I wanted to write right after surgery but the truth is, I just didn't feel up to it. On surgery day, I showed up with my mom as my driver/helper at the hospital at 6am. I was to be the second surgery of the day for Dr. Cardwell. I waited about 40 minutes in the Surgery Admitting area and they called us back to a room. I changed into a gown, had an IV started and lay there in the bed watching the Today show. My surgery was scheduled at 10:30am. The attendant came and wheeled me into the surgical holding room and it was ice cold. I couldn't believe how cold the room was but they covered me in blankets fresh from the warmer and that felt wonderful. My head was covered with a blue hat and I was given some medication in my IV to relax me. The anesthesologist came by to see me and he and the nurse took me into the OR. I slid over to the narrow OR bed and they continued to talk to me and tell me that everything was going to go well. I got another injection in my IV and by then I was really relaxed. The anesthesologist told me he was giving me oxygen and that the mask would smell like plastic. Whooo boy did it ever. I actually fought the mask because the smell was so strong, but I took a deep breath, heard "goodnight" from someone and then found myself waking up a moment later in my room. I had no problems during the surgery at all. The doctor thought I did great and told my mom that as well. I thought I would get to go home fairly quickly after, but I didn't leave until 8pm that evening. My issue was that I am very sensitive to anesthesia and I just wanted to sleep and sleep and my oxygen level kept dropping to 85 setting off alarms. They kept me on oxygen and finally after just sleeping the day away, I was able to do well without the oxygen. I went home and was happily surprised that climbing the steps into the house was nothing. I worried about the pain of taking steps but there was none. As the surgery pain meds wore off, I began to hurt. I had told mom not to worry about filling the pain script until the next morning. Bad move. I know better too. I didn't hurt much laying still, but getting up and down was horrible. Today, I am still very sore on the left side of my abdomen, but otherwise nothing. No gas and no traveling pain up to my shoulder. I have no appetite either. I am pretty content with my ice chips and SOBE Lifewater. I make myself drink a protein shake but otherwise I don't care for any food right now. I have made myself get up and walk often and turn every 2 hours when I lay down. I am doing deep breathing and coughing to prevent pneumonia. The percocet is causing me to itch so I take 2 childrens chewable Claritan to help with that. All in all, I am happy and looking forward to what comes next.

Take care everyone. Merry Christmas and here is to a wonderful New Year.

Jen