Finally home!

I am finally home, and very happy to be here.

My surgery was Tuesday afternoon.  Tuesday night until Thursday morning, I was pretty miserable - until I figured out that what they were giving me for pain wasn't helping that much with the pain and was giving me a killer headache.  Also, in spite of best efforts of the anesthesia and nursing teams, I was still very nauseated post-op for about a day and a half.  They had given me meds pre-op, during surgery, and post op (and as often as needed once I was awake) to keep me from vomiting post op.  Mission accomplished on no vomiting; only the 2nd time in my life I've had general without intractable vomiting afterwards.  Still, the nausea didn't add any fun to the party.

When they switched my pain med and added something specifically for my headache, I started to improve.  I was discharged Friday and spent Friday night and Saturday night in a local hotel with my family (in case a complication arose).  We made the 4 hour drive home today.

I'm still sore.  I'm still struggling getting in enough ounces of fluid and grams of protein.  It blows my mind that I feel stuffed all the time.  I have such a hard time putting something in when I feel full to the brim.

The main reason I had this done was to fix my severe GERD.  The weight loss will be a super bonus.   The surgeon said the tissue of my esophagus and stomach was so fragile, he put in a N-G tube (down my nose, into my pouch and hooked up to suction).  That stayed in for over a day, so even as they were making me drink stuff, it was coming right out the tube.  The surgeon wanted to give my pouch extra time to heal.  Not a normal part of Roux-en-Y surgery, but if you have severe GERD don't be surprised if you wake up with one.

I have five incisions, each about an inch long.  I also have an incision from where my drain was hooked up to a bulb-like collector.  The drain came out Thursday night.  I still have a Band-Aid over the site; it's still oozing slightly.

Also, I take a ton of meds for my auto immune disease  - and I am having trouble adjusting to having crush 90% of my meds. Some do come in liquids.

That's my story.  Sorry I was offline this week, but I'm back now!! 

Karen/Dukemom

I Have been looking for a post from you, thanks for the update. Glad that you are home. It sounds like it was a adventure for you. You will feel better in a few days, just sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, walk.....Look forward to chatting when you are up to it.

 

Aren't you a little over a month out now?  How are you doing?  Do you feel back to normal (except for the not wanting to eat part)?

Karen

Welcome back!!! I'm sorry you had such a tough time. You have such an amazing attitude and that is half the battle. Thank God they got your pain under control... Hopefully it's all uphill from here. 

Your update helps me tons. I go one week tomorrow, and hearing from you all- the good and the bad- actually helps me. 

Feel better soon. 

:)

I'm glad it helped.  I figure knowing what might  happen helps us if it does.  If not, we're that much ahead.

I kept telling myself I wasn't going to get on the scale until 2 weeks out.  It's been less than 1 week and the same day I get home, I step on the scale.  I was actually not crushed that I am up 3 1/2 pounds.  As much fluid as they kept pumping into me (and I didn't get my Lasix while I was there, so my ankle bones have disappeared), I was sure I'd be up more.  I figure once I get rid of this stupid fluid, I'll be looking for a couple of people on the Losers' Bench to make room for me! 

Karen

Karen,

 Yeah!! You're home!! I too am struggling with the crushing of the meds.  It is pretty awful.  I have back/nerve pain and also take several meds.  I think we will only have to crush them until we are healed more right?  I have been using yogurt to help me get them down - I sort of roughly chop them & then mix in a teaspoon or so yogurt with each tiny piece.  I am not recommending you do it that way, just sharing how I am dealing with it.  When I crushed them to powder it was beyond yuck!  

  I am so glad you didn't throw up after surgery!!!

Take care!! Diane

 

 

 

Hi Diane,

I was told to crush everything for one year, then I can take pills again.

The powder (and insides of capsules) isn't bad when mixed with unsweetened applesauce, which is what my pharmacologist recommended.  I had asked the nutritionist ahead of time if I should measure out a certain amount of applesauce for the day.  She said that within reason, I could use as much of the stuff as needed to get my meds down.

Other than sharing me dread of dealing with meds, how are you doing?

Karen

Karen, nice to "see" you! I'm glad you're back, and on the road to recovery. I can relate to so much in your post, especially the part about being too full to drink anything. I'm really having to force myself. I haven't even had a chance to work on protein until today, so I've just been focused on fluids for the time being.

As far as meds go, I was told I can take anything smaller than an M&M in pill form. That covers me for everything except the Metformin (diabetes meds), but since I haven't had to take those for over a week anyway I think that's ok.

Good to have you back!

Pam,

If my protein drinks didn't count towards total fluid for the day, I'd be in big trouble.  I'm still falling short, but I'm trying to do a little better every day.

Thanks, it's good to be back!

Karen

I am sorry that you had such a hard time in the hospital, glad you are home. I have been waiting to hear from you.

Hope you get to feeling better soon.