Lorri Kercher Nurse Practitioner

24/07/2025

15/05/2025

4 Week SMAS Surgery Update

Cleared to drive.
Cleared to take baths.
And hard launching Lorri 4.0 into 2025.

This isn’t just a new haircut — it’s a whole new operating system.
Every time life levels me… I rebuild stronger. Clearer. Smarter. More intentional.
Challenge me? I upgrade.

This month has been about healing from the inside out:
• Taking walks again, one literal step at a time
• Facing the MCAS monster (visceral pain, brain fog, congestion, and the drama queen that is my gut)
• Realizing how deep the mast cell rabbit hole goes

Next up:
• Gut microbiome testing (GI-MAP, let’s see what’s really going on post-surgery)
• Hoping to see a healthy elastase level after bile duct repair
• Rebuilding food tolerance without flares
• Boosting energy and nourishment like a boss

This is Lorri 4.0:
Rebooted. Rewired. Root cause rebel.



⸻

11/05/2025

Celebrating the graduation of our eldest from Harrisburg University with a degree in Interactive Digital Media- focus on Video Editing.
Ethan had a great experience at Harrisburg- starting during COVID. He’s now ready to explore life ahead and is available for any of your video editing needs. 😉🎥💻🎬

#ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏᴇᴅɪᴛᴏʀ

29/04/2025

15 Days Post-Op: Still Shakin’ (Literally) but Stirring Hope
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Well, I’ve made it 15 days since abdominal surgery for SMAS.⁣
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The NG tube is out, the intestines are (slowly) remembering their job, and I’m now living that gourmet life: elemental diet on the porch like it’s a cocktail in Capri.⁣
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After 10 hospital days with zero spontaneous BMs (thank you, e***a gods), I was sent home with 10 oxy tablets, a dream, and what I now believe was a 48-hour nap powered by post-hospital adrenaline and profound exhaustion.⁣
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Showered = bliss. ⁣
Incision = sore.
Intestines = moody, bloated, and still acting like I insulted their ancestors.⁣
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By Friday, I p**ped on my own and threw myself a mini party in the bathroom. I highly recommend the “single toilet clap celebration.” ⁣
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Still taking my healing peptides, sipping bone broth, and added in S. boulardii to start repairing the candida buffet I picked up during my stay.⁣
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By Monday, I got wild and tried soft roasted veggies and a banana. My intestines clapped back HARD. ⁣
Enter: MCAS flare — migraine, cramps, and four trips to the bathroom like it was a part-time job. ⁣
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So it’s back to the elemental diet. I’m dreaming of solid food the way some people dream of Paris.⁣
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But I’m grateful — for porch weather, a functioning-ish GI system, and progress (even the messy kind).⁣
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Swipe to see:
1. Porch life in full effect My elemental shake (5-star anti-foodie experience)
2. My elemental shake (5-star anti-foodie experience)
3. My battle scar — healing, like the rest of me, one layer at a time⁣
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23/04/2025

Cue the victory music… because I’m OUTTA HERE!

Discharged from LewisGale Memorial Hospital and officially on my way home — a little sore, a lot grateful, and still proudly rocking my “I Pooped Today!” shirt.

This portion of the journey is complete.
A massive thank you to the incredible staff and care team for your warmth, patience, and that signature Southern hospitality that made even the hardest moments a little lighter.

And a very special thank you to Dr. Fowlkes, who took the time to learn and make the Alvear procedure available here — giving SMAS Warriors like me a real chance at healing. Your dedication means more than you know.

From NG tubes and p**p milestones to ringing that recovery bell… we did it. Now it’s time to heal at home.

#

22/04/2025

Last Night in This Room
This is it. One last night in this hospital room — and I’ve been told I can go home tomorrow if I feel ready.
Well… I’m ready.

Photo 1: Me in my favorite jungle pajamas, post-walk, eyes a bit tired but grounded. One last hospital selfie. Pajamas: comfy. Mood: cautiously optimistic.

