My post Nissen experiences

Have you ever looked into a modified wrap?  They have partial wraps that aren't as tight as the typical Nissen.  They have fewer problems with bloating, etc.  I'd worry that it wasn't tight enough to help with the lungs, but Joy (couchtater) had a Hill repair, ad she has seen dramatic improvement.

Good luck!

Denise

The main thing is to not overfill your stomach.  I don't know if you get feeling full quickly (I did).  If not, you'll have to limit your amounts consciously.

My surgeon had very liberal eating protocols.  I was on liquids in the hospital, and he sent me home on soft foods.  When I saw him at 5 days, he set me free to eat anything that "could be chewed to a liquid". From that point on, my teeth became my blender.  I took small bites and chew, chew, chewed everything to a creamy consistency.  I enjoyed the chewing, and never had any trouble to speak of.

Just follow the rule of very small bites and chew, chew, chew.  Also, no untoasted bread or steak.  If something doesn't chew to a liquid, don't swallow it.  If you follow those guidelines, you should do just fine.  I used to keep a paper napkin handy, where I deposited anything that didn't chew to the proper consistency.

It's great to hear that you're doing so well!  Keep it up! 

If you ever swallow something that seems "stuck", just relax. Sip tea or room temperature water, to keep swallowing.  Eventually it'll get through the wrap.  There's no need to retch it up.  You'll probably have some spasms, and some irritation afterward, but it'll feel better fairly soon.

Happy healing!

Denise

It's totally normal for swallowing to get much more difficult at this stage of recovery.  My surgeon told me that "my swallowing would get worse over the first two weeks, and then would begin to improve."  Day 14 or so, is considered the time of peak swelling. I remember having a lot of discomfort as I moved toward peak swelling. 

Move back to liquids for a couple days.  I know it's even hard to sip and swallow at this point, but that's to be expected, so don't worry.  Once peak is reached, it'll start gradually decreasing and things will get better.

I don't know about the red cheeks.  I have them a lot because I have rosacea, but it's not related to the surgery at all.  I use a special cream to keep flare ups at bay.

Sorry to hear about the thrush.  Isn't it always the way?  Things like this always happen on the weekend!  Give your surgeon's office a call tomorrow morning and ask about the abdominal swelling and tenderness.  You can also ask what you ought to do about the thrush.  Of course you can ask about the difficulty swallowing at Day 13, but I'm confident that they'll reassure you similarly to the way my surgeon did.

Hang in there...it gets better!!

Take care,

Denise

You've had major surgery.  It's totally normal on Day 14 to not feel as perky as earlier days--especially if you were sailing though the first week and a half and feeling great.  Everyone is different.  Some feel much worse at the beginning, with others it catches up later.  With this recovery things can change from day to day.  Even after a couple months you can have a setback for a few days. 

I didn't realize you were planning on returning to work so soon.  What do you do?  You might want to rethink that.  Just listen to your body and follow its lead.  You can't force your will on this recovery.  It has a mind of its own, and your job is to just follow it where it leads. 

You're at the point of peak swelling, and it's doing a number on your stomach.  What you're feeling is just part of your recovery from MAJOR surgery.  It will get gradually better and time passes and your recovery progresses.  Don't forget that it takes a full 6 months for most of the healing and a year for the rest. You're on Day 14.  Get a little perspective.  You'll recover and get back to your old self.  It just takes time!

Hang in there!

Denise