I'm home and update!

Hi everyone! My lovely wife, bless her heart, posted how I was doing, however, she did it on the main message board..so many may have not seen it last week! Surgery was September 28. I was only in surgery 2 hours. Dr. Sundberg said it went extremely well, no problems. I was in the hospital a few days and was released Friday evening, October 1. Dr. Sundberg was going to send me home Thursday, but I was not drinking enough, nor walking, as I was so very tired. I've taken a few weeks off of work. Life at home relaxing is OK for awhile, but even though I am not hungry, the liquid diet gets old real quick. Considering how well things went and I have not had any leaks, the nurse at Dr. Sundberg's office said I could start some milk and strained milk-based soups. That has been a nice change from juices with protein powder..yuk! I get tired by mid-day, but generally things are going very well. I have a scale at home, but not sure if it works the best (it is only three years old, but I think some nieces and nephews jumped on it a few times) and I don't know if I have lost some weight, but I feel like I have. My incisions are healing up fine, dry and no oozing of anything, not even red or sore, so that is good news too! I continue my walking daily and the fresh air feels good (except it is much colder lately!). One boo-boo I did last night that taught me quick lesson. I prepared a meal for my kids with a roast from the crockpot. I mashed some potatoes and instinctively put a spoon of them in my mouth to see if they had enough butter, salt, etc., as I always have. Not because I was hungry, not craving them, just out of habit. After I swallowed, I was in extreme pain and felt horrible for about 10 minutes. It made me realize I have a pouch now and it was too soon! I will not make that mistake again until I am prepared to take on that type of food in small bites! Thanks for everyone's support and look forward to sharing this continued experience with each of you. Tonight I will attend our local support group for the first time. Steven Ray Boone, IA

I'm planning on being there tonight also. It'll be nice to meet you. Glad you are doing so well. Old habits are hard to break. I've almost done that a few times also. See you tonight.

Glad to see everything is going great! And welcome to the losing side I too had a boo-boo shortly after surgery....it was right before christmas and my kids were making a gingerbread house.....I was mixing up all the colored frosting and just having a great time, well as they were decorating I was cleaning and I grabbed one of the empty bowls of color and was walking it to the sink...I stuck the big ole' spoon of frosting in my mouth, and then it hit me......DUH!!! I didn't swallow tho I went over to the sink spitting and gargling.....lol!!! It was quite a sight....lol!!! Again congrats....keep on walking and drinking.....Take Care Jesi

Hello Steven, welcome home, i'm glad things went good for you I wish you speedy recovery I know how that is I eat things to that I forget I cant have then I pay the price,lol. keep up the good work. Laurie

Oh honey, Bless your heart... old habits any habits with the eating are the worst ones to break. We have done it for so long that it is almost 2nd nature. I will keep you in my prayers for strength and energy. Hugs Melinda

Welcome to the losing side This surgery sure does take alot out of a person that's for sure. Can remember napping several times a day at first & wondering where is the energy everyone says you'll get. It comes but could take a while. So happy that everything went well for you. Won't be long & you'll be on "real" food. Take care & keep us posted. Carolyn

I'm so proud of you. Congrats on your successes. Anyway, what a great journey we have ahead of us. I wanted to write just to mention one thing: I ,too, had a habit moment. When I was 3 weeks out, I went to church (as always). And it just happened to be communion Sunday. Without thinking, my husband gave me the bread and the juice. HOLY MOLY! I ate the bread, drank the juice (now, considering it's very small amounts). And.....nothing happened at all. Then we left the church, we were in the parking lot, and it dawned on me...OH NO! I waited the rest of the day for "the other shoe to drop" but it never did. I was lucky (good thing we prayed first, eh?) Of course, I haven't taken any chances since then. But, it was just habit--kind of something I did without even thinking. I've been doing it for 30 some years, and it was second nature. Welcome to the losing side! Enjoy your day. Kay

Steven, Congrats on making it to the losing side of this wonderful journey!!!! I'm glad that things are going okay for you. Know that we all have those moments where habits take over. When I was home from the hospital, one of the elders from our church brought me communion and I did the same thing that Kay did - I ate the bread and drank the juice before I even thought about it. I had to double check to make sure that someone didn't use koolaid instead of juice! Anyway, there were no problems. How did the support group meeting go? Hope that you continue to do as well as you have been. Keep up the good work!! Congrats again and God bless, Andrea P,S. Sorry I did not respond sooner - my whole family has been sick this week from sinus infections to the stomach flu - I've had both!