The Surgery Was....

A success.  At least so far.  Surgery was December 1st - Remember that date - I'll be one yr old next year.

I was off the pain meds by 7:00 that night.  I just didn't need them.  The nurse came in about 5:00 the next morning to check my pain pump and I told her she was wasting her time because I hadn't used it.  When the respiratory dr came in he was upset that I was sitting in a chair and not hooked up to a bunch of wires because I was supposed to be monitored while I was on the pain meds.  I told him I hadn't used them.....

The day after the surgery, I had to have an x-ray of my stomach to make sure there weren't any leaks.  I made them show me the x-ray to prove the Dr. had done the surgery - just no pain....  I wanted to be sure.  Sure enough - the x-ray showed a little tube for a stomach.

Recovery has been progressing.  I have a little pain at night but try not to take the pain medication then - I just don't like the foggy feeling.  Incisions a little red and painful but not too bad.  Staples were taken out yesterday and today they're feeling better.  Exercise is hard.  I started doing the 30 minutes of walking but my arthritis flared up so bad I was in tears.  I switched to chair exercise and that was o.k. but boring - it's much more fun in a group.  Yesterday, the dr. released me to ride my exercycle so I've been doing that - 10 minutes at a time.

I started eating again on Wednesday - just yogurt.  I ate about 3/4 of the container and that's all I could get down.  Yesterday I added cottage cheese for lunch - wow - that caused some serious nausea!  The dr. said I could have hot de-caff tea to help.  Today is 3 "meals".  I'll have fish tonight - yum!

So far I'm down about 15 lbs since surgery day.  And I'm off all medications except the insulin and that's cut in 1/2.  Can you imagine - 10 days ago I was taking 4 prescription medications (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and something to make my stomach empty), a multi-vitamin, vitamin d, 2 supplements and 108 units of one insulin and a minimum of 86 units of another (sometimes more - depending on blood sugar).  Now I'm only taking a multi-vitamin, 3 supplements for vitamin b and calcium (required), and 54 units of one insulin and 43 of the other!  This is why I did this!

I go back to work next Thursday - I hope it's not too soon - I only worry about the fatigue.  To prepare, I'll start doing a little more activity each day.  I do think it's the right time to go back - I'll work for 2 days, 2 days off, work for 4 days (Christmas holiday) and have 3 days off.  Work for 4 days and have 3 days off and then full-time.  This way I can ease back in slowly.

I keep hearing that people who've had the surgery say they wished they would have done it earlier.  With my recovery going the way it has been - I'm sure I'll say the same thing.