It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me, yeah...

Darcy G.
on 4/20/16 7:50 pm
VSG on 04/07/16

Hey y'all :)

I know I said I'd post an update when I got home--that was yesterday but it was late and I went to sleep pretty quickly after getting home. Then I slept some more today... Basically, I'm really good at sleeping.

Anyhoo, long story short, the antibiotics seem to be doing the job on the C-Diff. They are the most horrendous things I've ever put in my mouth(I'd rather do shots of that nasty Potassium liquid that sends me into convulsive yuck-face whole-body spasms) than these suckers. They're massive. You have to break them in half. And it's completely impossible to swallow fast enough that you don't taste it.  All that said, I see improvement every single day on them, so I've been using my whole-body-yuckyuck-spasms to make Grandma laugh. Someone should get some enjoyment out of it since I'm well aware of how ridiculous it looks :) Everyone needs a little schadenfreude in their lives (Don't agree? Search baby's first lemon on YouTube and see if it does not delight you.)

These glorious little nasty pills have made me able to roll over in bed without crying, able to stand up straight, not hunch over in such a fashion that requires a walker to stay upright. And now that the Swollen Colon is starting to deflate(thank you Lasix and horrific Potassium shooter), The scale actually dropped below my surgery weight today. I can tell there's still bloat and water retention going on(my feet are puffy and none of my underpants fit comfortably yet), so I know it's not an accurate reflection of weight loss, but it's was enough to give me a happy sparkle amid all the WOE. And it was 8 pounds. Yay 8 pounds. That's about 2 weeks of loss, but it's better than nothin :) I'LL TAKE IT.

Unlike the Coumadin + Scar Tissue bleeding complication of mine, hospital acquired infections are a problem all around. When you're in the hospital, always wear your slippers or those annoying no-skid socks they give--your feet need protection from germs lingering on the floors, wash your hands in hot soapy water as often as you can, and when walking the halls, try not to touch everything. Hand rails? Perfect places for invisible nasties to ambush you.

Also, no one knows your body better than you do. If you're feeling poorly and have a symptom that doesn't quite make sense to you, tell someone and make them listen. You probably won't know what is wrong, what's giving you that symptom, but you can loose the hounds on the Diagnosis Trail and they will figure it all out for you--but they can't do that without you speaking up about anything that's bothering you. You're the patient, this means all attention should be focused on you anyway. So ask, even if it seems like a silly thing to 'bother' someone about. Bother them. Don't suffer in silence or be a pain martyr. Tell someone. Tell them until you find the right words to make yourself understood.

xx

 

Random PS: Thanks for whoever recommended warm/hot beverages. Rupert loves them(not sure why my tummy became a boy, but that's what I've named him.). And as part of my full liquids program, I'm allowed thinned Cream of Wheat even though it's not all proteiny(probably for the fiber), and that felt wonderful in my middle as well. Hot decaf tea also = WONDERFUL.

ALSO, my only tip for others so far: if you're having trouble getting warm food in before it cools to squick levels, this Mr. Coffee Cup Warmer I bought keeps my tasty beverages warm for however long it takes me to drink them.

Program Start Weight 346 | Surgery Weight 282 | CW 217 | 5'-6.3"

High Weight 376, about a year before program. I gave up diet pop(and all pop), dropped 30 pounds without trying, and kept it off. Now convinced Carbonated Beverages. Are. Evil.

DISCLAIMER: My posts often have weird typos... Because I use a tablet or Kindle to access the forums despite how much I suck at tablet typing. Apologies!

luvmypuggies
on 4/20/16 8:30 pm

Yay!!  I'm so glad you're feeling better and back at home!  Smooth sailing from here on out, OK?

Darcy G.
on 4/20/16 8:47 pm
VSG on 04/07/16

Thank you. That's my plan! I'm not in full implementation yet--I still need to add protein back in without it getting in the way of my 64 oz, but I'm working on it!

lxl_Miz_lxl
on 4/20/16 8:36 pm
VSG on 01/11/16

Glad it's working for you, at three months out I still get warm/hot down easier than cold.. I make a big batch or turkey or bone broth every week. 

Darcy G.
on 4/20/16 8:51 pm
VSG on 04/07/16

How do you not get tired of broth all the time? I haven't beena ble to force myself to have any broth since before surgery. They sent it to me for a few rounds in the hospital, and then switched to Cream of Something Awful soup... which I also didn't touch LOL. But the idea of broth gives me the squicks.

I was also thinking about getting some of those sugar-free chocolate cocoas and tossing in unflavored protein powder. I also really enjoy this organic tomato basil soup--which I need to get more of... and make use of that powder. It just feels like anything with a slight bit of thickness sits in my tummy for hours and refuses to drain out to make room for water.

I have no idea how to make bone broth. If it's better than store broth, might be worth a try!

lxl_Miz_lxl
on 4/21/16 4:57 am, edited 4/20/16 9:58 pm
VSG on 01/11/16

lol there are times I do. but it's the easiest way for me to get fluids down, so I usually start my day with some.  I make my own bone broth because it does have more flavor and lots less sodium.. plus some protein :)  I use a chicken or turkey pieces (they sell turkey wings/legs here) and use different veggies to mix it up.. which might not sound like much of a difference in taste, but it is for me. I use cut up onion, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, carrots, celery (not all at once), salt and pepper.. toss it into a stock pot/crock pot and let it cook cook cook lol

 

My favorite bought soup is cream of tomato soup.. I use the health wise protein soups (cream of chicken and cream of tomato) 

 

emelar
on 4/21/16 9:50 am - TX

Go to a Chinese restaurant and order hot & sour soup or eggdrop or wonton or whatever your favorite is.  Run it through a strainer to get the solids out, and drink the broth.  Much better flavor than anything you'll get out of a can.

seabexlose
on 4/21/16 8:52 am
VSG on 04/12/16 with

I cannot believe your complications Darcy, and admire your cheerful attitude. I'm glad despite all the swelling, the scale has given you some encouragement, and just think of how much less it will be when the swelling goes down!

(deactivated member)
on 4/21/16 11:20 am

Ah, you're a woman of music! Good tune, BTW... whose version do you like? 

Glad things are looking up. Again, I have to reiterate how impressed I am by your positive attitude. Keep it up. 

Rupert. I like it! (I have a friend who named hers Dilbert!)

Darcy G.
on 4/21/16 1:29 pm
VSG on 04/07/16

My music tastes run amok, and I'm pretty sure any of my playlists would give someone an aneurysm trying to put a rhyme or reason to. But, I'm a diehard Simone fan. Both looking forward to the movie coming out and dreading it. Which is very much like how I feel whenever a book I love is made into a movie: I'm gonna see it, and I'm gonna prepare myself for disappointment :)

Now I think maybe sleeves just want an -ert name. Feel in good company! :)

About the positivity... It's not something I plan. There are downsides to this all, of course. You can't be the Queen of Complication City without getting down about the complications. So when those emotions bubble up, I go with it... and then I feel better and more equipped to make the best of a less than ideal situation. Also, I think it helps me to understand what's going, then I feel like I have a modicum of control in an out of control situation.

Still not feeling regret about the surgery. But also, still feeling pretty detached to the whole experience. I'm doing my best to follow those rules and recover, but I'm expecting it to kick in that I actually had the surgery and got through it when I start feeling much better. Also, I've taken myself off the Forensic Files binge watching, because I literally broke down and bawled in my hospital bed because some apparently very nice woman was brutally raped and murdered sometime in the 80s. So, there are moments that other emotions come rushing forward... and I just have to let them do whatever they're going to so I can get back to myself. Rupert and I are blaming the hormones.

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