Day 3: Coming Home

Today I came home from Coos Bay.  I had my final appointment with my surgeon and the assisting doctor at his office.  I woke up feeling really good.  Surprising since I slept pretty crappy last night overall.  I was sick of sleeping in a recliner, but the couch wasn't comfortable, and I didn't want to sleep on a kids bed, or go up the steep, ladder-like steps in our AirBnB.  

I woke up early and started sipping water and protein.  Grabbed a shower, gave myself my injection, and took my medications.  Everything was good.  I was so glad to be going home, though at the same time, I was super scared to leave the comfort of a town where my surgeon was.  That reminds me, I need to call and request copies of all my medical records be sent over to my actual doctor here in town.  Just so they are on file for future prescriptions, procedures, etc.  

Anyway, so I had one final appointment.  I got there and they weighed me (I was still about 2 pounds heavier than the day before surgery due to my cycle and the fluids they pumped into me while I was in the hospital).  I have a feeling that tomorrow when I weigh myself, I'll be less than I was the day before surgery which means things are starting to head the right direction.  

Once my vitals were taken, I spoke with one doctor who answered all the questions I had been coming up with since my first post-op appointment.  She was really great in answering all my questions.  The specific questions I had were:

1. How long until my stomach is healed and a leak is no longer a possibility?
2. How long after surgery until post-op blood clot risk is reduced to that of someone who hasn't had surgery?
3. How long until the bloating goes away?
4. Are these esophageal spasms normal and how long will they last?
5. When can I drive again?
6. Can I begin taking Miralax again as needed?
7. Can I start taking the liquid Extra Strength Tylenol during the day instead of the liquid painkiller they prescribed?

The answers to these questions were as follows:

1. If a leak hasn't happened by now (we did a leak test the day after) and I don't do anything stupid like eat a bunch of regular food when I shouldn't, then it probably won't happen.  Also, the stomach should be totally healed in 6 weeks and then it won't be any issue at all. 
2. About the time I'm done taking my 2 weeks' worth of Lovenox injections (blood thinners).
3. The bloating from the gas they pumped into me can take about 3 weeks to be fully absorbed and expelled.
4. The spasms are normal and will go away in the days to come.  
5. I can drive when I'm not taking any of the narcotic pain medication during the day anymore. 
6. I can take the Miralax or Milk of Magnesia as needed. 
7. Yes to the Tylenol. 

So there we have that folks.  Overall they said I looked really great, and that everything was on track.  I have a follow up visit at their office in a month.  While I can track my progress on my home scale, I'm very excited to become a success story for their office.  I can't wait for those 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month follow ups to see my progress with them. 

After I scheduled my next appointment, my folks and I packed the truck and headed back to my place.  We stopped halfway to stretch and go to the bathroom, and then made on more stop for them before my house which was ok because I was so over being in the truck.  My belly was just about done being jiggled around, and sitting upright gets uncomfortable when I can stand and stretch the way I want to.  

I got home and my family was still at school and work so I had a chance to say my goodbye's, take some pain medicine, and grab some fluids.  I was rocking through those fluids probably because I couldn't feel the pain of how much I was drinking.  Over 3 hours I drank about 18 oz of fluid between water, gatorade, and protein drink.  I was feeling like a total champ.  That is until I took my evening medication (2 pills) and they got stuck in my throat for a little bit. I was being lazy and sitting in my recliner when I took them so I wasn't sitting upright enough for a smooth trip to my stomach.  That was seriously uncomfortable.  I reached out to a friend who had the surgery about 2 months ago and she talked me off the ledge and told me to take some pain meds and to find something else to do so I wasn't just sitting there thinking about it.  That definitely helped.  She also told me to really not take so much liquid in and to try to slow down.  I'm pushing and I need to not do that.  

So I am just now starting to sip the other half of my peppermint tea because my mouth is ridiculously dry.  I've also had major charlie horses in my calves for 2 days because my fear of blood clots is so bad that any time I sit down I do ankle rolls and flex my feet, and all kinds of twitchy-ness and my poor calves are about over it.  Talking to the doctor today about the blood clot risk she explained that I can sit for an hour or two at a time and if I get up and move around for a bit I'll be fine.  Another friend that has had the surgery told me to walk 5 minutes for every hour of sitting so I want to try doing that too.  I just want my calves to stop aching so I won't think I'm dying all the time.  

Since I've been home my anxiety has been much higher than it has been since after surgery.  I think that is because I'm 2 hours away from my surgeon and the hospital where I had my surgery.  I can't stop thinking of post-op complication risks, etc.  I know I need to just be in the moment.  One thing I've noticed is how much more calm I feel after I take the narcotic pain medication.  It's a relief to not feel so worried about death for a while.  I know this was a textbook operation, and that overall I don't have any co-morbidities to cause extra major complications, but anxiety brain tells me there are no guarantees and then I worry all the time.  I'm thinking it's time to may get myself back on the anxiety medication so I can live my life like a normal person than one living in fear all the time.  

I'm exhausted from this first day home.  I can't lift anything more than 20 pounds for 6 weeks.  I feel like an invalid, and in a way I am.  I just had a major operation and need to allow myself to heal.  I just feel lazy, but also need to find more stuff to occupy my mind and hands that won't strain me or hurt me in any way.  I have some needlepoint I need to finish, and some succulents I need to get planted after a trip to the garden center for more soil, and containers.  

Until next time...