Surgery Over

Had the surgery on 1/27. A little more pain than i expected due to the location of the holes they put in right under the ribs. (very sensitive area). Surgery went well. Doc said it was one of the best ones he has done. No unexpected problems. So 6 days after, I am back at work for the first time today. Still uncomfortable but manageable. havent taken any pain meds in 2 days. Pretty tired though. I am trying to eat at least 1200 calories a day but still get tired easy. sticking to the boost shakes and pudding, jello and chicken noodle soup. anyone else have to constant churning of the intestines? Doc still has me taking my nexium for now. but i am down to 1 pill a day and have had no reflux. so that is a good sign. he also prescribed chewing gum 5 times a day. kind of unusual but he says it keeps the stomach active. helps healing i guess. if anyone has any questions please feel free to ask and i will answer what i can.. overall the healing is going pretty good. but man do i really want a big ole fat cheeseburger...

Hi Ekirch,
Congratulations! Welcome to the Wrapped Club! We've all been waiting to hear about how you're doing.

Wow! I'm impressed! I can't even believe you're back to work already. Many of us stayed home much longer, and got lots of R&R! No wonder you're tired! You'd better take Kitt's great advice and be good to yourself! When you get home at night, just hit the couch or chair and take it easy!

Don't worry...just follow your surgeon's eating guidelines, and a hamburger will be in your future! It won't be one of your first foods, though, as it's not always all that chewable!

Take care and get as much rest as you can manage when you're not working.
Be sure to stay with us, and share all you are learning with others!
Take care,
Denise

The stomach churning is just gas. Has that hit you yet? It can get pretty bad. (phew)
I only took pain meds for three days myself.
Your sense of smell is probably out of whack. I went nuts watching comercials for food during my recovery. My family had the Christmas party on day three of my recovery. :(

couchtater said...
The stomach churning is just gas. Has that hit you yet? It can get pretty bad. (phew)
I only took pain meds for three days myself.
Your sense of smell is probably out of whack. I went nuts watching comercials for food during my recovery. My family had the Christmas party on day three of my recovery. :(

nope gas is building up and slowly burping it out. I used to be able to burb the alphabet, but now i just get little brrps. havent got used to that yet. and that wasnt very good planning on the xmas thing.my birthday is next week so no going out to eat for it this year.at least this month. I was figuring the smell thing was probably just that and my body needs to reset itself. good thing is havent had any acid issues.

No more burping the alphabet for you, Ekirch! I remember my surgeon telling me of a patient who made him take his wrap down when he found out he couldn't burp at will! Being able to get some baby burps out have the benefit of letting some gas out of your stomach. Your wife and coworkers will be happy that it's not all coming out the back door!

PaintedDesert said...
Hi Ekrich,

So glad to see things went well for you;) And that you are back on your feet so quickly!! Hope you won't overdo... Tomorrow I too will join the ranks of the wrapped;) My surgery is at 8:30 in the morning.... I will be so glad to have it done and over!

Take care and keep posting your progress;)


Roxann

Good luck Roxann, Things will go fine.

I'm pleased your surgery went well Ekirch, mine did too but I won't be back at work for some time just yet - no chance, I teach and so I don't think I could cope. Take care of yourself

Bison burger with a gluten free bun and organic tomatoe! (maybe a thin slice of cheddar, too) Yummmmm

Sending healing vibes your way. Speedy recovery!!

well 10 days after surgery i had my first bites of real food with no problem. gas and the spasms have subsided and i feel hungry again.also starting to burb again. however i am concerned that i may still be having some acid since the swelling has gone down and the wrap is settling. Has anyone experienced this during the recovery? I am wondering if the wrap is not tight enough now. especially since i have not had any of the eating issues.

Heya Joy,
I have just been eating chunky soups and tried some noodles with small chicken pieces. I havent really had any problems eating lately. This makes me wonder if the wrap is tight enough now. Plus i am able to burp easier. thats why i think the swelling has gone down. I have always been a fast healer even as i get older. Other than a lingering pain at 2 of the incision sites i feel pretty good.

Day 10, Just got back from the Doc. Everything looks good and feeling good. Doc did tell me to stick to the soft diet for 4-6 weeks and 6 times a day to keep the healing going smoothly. no cheeseburger just yet..... unless i purree it..

I was able to eat normally about the third or fourth month.

Welcome, gerdy! How about starting your own thread to introduce yourself so you won't get lost in here.

:)

Hi Ed,
You have now experienced the dreaded backup...and you made it through with flying colors! It is nerve-wracking, but if you can relax and just work through it, you'll do just fine.

You now have a wrap, and although the swelling is going down, you can have things get a little hung up at the site. It's something you'll deal with for quite a while, but as time goes on things will settle down.

Keep some room temperature water handy...when you go out to dinner, be sure to get a glass of iceless water, in case you need it. When something gets a little stuck, if you take a drink of water (I like tea, too) it'll help move it through. Ice water can cause some spasms that add another little quirk.

As far as water goes, I still get water backing up at the wrap site. If I drink it too fast, it can even make me cough. Sometimes I notice that I need a second swallow to move it through. If I drink cold water, I can feel it pooling at the wrap, then gurgling down.

Honestly, it doesn't bother me much at all...just when I'm taking a pill that it a bit big and scratchy...I drink a lot of water to get it down, and sometimes I aspirate a bit and it gets me coughing. I have to remember to take my time and just do one pill at a time, with a rest in between.

Glad to hear you're doing well!
Denise