My journey begins..

I started a journal so I've copied and pasted to here.
 

February 23, 2010 My re- birth date   Up at the hotel and took a shower. Not supposed to wear makeup, deodorant, lotions or hair products to the hospital, so I looked like crap.  They took me to a pre op room. Signed my life away. Put TED hose on. Got dressed into my hospital gown. Then they called in Verlin, Christa and Jim (Christa's father in law). Jim insisted on driving Christa because the weather and roads were terrible yesterday. We saw 40 cars in the ditches on our way down yesterday.  I felt just slightly anxious, but no more than if I was getting ready to chair a meeting.  We just chatted until they came to take me to surgery. I don’t remember waking up or being moved to my room. Dozed off and on all day. Tried to walk once but was feeling very shaky and weak so that was the only time today. I couldn’t have anything to eat or drink. Just swabs to moisturize the inside of my mouth. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a dry mouth. It’s horrible. My lips are cracked and hurt too. I won’t be allowed anything until after they do another leak test tomorrow morning.    February 24, 2010 I slept fairly well considering the machines beeping all night and nurses coming in to check my vitals. Walked to radiology to have the leak test. Walked the “loop" in the hospital 3 more times through the day. Had to use a walker the first time because I just didn’t feel strong enough. The next 2 times I just dragged my IV pole along on my walk. Had 3 “meals" today. All three : broth, jello and a popsicle. One taste of the broth and I was done with it. I couldn’t eat all the jello but managed the popsicle. The jello was in a container the size of little plastic cups that restaurants give you salsa in. SMALL. And I couldn’t eat all of it. I’m not hungry which is a good thing. My stomach and intestines are making a lot of gurgling sounds.   .  February 25, 2010  Home about 9:00 this morning. We stopped once during the 2 hour drive so I could get out and walk. The temperature was below zero, so I went into the building at the rest stop to walk around. No pain meds taken since last night. The pain med they gave me is Hydrocodone. That is the ONE pain med I told them I can’t take because it makes me so sick. They did prescribe anti-nausea PILLS. I can’t take pills either! So if I need something for pain, I’ll take Liquid Children’s Tylenol. Walking every ½ hour to ¾ of an hour to prevent blood clots. TED hose hurt they are so tight, but I know they are to prevent blood clots too. So I’ll just suffer. A slight bit of shoulder pain today from the gas. Walking helps relieve that.  7:00 PM   My boss came by to give me the Lovinox shot about 4:30. She also brought a shower chair, because I feel somewhat shaky still and don’t want to fall in the shower. I’ve been “running" to the  bathroom with slight diarrhea. I have on a maxi pad and it’s a good thing, because I should never trust a fart! I’m going to sleep in the recliner. Our bed sits quite high and I actually have to step onto a stool to get into bed. I think that might be a little hard on me, so I’ll stay in my chair for now. 

Hi!

Nice, it brought back a lot of memories.  Some how we forget the pain after all the good starts.


Good luck and you're on your way!

Peace

Welcome to the losers bench. Each day will get better. Remember to sip, sip sip, and walk, walk, walk.

Kisses
Annette

just take one day at a time, and keep sipping and walking and soon you
will be a whole new person!!!.. it will be a great feeling.  the first few
days/weeks will help you start your new life.  some days will be better
than others, but the end result is so very worth it.

hugs, jacki

Thanks for sharing with us, that brings back memories of my surgery almost a year ago.  And now you're on the losers' bench with all of us--it feels good, doesn't it?  Not the recovering from surgery part, no, but being on the other side now.  :) Hang in there, we're all with you in spirit!

It gets easier everyday......Welcome to the Losers Bench!!!

Hugs....connie d

hey LOSER!!!!! welcome to the losers bench!!!! and hey did you forget to pack that chap stick i told you to take???? haha

i also slept in the lazyboy for a few days til i could get into bed again...as for the eating and drinking...you will get the hang of it soon enough....just stick to program and do NOT test the fooods that made you obese....i wish i never tried them and now i can't stop eating them!!!!! GRRRRR anyhow...wishing you the best on your journey....its a wild ride so hang on tight!!!!

hugs

I packed that chap stick and actually the hospital provided a tube of lip balm.  But OMG how dry my lips were!  There was nothing helping!  They are much better now, but I keep adding balm and of course, I'm more hydrated now too. 

It's so nice to be a loser - in the best of ways.

Wanda