Three Days Post Surgery...

Jul 30, 2011

Today I am three days post surgery and feeling more emotion, discomfort and exhaustion than I expected.  I had my surgery on Wednesday morning with Dr. Kelly at United Hospital in St. Paul.  The surgery was scheduled bright and early for 7:30 am and after a few delays due to dehydration and the IV, they wheeled me into the O.R.  My last thougths were "why aren't I sleeping yet?" and I think I fell asleep in the middle of asking the nurse.  

After a few hours in the OR, I woke up in recovery with a few problems breathing.  After I explained my sleep apnea and use of mouth gaurd to them, they calmed down a little and released me to my room.  The first day/day of surgery went awesome.  I felt like a million bucks and kept thinking "wow, why didn't I do this sooner?"  The second day I felt a little more sore and by the third day, Friday, I was supposed to go home but was feeling like crap.  Apparently one of the things it's easy to ignore is the problems you might have with gas and passing it.  I had the WORST ever cramps in my stomach and would have rated my pain about an 8.  It was horrible and they had me stay another night until I was feeling better.  I finally got some good sleep this night, sleeping at one point for an entire 4 hour stretch!  Glorious!  

Saturday morning I woke up and was feeling a little more in tune with my new gastroentestinal system.  Getting better rest the night before helped give me a little more energy, as well.  Thankfully they didn't even make me wait around for the doctor to do his rounds, as I was doing so much better. 

At this point I have been home a few hours.  I got some of my stuff put away (it just helps to move around), took a nice three hour nap, drank a few cc's of PowerAid Zero and then took a walk around the block.  I'm thinking it might be time for another pain med, as I can feel the gas building up.  Thankfully my gastro system has been allowing for "release" finally!  The small things in life are such victories today (and I suspect for awhile to come :)  

Emotionally, I'm stuck at ok.  I know in the long run I will start feeling a lot better and a lot more energetic.  For now, however, I really miss "real" food.  I'm "hungry" although having trouble determining what is hunger and what is cramps.  Maybe I'm just cramping.  There's definitely some emotional hijiks going on, too...what I wouldn't give for some burger king, right now!  

Anyways, that's it for me three days post.  Hopefully I'll feel a little better tomorrow and in the coming weeks.  We can only hope! 

2 Comments