I *SWEAR* I'm not dropping acid

[Phuong]

Post hospital crazies.

1. My incisions are healing and therefore itching like mad. I put extra cushioned padding over it to absorb the extra leakage, and I can't help it - I keep running my hands over it like a pregnant woman rubbing her belly. My husband looks at me with concerns that the paid meds aren't working (or because I've been avoiding taking them when I don't need to) and I keep telling him it's because I'm fighting the urge to rip the pads off and scratch like mad. Claritin didn't work and I haven't tried Benedryl, but does anyone have ideas on what might help the itch? Or am I just doomed to ride it out?

2. Sleep has not been easily won. I'm still on the hospital clock...poke-wake up I need to take your vitals...beep-pay attention to me, I need batteries or new fluids to be hooked up. I've managed to get to sleep from about 12-6 am, but that's the record so far. That's WITH the narcotics. At least I managed a mid-day nap today. That allowed me to get my butt up to go with the family to my daughter's soccer game (1 1/2 hour traffic thank you very much). So worth it-she was AWESOME.

3. I played the game of craps today following said soccer game. I'll call it a draw. I made it to the doorstep. Fortunately I had the presence of mind to realize that I would be gone away from bathrooms for a few hours with unpredictible (at best) bowel action. I opted for the brand name Depends instead of VS and boy did it pay off! Who know that surgery would regress my body so far back? I could have sworn I was changing my nephew's diaper! TMI, I know. Sorry.

So that has been my eventful day. I've been able to average about 1 mile in walks each day, broken up into 1/4 miles of course. I'm feeling stronger, but still antsy and going stir crazy because I can't do everything for myself that I'm accustomed to. I guess you can call that my muse for continuing to get better as soon as I can.

[LoriJo]

Give yourself some time, your body has been through a lot. Not sure what to tell you about your itching, I know its not fun. Good thing someone deveolped Depends. Glad you were able to attend your daughter's soccer game. My kids used to play when they were in school. I miss watching the game. Take care of yourself, you'll be sorta normal in no time (none of us are normal any more, I miss that).

[jmarie]

Glad you were able to get out a little today, and glad you enjoyed youself!

Benedryl should help both the itch and the sleep.

I hope you have a speady and uneventful recovery!

[lorrainem]

Wow, you have some courage going to that game. I bet you want to give yourself a blue-ribbon; I remember that feeling when you allow yourself to do something "normal."

Sounds to me like all is going as it should...give yourself some more time to heal. It gets better.

As for the acid...you know they are now testing it for antidepressants (LOL).

Keep up the healing and allow you time to do so.

Admirably,
Lorraine

[BrownBagger]

I don't recommend acid for anyone with a cancer dx, but it might provide a distraction.

Seriously, the benadryl sounds like the ticket to me.

I itch like crazy after a couple of days on the morphine psa. I don't get very itchy with the oral stuff, but some people do. That might be a contributing factor, and you might ask your doctor to consider an alternative.

[KellyBelle]

I love Gold Bond powder for morphine itch. It was the only thing I asked my mom to bring to me in the hospital (of course she never brought it, but that's another story).


Kelly

[Terry]

Benadryl! There's also a benadryl lotion that if you put around the dressing may help. You might be allergic to the tape in which case if you can send your husband to the pharmacy (call first because I'm not sure if they carry it but I think they would) and have him ask for the prep you put on before putting on the tape. I was never allergic to tape until recently and that itches alot. With that you may not even need the benadryl.

Good luck, I hope you find something that works.

[Phuong]

I'll definitely go pick up some Benedryl. The only tape I have on is directly over the wound and it's the steri-strips, so I'm not sure if I could use a Benedryl lotion over that? They tell me the steri-strips should start falling off this week, but that's a total lie and the doc told me so. It always stays on for much longer. I think once things start to scar over it will be better. I'll add Benedry to the regimen until it stops itching. Thanks guys!