Photo 2: My hospital room with a view. This space saw tears, t***s, tea rituals, and triumphs. Grateful, but I won’t miss it.

These last few days have been all about getting my bowels to wake up, while my nervous system spiraled from days of almost no sleep. Last night pushed me to the brink:
• IV site #4 infiltrated
• That’s 3 infiltrations and 1 thrombosed site total
• Took 3 sticks to get a new line — I screamed
• Phlebotomy needed repeat labs but couldn’t find a vein anywhere — not in arms, hands, wrists — I finally sobbed and yelled, “Stop. I can’t take this anymore.”

This morning, I woke up with that familiar itchy-all-over feeling opioids give me. As the day wore on, a classic MCAS flare took hold — maculopapular rash on my chest, shoulders, back (and I suspect my scalp too).
It’s a storm: surgery, stress, malnutrition, candida overgrowth, and cumulative inflammation. Thank you, Nystatin, for easing the cotton mouth.

Despite that, today I started eating orally — no nausea meds, no IV nutrition. We knew if I couldn’t keep it down, a central line was next.

But guess what?
I kept my food down. Still a little gassy, still some gut grumbling, but no vomiting. My PCA pump is discontinued. I walked the stairs. I passed the test.

I’m going home.
Tomorrow is the day.

Cue the tears. Cue the t***s. Cue the healing.

21/04/2025

Post-Op Day 6 | Happy Easter
The day started slow but ended with a small miracle…

Photo 1: Me + my trusty IV pole (aka my holiday date)
Caption: Still smiling… NG tube is gone!

Photo 2: Loose-leaf tea prep like a true herbal nerd
Caption: First clear liquids approved! Chamomile, marshmallow root, and hibiscus tea coming in hot.

Photo 3: The brutal truth from my sleep tracker
Caption: A grand total of 58 minutes of sleep. Hospital nights are no joke.

Photo 4: Compression sleeves on, toes polished, spirit strong
Caption: Vibes: festive but puffy. Showing signs of malnutrition with the third spacing of fluids into my legs and hips. As I am able to digest, this will improve. I have been given until tomorrow to improve this, otherwise they will insert a central line and feed me total parenteral nutrition. (I do not want AT ALL!!) Looking to start my elemental diet powder again.

Big Update:
I spent much of the day connecting with fellow SMAS families (you are my people!) and ended it with an emotional milestone: NG tube OUT.
Dr. Fowlkes gave the green light, and I didn’t expect the wave of relief that followed. The moment it was removed, my whole body felt safer. I could finally breathe.

First drink of freedom? A healing blend of chamomile, marshmallow, and hibiscus tea:
• Chamomile: Calms the gut, eases spasms, and cools inflammation
• Marshmallow root: Mucilaginous magic—soothes and coats the digestive tract
• Hibiscus: Bright, tangy, and a little something to lift the spirit

One caveat:
Sleep continues to be elusive (always is when you’re inpatient), and I definitely woke up a bit grouchy. But after moving my body, getting grounded, and tuning into gratitude… I worked it out.

Let the gentle healing begin, one sip at a time.
Grateful. Grounded. Healing.

20/04/2025

Post-Op Day 5: A Walk, a Warrior, and One Stubborn Bowel

Saturday brought two soap suds e***as and exactly zero bowel movements. Nada. Just some bile and mucus. Apparently, my intestines are still on strike—but we’re in negotiation.

Look who I bumped into on my hallway stroll? Yep. An Easter Bunny Skeleton. Only in the hospital could that seem totally normal.

The wound itself? Healing like a champ. My abdomen’s looking better each day—I’ll take any win I can get.

But this NG tube… oh, this tube. It’s been in too long, and now it’s leaving me with the taste of blood every time I swallow. We are NOT on good terms. I cannot wait for this thing to get evicted.

Bright spot: I got to meet another SMAS warrior and her incredible mom. There is something so powerful about meeting someone who truly gets it. Instant connection. Instant strength.

