Hello from Felicity!

I am SO happy for you! You sound like you're doing great! Congratulations! Hope mine goes as well! (yep, I'm getting reeeeeally nervous but excited now!)
 
Sounds like you're doing great so far. Congrats and keep up the good work.
 
Congratulations! It is good to know you feel well enough to post, sip, and post online. Wishing you a speedy and uneventful recovery.
 
Thanks, all for the encouragement! Here's a little jumbled status update... not thinking too clearly and teetering on falling asleep, so apologies in advance if this makes no sense!

I was released from the hospital yesterday -- since I am an out-of-town patient, I stayed for 2 nights. The 6-hour drive home was torture; especially having to stop every hour to walk for a few minutes. I swear, Texas freeways have SO MANY BUMPS!
For now, I am stationed on my couch, since my bed just feels too high, and lying flat on my back did not feel like a good idea.
So far, I have been thankful for my Rx Reminder app on my phone to keep me on track with my 4 prescriptions (Codiene -- for pain -- every 4 hours, Promethazine -- for nausea -- every 6 hours, a Enoxaparian shot -- a blood thinner -- once a day, and an Omeprazole capsule 'innards' -- stomach acid reducer -- once a day). I'm apparently also going to have some topical pain relief arriving via mail soon - I am looking forward to that, since it feels like my incisions hurt on the outside more than the inside.

Only one really bad experience so far... last night when we got home, I just wanted to rest after the trip so I went to lay down. When I woke up, I was dizzy, had a pounding headache, then started dry-heaving. My husband pointed out I hadn't been drinking anything yet and suggested I go back to fluids on a 15-minute timer. Thankfully no more experiences like that yet and drinking fluids has kept me from any more dry-heaving.

Those people who say they never had to take their pain medication... I have no idea how you do it! This surgery HURTS! From the first time I was awake in the recovery room until I was discharged, I would say my pain level never got lower than a 6! At times it was an outright 10! Walking is definitely an adventure... I feel like I need a wheelbarrow to haul and support my massive stomach so it stops being pulled down by gravity. Speaking of which, I was 304lb when I checked in, and 324lb when I checked out! My stomach, legs, and other areas look super bloated! I am seriously blown up like a balloon. It's good though; I had heard of some people being taken off of their IV on day 2 and expected to keep themselves hydrated.
 
It is really hard for the first few weeks! It seems like one problem lessens and another crops up. Hang in there, it will get better! Seems to me, you are doing things right. Keep up the fluids and the walking, everything else will follow. The IV fluids will start to leave your poor swollen body and slowly you will feel better. Keep on chuggin'.
 
Although I haven't had this surgery, yet, I have had other abdominal surgery. I found it helpful to distract myself by concentrating on something else -- Sudoku, Words with Friends, colored pencils in an adult coloring book (seriously, it's the new "thing") -- anything so you're not thinking about the pain. I suspect the scar tissue found by your surgeon scrambled things up more than a virgin DS, but you will get through this in time.
 
Yeah, the first few days are miserable. Just keep drinking (sipping), walk around the dining room table as often as you can, don't worry about protein but if the fluid IS protein, great. FLUID is critical. We get EASILY dehydrated. And getting 64 oz in daily is not optional now.
 
Thanks @Clematis and @southernlady - I have been trying to distract myself by reading these boards and it's been helping. I also have a bottle of water (or watered-down premier protein) at my side at all times! I very much look forward to the misery being over!
 
Felicity said:
Thanks, all for the encouragement! Here's a little jumbled status update... not thinking too clearly and teetering on falling asleep, so apologies in advance if this makes no sense!

I was released from the hospital yesterday -- since I am an out-of-town patient, I stayed for 2 nights. The 6-hour drive home was torture; especially having to stop every hour to walk for a few minutes. I swear, Texas freeways have SO MANY BUMPS!
For now, I am stationed on my couch, since my bed just feels too high, and lying flat on my back did not feel like a good idea.
So far, I have been thankful for my Rx Reminder app on my phone to keep me on track with my 4 prescriptions (Codiene -- for pain -- every 4 hours, Promethazine -- for nausea -- every 6 hours, a Enoxaparian shot -- a blood thinner -- once a day, and an Omeprazole capsule 'innards' -- stomach acid reducer -- once a day). I'm apparently also going to have some topical pain relief arriving via mail soon - I am looking forward to that, since it feels like my incisions hurt on the outside more than the inside.

Only one really bad experience so far... last night when we got home, I just wanted to rest after the trip so I went to lay down. When I woke up, I was dizzy, had a pounding headache, then started dry-heaving. My husband pointed out I hadn't been drinking anything yet and suggested I go back to fluids on a 15-minute timer. Thankfully no more experiences like that yet and drinking fluids has kept me from any more dry-heaving.

Those people who say they never had to take their pain medication... I have no idea how you do it! This surgery HURTS! From the first time I was awake in the recovery room until I was discharged, I would say my pain level never got lower than a 6! At times it was an outright 10! Walking is definitely an adventure... I feel like I need a wheelbarrow to haul and support my massive stomach so it stops being pulled down by gravity. Speaking of which, I was 304lb when I checked in, and 324lb when I checked out! My stomach, legs, and other areas look super bloated! I am seriously blown up like a balloon. It's good though; I had heard of some people being taken off of their IV on day 2 and expected to keep themselves hydrated.
Click to expand...
Hi Felicity, So glad to hear that you're doing well by doing. Very encouraging for those of us on the runway (mine is the 7th). Just take it day by day.
 
Holy moley woman! Retain a bit of water, did you? I'm sure I'll balloon right up there too when it's my turn since I'm good for that.
I know it's miserable but fortunately it's only temporary. What @Clematis said is exactly how to get past this really tough part you're in.

You're doing well though... and as @JuliaDS said, it's very encouraging to those of us who follow.
Hang in there!
 

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