geminikb

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 So.. yesterday I posted to the forum that I was having a lot of gurgling in my abdomen but not much happening with my bowels.  Well, last night, finally....  I made an appointment with the toilet and patiently waited for the gathering grumbles to come to a head, or to a crescendo, if you will.  OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhh  what a release.  I felt like deflating balloon.  I felt ten pounds lighter.  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh.  There is still much work to do in this area.  Later today I plan on getting out and about.... hopefully I'll knock that gas around a little more and show it who is boss!

What a whirlwind it has been!  I was so nervous about having surgery--mostly about the anesthesia.  Everything else did not worry me--just going under did.  What if I didn't wake up?  The anesthesia team was very reassuring though.  I got into surgery a little early because there was a cancellation... which made me happy because I was ready to get the show on the road.  As soon as they got me in the OR and gave me that first dose of fentanyl, I got the giggles.  I was just smiling up at the anesthesiologist like he was my best friend and had just told me the funniest joke... and the next thing I knew, I was in in PACU with a nurse saying, "Wake up Kristen.  Your surgery is over."  I think the whole surgery thing is such a time warp.  Sundar must have been bored/worried for hours... and for me the whole ordeal was a blink.   

I hung out in PACU for a couple hours, I think.  I had to wait until after shift change to go up to the floor.  Again, this is all kind of hazy.  I actually felt quite comfortable... all snuggled in the bed with the compression devices massaging my legs.  Of course I had pain--a diffuse abdominal pain... so I hit the PCA as needed.  I think I was in and out for a couple hours.  Heather came by shortly after I got up to the floor.  I was trying to stay awake because I had a guest, but really, who knows what I was doing.  Anyway, I went into this knowing I would have to get up after surgery and get walking, and I was all over that.  One PE is enough for a lifetime, so I didn't want a repeat of that.  Plus I wanted to get my bowels and bladder moving.  No one was gonna put a cath in me!  The nurse thought 9:00 was a good time to get out of bed.  I was actually up for it much sooner.  I was up to a chair by 6:00 and walking by 7:00.  I was pretty gorked througout, of course.  I had a sore throat and a mysterious blister on my lip--from being intubated, I figure.  The first night was kind of rough.  As the anesthesia wore off, the body aches set in--just weird aches and pains from being strapped down to the table in the OR.  I didn't sleep much that night.  They switched me to liquid percocet and got the itchies really bad.  Then I had to have some benadryl.  Since I wasn't able to handle the liquid percocet (although I take regular percocet for my chronic pain flares), they kept me on IV morphine (but took away the pump) and oral dilauded.  And ativan.  The night nurse really liked ativan and gave it generously.  She thought it would help with the itching and would help me sleep.

The second day was pretty miserable.  The pain set in that day.  I found moving and deep breathing diffucult.  But with good pain  management and plenty of walking I got through it.  The night nurse--she was my favorite.  She was really determined that I have a good night  of sleep that night, so she loaded me up on pain meds and ativan, then she tucked me into bed on my left side with a warm blanket over my stomach (to promote bowel motility) and a pillow behind my back and between my legs.  I did sleep better though I got up and walked a couple times.  

All in all, things went great--better than I expected.  Heather told me she had horrible gas pains and that the JP drain really hurt.  You know, that JP drain did bug me, but not as much as Heather said it had bugged her.  Having it taken out though--that was an experience.  The drain came out under my right breast but tunnled inside all the way over to the left side of my abdomen.  The day nurse, Patty, got me good and looped up and pulled it out.  What a weird feeling--having that tube snake through you on the way out.  I tried to stay as relaxed as I could, but there was some involuntary tightening up.  It took two pulls to get it out.  And then right after that, Heather walked in again.  Good timing, Heather!  Ha ha.  Just kidding.  She didn't stay long because I was a bit loopy.  

