Monday
We headed of to Hobart, was a quiet trip I was feeling quite reflective and not up for any great conversation's, far more concerned with thinking about what was to come.
Settled into our room which was quite comfy and went out to find somewhere for lunch (ha! last nice lunch for a few weeks!).
It was so cold, snow on top of the mountains so that biting wind was everywhere.
We found a great little Cafe and I convinced DH to share a 'sample' plate with me - OMG delish! Fresh crusty slices of french bread, two dips, smoked salmon, fresh ham, marinated artichoke, pickled onions, marinated capsicum, two cheeses, red onions and capers. It was perfect.
After lunch we went back to the hotel, seriously too cold to do much else and there was still an hour or so until my Dr's appointment.
Eventually it was time to see the Dr, this was quite funny as for those that don't know Hobart is the Mecca of one way streets and it took us about three loops of this street before we got to the right number. DH was suprisingly very patient through all of this.
Dr was fine - 10mins and $50 to be told that it would cost around $600 for him to keep me asleep for the 1-1.5 hour surgery. Ok I say, after all I am in no position to negotiate, no way I want to wake up!
We had planned to go out for dinner but it was just too cold so we ordered in Pizza and had an early night.
I actually woke up just before midnight and was awake for about two hours - nerves I guess.
Tuesday - SURGERY DAY
We headed of to the hospital and arrived right on time - 7.30am. Waited for about 30 minutes and was taken to my room that I would be sharing with another lady being bended. This didn't bother me in the slightest, they where out of private rooms so what can you do?
A nurse came in shortly after and took my obs, told me to gown up and wait - I was lucky number two on the list. She then came back and wanted me to put some compression stockings on, fair enough, I actually had a blood clot on the lung post surgery in 1997 so any prevention sounds good to me.
Eventually down to the little waiting bay, where they took off the compression stockings and put these funny things on my legs - they wrapped around them and pumped up every few minutes, apparently helps stop blood clots forming. My surgeon thinks that compression stockings are dangerous and hey I am not arguing in this little event he is the expert.
In to surgery at around 10am and its soon lights out for me - I wake up in just over an hour in recovery feeling really really uncomfortable and I am crying - hmmmmm more pain relief please.
They are really good in recovery and can tell by your obs as to your level of distress, my Dr had already ordered a good dose of Fentanyl but topped it up with Morphine and I was soon comfortable - not pain free, but comfortable.
Back to my room at 12.30pm and there was my DH with flowers patiently waiting for me. Now apparently he had been really worried about me and I was absolutely floored with how wonderful he was. Nothing was too much trouble, he adjusted my bed, got my water, held my hand - he was just amazing!
I had a button to push for pain relief and I wasn't shy in using it, didn't see any good reason to be in pain so I did my best not to be.
It is actually better to request/use pain relief as soon as you feel pain returning so that you have a consistant level of comfort.
I experienced a lot of gas pain, shoulder tip pain, and a persistant tightness in the centre of my chest which is also an effect of all the gas they use to blow up your tummy during surgery.
I spent the afternoon having lots of little naps along with some hot, sweaty spells (pain relief drugs) and at about 5pm dinner was served - clear broth and apple juice.............ummm nice!
The first thing I noticed was that after three or so mouthfulls I was indeed full and actually not interested in the slightest in having anymore.
At about 7pm I was up and mobile, it really helps to get up and move around frequently - yes it hurts your tummy wounds BUT it also really helps the gas disperse and that pain is far far worse in my opinion. I also found that having my bed quite upright helped to reduce the gassy pain as well.
Wednesday - Going Home
Before discharge breakfast arrived - clear broth and apple juice.......ummmm ok. At this point I was thinking what in the world have I let myself in for. I was in pain and feeling a bit sorry for myself. Wish I had felt quite as sorry for myself 50kgs ago!! Before I could go home I had to have a barium swallow test. Basically they give you an xray, get you to swallow some yucky yellow stuff, take another xray while you are swallowing and then take another xray five minutes later. It didn't take long and I didn't even think the yellow stuff was that bad, maybe I had some really miserable cough medicines as a child.
