Hi guys! I'm back from the other side.... Surgery was Wednesday, came home Thursday evening and have been sticking to a really strict water and protein schedule since then when I really feel like napping.... I'm thinking of it as laying a groundwork for my new life. Haven't been perfect about finishing the portions within 30 minutes but have met protein goals and fortunately water is still really satisfying and goes down easily.
One thing I didn't expect was the referred pain from the gas to persist this long after surgery. I'm able to be still and get some relief but it's uncomfortable. I did choose not to fill an Ultram prescription and have only been taking Tylenol because my incision pain has been manageable, and the shoulder pain is really more nerve pain than musculoskeletal.
Something I would've bought before surgery if I'd known is a better pill crusher (I have a good number of oral meds) that I wouldn't have to work so hard to use manually. Also, they recommended liquid Tylenol, I was only able to find children's Tylenol in liquid so had to drink 30 ml to get an adult dose which is a lot and the texture doesn't feel great so I've ended up using the tablets and crushing.
This forum in general was such a lifesaver in helping me know what to expect, and my post-op nurse was actually 10 months post op RNY herself and she was so nice and encouraging.