journeyvvv

I'm about a month post op now, when I think of how far I've come just in this month I am happy.  Before the surgery, I had thought of every negative thing that I'm sure everyone does...I had a ton of people telling me horror stories, mostly family members.  I even had some of them telling me these things immediately post op after I had come through the worst of it.  I shut it down and didn't let it get to me.
I'm at the age where any kind of surgery is fairly scary.  My main thought was, "Will I wake up?".  I even said that to my surgeon who chuckled and reassured me everything would be just fine.
I woke up after the surgery in horrible pain, I kept breathing through it and then I had to remind myself, "Girl you are not in labor, tell them you're hurting and get some of those pain meds!".  They took care of my pain and wheeled me to my room after recovery.  I got up and walked to the bathroom, walked to my bed and faced having to take that first sip of water.  It felt weird, it tasted terrible but I did it.  I did it because I knew it would make my recovery go smoother and I would be less likely to feel nauseous.
The next morning I went home to face the dreaded clear liquid diet, and I got through that.   To be honest, I wasn't hungry so it wasn't a problem.  Then on to full liquid, yucky protein shakes tasted ok, but that lentil soup I whipped into a thin liquid tasted like heaven to me and I savored every sip.  Then on to pureed and now soft foods and still I savor every single bite.  Food tastes so good to me now, I don't really know why.  I used to eat pizza, slather everything with butter.  Now I eat healthy7 and nothing that I shouldn't and it tastes wonderful.  So happy and counting my blessings on that.
Pre-op I had worried so much about giving all that up and also the tiny portions I would have to eat.  I had forgotten that my point of reference was my normal sized stomach, not thinking that my stomach would be tiny and those tiny portions would be just perfect for me.  I'm finding out, my perceptions are just out of whack and have been most of my life.
I am having very good luck with my surgery, I think part of that is following the program that I am supposed to be on.  I feel blessed that I was able to have the opportunity to have the surgery, many of the health issues I had are already going away and for me that is the most important thing in my life.  I look forward to my new life of health and well being. 

I had my surgery Wednesday I was scheduled for 1:00 pm but patient issues pushed me to 6:00 pm when they finally wheeled me away. I had 5 extra hours of am I really doing this to think about. Sitting outside my operating room listening to my anesthesiologist promise hes my guardian angel. (I really think he was.) It hit me, I am doing this for me 11 months of work no way I'm backing out now so I put on my brave face and with a little liquid brave from my angel I was drifting asleep.  I woke up groggy at 9:00 pm the rest of the night I just wanted sleep. I felt feeling pretty good, my nurses were dolls  and my pain  was totally bearable. I had asked my surgeon if I could leave by Thursday at 1:00 pm  to make it to my daughters surgery. He was willing to let me go if all the tests fell into place....Then I with my per-counted  chickens had an issue Thursday  my drain tube completely filled up with blood, they would empty it and an hour later it would be full again.  So I got an extra day in the hospital I would get sharp pains when I would get up to use the bathroom my doctor was very reassuring just making sure I'm fine and no reason to panic.  Were going to watch it ''he said'' so we did witch brings us to today. Everything I thought I would need in the hospital I didn't need at all. I needed rest and sleep and water. My daughter watched the six blood draws in 24 hours and the countless bags of fluid be emptied, and asked me if I would do it again answer: Hell yes the pain the blood work was minor. I have been home now for 5  hours  in bed and I couldn't resist the scale with my all liquid diet. Day of surgery 214  now 208