What caused your ulcer? Too many NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc), or H. Pylori infection, too much tobacco, rotgut whiskey? Or what??
Did you enjoy your EGD? (Esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy). Do you remember it?
And do you have any pithy comments to make about melanotic stool? (To me, melanotic stool is the nastiest stuff, except for gangrenous stool).
Well?
Snot, aka mucus is much nastier, IMO. Of course, I’d rather not have to deal with either… Hey, is there such a thing as gangrenous mucus?
Should I tell the OP about the Blakemore and all its glories? It’s pretty much gone the way of the dodo bird, but it colored much of ICU nursing back in the day. Be glad, OP, that you live now (come to think of it, the Blakemore tube was used for esophageal varices, not duodenal ulcers, so never mind).
So where do I send [del]the hookers and blow[/del] nice soothing care package?
(Feel better, mate. snuggles)
Damn Fear Itself, glad you’re recovering. I’ll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
That said, ummmm Qadgop and rigs (her MMP nickname) are y’all in a contest for grossest posts? 
:eek: I didn’t know such a thing existed.
Take care, Fear Itself!
:eek:
I didn’t know feces could HAVE gangrene!
I doubt we’ve gotten started. Medicine is chockfull o’ gross. Supurrating rectal wounds, anyone? Necrotizing fasciitis? (I think I spelled that wrong). How about gangrenous toes that come off when you adjust the bed linen? I could go on all day.
What’s for dinner? Heh.
(oops, sorry. OP is not able to partake of oral nutrients.)
Aha - you’ve done your community service for the day! Thanks to you, OP now no longer wants oral nutrients.
Thanks for all the words of support. I am looking forward to answering qadgops questions on a proper keyboard. Oh and relate my near death experience. lekatt was right.
Damn, ICU psychosis can set in quick!
My work here is done. <dusts off hands; goes to yell at residents>
It set in the first day my mid-70s mother-in-law was hospitalized for a heart attack, though her moderate (or so) dementia might also have something to do with it. Color me amazed that it took 4 people to restrain her when she decided she was leaving the “hotel” she was in.
Fear, glad to hear you’re recovering well. My husband had a bleeding stomach ulcer, which he didn’t know about until he woke up feeling very, very cold. And then a trip to the bathroom revealed black tarry stools. Off to the hospital!
There is something about slow blood loss akin to the frog-in-the-boiling-water-scenario. I am starting treatment for severe anemia due to really heavy menses for the last two years. I never felt anything and really thought that women could always recover/adjust to heavy menstruation. I can’t believe I was that ignorant.
Anyway… After a scare I am slowly coming back, and what do you know, I spend more time than ever posting on The Dope. There’s something about this place that attracts the mentally unstable and blood-depleted people 
So Fear, get well. And post away friend. It’s quite therapeutic.
Jeezopete! Heal quickly! Stay well! And above all, DON’T DIE.
Yikes. Just the thread title makes me feel faint. Get some more blood, quickly! I’ve heard blood is good for you.
<sound of Nancarrow dropping to floor>
Funny, you should mention that. When I was a kid our favorite lunch was grilled cheese and a bowl of soup, like tomato, but my mother would never serve us tomato soup if my dad was home so we’d usually get chicken noodle instead. It seems he also had an ulcer he was not aware of then he ate some tomato soup then started vomiting, first tomato soup and then blood. He was never able to eat or even look at tomato soup ever again.
Wishes for a speedy recovery to Fear Itself.
Oh wow…that’s terrible! Get better soon, ok? It sounds frightening.
Tangential story: we received an ER admit years ago–young guy with an MI. He had vomited and had red pasty stuff all over his clothes etc. He kept saying, “it’s pizza! It’s pizza sauce! It’s not blood!” to us. We reassured him that (unlike TV) pts are not automatically typed and screened for blood and taken to OR upon having a heart attack. He did great. Hope the OP is doing great. On to clear liquids, yet? Nothing like chicken broth, Jell-o, and a popsicle for breakfast, I always say…
Again… :eek:
“I’m sorry son, your stool has developed gangrene and we’re going to have to cut if off.”
Oh, I’ve got a post-NOP jello story for you!
As I said, last year I have NOP for the better part of a week. As you can no doubt imagine, that (and the preceeding week of gastroenteritis) had left me both weak and somewhat thinner than before.
I am finally cleared for “clear liquids”. Now, I’m not normally a fan of either beef broth or coffee - in fact, I normally loathe coffee - but I sucked them both down like they were food of the Gods. I was still hungry, of course, and that left the jello…
… the orange jello.
Now, I don’t eat oranges. Not since that time I ate one and broke out in hives and mucus and wheezing and all those other Bad Allergic Signs. Oranges do not smell good to me. Citrus scented soap and lotions make me itch and develop interesting bright red rashes. Needless to say, I avoid oranges. In any form.
I informed that nurse that I would not eat orange jello (see the band on my wrist? The one that lists my many allergies? “Orange” is right there. See it?) I didn’t care if it was artificially flavored or not, I’m not taking a chance, and besides I loathe oranges.
How much do I loathe oranges?
I had had no solid food in almost two weeks. I had lost over 20 pounds in that same time frame. I was literally starving and I STILL would not eat something orange.
Are we clear on this?
Thank you. Do you have any other flavor of jello? Please?
I swear, the hospital must have gotten a deal on orange jello because that nurse - bless her - apparently went through hell trying to locate a non-orange jello serving. I guess my comment about it being OK if she didn’t locate one, I’d just go hungry some more (seeing as I had had a lot practice recently) didn’t sit too well. Sorry if I was difficult, but I was sick and cranky.
By the way - I did try yogurt again during that week. Two spoons worth. Know something about me and yogurt? Two weeks of starvation is not enough to make me eat it. Maybe three, maybe four. Frankly, I don’t want to go hungry long enough for me to want to eat yogurt. If I have anything to say about it I’m never eating yogurt ever again. Yuuuuuuuuuck.