UPDATE...I need surgery

I promised to PM everyone that posted in my last thread,but with this slow laptop I decided to thank each of you personaly within the thread,please check out the last page,I don't think I left anyone out.It meant alot brothers,thanks again.


Ok its been a couple weeks since I have been home and although alot has improved,the size of my liver has not.Most of you read what happened to me,and the latest MRI shows that the part of my liver that bled out(right side) has a hematoma the size of a nerf football.According to the doctor this has all the makings of a tumor,one he believes is benign,but there is a chance of malignancy,and there is no way leaving this growth in to see what happens is a good idea.

I will have everything finalized this week,with surgery within the next 10 days.It will be a 3-4 hour procedure,and it is considered relatively major.They are going to cut me pretty good starting under my sternum and going down my right side.I asked for alternatives,but there is just no way removing something that size can be done laproscopicaly(sp?).He will also fix an umbilical hernia I have at the same time,so thats a plus right?

Recovery will be about 5 days in hospital then I got 6-8 weeks of watching TV and doing as little as possible.After which,I should be as good as new.According to the doctor,the part of the liver that is left will grow larger to compensate.It will not be the same shape,but it will function 100% as if nothing happened.

I was very upset when I got the news of this possibility,but now I ask myself?What the hell can I do?The damage is done at least it can be fixed,and hopefully cancer is not what this is.I have to be positive and not give up,thats it.

I hope this will wake up alot of you that think "it won't happen to me". I was the same way.I was invincible...until I almost bled to death on my bedroom floor and the emergency room.Please guys,watch your doses,and definetly use the juice RESPONSIBLY.There is no need to use 2 grams if 750mg is working.Lets be smart about this,please.

I have a couple of questions for you guys...

Anyone of you have major abdominal surgery,what was the recovery like?

Im also told I will need a catheter to piss for the first day,please someone explain to me the pain involved when they remove this thing?I heard from my father thats its hell.

Thats it brothers,I will keep you updated as the day comes.Thanks for everything.

THAT'S A BUMMER BALD.

I WISH THE DAMB THING WOULD HAVE JUST SHRUNK DOWN AND WENT AWAY.

SINCE THAT IS NOT ON THE TABLE AT THIS POINT...THE REALLY EXCELLENT NEWS IS THAT YOUR LIVER WILL BE AT 100%!!! [A GUY WANTS HIS FRIGGIN LIVER WORKING CORRECTLY..THAT'S FOR DAMB SURE]

AS FOR THE SURGURY...THAT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO HEAL UP FROM..IV'E SEEN DOCS WHO DO A VERY NICE JOB AND THE SCARS ARE FAINT....LIKE MY DAD'S OPEN HEART SCAR...AND DOC'S WHO BOTCH AN APPENDIX SCAR. TELL THEM YOU'D LIKE A DECENT LOOKING RESULT. I REALIZE YOU AREN'T GOING TO GET UP ON STAGE IN POSING TRUNKS....THERE'S NO SENSE IN SOME GORY SUNKEN STUPID SCAR THOUGH....

ABDOMINAL SURGURY....I HAD A HERNIA REPAIRED...4-6 WEEKS....TO HEAL..THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD. YOUR INCISION WILL BE LARGER SO I DON'T KNOW.

I AM SORRY THIS SHIT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU BALD-ONE! IT BUGS ME. I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENTS ON THE WORDS OF ADVICE ON THE DOSAGES.
I HOPE FOLKS ARE TAKING THEM TO HEART.

I'LL BE PRAYING IT ALL WORKS OUT....PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND SPIRITUALY. GET WELL, BROTHER.

God's speed in your recovery BN. I do have to say that earlier this year I was visiting my buddy in the hospital because he had to have emergency surgery to remove a portion of his intestine. He is only 26 years old and years of bad military food, drinking, and lord knows what else may have contributed to what happened to him. He too had a catheter for a couple days but was also on a Demoral drip and to be honest was so in and out of it that he didnt know when they took it out. For major surgery like that, they will put you on just about anything to make the pain go away if you ask for it. My buddy Jeff was a Staff Sgnt in the Marines so you better believe that dude was tough as nails, but he said he was so thankful for the pain meds he was on in the hospital. He is fine now and has no addiction to the meds what so ever. His scars were all the way up his stomach, some on his side and lower back as well. He is 100% now and is training like nothing happened. All of this was on Dec 30th of last year. He was in the hospital for 7 days afterward. I was in the hospital every day I could, even at 2 am just to see how the dude was doing. That will get you through that. Hopefully you have some buddies that can stop by and be jackasses like me and my friends.....haha. Once again...God's speed....get through this and get better.

BN-

First off sorry to hear about all that has happened. Good news is, it sounds like you will recover and have a life afterwards! As for the catheter. Well, it burns when they pull it and your first couple of pisses will feel like broken glass is inside trying to come out. You'll want to stop pissing as soon as you start but the pain is both ways. Just being truthful bro. You'll forget about it after the first couple of times and it will be a faded memory until someone asks what it's like to have a catheter pulled.

Take care,

Temp

BALD,

glad to hear that things will be 100%

Did you get blood work done over the months you were on??

Liver surgery is MAJOR surgery alright...

I dont have any surgury stories but just wanted to say best of luck to you and your family. You will be in all of our thoughts. Keep us posted bro

Second opinion?

