5 days Post-op

Hello! I am 5 days Post-Op am feeling much better. Surgery was quite a bit longer than expected. I had a Laproscopic Roux-en-Y on March 9. Surgery time was to be from 1 1/2 -2 hours, but my abdominal wall was thicker than thought and the surgeon did not have the exact right instruments, so it lasted nearly 4 hours. I love to pose challenges to doctors!! I don't remember too much from that first day. I was calm until it was time to go to surgery and then I "lost it" and got even worse in the OR room. Thankfully a girl who I babysat for when we were younger and whose family we are friends with, works as a surgery tech at the hospital that I had surgery at (which I also work at the same hospital as an x-ray tech) and they let her come in to calm me down some as they put me under. That did help greatly! I slightly remember being woken up in my room in PCU that evening after I left recovery. I think I finally got to my room about 4:30pm. I did have extreme pain at my diaphragm. I was also on a Bi-Pap machine was didn't help with my anxiety, etc. I did manage to get up walk a few feet and sit in a chair for a little bit. I was extremely dry mouth!! I couldn't get enough ice chips/water! Thursday morning I walked two times from my room to the nurses station and beyond and back to my room. Thursday afternoon I was moved to a regular room. They were pumping soooo many fluids into me, that I looked like I had gained a ton of weight! I truly looked and felt like a stay-puff marshmallow! I did not use my pain-pump too much after leaving PCU. Mainly to sleep, because I asked for a sleeping pill too late one night and they couldn't give to me. I was sitting up alot and walking the halls with my IV unaided, but I did need help getting up in bed. That first shower felt WONDERFUL on Friday morning!! I did not feel like I had enough energy and strength to come home Friday, so we waited until Saturday. My swelling has gone down greatly. My belly still is swollen a little, but my legs and feet look and feel like they are back to their normal self now! My guts are grumbling and I am able to burp when I feel like I need to. Gas from the other end is coming also, but need to be careful with that one!! I do look like I have been in a knife fight with 5 holes and about a 2 inch slice. I have durabond, and just a piece of gauze over my JP hole that has already closed off. I had the JP removed Friday afternoon. When I woke up and for the first couple of days, I thought, what in the hell did I get myself into! I must be truly crazy. I still think that, but I know I made the right decision for my health. I took my shower today at home unaided and will get off of here and walk up and down my hall at home (it is a long hall) a few times before eating some lunch. Have a good day!!

Hi Lynn! Congratulations on making it over to the losing side! I had my surgery on March 3rd...I was pretty nervous before surgery too, but they knocked me out before I even hit the OR! Probably a good thing! Went home, and I had gained six pounds from all the fluids - but less than a week later, I was down 14 lbs - so I was fine with that! I felt pretty crummy until they took out my staples - then I woke up the next day, and it was like BAM! I felt a ton better... You are so lucky that you don't have staples - they really hurt! I was on full liquids when I came home, so I had protein shakes - and I also used Carnation No Suger Instant Bkfst - which has a little protein, then add milk and it has more (about 12 grams I think) and it tastes good too! Also, if you are on clear liquids - the best chicken broth is Campbells Chicken soup broth, just make a can and drain the noodles. I have only thought a few times, what did I do? But, I feel that if I listen to my doctors and follow all the rules, I will be healthy and glad that I did this! I am already down 16 pounds, in less than two weeks - so that makes a big difference! Good Luck - and I know that you will be feeling better really soon! Jennifer 228/212/Healthy?