So things are moving fast still! I went to my pre op appointment a week ago (Monday) and started my hi protein/lo carb diet the Tuesday before that in hopes that I would be able to schedule my surgery for this week, since I was told we had to do the high protein/lo carb diet for 2 weeks before surgery to shrink the liver. That would be why my head was spinning when, at my pre op appointment they asked, "How about tomorrrow?" Uhhhhhh whaaaaat? They said I could choose between the following day or April. I have to work a bunch of extra time in April due to the other night nurse being gone on vacation so guess what I did? I had my surgery last Tuesday, the following day. I as able to get away with only one week on the pre surgery diet because my BMI was lower than most patients. No sleep was had that day. We were at the store getting all the necessary heavy stuff since Shaun is still on a weight restriction and I had mere hours before I would be on one too. We were on the phone all day arranging all the pre surgery stuff, paying everything. When you are self pay, they are on your ass for all of it right up front. We thought the hospital would at least allow us the possibility of payments but nope... hand it over. Over $10K spent in a day. Yikes! We will still get a bill for pathology and imaging but that's maybe $250 total. Shaun was needing a paper bag to breathe into most of the day.
We did manage to sleep that night and managed to pay for the anesthesiologist about an hour before the surgery. They were closed the previous day when we were told we would have to pay them before the surgery. Stress! Anyway, it was done. I had Shaun take a before pic of me. After the surgery I woke up pretty perky and didn't have a whole lot of pain. The rest of my day went pretty well. The pain didn't really hit me until the next day and it's mainly one particular incision where my stomach was pulled through and there were extra stitches put in. I can touch it with a feather light touch and oooooooo, it burns! Coughing... well just don't. Sneezing is almost as bad. I had to do clear liquids only, no sugar, for 3 days. That was harsh. I was pretty shaky and weak by the end of that. I was getting max maybe 50 calories a day. Then it's 2 weeks of any liquids, needs to be low or no sugar. That's where I'm at now. I mostly drink V8 juice and Boost with watered down fruity drink. I went in for my follow up appointment earlier this morning and I've lost 8 pounds so far. Woot! I can't really tell by looking yet except my new boobs no longer look like they come from a 20 year old. Shaun says my hips and butt look smaller. I'm rejoicing that. He is not.
The first day I had to get in at least 40 oz of liquids. It took me a good 12 hours to finish off a 20 oz drink. Now I can do it easily. One more week and I get to add pureed foods. Oh... one unexpected, but positive side effect, I have had no hip pain. I've had hip pain daily for years now. I mean, excruciating hip pain. Now it's gone. This makes me think I was eating something that was having a bad effect or it was something coming from the stomach part they cut out. Is that even possible? It's just really weird. It's still very odd to me that I did this surgery. I do look forward to the day I don't feel like I'm carrying a solid block of cement in my torso anymore. It's not a comfortable feeling.
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