all wrapped up and no place to go

greetings all! i'm officially in the club! had my surgery today. woke up a bit out of it, been fading in and out of sleep since. I've been able to move around and get myself to the bathroom a couple times now and the pain/discomfort is not as bad as i anticipated (though to be fair i am on meds, not sure how i'd feel without those )

my surgeon was pleased with how things went and feels that this will have a very positive outcome. i do my barium swallow tomorrow and we'll see then. I will keep you all posted, hoping to post a success story as good as GazeboGal's!

thanks for the knowledge and support you provide, it made me feel totally prepared for today.

Welcome to the Wrapped Club, Lovie! So glad things went well. I'm sure you'll do just fine. This forum helped me so much to prepare me for the surgery and help me make the right moves afterward.

Take it easy and you'll do fine. I expect you already had your husband buy some liquid Motrin or Tylenol to have on hand at home. You won't need the narcotic meds for too many days. Maybe at night if you're hurting and it's bothering your sleep.

Be sure to post your experience so others can learn from it!
Rest up! You're on the other side! Yay!
Denise

good morning! after some decent sleep, i am up and around today. was able to get myself (IV tree in tow) to the bathroom several times last night. i am feeling a bit more discomfort today, my shoulders are starting to get the gas ache and my throat/uvula are raw from the breathing tube i had. but abdomen pain is not bad so far. more like the ache you get if you have had a bad cough for a while, a muscular sort of pain. no reflux like pain at all.

i got ambitious and did a lap around the floor today. my room is in a newer cancer wing, so the surroundings are really nice. the bed is hands down the most comfy hospital bed i've ever been in. it has air chambers in it, which my tailbone greatly appreciates over traditional hard mattresses.

the nursing staff and doctors who periodically check in on me continue to be impressed by my recovery. i will have a barium swallow later today and if that goes well, i will graduate from ice chips to fluids (apple juice sounds heavenly right now- anything with flavor). and if all goes well i will be home today.

Welcome to the club Lovie!!!!!

Sounds like you're off to a good start.....

Remember to keep walking off that shoulder pain.... do it often and it'll help. When you get home use a heating pad and maybe some menthol patches (that's what I used) to help when you're in the bed (or the recliner, whichever you choose).

I'm a month and a half out (almost) and I can eat just about anything I want (in small amounts) if I go slowly and if my stomach will handle it so keep in mind during the next few weeks that the liquids phase passes. I still get out and walk every 2 hours every day - it's done me so much good. There's no more pain of any kind at all for me and even the gas is getting better.
Be sure to eat plenty of gas x strips!!!! They'll help too!!!


Hang in there! : )

Cat

Hi Lovie!!! I've been thinking of you and wondering how your surgery went, but just now had a chance to check in. SO very glad to hear that things have gone so well for you!!!

I think the shoulder pain was the worst for me...and it only lasted about 1-2 add'l days after I came home from the hospital, so it wasn't too terribly bad. (but it hurt!)

I didn't have the barium swallow following my surgery, so that is new for me to hear about...that's interesting.

Apple juice is my favorite!!! And I know exactly what you mean about that yummy and savory chicken broth!!! Isn't that just too funny?!? :)

Hopefully you'll be able to move on into the full liquids diet today. (vanilla pudding became one of my favorites!!) I'm in the 2 weeks of soft foods only schedule right now...and everything is still going great for me!!)

Remember NOT to drink anything that is TOO cold!!!! Oh my gosh, that elephant will suddenly appear out of nowhere and sit himself down right on top of your chest if you do!!!! It's a strange sensation!!!

Hope you're getting some good rest!! Let us know if you get to come home today!!! Take care!!!!!

LeAnne ("GazeboGal") :)

Mix it with a little sugar and milk. It will taste better.

Gentle moist heal will help. Don't get it too hot.

quick update- I am now 4 days post op. not really needing lortab anymore, which I am thankful for as not taking it has relieved my constipation. alternating between liquid Tylenol and liquid motrin. I really wish you could get adult strength liquid ibuprofen. the kid stuff is so sugary it takes my breath away. hard to drink a dose worth.

my throat continues to be my biggest complaint. the combo of a breathing the and the instment the surgeon used to ensure he didn't overtighten my esophagus did a number on me.

I've been diligent at eating something every 1-2 hours, using full fat milk for mixing and drinking ensure. I'm down 4 pounds so far. starting to miss texture. oh well , the health benefits are outweighing the temporary loss of food. I have had no reflux meds since surgery and have had no symptoms. some of my other recurring problems seem to have subsided as well- I don't wake up with my nose and sinuses dried out and bleeding, my chronic right shoulder pain is practically non-existent... maybe they were both reflux related. I am still afraid to lay down after eating, so I don't know if that has improved. :)

off to sleep for a while. take care everyone!

Hi all. One week post op. Things are continuing to progress well. I'm eating soft foods now- scrambled eggs, noodles, having saltines in my soup. I think I went a little overboard with how much I ate. Feeling unpleasantly full after dinner. Nothing too bad, but not something I want to feel again any time soon. Live and learn.

Got out of the house for a while too, my mom took me for a movie and groceries. Nice to get out, but it took a lot out of me!

thanks joy. I got ahead of myself due to the excitement of expanding my diet. I will definitely keep a measuring cup handy from here on out.

Sounds like you're doing great, Lovie! Joy has very good advice regarding eating small amounts. Just increase your number of meals!
Have a great one,
Denise

I wouldn't jog, but a slow walk would be okay. Ease into it. Start about 1.5, then move into 2.0, adding .5 every few days. Listen to your body and don't over do it.