One Week Since Surgery

View from my hospital bed ...books, magazines and the TV remote!

One day at a time...that's what I have to keep telling myself. It has been one week since my surgery. I spent three full days in the hospital following the procedure for observation. I spent my time sleeping, reading, watching the Democratic National Convention and walking the halls of the hospital. I was told that I needed to walk as much as possible so every hour I was up and at it! After the first 24 hours of not drinking I was allowed to start taking in some nutrition ... started off small but I was so excited. My first drink was a cup of tea! Is anyone surprised??

The photo on the right is the amount I could drink times 2 per hour. That is correct 2 oz of liquid per hour. And my options were broth, tea, water or Crystal light! I did discover during this time that I really like vegetable broth vs chicken broth. It is much more appetizing!

During this time I was poked and prodded. My temperature, blood pressure and oxygen levels were taken every two hours. I was hooked up to an IV drip and my blood sugar levels were tested. Prior to the surgery individuals with diabetes who had this procedure told me that their blood sugar levels dropped instantly. I had this in the back of my mind every time they tested my levels and the numbers were not coming down. I was in shock and thought of course this could only happen to me. It wasn't until my surgeon stopped in on day two that he explained why the numbers were up. The IV drip had sugar water in it along with some other medications. He said as soon as they remove the IV the numbers would go down.He was right, my numbers did drop! I am happy to report ... my medication has stayed on the shelf and I haven't taken any of it!

So I have been home from the hospital for five days and every day has been an adventure. Learning how to drink and eat again is not an easy feet. Prior to surgery if I was thirsty I would just pour a glass of water and drink it down. Instead I have had to learn to sip the water and drink it slowly. If it goes down too quickly it can cause such discomfort. This is also true of any food or drink that I take in.

On Sunday evening I had my first scare since the surgery. I ended up with painful indigestion. It hurt to move and breath. I couldn't even sleep. By 1:00 AM I was in so much pain I almost went to the ER. Instead I called the on-call doctor to find out what I could do? I spoke to the doctor and he instructed me to take some prilosec and also the pain medication they gave me when I left the hospital. I hadn't taken the pain medication yet because I wasn't in any pain from the surgery. The doctor felt that if I took it that night it would help me relax and sleep. He was correct! The medication knocked me out. I ended up sleeping in a chair that night, which surprisingly was very comfortable. The next morning I woke not perfect but feeling 100% better than I was feeling.

Since that one incident I have been feeling great. I have been walking, still not cleared to run yet, and feeling well. On Friday I have my staples removed and then it is back to work on Monday. It is only the beginning of this new journey. Every day I am learning something new. Keep in mind I am only taking in liquids at this point. If it wasn't for my sister I don't think I could have gotten through this first week. Thank you!!

The adventure continues...I am off for a walk now!