Please Help! Day 4 of 14 pre-op clear liquid diet

swel8605
on 4/12/11 2:17 am - IA
Everything went well at pre-admission visit Monday. Have to get one more test done prior to Thursday's 10:45 surgery. Being put on antibiotics, acid reducer and then have to do the "colon cleansing" tonight (ugh!). Report to hospital two hours prior to surgery. The staff was all very upbeat and excited for me! I appreciate everyone's good wishes!
KD42
on 4/12/11 2:55 am - IA
So glad  you  are  so  close.  I  have  to  be  in  Waterloo tomorrow  for  Dr.  app't.  Good  luck  and  will be  waiting  to  hear  from  you  after  surgery.  Hope you  have  good  help  when  you  get  home.   Karen
KD42
on 4/13/11 9:22 am - IA
Got  my  date  Apr.28  Liquid  diet  tomorrow.  Good  luck tomorrow  Karen
swel8605
on 4/18/11 4:56 am - IA
Karen,
  So glad you finally got a date! My surgery ended up being about  3.5 hours long -- the gallbladder was done first and it took 2 hours. Had a very rough couple of first days, nausea/pain. Then I turned a corner.
Today is first full day at home. Challenging trying to get into a routine, but know it will happen eventually.
I'll be glad when this is all a "normal" part of eating and living, but it takes time.
  have you started the liquid diet then? How is that going for you? I am liking the "Isopure Plus ZeroCarb protein drink -- 60 cal./8 oz. and 15 grams of protein. Comes in Alpine Punch flavor and Grape.
  My husband took last week off. This week, my son will be home some nights (he's 16) and my daughter will be home the others (she's 22).
  I did have an epidural block and then morphine for anesthesia. I did NOT do well with the morphine! I've always been lucid coming out of anesthesia and I could not remember anything from the time of the epidural to the next day. Additionally, I'd get sick to my stomach every time they administered it to me for pain -- so we switched to another form.
  The staff in the medical hospital part were okay. Not the best treatment I've every received compared to other hospitals. they were adequate but not especially personable or considerate -- the "human touch" stuff was a bit lacking I thought. Dr. G and his staff, though, I've always gotten oodles of support from.
  Let me know how you're doing!
  SANDY
KD42
on 4/18/11 5:07 am - IA
Glad it  is  over  for you.  I  am on  the  liquid diet  day  5.  I  am  so full.  Seems  like  I  am  going to  bust  but  I  am  following the  page  to  the  letter.    I  spend  a  lot  of  time  in  the  bathroom.  I was  hoping   he  takes  the  Galbladder  too.  I  don't  see him till the  25th.  I  know he  will  fix  my  hiatal  hernia.    I  did  not  realize the galbadder  took  that  much  time.  Were  you  the  1st,  2nd  or 3rd  that  day.  I  don't  know  when  I  have to  be there yet.  You  must  have  been  in  the  hospital  3  nights.   Hope  it  gets  better from now  on.  Keep  in  touch  .  Karen
swel8605
on 4/18/11 10:09 am - IA
I was the second surgery that day, scheduled for 10:45. But I didn't go "back" until noon and my husband said it was nearly two before anything really started.
KD42
on 4/21/11 12:01 pm - IA
Hi  Hope you  are  doing  real  good  by  now.  I  am  on  day of  the  liquid  diet.  Tired  of  popsicles  but  i  like  the  warm  broth.  I  have  not  cheated at  all.
  I  go  to  the  dr. Monday  for  my  pre-op  stuff  and  the  hospital  visit.  Will  find  out  a  time  I   hope.  I  am  ready  for  this  to  be  done.  Had  a   Dr  app't  today  for my  physical. A  big  waste  of  time  but  It's  done.
   I  will  be  in  touch  later  Karen
swel8605
on 4/23/11 3:38 pm - IA
I'm supposed to see Dr. G on Thursday for my 2 week post-op, but, due to a pain I'm having, he's going to see me Monday. I'll get there around 10 or so, as he's not sure when he will be available to see me. What time is your appointment? Yes, I was in for surgery on Thursday and out sunday night.If you have any specific questions about anything, just ask and I'll answer.


KD42
on 4/23/11 11:57 pm - IA
Sorry  you  are  in  pain.  My  app't  is  330 Monday.  I  have  to  go to the  hospital  1st at 145.  Are  you  able  to  drink  ok?    I  am  doing  ok  on  the  liquid diet.  Were  you  there  3  nights because  of  having  the  gallbladder  out  too?  I  hope  he  takes  mine.    Is  there  anything  I  need  to  take special?  I  have  to  pack  Tuesday.  Cleaning  my  house  this  weekend so that  will  be  done. I   have  to pack my camper  too  because  we  have  a couple  camping  trips  planned  in May.  So  want  that  ready.  Trying  to  remember  everything.  haha  that  prob  won't happen.   Later  Karen
swel8605
on 4/24/11 12:50 pm - IA
The pain is a sharp one which usually occurs with movement, but not necessarily. When I spoke with Dr. G this weekend (forwarded through the 24 hour nurse), he said, even though my two week post op is Thursday, he wanted to see me tomorrow. I'm hoping it's just incisional pain that will pass.

I'll be glad to progress to the pureed diet, after nearly being on the liquid for a month! I miss texture and chewing!

I'm not sure if I was in the extra night because of the gallbladder, or if it's because I didn't come out of the anesthesia very well the first day (I've never had trouble like that before -- didn't remember anything until the next day!). I had major trouble after doing the upper GI and drinking that stuff they make you drink. By major trouble I mean nausea and vomiting. I did a turn around, though, the end of the second day after we figured out it was the morphine  which was making me ill. I hardly remember my first walk, but the following ones went quite well.

As far as taking anything special . . . they do provide chapstick and a spray for dry mouth. When I walked, my mouth got so dry that my lips and tongue would stick together! I took a book and crossword, but they were never out of the bag. Mainly just rested or was struggling with the nausea or walking or having vitals, etc. taken.

At the first part of the meeting you're going to, it was mainly just sitting down and answering questions about the surgery and my expectations, etc. I did have to have some blood drawn. For the second part, it was Dr. G going over my paperwork, then giving me a "talk" about what this surgery means and what I'll need to do to insure it works.

I think, if it weren't for this pain in this one spot, I'd be doing fantastic. No other parts are bothering me. Not even where the gallbladder was taken. (Don't know if you know, but you'll have a "bulb" for fluid drainage attached where the gallbladder comes out. You go home with it and have to drain/measure it a couple times a day. It's really not troublesome. They took it out at my 1st week post-op visit). I'm not nauseous or sick to to stomach. The hardest part is getting in my fluids and protein. I think this will be so much easier once we can start to eat "real" food. The medicine we get to take home with us is called Roxicet -- we can take 1-2 tsp. every 4-6 hours. One teaspoon makes me VERY sleepy (and "loopey" my family assures me! Ha!). Two will have me out for 2-3 hours. We've moved the leather lounger chair upstairs for me to sleep in.

If you would like to skip the forum and go directly to my email, it is: [email protected]. I wish you the best of luck with all things leading up to and following the surgery!  Keep me posted!!   ~SANDY

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