Day 10, healing in progress

Feb 11, 2017

While I'm certainly not feeling anywhere near as good as I'd hoped to at this point, I am at least still moving forward.  Just got in from a half hour walk (or so) that I could only take at a turtle's pace because my guts feel like they are swishing around in there and I'm slightly nauseated by it. 

Got the JP drain out yesterday morning and ended up sleeping most of the day due to pain and generally feeling unwell. That's unfortunate because it means I didn't get enough fluids in and now I don't feel so great.

So today is sip, sip, sip and trying to get in my protein.  But mostly the fluid.

The spasms still hurt but have calmed down a little since the drain tube was removed.   Still hurts to breathe deeply, cough, sneeze or anything else that uses abdominal muscles.  I was lying in bed a bit ago thinking:  I can see how someone might have regrets about this surgery if this is what it felt like forever -- slightly nauseated, hurts to breathe, generally feeling like crapola on a cracker.  But I know that's not the case:  it'll get better.

Pondering whether I should take extra time off work if I still feel like this on Tues.  I'm due to be back at work on Wed and am not going to be so effective with my head all fuzzy on top of the pain.  I think the low calorie intake is contributing to the lack of clear-headedness right now.  Friday is when I get to start on soft foods.  A soft-boiled egg sounds like heaven.  Tuna with mayo and some pickle juice.  Mashed sweet potato. 6 more days...

I suppose these posts sound like complaining or whining.  I don't mean them that way at all.  I'm optimistic about my weight loss long term.  I just want to be real about what this feels like.  Heard so much of the "I felt great afterwards and was back at work in a week!" that I felt like that would be me -- I'll bounce right back!  So there's the disappointment of not being someone who bounced right back along with feeling yucky.  Just want to put that out there for anyone coming up on surgery -- it's OK to not be the person who is on their feet running around feeling grrrrrrreat! a few days after surgery.  This is some major gut rearrangement here.  It's OK to hurt and to be honest about it hurting.  

And don't get me started on the emotional roller-coaster!  I have to keep tissues nearby. 

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