Day after surgery.

This morning was the swallow test, and I rocked it.  They took me back and had me changed into a gown (just my top stuff had to be taken off) and stood me in front of this tall xray machine.  They first gave me a cup with some iodine kool-aid in in.  I took a sip and they watched that go down.  They thought it looked good so they had me take another sip from the side and that was fine.  Then they gave me a cup with some super heavy dense thick white stuff called barium.  I took a gulp of that and they watched it go down.  Then they had me chase it with some water and said that everything looked good and they would share it with my surgeon, who I was going to see next. 

I left the hospital and stopped to pick up my Lovenox (blood thinner injections that I'll be giving myself for 2 weeks once a day).  After that we headed to the surgeons office where they weighed me (I only gained 4 pounds of water weight from surgery and that will be gone fast), and took me back to the room.  They took my vitals, and then removed my drain.  That was awful.  The most painful thing.  She said it would feel "weird" but no, it felt like she was pulling my new stomach out.  Gross  She then gave me my injection and then I talked to one of the doctors I saw in the hospital, and then my surgeon.  I shook his hand and thanked him for getting me through safely.  After that I was told I can start taking my pills (Prevacid, Reglan, and my blood pressure med Hydrochlorothorazide) as well as go ahead and start back up on my liquid diet that I had been following except now I can add Cream of Wheat!  Woo!  Something new!  Oatmeal too, but it has to basically be drinkable. Now I'll be following the liquid diet for another 4 weeks as my tiny stomach heals up, then I can move into pureed and soft foods.

 I plan to do pureed foods for a weeklong transition to make sure I'm adjusting well to the thicker foods.  So babyfood and thinned out mashed potatoes and stuff like that.  I'm really eager to eat some sliced turkey with some cheese.  That will be glorious!!!  I'll definitely be able to eat foods again come Thanksgiving and the boys can share a tiny few bites of their food with me.  Easy peasy.

Overall, I feel like my recovery couldn't be more idea.  I'm not trying to be cocky, because I realize it's still early in the game and things can happen, but I'm really trying to follow the rules and keep me feet and legs moving to avoid clots, and to get fluids on board to start beating the dehydration that set in a day before surgery.  They only gave me 2 bags of fluids over 10 hours in my recovery room which I thought was crazy.  So today I really want to chug, but know that would be a very bad idea.  So I sip slowly and know that if I keep it up, I'll get where I need to be. 

My parents have been so amazing.  I don't know how I would have gotten through this without them.  They are so incredibly thoughtful and helpful and caring to me.  They've really done a million little things that have made all the difference.  I'm glad we have a couple days now of downtime so they can go enjoy the town, rest, and not have to drive me to and fro to appointments.  Friday is my final appointment before I go home, and then they will take me home and then I'll be on my own to continue to heal for another week before I go back to work. 

All of my friends that have been checking on me, and everyone in the FB groups I'm in for this have all been amazing too.  So helpful and friendly and encouraging.  I'm definitely blessed to have them all in my life.