Belly Pain Treated

            David is still inpatient on Lunder 10. The belly-pain crisis resolved Sunday night. The CT scan showed some sort of blockage in the small intestines near his stoma. A surgery resident arrived later that evening and used a catheter to relieve the pressure. (There may have been a kink in the plumbing.) The simple five-minute procedure worked immediately and the vomiting and hiccupping ceased. She said those were classic symptoms of an intestinal blockage.

            Monday and today have been quiet. During the belly-pain episode David’s throat stopped hurting. I’ve heard that the brain can only process so much pain, so perhaps the belly pain short-circuited the throat sensations. But now the pain is back. It’s somewhat less than before, but it hurts to talk or cough or swallow. He tolerates warm milk and the ever-popular hot honey water. Fruit juice burns his throat.

           

            Matt and I slept in David’s hospital room Sunday night. Last night we all slept at home. This morning I puttered around doing laundry and ‘light housekeeping’. I spent the late afternoon with David and Matt. Matt is about to take the T to Logan airport and fly back to Chicago this evening; he plans to return to Lexington on Saturday.