I have had no problems with severe gas pains or belching.  I mean, there's some belching.  Let me put it this way...  When I was a nursing assistant I worked at HCMC on the surgery floor, and we had a lot of post-op bariatric patients there.  So I've seen first hand what patients go through.  The belching, the pain... It just wasn't that bad for me (knock on wood).  Either that, or I'm just a toughie!  Today though...  my bowels are grumbling like a volcano that's about to erupt.  For all the grumbling all that's returned is a little liquid stool and some gas.  I may need to stay close to the toilet today.  I think a good eruption would make me feel even better.  I do feel rather bloaty.

Game plan:  I'm supposed to drink 3 - 20 oz bottles of fluid per day.  I bought myself what I *thought* was a special cup at walgreens.  It was on sale for $2.00.  It's one of those coffee mug kinda dealies with a lid, which I thought was dandy since I am such a clutz.  Well, it turns out that the lid was leaky, so maybe it's not so special after all.  No wonder it was on sale.  The POINT is though, I will meet my fluid quota for the day if fill my cup six times.  Heather said she had a hard time drinking after surgery and had to line up 30 oz med cups every hour.  Since I'm not struggling with that, I'm just going to do the six-cup-fill routine.  And jello.  I made up a prize-winning batch of lime jello last night.  

I've been up since 8:00, mostly going through paperwork and goofin' on the computer.  Thought I would type this up as a way of letting my friends know how I'm doing.  It's also good for me to write for my own benefit.  Helps me sort things out.  I'm going to take a shower and then maybe a nap or some reading or TV.  

I'm glad the surgery is over and so far I'm very pleased with how things are going.

The last couple days have been a little rough.  It was crazy busy at work over the weekend and I guess I was feeling a little energy-depleted.  I ended up having a pounding headache on Sunday and yesterday, but I'm doing better today. 

And I hate to be crass, but whatever....  All these liquids are coming out looking the same way they did going in, and my ass is pissed off.  I took some immodium and have been more careful about using lactaid today.  Hopefully that will help. 

I've had some food cravings, but I'm handling them.  Since I'm not acutely hungry it's pretty easy to just let them go. 

Still staying the course.  No cheating.  Tomorrow is my pre-op physical.  One more day of all this milk and then it's on to clear liquids and mag-citrate.  That's going to be fun!  Not.

Every day seems a little easier than the day before it, and I passed the half-way mark yesterday!  I don't think I've dropped much weight.  I've weighd myself and it has been variable.  But I really do feel a little extra space in my clothes.  I'm very proud of myself for doing a good job on the liquid diet. 

I'm doing okay.  Better than I expected, actually.  Of course I feel hungry, but not as bad as the first three days.  I haven't cheated at all!  Christmas day was kind of hard because I was at work and there was a huge pot luck (which, ironically, I planned because I was charge that day and hosting employees from other sites).  There was a lot of food talk that day.  I didn't even go into the room where the potluck was... but I could smell it when I walked down the hall.  It smelled good.

The funny thing is, even if I wanted to cheat, I don't know what I would want to cheat with.  It's a different kind of hunger now--not so acute...  I think if I were to eat something, maybe I wouldn't feel so good.  Maybe it would be like having to start all over, and I don't want to do that.  I want to be able to look my surgeon in the eye next Friday and tell him I did it.

My husband is very supportive.  He's been sticking to eating food I generally don't like. 

My energy wanes toward the end of the day.  Usually around 3:00 or 4:00 pm I feel my blood sugar drop.  I've been crawling into bed around 8:00 pm these last few days.  I don't go to sleep... but I just don't have a whole lot of energy.  I've been adding protein to my carnation instant breakfast, but still... that only gets me so far.

All in all, it's going well.  I'm half-way there.  Time flies, but ten days can be forever!

Today is day two of my liquid diet.  It's hard, but I am determined.  I feel hungry and kind of listless... and I'm getting enough protein.  I went and got a protein suppliment today to add to my carnation instant breakfast.  I'm  not looking forward to tomorrow--Christmas day.  I will be working and there's going to be a huge potluck--which I had to plan because I'm in charge tomorrow!  

I really want to do this though.  After years of overeating and not setting limits, I want to put my mind to this and succeed.   

I'm having RNY on Jan 2nd.  I started my liquid diet today.  I have felt hungry all day, but I think it'll get better.  I'm determined to do this!  One day down, nine to go.