12/20/05

Met with the nutritionist and started the pre-op, liver-shrinking diet. Starting weight 307

1/03/06

Sleep study - have sleep apnea, 30 occurances an hour

1/05/06

Got the CPAP machine.

1/6/06

PreAdmit at St. Al's, finally exam by Dr.Cahn. Weight 293.8

1/9/06

Weight 291. Checked into St. Al's at 10:15am, prepped and in surgery at

12:15pm. Stayed overnight, hubby stayed with me. He broght the laptop and played my favorite music all night. What a sweetie he is. Gawd was I thirsty. Nothing by mouth until after the barium and swallow tests, so.. we had to swab my mouth with a sponge on a stick that we dipped in water. We called it the lollypop.

1/10/06

Went home late today. The hospital stay was awful. Nursing staff was rude and neglectful, and we suspected one was either drunk or on drugs. Very glad to be home, although I came home with a burn from an accident in the OR. Seems the surgeon was handed a retractor straight from the onclave, which burned thru his glove and he dropped it on my stomach. I now have a 3 1/2 X 1 inch second degree burn right next to the hernia incision. :mad:

1/16/06

Weight 287

Rough week. Sick of protein shakes. Drinking broth, water and slim fasts too. The band of pressure around my chest just under my ribs is horrible. I'm so sore. How do people go to work one week later?? Hubby keeps reminding me I also had hernia surgery and a second degree burn. The port sticks out funny. Its weird to touch it. I think the burn is hurting the worst. Can't get out of bed alone yet. Sleeping on my back only.

1/22/06

Getting out of bed on my own now, painful but doable. Still sleeping in my back. The skin around the burn is so red and sensative that I cant stand for anything to touch it. This makes sleeping difficult, as the covers rub on me all night and wake me up. Im also going stir crazy! Convinced hubby that I'm ok to drive so we went for a two hour drive around town tonight. Ahhh.. relief. Now I will start driving him to work again. Yay, a bit of freedom.

1/23/06

Weight 279

Feeling better except for the burn which has been dripping a clear yellow liquid mixed with blood. Will see Dr. Cahn tomorrow. So hungry for solid food I can hardly stand it. I dont think I can force down another strawberry banana protein shake. *gags* Getting out of bed alone now. Hubby puts on my socks for me. He's been so wonderful, pampering me every step of the way. Realized I was only eating half of the protein I was supposed to be eating. Uh oh. Time to up that from 30 grams to 60. On 500 calories? Good luck!

1/24/06

Saw Dr. Cahn today. He was very upset and concerned about the burn. He said he was going to call the Vice President of St. Al's to make sure I was taken care of. He also called a Wound Care Specialist in St. Luke's and they should be calling me to have me come in. Dr. Cahn said everything esle looked great. All incisions fine, he took off the steritapes. He also said I could start on soft foods. Yay!!

Came home and my son cooked me some Malto Meal. I put some butter and Splenda in my 1/2 C. serving but it wasnt all that great. For lunch I had 1/4 C. cottage with 1/8 C. appleasauce. It was the best cottage cheese I'd ever tasted! For dinner? A can of tuna with fat free Thousand Island dressing. What a treat. And for 32 grams of protein, it's a great meal. Didn't have to have the protein shake today. Hit 60 grams with food. Hoorah! I can have 800 calories a day now, but I think it will take a few days to work into that. It seems like so much food now!

1/25/06

I napped on my side for a few hours! Woke up with my stomach hurting tho, and its been so sore since then. Bummer. I cant wait to feel normal again. Had to take meds to sleep last night.

1/26/06

Hubby took the batteries out of the scales last Friday, so we only weigh on Mondays now. I miss those damn scales! LOL Called Dr. Cahn today, still haven't heard from the wound care doc. Left a message with Sherry.