Our drive home was just over 300kms and it was a bit rough, I was sick half way home and that worried me. What if I had torn some stitches, moved the band etc etc. Quick call to the Dr and I was set to go, he reassured me that the xrays had looked great and it was likely to be from the pain relief drugs overnight. Considering I didn't do much on the way home I was still exhausted by the time we got home and was more than happy to snuggle up on the recliner with my water bottle, the remote and Buckle my 1 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!
Thursday
Oh boy, sore sore sore. Wondering if I have just made the biggest mistake of my life. Incredible gas pain overnight has left me exhausted, poor DH admitted he was considering taking me to the hospital but really this would have been an over-reaction. There are a few things that help the yucky gas pain - heat packs, panadol, degas and movement. I did all four of these and it did help.
Not much happening in the liquid eating department, I am not feeling hunger of any type. Drinking plenty of water and also managed to have:
250ml Up and Go
250ml V8 Juice
200ml Sustagen
200ml Iced Coffee
This equates to around 750 calories or 3100 kilojoules.
12% of the calories are from fat, 20% from protein, 68% from carbs and 0% from alcohol.
Now these where consumed over the whole day and sipped slowly, 50-100ml in each sitting. I do get quite a lot of gassy pain after drinking, a bit like an unproductive burp. It is eased quite well with heat packs and I am hoping it eases soon. The wounds on my tummy are still quite sore as well and I walk a little hunched over like I did after the c-section with the twins, I need to remind myself to straighten up and stretch out. I check into a lapband thread on Yahoo daily to see how other people that have had the procedure done at the same time as me are travelling and there seems to be huge variances in recovery rate's. So I think it really is a case of each to their own.
Friday
Still had to sleep in the recliner overnight, laying down on my back feels like too much pressure and laying on my side hurts my tummy. Feeling a little better each day and able to get around and get more and more done. I have no idea how people with small children manage this, I guess its just a case of doing what you have to at the time. I do wonder whether the lack of an Optifast weight loss period prior to the surgery makes the recovery longer. The idea around the Optifast period is to allow the liver some time to reduce in size making surgery a little easier. Maybe I just have a big old fatty liver that needed to be yanked and pulled every which way to get the lap-band in? Will need to ask the Dr when I go back on the 9/10/10.
Today's menu - water and lots of it, introduced a bottle of cordial as well to liven up the day!
Also managed:
250ml Up and Go
250ml V8 Juice
200ml Sustagen
100ml Iced Coffee
200ml Tomato Soup
This equates to around 780 calories or 3250 kilojoules.
11% of the calories are from fat, 13% from protein, 76% from carbs and 0% from alcohol.
We also had some tragic news tonight, Danielle's best friend Bec Lambie died as a result of a car accident, she was only 29 and leaves behind her three adored children.
Saturday
Managed two hours in bed last night before I went back to the recliner, once on the recliner I was soon snuggled up to Boots our new 8 week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!
Isn't she just an angel? Tiny as well fits in the palm of your hand sweet girl she is. Feeling a little better again today, one of my first dressings came of, the girls where quite impressed with my 'wound'. Big day to day, went out to vote and buy some bits and pieces for Boots and a new book for me. When we got home we had visitors, Margie came over and bought 4 of Emily's friends with her. The girls all had a great afternoon and ate chip butties for lunch while I had some tomato soup. Quite funny that this didn't bother me in the slightest, and I usually would have had two butties, a good handfull of chips and probably a dim sim as wel!
I also helped Samantha cook dinner, chicken wrapped bacon in a creamy mushroom and spinach sauce with salad - how good does that sound? Apparently it was delicious so I will make it again in a few weeks when I can have a cup full! Had an easy night, as I was pretty tired from all of this new activity!
Today's menu - water, water, water and
250ml Up and Go Energise
200ml Sustagen
200ml Cup Of Coffee200ml Sustagen
100ml Tomato Soup
100ml Creamy Spinach and Bacon Sauce
Small serve low fat ice cream and jelly
This equates to 800 calories or 3400 kilojoules.
23% of the calories are from fat, 21% from protein, 57% from carbs and 0% from alcohol.
I still haven't felt 'hungry' - I am sure it is coming but so far I haven't experienced it.
No comments:
Post a Comment