Can everyone tell me as specific as they can how the first 3 days post op are?

Good deal!

I think I was still on the ventilator until around day two or three.  I have very little recollection of my hospital experience.  I recall I spiked a fever and had to start megadoses of IV antibiotics.  I have little memory of pain, however, intellectually I know there must have been pain because I do remember getting pain shots.

My DH's experience was entirely different.  He came off the ventilator the day after surgery.  He had some pain issues so the epidural stayed in for a couple of days.  As I recall neither of us had much nausea immediately post op.

But as much as those first fews days may seem like the be all and end all of knowing about the surgery.  The question you should really be asking is what the first three or four weeks after discharge are like.  While you are in the hospital you will have all the care you need.  Whether it is the care of various specialists, nursing care, or different sorts of treatments and therapies it is all provided with little effort on your part.  And whatever medication you need is available on short order. If one medication not working, a phone call to the surgeon and presto changeo with no effort on your part a new medication is provided.   But once you are discharged -- it can be a time when you will feel very alone and everything that you have to do can seem like a very daunting task.  Eating and drinking may acutally be painful, but you have to push through the pain in order to sustain yourself.  Then there are those who have various complications.  And no one can predict that.

As to having family and friends visit.   I went to Omaha alone.  I had a wonderful friend in Omaha who came to see me in the hospital every day I was there.  I will be forever grateful for her kindness and compassion toward essentially a stranger.  However, I am a pretty independent old  broad and it seems like every year that passes makes me even more so.  I have had a lot of plastics since my DS.  And after these surgeries just provide me with good pain management and I find I want to do it all myself, for myself and I treasure my privacy.  Right down to taking Amtrak the ninety miles home from the hospital rather than having my DH pick me up.  I seem to recall after some facial surgery small children whispering and pointing.  I think they thought a mummy was on the train.  It was actually pretty funny.  I pretty much go bananas with people hovering. And don't even get me started on how I react to those that will tell me what I "should or should not" be doing, unless it is one of my physicians. 

Red

They ripped my shoulder out of socket during surgery... or at least it felt like it.  Then they had the nerve to ask me to pull myself up and walk.   Well... needless to say I was not saying nice words to these people.  You want me to what????  Flip flarn and flair, if you want that done, you do it.

I hurt like three shades of hell.  It hurt to get up, it hurt to pee, the only thing that felt good was apple juice, which I found out later I was not suppose to have.  But it was good.

I had to walk.  And it hurt. 

I love drugs.  I love drugs. I love drugs.  And I still love those drugs, because they helped me survive those painful days.

So my best advice is to not get your arms ripped out of the socket, and get lots of drugs.   Also, sleep in a recliner... a rocking recliner if you have it so you can "launch" yourself out of it. 

I will do my best not to rip my arm out of socket lol and I'm sorry you had to go through all of that!

Stelisa

Here.  Read about the first few weeks.

www.obesityhelp.com/member/mquirkygirl/blog/2009/03/30/surge ry---first-steps-post-op/

I had pneumonia and a collapsed lung post op, so my recovery was harder.  But with any major surgery, stuff like that is always a possibility so best to mentally prepare yourself just in case.

Oh wow. Your story is intense. Thanks so much for sharing!

This was my very first surgery ever so I was also very prepared for intense pain...but I was pleasantly surprised that it really wasn't that bad.....BUT me and mt pain pump were best friends for the 3 days I was in the hospital. lol  I was NOT afraid to push that button!  Althought the Dilaudid did end up giving me a really bad headache. I only took pain meds for about 3 days after I left the hospital after that I didn't need them.

Honestly I was so hazy and out of it that I don't remember a whole lot.  I do remember that it was hard to get in and out of bed.  I also remember that I had a couple of crappy nurses that really need to change their profession. lol

I had several visitors but I didn't feel like talking and I would fall asleep on them, so I say tell them to wait and come see you after you get home......but everyone is different so that is all up to you.

I felt very very tired and drained for the first 6 months and then there was a turning point and suddenly I felt FABULOUS!  Still do and am LOVING life!

Best of luck to you!  It is the BEST decision I ever made and by far the best money I ever spent!

Thanks so much :)

 My first three days was a lot about hitting the pain pump and sleeping.  The pain I had was a deep dull pain only worsening when I had to get in and out of bed. I was awakened quit a bit by nurses injecting meds, taking blood, *****ing my finger, taking my temp etc.  The hospital never sleeps!  The most pain I experienced was when I was getting out of and into the bed to pee and walk.  Once I was up I was ok.  By day 6 (I was home by that point) I didn't need any pain meds only occasional Tylenol. I was very tired for the first few weeks and rested a lot.  ~GG

Thanks so much! That really helps. I have to go back to school 20 days post op. I'm a bit nervous about it.