BN,
Would you consider getting a second opinion before undergoing such a major procedure? I am questioning why they don't just do a simple needle biopsy to see if there is a malignancy. If the lump is negative perhaps it is just lingering inflammation and will subside with time. I don't have all the facts your doc does and I apologize if I've made you uncomfortable or added confusion to your situation. It's just if it were me or a family member I would insist on a second opinion before such a major surgery. I wish you all the best and a speedy recovery with whatever awaits you.

Tom

good luck...


good thing the one organ thats broken is the one that regenerates... you got lucky bro

again, good luck with the recovery.. you're a tough guy, you'll bounce back quickly

Good luck and keep us up to date. Wish you the best in recovery.

Hey bro

sorry to hear about that but, I do know that the liver will grow back and it will be as good as new my friend. Lucky that our liver can regenerate. I know you are feeling bad about it man but things could be alot worse. You have a road to recovery but at least you have that. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I tore a muscle in my quad in 92, for a year I was telling the doc's it hurt but no one would listen. About 8 months later puss squirted outta my leg, minor gangreen infection, cellulius. Lost 40% of my femur and I had 4 surguries to remove all the infection. I could fit my fist into hammy , it was like they cut out a small basketball. I was fitted with a leg brace that made it look like I had palsey. 6 months later I squated again. 2 years after that I my leg stopped hurting when the weather changes. now over ten years past its just a cool scar to impress chicks. I would lay in bed watching american gladiators thinking when I get outta here I am gonna get back to the gym and I'm gonna be a gladiator. BTW this was all cause of a hematoma that needed to be drained. AND this was before I ever did an injection too, it wasnt that even though that is what the doctors insisted it was. OH and I was in a V.A hospital for 6 weeks. any time I needed to feel better about my situation I walked around the halls.
Get the shit done and dont look back. you will survive and get better, you will be back in the gym and things will be good again. have faith.

Any thing I can do for you bro hit me up. Keep us updated.

BBN

Hey Bro
Sorry to hear that you need surgery, but at least you will heal up and be ok. As for the hospital and catheter, been there, done that. The ONE trick that I used was to just keep groaning about the pain bothering you. Hell I was in the hospital for 3 days and every 3 or 4 hours I would call the nurse and say the pain was really bothering me. They gave me a morphine drip and she kept upping the dose til she said that was enough for a horse and even though it was working I still was a bit uncomfortable, and IMO being in a hospital for a few days is bad enough! I didn't want to feel ANY pain! So they tried something else that was stronger and it worked very well but she told me that it was a high dose.( I do have a decent pain threshold but I have a very high drug tolerance because of my rec drug years in the 80's).Sucks now though cuz I gotta do a higher amount of juice to get the same results as someone on a lower dose. Anyway when you have the catheter taken off it kind of tickles and that was it for me, I got a good amount of pain killers to go in pill form and just took two instead of one which they prescribed and peeing didn't bother me at all. But your pain will be more from the surgery than anything else and that will take a while to heal. So I guess my point is MAKE THEM BELIEVE YOU HAVE A HIGH TOLERANCE FOR PAIN MEDS. Good Luck!!!!!!!

Take care of yourself Baldnazi.... I got your Pm and I thank you for taking the time to write me. Ill send you a message with my phone# so we can shoot the shit for a bit if your up to it.

Ive just always beleived everything happens for a reason.
I think youll be back on track before you know it. Please do keep us
updated but Im sure Ill talk to you before then.
Let us know when and where the surgery is and Ill send your Big Bald head
a get well soon card or something.
raj

I'll keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery. Everything will be fine.

i don't post here very much but read every day. I take care of people like you everyday. I work in the ICU of a leading transplant hospital in the south. In fact, I admitted a liver transplant last night from surgery. Patients tell me that they feel like they are pissing razors for a about 2 days after removing the catheter. But honestly, the surgery itself is pretty painful. your doctors should be taking care of your pain issues. Patients who have liver resections do really well. Only a couple of nights in the ICU to watch for bleeding and you liver values. Man good luck and if you have any questions you can PM me.

Like I said before and like rAJJIN said, everything happens for a reason. It seems that your attitude is as good as could possibly be expected for the situation you're in. Good luck to ya, ol' buddy.

..

Sorry to hear it mate, but as you seem to know, you're getting through this and you're going to be ok, so it is the best possible outcome, considering.

Thoughts are with you.

Get through it and DON'T stress about bbuilding or lifting weights. Being big is a state of mind sometimes and the things that matter more you will, I'm sure, appreciate forever more.

Sorry to hear this has happened though mate, seriously. And look forward to hearing of things looking up for you soon. IronMike

buddy Bald-

I was hoping when you clued me in last week about this that it would pass without you needing the operation. But good you have accepted it and now can focus on recovering. Im sure you will be doped up enough to tolerate the whole thing. You know in that recovery room all us big fuckers will be there in spirit. Maybe the one who removes the catheter will be a sexy nurse!
Bro its very important that you keep us posted as you know how we care. That guy Success may be someone you can PM for some more details in answering your concerns and questions.

Havent been on the site in a week or so im sorry to hear this BN as if you havent been through enough as you said just stay positive thats the only way to be. And let me say i dont know you personally but the way you thanked everybody on your thread tells me a little somethin about you bro your top notch from what ive seen and read about you. I have you in my prayers and have great expectations for you as i know after this you will only get stronger just stay positive big brother and take care of yourself we are all here for you.

You Know I am with You BIG MAN!

You do what the Doctors tell you on this one. When this is all over, you go and have a happy LIFE with the people you LOVE. LIFE is to short & you owe it to those who love you. God Bless.
wedge

Good luck with your surgery BN.