First Week Post-Op

May 08, 2011

Copying this from my previous paper/pencil journal:

May 4, 2011, Post Op Day#0, SURGERY DAY!
 Weight = 248.3
The only thing I felt nervous about was whether or not it was REALLY going to happen this time.  I had done this once before (on April 6) and had to walk away without surgery.  I knew I wouldn't believe it until I was being wheeled back and that was exactly how it went.  The nurses were wonderful my entire1.5 day stay.  The worst part was waking up after surgery, no sickness or anything, it is just that the Resp. Therapist kept having to yell my name (in a nice way) to get me to stay awake long enough to do one of those breathing things, then I would be out within a second and we'd do the same thing all over (10 times).  I just wanted to sleep!  I've had 2 c-sections, one being VERY painful, and this was nothing in comparison.  Of course I was sore and it took a bit to get in and out of bed, but getting up and walking around felt so good.  By that night I did 6 laps without much pain.  I was able to lay on my side, the one without the drain. Just not a back sleeper so that felt especially good.  Really, that first day, I was just out of it...wanted to sleep, and sleep I did!  Oh, and the morphine drip button didn't hurt my sleeping cause:)  Bad thing was I would sleep so much that there were times I would forget it and go without it.  All-in-all, a very wonderful experience.  Cheers to the day that launches by refreshed life!!!


May 5, 2011, Post-Op Day #1
No weigh in today (in hospital) 
Passed my leak test (horrible, disgusting stuff...dry heaved but got through it) then nurse brought in a liquid meal.  It was a very small cup of chicken broth (like the size of one of the smallest to-go containers at a restaurant for ketchup or something), same small cup of jello, and a popsicle, all sugar free of course.  I drank a very small amount of broth, a tsp. or so of jello, and half of the popsicle and that was it for me!  Definitely the moment where I really realized
what I had just done!  Worried right now about dehydration so sipping on water constantly, strange feeling of trying to learn how to drink in VERY small sips and figure out how much time I need to wait between each sip.  Haven't had any gas pains yet (surprising but I won't complain).  Hubby was there the entire time and took great care of me!  Nurses took out my catheter, IV, and drain.  Walked lots while here.  Best care.  Heading home. 

May 5, 2011, Post-Op Day #2
Weight = 245.5, yay, met/suprassed my first goal weight of 248, which is what I was on Sept. 4, 2007 when I had my 2nd child. 
Not planning on taking pain meds any longer.  Mom just gave me my blood thinner shot.  Very funny, as she jabbed it into me thinking it would take a lot of force...not so much:)  Doing breathing exercises (decreases chance for pnemonia), but only getting between 1500-2,300.  Getting ready to start drinking water.  Goal is to get in 50 oz. today, plus jello/broth/popsicle.  Coughing and blowing nose still hurt somewhat but is tolerable and really helps to hold a folder up towel against my tummy while coughing.  Still trying to figure out how much of a gulp of wather I can drink and how long to wait in between sips.  Main goal is to stay hydrated.  Not going to tackle a protein shake today.  But lots of walking. 

May 7, 2011, Post-Op Day#3
Weight = 241.5 (this is crazyy and I LOVE it...can see how I might get to crazy about this weighing in thing)
Slept comfortable on both sides, including side where drain was.  Woke up to indigestion (my best guess) which went away when I sat up.  Have heard a lot of people end of taking a priolosec so I took one of my son'ts Prevacid.  May need to start a daily antacid if this continues...putting on list for dr. questions.  Stopped doing breathing treatments, oops...oh well.  Coughing still sore on left side.  Did blood thinner shot on own, so totally not a big deal at all.  Wondering if I need to make my protein shake with water or can I use soy milk.  Many people say what settled/tasted good before surgery is not the same after.  Did brave going to son's first t-ball game.  Loved it of course but it was fairly hot out and probablly wasn't the best idea considering I've not been doing very well with water intake.

May 8, 2011, Post-Op Day#4 (Mother's Day)
Weight = 239.5
Didn't go to sleep until 4am, even with a dose of Tylenol 3 (basically tylenol plus codine).  No clue why, but made the best of my time by reading posts on my 2 favorite sites, well now 3 since I discovered the Eggface woman's site.  Definitely no protein shakes today after last nights awful 2 hours of hell!  Focusing on getting to that 64 oz. of water goal.  Woke up at 11:00am so off to a bit of a late start, but was the easiest day so far.  No pains and able to do bigger and more frequent sips.  Warm water is better than cold for me, especially in the morning.  Mostly laying in bed today, reading, journaling/blogging, trying to get all of my thoughts into some kind of coherent pattern so when I return to work in about a week I'll have a manageable plan of attack on keeping up with everything.  Being a goal person, ...
My Goals for Today
1.  Give my kiddos extra hugs and loves (they are a little timid after seeing my 6 incisions and don't really come that close to me yet)
2.  Organize journals into this blog and get everything up to date - DONE
3.  Make kitchen utensils wish list - DONE
4.  Relax, ice bummed knee - DONE
5.  Walk a bit, probably not 30 min. with my knee pain - DONE
6.  Start a new book - Hunger Games, the 2nd one - DONE
7.  Give myself shot - DONE
8.  Blog list of NSV goals - DONE
9.  Blog weight goals - DONE, just scroll down page and you'll see them on the left side
10.  Blog "My Story"
11.  Start thinking of how best to print/have all of the great reciepes I'm looking forward to, especially those from "The World According to Eggface."  - DONE
12.  Drink water while doing all of this and get close to 50+ oz.- still working on

May 9, 2011, Post-Op Day #5
Weight = 237
Felt so good today.  Every day it gets easier to take bigger sips of water and more frequent sips.  I called my nut. today and was so glad I did.  She is mailing me the new, updated Post-VSG Guidlines Nut. Book, and the best news is that they have moved so much up.  So...tomorrow I won't just get one egg for breakfast and then only water and protein shakes the rest of the day.  I'll actually get to have a different breakfast, lunch, AND dinner my first day (plus water and shakes of course)...so exciting!  So, of course I spent a great deal of time today and got my binder ready, which includes:  Printed favorite meals (those that might work best these first weeks), Workouts (for the future), my eating guildlines, and my favorite....my Weekly Meal Planner (which is also where I will record EVERYTHING)!   Also included some pics.  This binder (I've used one before) is my saving grace.  It goes everywhere with me!  Oh, I'm going to buy one of those cheap 3 hole punched pencil cases so I can make sure to always have what I need to write. 
Still haven't gotten protein in, but did make a shake with just water and sipped a bit and it seemed just fine.  So, on to shakes tomorrow for sure!
Water - I know I can get it in, it is just a matter of always having it on hand and in the front of my mind.  I HAVE to get this right and soon!

May 10, 2011, Post-Op Day #6
Weight = 236
Went to bed kind of tired last night.  Know I'm going to have to get my water and some protein shake in today so I don't start to feel like crap. 




May 11, 2011, Post-Op Day #7
Weight =                      (now that I'm 1 week post-op, I will only be weighing myself on Monday and Sunday mornings)
"Egg Day" and start my vitamin day!!! 
Also going to Dr. at 2:15 to get my staples out! 
List of questions for Dr. - how many vitamins per day and when? How much protein, carbs, sugar, fats, calories per day?  Food limitations...maybe take Weekly Meal Plan and have him look it over?

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