1 week post-op

Hi all,

I hope you're having a good day today.

I am 1 week post op and weighed myself this morning for the first time, to see an amazing 9.8 Ib loss!  I am thrilled!  I'm down 32.8 Ibs total since starting opti last month. My tops are all hanging on my and some of my chins have disappeared.

I flew home from Toronto to Sault Ste. Marie late last night and it feels GREAT to be home again.

It was sad knowing Benji was gone, but as soon as I walked in, my African Grey Parrot, Smokey, yelled, "Hi Kathy!"  I said, "Hi Smokey, how are you?"  She said, "Not bad; how bout you?"  I cracked up laughing because she sounded just like my Dad, lol.  I told her I was OK and asked if she had missed me.  She said "Ya!"  My Dad told me she kept trying to bite him every time he fed her, so I asked her if she bit Grandpa, and she said, "Hahahahahah!  Ya!"  So funny.  I went in and pet her and gave her a kiss and chatted with her until it hurt too much to stand up so I went to the living room to sit down and we yelled back and forth between the rooms until my Mom told us to both shut up, lol.  Then when I went upstairs to bed Smokey said, "Goodnight, God Bless you."

This morning when she heard me head to the washroom, she yelled, "Hey Kathy! I'm right down here!" 

She's so funny. I've had her since 1990 and she always makes me smile.

My pain had gone down quite a bit, to where it only hurt when I went from standing to sitting, or climbed up or down the stairs. But then I ran out of pain killers early this morning and the pain came back with a vengeance.  I have tylenol 3's for a different medical problem and switched to those (it was OK's by my surgeon) but they are much harder to take because I have to break them into tiny pieces that are small enough to fit through a straw, and take them with sips of water so it takes an hour to take 2 tablets.  So I'm just staying upstairs in my old bedroom for a few days. 

I've got my laptop and phone next to me, all of my essentials, plus my premier protein and water, so I"m good to go.  I'm sure I"ll be OK with the pain and the stairs in a few more days. The stairs are very steep and long, and the railing doesn't go all the way to the top (old home, over 100 years old), so it just seems safer to stay up here until I'm a bit steadier.

My friends and family are all happy that I'm home again.  I really owe a lot to my friend Leslie, who took care of me and stayed with me in Toronto,and now to my parents, who are helping me out. 

I'm happy I had surgery, but I was in so much pain the first day after surgery I kept telling the nurse to move me to the psych wing because I was clearly crazy to have done this to myself.  She thought it was funny, lol, and I was joking, but there was a bit of truth to it too.  I guess it's all just luck of the draw if there's pain, because so many of you had no pain, only discomfort, and it seems only a few of us had bad pain problems.  My surgeon said it's common for his patients, so maybe it depends on the surgeon and his technique?

Anyway, whatever it is, I'm so glad I'm on the mend, and am thrilled with my weight loss. It seems miraculous to lose so much in one month.  Every day I feel better and soon this early part will just be a memory.  Despite the pain, I don't regret a thing, and feel very blessed and grateful to have been given this brand new start.

I'm sorry you had to come home to the loss of your pup.  That probably made it more real.  I'm afraid of birds but your parrot sounds amazing!!  I'm surprised you have so much pain!!  I guess I was lucky because I had none.  Keep your chin up!

Hi Odie,

You were very lucky to not have pain.  My surgeon wasn't surprised at all so maybe it's just the way he does things? I don't know.

Smokey is amazing. I've had her since 1990 and she never fails to make me laugh.

Hi Kathy,

I'm glad your pain has lessened somewhat and you're being well taken care of by your family. Keep us posted on your recovery and great news on the weight loss.

Leslie

Thank you!

Your parrot is hilarious 

Awesome to hear you got home safe. 

I read you were breaking your tylenol to fit through a straw. Not sure you are sipping through a straw or not but we were told at our clinic not to use a straw as you suck up too much air that will cause extra gas and with it pain.   I am only sharing what we got told and since you are in pain just a thought.

I hope you feel better soon!!

I will join you on the losers bench next week.

Also sorry for the loss of your dog...but happy you can home to your feather baby.

Laura

Thanks Laura,

I'm not using a straw, it was just what the surgeon told me to use as a guideline to have an idea of how small the pieces should be cut. 

Good luck next week!  I'll save you a spot!  You must be so excited.

Kathy

So sorry for the lost of ur dog, it's hard when u lose fur baby. I to had a lot of pain after surgery it last while, I know it's not my surgeon because people that had him had no pain, it just my body.. I had my gallbladder and hernia repair in Nov and still have some pain.. I love sault ste Marie that's my home town I was raised in heyden, hoping to go back this summer hate when I have to leave love the soo 

Hi Ready,

So nice to meet a fellow Soo gal here!  Heyden is so pretty.  We have a camp at Goulais Bay and I'd live there if I could, but it is not winterized.  Maybe we can meet up if you visit this summer, if you have time while you're here.