heathercross

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Saw Frank today, Nurse Practitioner, as my surgeon is on vacation for 2 wks.  We took off the bandages, leaving the steri-strips.  Helped me feel where my port is, which I couldn't feel.  Its right in the middle, under my scar from my tummy tuck.  My right side is still very sore.  Not sure its the port pain, the incisions from the lap band, the hernia or what?

Frank progressed me to pureed, also said I could have a drink but to be careful bc I still have a bypass.  Weight at appt was 229.

Fill is scheduled for the 20th.

Still feeling better by the day.  Gas all but gone.  Yesterday was the day of burbing, belching and farting to get the gas out.  While a gross and disgusting habit, it needed to be done to relieve the stress and pressure on my body. 

Down another 1lb or so, at 230 even this morning.  Down 16.6lbs.

Just walked more than a mile before 9am.  Damn dog wanted, needed a walk. I guess he knew I needed it to.  Still sleeping on my side which is surely a sign that the gas is all but gone.  Still feel it a bit when I breathe in deep. next up, would like to remove the bandages, will wait till appt on Friday.  Down to 231.4 this am, which means Im down 15.2 lbs since liquids + surgery.

Some observations...
--My chest really hurts, I have a hard time taking deep breathes
--My incision sites hurt, especially those on the left side of my body.  The other 3 don't warrant a concern.
--I cannot cough and when I do, it hurts like hell.
--I constantly feel like I have to take a shit and when I go to the bathroom, nothing happens except a giant fart, which, does, feel good. Passing gas is important since they pumped me with so much crap in the operating room.
--I still weigh more today than i did before the surgery.  Apparently this is normal due to all the fluids they pumped into me.
--i haven't started doubting my decision.
--I'm counting the days till I can eat pureed food.  I really miss texture and chewing.
--I'm dieing to have a glass of wine although Tylenol with codeine works just fine.
--I just walked Dash over a mile and I am really, really sore.
--1-2 weeks till I can resume having sex, lordy!

Mom left about 8:30AM, needed to head back to Philly. I had gotten up with her at 7 and had a horrible sore throat, combination, I think, from the anesthesia and sleeping on the sofa right by the air conditioner.  Didn't want to sleep in my bed bc both doggies would be there too so I let my mom have the bed. 

After going back to sleep till 11:30, I decided to go into my p/t job for a few hrs (doing some consultancy work for Dress for Success).  Jumped in the shower, which felt amazing, and got myself dressed.  As soon as I was outside, I started to regret my decision. I'm not sure if it was hot out or I had a fever but the heat was a little too much and I started sweating and feeling rather dizzy. Once I got into the subway station, it went away a bit but as soon as I got off at 31st Street, it returned.  Stayed at DFS till about 3 or so.  Felt like I accomplished something and was glad.  After I got home, I had some tomato soup, maybe 1/5th of the can.  It tasted outstanding.  I then slept till about 6/7pm.  Got up, watched the ball game, spent sometime on the ipad, walked the dogs again and went to bed about 10pm after another dose of Tylenol w/ Codeine. 
 

Mom & I spent the last few hours at "Bad Teacher", buying a food processor, wandering around the Upper East Side and shopping at Gap and Loft for my mom.  Whenever my mom comes to NYC, we spend a lot of time shopping for her.  She doesn't like to shop for herself, but, always likes to shop with me.  I used to be the shopper but my love of shopping has gone away now that I'm too fat to wear anything.  Maybe that will change now that I've regained control with the lap band. 

We went to grab her dinner, walk the dogs again and I just took 4 teaspoons of Tylenol with Codeine, my new best friend.  I'm sitting on the sofa, indian style, responding to various text messages about my status and also watching the Phillies game.  The pain killers are kicking in and the soft full pain/discomfort from the day's activities are starting to fade.

Just got home.  NYU was a pleasure.  I loved Lenox Hill but NYU was amazing.  The nurses, the staff, the admin, everything.  Was a great experience.  Surgery was initially planned for 5pm and the night before Admissions called at I got moved to a 12nn surgery, 10:30AM arrival.  Wasn't thrilled bc I had appts and work commitments till 1pm on Thursday, but, what are you going to do. 

I went into the OR at 1230pm and was done by 2pm.  Woke up in recovery around 3pm, recall seeing Dr. Kurian and her telling me it was a piece of cake, she fixed the hernia and all I remember asking her was "did you have to open me up" she said, no, was able to do it lap!

Got to my room about 530-6 and had a pretty uneventful night.  A lot of nausea caused from the anesthesia.  Also had a hard time urinating but mainly due to the fact that I was incredibly dehydrated.  Woke up in the middle of the night, excruciating headache and begged them for addt'l saline in my IV.  It worked bc I was pee-ing within an hr and the headache started to subside. 

This morning I had an espogram at 9 and was discharged at 12nn.  Didn't see Kurian today, she came to see my while I was down in Radiology getting the esophogram but I saw her residents several times.  Right now, I'm at home, drinking a protein shake, already walked the dogs and my mom and I (who came up from Philly) are going to see a movie at 6pm.

All is good in the world.

Holy Hell.  Just heard from the Admissions Dept.  I was at a Grad Fair and the lady told me to arrive at 10:30AM.  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I have a huge work event tomorrow night and I'm not ready. I has planned on using the entire day to tie up loose ends and now, instead, I will have to stay up till 2 or 3 in the morning prepping.  Immediately called the Service for Dr. Kurian and demanded them to get her on the phone.  She said she had two last minute cancellations, someone changed her mind and the other didn't have the money for their portion of the bill. Only good thing I guess in all of this is that I wouldn't be starving/thirsty all day.

Got to call mom and have her come to NYC earlier than expected.  I know I can do this, regardless of the change. 

So, I called my mom to tell her that I had called my father for father’s day (he and I have not spoken since 1995-1996) and while on the phone, I told her I cheated on the liquid diet today. The last 3 days have been so hard. She immediately became nasty saying “if you cannot even follow the pre-op diet, you are doomed to fail again”. ARE YOU KISSING ME? First off, I ate Egg Beaters not pizza or a cheeseburger. I ate eggbeaters which are 0 fat and 0 carbs. WTF? 

Thursday cannot come soon enough!  The first week of liquids was not tough but the last 48 hours has kicked my ass!  Plus I've been insanely dizzy and faint.    And while I had been constipated the entire 1st week, I have now had diarrhea for 2 straight days. The only positive in this phase is the 10+ lbs I have lost in a little over a week. My surgery is schedule for 5pm on Thursday. My mom will be coming up to NYC at about 12nn on Thursday and plans to stay a day or so. More so to help with my 2 big 50lb and 75lb dogs. I don’t think the recovery will be bad, I mean it’s a lap band but one never knows. She is also planning on repairing my hernia at the same time. Last time, in 2002, my open RNY kicked my ass and I was in the hospital for 6 days. I hope this recovery is different, better. I plan on going back to work Monday. I work from home so I don’t think this will be much of a problem.