A few other tidbits from Brazil and surgery

Some of this will probably stray into TMI land for the men, but tough noogies *grin* Most of you're married to, dating or trying to sleep with us, so sooner or later you'll need to know this stuff. Sleep seems to be my primary agenda right now. I'm making sure I go out for one 'adventure' a day so I don't spend ALL day in bed, but for the most part, that's really all I feel like doing. Met up with Corrina, Debbie (her mom), and Deb last night, and we went over to the hospital to visit Felicia who is two days out. I don't know that Felicia has posted here, but we are all encouraging her to come here since this board is very friendly and open to new people, and as a new post-op, it's good to have community around you. Afterwards, we walked over to the restaurant I'd been to the night before with Cheryl & Ana, and had a little going away party for Deb. She leaves for home this afternoon. We tried to order one soup for two of us, knowing it would be way too much food, but we weren't able to pass that message along. "One bowl, two spoons" I guess came across as needing extra silverware. Deb seems to be doing well, except for being a little backed up - but believes she has found the culprit - her daily watermelon. She's been a lot more adventurous with food than I have, so she's backing it off a little and will try again later. The "American Box" is being willed to us today. This is a box of goods - food, books, etc - that the various Americans have left behind for the next set of patients who come to town. We plan to add a coffee maker to its estate, as neither of us really sees a need to take home a coffee maker with a Brazilian plug. Brazilians do not drink coffee the way Americans do. Morning coffee is served in a small perhaps 6oz cup, with options for cream and sugar. After noon, it's about 2oz of straight espresso. Neither of us felt like mainlining coffee straight from Brazil, so a coffee maker was a necessity. As we chatted with Felicia, we talked about some of the little differences between our surgeries. Everyone else got ice chips or water to swish around in their mouth BEFORE passing gas. Me - nada. Chapstick was it. Everyone got the hottie male physical therapists except me. When they inject stuff into the ports into the IV, no two ways about it - it burns. Just ignore it and deal. Oh, and Corrinna and her mom managed to actually snap a photo of one of the night nurses passed out cold at the desk - propped up in a wheel chair, pillow behind her head, snoring LOUDLY. Of the things I took to the hospital, I used: Chapstick (Cheryl's - I couldn't find mine) My binder a non-underwire bra (last two days) underwear (last day) my slippers My going away outfit That's it. I took clothes completely forgetting I was going to be chained to an IV, and couldn't wear them. I had access to a TV, a portable DVD player and a CD player, and didn't have enough attention span for any of them. The only reason I started wearing the underwear was because Aunt Flo decided to come and visit Sunday night. I realize that I'm an overweight woman, but I'm only 5' tall and my 'kitty-cat' isn't any bigger than any one else's. So when I asked for a pad for my period (pointing to the appropriate Portugese phrase), I'm not sure WHO they thought they were bringing it for, when they brought me a pad that was easily 7 inches wide by 18 inches long. Damn - why not just bring me the WHOLE diaper?? Now, I've never had a period on anti-coagulants before, so while it was never heavy, it's CONSTANT. I bled on the floor just standing there drying off after a shower. I'm taking a BCP every 12 hours trying to get it to stop, and it's not working. I finally have enough agility to use tampons, which I only have to change twice a day. Someone really needs to get with Kotex or Playtex and have them expand their business. I have actually found it easier to turn over if I do so sort-of on my stomach. What I do is prop myself up on my hands & knees so there's never any pressure on my incision and move that way. It seems to hurt a lot less than trying to roll over on my back. And I *always* sleep with a pillow against my belly. Those unexpected sneezes in the middle of the night are killer. OWWW! Oh, and I don't belch - I hiccup to get rid of stomach gas. I don't have much gas at all, and I think that's because I've been very conservative with my food choices. Not sure which would be better - hiccuping is more lady-like, but again Owww! My incision is about 7 inches long, and appears to be doing very well. I don't feel any particularly tender spots except at the ends of the incision, which take the most stress (and probably have the most stitches). The bruises are fading which is good. Cheryl still cringes when she sees it, but she'd do that if I just had a cut on my finger. Cheryl just arrived with the American box and was THRILLED to discovered someone left a small package of Oreos. I feel certain the *next* person shall not be so lucky. --BT

Sounds like you are doing great! Keep it up!

OK - the foot and a half long Kotex made me spit coffee out my nose! Get some shuteye so you can give us more details soon! Thrilled you are doing so well. Kathy

Heh I love those giant pads. They usually keep them around for postpartum women, and oh yeah, they are definitely the right size for that mess. I kept a bunch of them from when I had my son, and the mesh undies they also give you. I actually requested the mesh undies after my DS. Most women seem to hate them, but because I'm so big and they're tight they hold that pad in place really well. I didn't get the giant pads after my DS, but I wish I did! I was a mess in the back too, and couldn't wipe all that well, and didn't really care at the moment. The pads I did have, with the disposable undies, helped out in that area I know, soooo gross, glad it's over. And glad you're doing well. You sound great! Annie

Oh my you have just made my day! It's not all pain and suffering....you are having entirely too much fun to have just gone through major surgery. And the TMI parts..........got me rollin, gotta be quiet as everybody else is still asleep, we are a second shift household. I can remember many days before my historectomy, wishing somebody made a pad this size!!!!!! All I really needed to do was go to Brazil! DUH! It sounds like you are doing wonderfully and enjoying the trip as well.......and if you feel tired, remember you just had surgery. It's not just for vacations ya know. I'm still in awe how fast this all goes and the rapid recover you all have...... a c-section sure wasn't this easy to get over. And my previos WLS 25 yers ago sure as hell wasn't this easy to get back on my feet from and I was a whole lot younger! I fear for the Oreos.................................nuff said! Enjoy your time there and take care...... and look forward to hearing more of your adventures. Marsha

Great post, BT -- the Herculean-sized pads are pretty amusing. (So what's the deal with that, anyway???? Were you going to have your period anyway, or is it that the surgery can play havoc with your systen and it can come unexpectedly?) Alison * * * * Quest for DS officially began 2/28/05 Requested IMR with CA's DMHC 9/7/05 * * * * "Waiting is not mere empty hoping. It has the inner certainty of reaching the goal." (I Ching)

I take BCP to regulate my periods, so of course "nothing by mouth" from Wednesday on, meant them too. I was hoping, since I was mid-pack that it would hold off until I was back on food. I *thought* since I passed gas in two days that I could take them Saturday, but it turned out I wasn't even allowed water until after my leak test, and by then, it was too late. (I even took TWO of them Wednesday night hoping to forestall such problems, but the Red River god was not to be denied) --BT

Ah, the old hospital peri pads. The only thing that makes them even more attractive is a pair of those mesh panties. Think fishnet hose on your butt cheeks. The pad has to be big, 'cause those britches won't catch anything. The American Box is a great idea! Kudos to whoever thought of it and to the rest of you for passing it on, or paying it forward. I think going out every day is great. You do need to rest a lot, so you sound pretty normal to me. Jeanie

I WAS SITTING HERE READING YOUR POST AND JUST BUSTED OUT LAUGHING THEN MY 14 YEAR OLD SON IS DYING TO KNOW WHY I AM LAUGHING MY A$$ OFF YOU R TOO FUNNY THANKS FOR THE INFO THOUGH GOOD TO KNOW NOTE TO SELF BRING OWN PADS AND TAMPONS LOL GLAD U R FEELING BETTER LOVE CANDY

Too funny ! .............your "kitty Kat" ? I would love to see the picture of the night nurse ! Any chance of that ? Suppose it wouldn't be good for Dr. M's business. It sounds as though you're doing terrific. Hope the flight home is comfortable.