lol

Soon after they gave serve me liquid food, juice, and jello! It was the best meal ever haha And finally, they discharged me in the early afternoon. I was soo hungry I went out and bought $50 some dollars worth of juices, jello, and canned soup! lol Stayed in California for another 5 days to rest up before flying home. Home sweet home

Oh I just remember back when I had my surgery, the doctor told me that I might have intestine blockage or what they called “Adhesion”. Basically the growth of the scar tissues interfering with intestine and internal organs. I believe women who had C-section for child birth may experience similar condition.

I want to thank my friends AY, FD, MC for being there for me! Thank you guys!! and the nurses and doctors at the Whittier Hospital! They are very friendly and attentive to the patients!

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