hi i'm home

this is gonna be short n sweet. just like me. i made it to my parents house around 7:30 tonight.. woohoo. i was supposed to come home yesterday, but didn't make it. here's a real brief rundown: thurs: got to the hospital at 9 for my 11am surgery. at 11, i was still fully clothed. waiting til about noon before they took me up to the OR waiting room. waited there til about 4! when they told me they were going to give me an epidural, which would help with the pain once i woke up. this was becuase i was going to be cut wide open, not just the normal 3-4 inches like a reg. open patient. thurs night: wake up in recovery, in crazy amounts of pain. don't really remember too much, thank god - but i know i was hurting because the epidural wasn't working. looovely. so around 2am they finally got my pain under control and i was better, much better. fri: spent most of it in step down/ICU. the nurses were fantastic! loved 'em! friday afternoon-Saturday: moved over to Coop 3. everything was great. felt good, had visitors, walked as much as possible. barely even thought about eating. food was pretty much dipping the spoon in cream of whatever soup, and licking it off. maybe twice. some sips of milk, a sip of mighty shake.. and that's it. they told me i would go home sunday afternoon. took out my iv's. sat night around 11pm: i got pretty sick. i guess there was some residual blood leftover in my stomach, and most people just pass it through, well.. i threw it up. not fun. especially with no iv's, that limited what i could take or meds. couldn't stomach the liquid pain killer or anti-aseau, so they put an IV back in at 5am. spent sunday morning trying to rest. I had a nurse that discouraged me from walking around.. said i should take it really easy after that kind of night. i think that was a mistake. i found out what gas pains were. oh man. you do not want them. i was in so much pain, so they kept giving me morphine, whihc made me ultra groggy, so i wouldn't walk, etc etc.. finally i said enough of this, i think it's gas.. so i started walking. just to the bathroom and bakc. sitting down as i needed.. low and behold, about an hour later, my tummy rumbles, i burp.. and poof. i feel 1000% better. so today was spent walking and lounging waiting for discharge papers.. and now i'm home. kind of sore. trying to figure out the most comfy spot for me and my 50+ staples. uggggh! lol not so fun. and yes, i did, just now.. get my monthly friend. i regretted doing this only once.. and that was durin my session with the gas pain. otherwise... i'm happy as a clam. no hunger to speak of. no cravings, seeing a wendy's/DD/BK doesnt'e ven illicit a feeling, good or bad. i think this actually works!!!! much love and will post more later!! i have roommmate nightmares to share!!?!? lolol kristen

Wow Kristen, U have been through an ordeal and a half. Glad to see that u r home and feeling a little better. Take it ieasy though because with 50 staples that had to hurt. Again welcome home and get a good night sleep tonight, I will be looking forward to seeing ur posts Shannon

Hey Kris... Yeah my friend is home!!!! I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that...I had some of the same thing..but I don't think it was as bad as yours...In step down did you have a nurse named liz? she was fantastic...what a sweetheart... I was there for 2 days....I know about the roommates lol.. Well go rest...email me soon... Love ya & Hugs Teri

Peggy, that's sweet, but I assure you I AM TOO grumpy and mean;) I wish I could put my real name out there, it's like Rumplestiltskin, I don't think anyone would guess it in a MILLION years, it's just too unusual. But you guys could start guessing [though I'm not giving anyone my first born!], that might make up for some of the 'slow times' on the board LOL. xosm

Ok but you gotta tell us atleast what letter it starts with....If it is a G, is it Guinneviere?

Glad u are back home and starting ur journey. I heard the gas pains can be something, I didn't have any (lucky) but my girlfriend did and ended up ion the ER because she couldn't take the pain. You are so right to keep walking that helps. I also heard from her that Gas-X helped tremendously. Isn't it wonderful how food kind of repulses you now???LOL but it won't forever, sigh......... Keep up the great work and welcome to the losing side..... Hope to meet some of you soon, Elisa New in Narragansett LAP RNY 10/1/04 395/205-210 up and down/170ish??

Good Morning Kristen, I read your post and I am so very happy you made it thru!! I loved reading your entire journey from start to finsh at RIH. Between you and Teri, I have a very good idea of what to expect...GAS!!!!!!!! yuk..and i am 59 yrs old..I just hope this old body can handle this..... When you are feeling better, please post...as all of us here that are awaiting surgery watch for posts from everyone who has gone to the losing side. ps. yah share some of your roomate nightmares...MORE GOOD STUFF TO LOOK FORWARD TOO Carol B

hey kristen..............welcome home!!!!!!!! glad to hear all is going well. i'm headed your way in less then a month now, can't wait......if you don't mind me asking, why did they have to cut you wide open like that? talk to you soon.............T...

Welcome home Kristen, sorry for all the trouble you suffered. Let me ask you, I'm having open surgery also, but I don't have a hernia, would that make a difference? Keep up the good work our April Looser!!!!!! can't wait to be call a looser also.

Someone on the main board said her surgeon said protein digests slowly and too much intake and it just gets pushed thru the intestional tract too fast to be absorbed, so I guess what you are saying about the liquid protein sort of falls in line with that [although I wonder about the shot-like vials of liquid protein?]. Other than that, I haven't been able to find much else in the way of info. Thanks for taking the time to answer me! xosm