Finished the day watching the sunset from my hospital room. A reminder that beauty still breaks through—even when you’re healing, even when it’s hard.

19/04/2025

Friday: Post-Op Day 4: Rootin’ and Tootin’ is on the Horizon!

Still no bowel sounds yet… but we do have progress: less bile output in the NG tube, which means it’s finally moving through instead of just pooling to get suctioned out. Victory, one drip at a time.
Small win = Big deal.

Not-so-fun update: my throat is on fire (ouch!) and even bleeding a little thanks to our long-term guest, the NG tube. She’s holding her position until the intestines decide to clock back in.
Cepacol lozenges = the MVPs of swallowing.
Cherry-flavored numbing magic, I salute you.

In Operation: Let’s Get These Bowels Moving, Squishmallow has stepped in as Chief Morale Officer.
We recruited glycerin suppositories and a Fleet’s e***a to the team.
And yes, the diagram on the e***a box totally gave “Have you ever tried this one?” energy.
Sabrina Carpenter, are you narrating my post-op protocol?

EXCITING NEWS:
Liver enzymes are the best they’ve been in over a year!
One month ago, ALT/AST were in the 250s (and had peaked at 1200—yikes).
Today?
ALT = 141
AST = 67
This is huge. It confirms what I suspected:
The SMAS compression was the ROOT CAUSE of my elevated liver enzymes and biliary dyskinesia.
Now that the compression’s gone? The liver is thriving.
Healing is happening.

And now for a slice of sunshine…
Rich wheeled me outside for a few glorious moments of fresh air and warm sunshine on my face.
Birds were chirping, my heart was smiling—and then security told us we weren’t allowed to hang around outside.
Buzzkill.
But hey… it was worth it.
We’ll try again today.
I’m determined to catch more rays and more chirps.

Rootin’ and tootin’ soon, friends. Stay tuned.

17/04/2025

3 Post-Op

Sleep was rough—no surprise in a hospital. Woke up nauseous and got IV Zofran and Toradol, which burned going in (also not a surprise). An hour later, I was still nauseated and in more pain. I checked my IV site and saw it had infiltrated into the surrounding tissue.

Three more stick attempts later, we finally got another IV going. By then, I was dry heaving and in serious pain—the NG tube pushing out just added insult to injury. We’re now treating the infiltration carefully, since this kind of thing can lead to cellulitis.

Some good news today: I got up and walked the hallway with a walker. Looking into a rollator with a seat so I can stay mobile and attend both of our boys’ graduations this spring.

Best part? My stomach is starting to gurgle and wake up. I’m bloated but that means the intestines are showing signs of life. If this keeps up and NG output stays low, I might get to clamp it off tomorrow and try sipping some fluids.

One step at a time. 🌈

16/04/2025

Day 2 Post-Op Update

Grateful beyond words today. I received this beautiful bouquet from Dr. Z and my Functional Medicine Academy family — and it instantly brightened my hospital room and my heart.

Recovery from major abdominal surgery isn’t easy, but love and support like this makes all the difference.

Still on ice chips only, but my pain is well controlled (and bonus — no headache this time around, which is a big win for me!).

Feeling deeply supported, seen, and held. Thank you, FMA and Dr Z

16/04/2025

Day 2 Post-Op Reflections

I’m 2 days out from major abdominal surgery for SMAS, and while I’m focused on healing, today brings a deeper layer of reflection.

April 16th marks the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting—one of the darkest days in recent history. The lives lost that day still echo through so many hearts. What’s humbling is knowing that had they lived, many of those students would have received their care right here, at LewisGale Hospital—the same place that is now helping me recover with compassion and excellence.

As I lie here healing, I’m reminded that this hospital has seen so many kinds of pain… and so much strength. Today, I honor the lives we lost, the families forever changed, and the incredible medical professionals who’ve stood in those hardest moments—and who continue showing up with heart.

Gratitude, grief, and hope—all wrapped up in one hospital bed today.