Amalilly
'Trouble' Sleeping
Jul 03, 2017
Of all the stuggles and adjustments we may have post-operatively I wasn't expecting to have "trouble" sleeping.
The first full month I used my wedge pillow to sleep at an angle. It helped with the pain and nausea. The pain stopped at about 3.5 wks, the nausea more like at week 4 (with an adjustment to my medication).
So about a week ago I put the wedge pillow away. Sorry, let me correct myself. I stopped using the wedge pillow; the damned thing is so big and oddly shaped I haven't found a place to put it. So for now its a dust collector on top of my dresser.
Pre-surgery I slept with an entire family of pillows... a big one between my knees, a flat one under my feet, a barley husk pillow for my head, a small flat pillow for my arm (to make the safetly rail a bit more comfortable) AND another one I used like a teddy bear to snuggle (support my tummy).
Now I try to sleep in my old comfy ways, with my old dust mite infested pillows. I can't. I can't get comfy in those positions any more.
I'm assuming its the 60 plus pounds I've lost, the new shape of my body, the way my tits flop now... The old stand-by positions don't work. I don't need the 'teddy bear' pillow any longer. In fact, I've realized I NEVER needed it to support my 'tummy'. I used it to keep myself from popping my elbow joints and cutting off the circulation in my arms. They were too fat to tuck into my body.
As an aside, my wedding band is fitting and spinning on my finger; I can fold my legs right under me (kneeling for example); I can hold a pen for a long period of time. ALL because the 'fat pads' near those joints have shrunk considerably. LOL, it won't be long now before the base of my fingers will be SMALLER than the joint meaning I can start wearing other rings too. While on the topic of jewelry, I have had to put my old medic-alert bracelet away. It slips off without any help but gravity. (I need a new one to refect the new anatomy anyway). Oh, and I have feet, ankles and shins free of edema (excessive swelling). I have skinny ankles again.
Right, back to sleeping. I guess all I want to say is I wasn't expecting to find new ways (positions) of sleeping. I might just have to retire some of my pillows. I know my wife would like that!
