Back tracking a step

This is the update I sent out via regular email on Wednesday when I got home. I thought I would go ahead and post it here too.

I thought I would write an update. I was dismissed from the hospital today (23rd) at 2pm. I got home around 3:30. The surgery went well. It took longer than expected. The norm is 2 ½ - 4 hours. Mine took 5 hours. There was a slight “problem” Dr Hachem ran into when he got in there. I didn’t know that until today. I would imagine he told me when I was in recovery, but I don’t remember. The 1st thing I remember after surgery was in intensive care. He told mom and dad it took longer because when he got in there I had more fat than he expected. Plus my bowel track was short so he had to go around the back of the stomach instead of the normal front side procedure. It wasn’t so much a risk complication I guess but a time issue for him, therefore, 5 hours of surgery.

I was fairly alert Monday evening. I had a rough sleeping night. Dr Hachem for some reason didn’t want me to use my CPAP that night. I couldn’t sleep on my back and I had difficulty getting turned on my side. So at 5am my nurse (Joy) and Shamika helped get me turned over. I slept fairly well for about 2 ½ hours. He was in to see me 4 times Monday. I made my 1st journey down the hall about 5:30pm and made it about 1/3 of the way down the hall. I had to remember I had to make it back! The 2nd trip was about 7pm and I made it ½ ways. My 3rd trip was at 11:45pm and I made it to the end of the hall. My 4th trip was at 3am and I went the same distance. I was on oxygen all Monday. I had to take an insulin shot twice. My sugar level was high. The 3rd testing was normal, as were every testing thereafter. They said sometimes that happens right after surgery

Tuesday I had the leak test done. YUK!! I had to drink that nasty barium and have x-rays of the stomach. Getting up on the x-ray table was a challenge of its own. Then when he said, lay on your back I thought, “he has got to be kidding.” Then when he told me I needed to roll over on my left side I knew he was delusional. I did get it done, but it was painful! There were no leaks so I got to “eat” finally. I hadn’t had anything (solid or liquid of any sort) since 8pm Sunday. So I started by drinking 1 oz of water in an hour for the 1st 3 hours. Then it was 2 oz of water or juice in an hour for 3 hours. Then it was 2 oz of that every 30 minutes for the next 3 hours. I never made it to the last 4 oz because I was full and did not want to push it. I walked down the hall this day once every hour. This night Joy set my CPAP up and I slept much better. I slept a little while on my side, but mostly on my back. I walked the hall 2 times during the night. I walked during the day once every hour. Dr Hachem checked on me 6 times. He is very attentive!

Wednesday I had Jell-o and an option of soup, but Kevin had clued me in on the soup and so I passed! I had grape juice, apple juice and jell-o along with my water. I had to have a sonogram of my legs to make sure I didn’t have any blood clots. I didn’t so they released me. He saw me 3 times today.

I have some soreness in the left shoulder. I guess not everyone gets that, but it does happen. As I understand it has something to do with the gas they pump you up with to get the room they need to work. It also has something to do with the anesthesia. The pain will alleviate as it all gets out of my system. It has lessoned.

I never used the pain medication for pain. They convinced me to use it before I got up to walk because it would make it easier to get out of bed and walk. So 15 minutes before I was going to walk I would push the button on the morphine pump. I haven’t had any since Tuesday evening around 7pm. My pain level was never higher than 3 on a 1-10 scale. Even then it wasn’t really pain, but soreness—like I had done too many sit ups. Then today I had them give me a dose of Tylenol 3 to travel home. We thought that might make me a little more comfortable with my shoulder and the distance.

They placed a patch behind my left ear before surgery. It is to help with nausea. I have to take it off tomorrow morning. You leave it on 3 days. I never did have any nausea, gas or bloating feeling. The 5 port holes that are used to do the Laparoscopic are not stitched or stapled closed. It is “super glued”. I still have the drainage port in. I will get it out next Thursday when I go for my 1st follow up. I have a small bottle taped to my leg that catches the incision fluid that is still draining. I have to empty it and keep track of how much it’s draining. No one will take me up on the offer of some fruit drink. Oh well! I will have to give myself a shot every day for the next 2 weeks. It is a blood thinner, so they taught me how to do that. The staff was wonderful. I did not have a bad nurse in the bunch.

Well, I hope this will put some of your minds at ease. I am doing very well. I will be off work 2 weeks. I will do a lot of walking, no lifting over 10 pounds and clear liquids only. Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers.