u/Rare-Attitude-3100

Still suffering with pancreatitis but what did my one remaining ovary decide to do today? Grow and burst a cyst of course. Causing bleeding even though I have a cuff. I swear this has been the worst recovery ever, it is something new almost every day. I’ve had so many CT’s, ultrasounds, lab work, and MRIs post op. Mostly due to them damaging my pancreas in surgery. But I just want my life back instead of being in pain everyday. I know this is a hysterectomy group but pancreatic pain is really just the worst.

Location US, Oregon

Late last month I was having a scheduled surgery with my obgyn and colorectal surgeon. A bowel resection was possible but ended up being unnecessary. Following hysterectomy and excision of endometriosis the doctors decided I would go home after the approximately 6 hour surgery.

The next morning I was in immense pain and returned to the hospital where it was found my pancreas was injured by the surgeon. Here is the incident from his notes “The LUQ trocar tip went slightly into the lesser sac just superior to the lesser curvature of the stomach. Close inspection revealed a small hole in the lesser sac peritoneum and scant amount of blood associated with this. The blood was suctioned out. No active bleeding or bowel injury was appreciated.” The doctor came to the er and said what happened during surgery and I spent the next five days in the hospital with pancreatitis.

My mother took me to surgery and stayed the whole time, spoke with both doctors following surgery and no one mentioned this incident and sent me home.

It is almost three weeks later and I am still dealing with pain and under doctors care.

While I don’t think this falls under medical malpractice is there any recourse for my pain and suffering and what might be ongoing pancreas issues?

I am not out any money through insurance as I’m on Medicaid (please don’t judge me). But I work from home for myself and haven’t been able to fully get back to working.

I don’t by any means want him to lose his job as it was a true accident and he did admit to what happened when I presented to the ER. But I get upset that nothing was said to me or my Mom that there was something that happened, I wasn’t kept for observation even though I was slotted to stay 1-3 nights originally.

I do have a pseudocyst on my pancreas shown on ultrasound yesterday. He has referred me to a GI doctor at a bigger hospital. My lipase and plasma are both still elevated. My lipase is coming down from 1650 in the hospital to 150 yesterday.

Sorry for rambling just looking for some advice on where to go from here, if anywhere. Thanks!

Just spent five days in the hospital being poked and prodded a million times. Phlebotomist, chefs kiss. Charge nurse. A+++. senior day nurses, A+. Younger night nurses, 😬😬😬. Despite their repeated efforts over the five days not a single one could successfully move my iv or draw blood. I finally got to a point of telling them to stop bc they were just digging around with the needle trying to make it a cute moment “oh come on vein you’re making me look bad”. All in all it made me worried that there could possibly be a new generation of nurses that can’t accomplish this seemingly critical task. I gave them each four painful tries before asking them to stop. Now I know nothing about healthcare but to me it seems this would be a need to pass part of the training before getting let loose with sick patients. Finally home, covered in bruised arms, bruised pancreas, missing my reproductive organs, bloated, sore, grumpy, and mildly infuriated. Unsure how the flair worked so I went with my current feeling.

Update

They seem to have damaged my pancreas during surgery and that is the pain I’m feeling. Waiting on an MRI to confirm course of action

The gas pain is actually killing me! Like 9/10 pain. If I move it causes so much pain I have thrown up. Just had it done yesterday. But tell me some things that actually work for gas. Spoke with on call Dr and she said to move, so I’m trying to move some but the pain is unbearable and I have a pretty high pain tolerance. And they left me with a ureteral stent and that’s also uncomfortable. On a good note my sigmoid wasn’t as bad as the colorectal surgeon thought so I keep it but he said it was all twisted up.

Okay I think I’m done complaining for now 🥹

Tomorrow’s the day! Having my sigmoid removed, full hysterectomy, endometriosis excision, They might leave one ovary for hormones if it’s not too involved in the endo. They have me slotted for 6-8 hours in the OR with my obgyn and colorectal surgeon. I’m on hour 5 of bowel prep and not loving it! This will be my fourth and hopefully final endometriosis surgery. Looking at 1-3 night there due to the bowel resection. I think I’m all packed! Phew the nerves are real!