2 Days Out

Surgery is over...and without complication. I wasn't scheduled until 2pm and it was nearly 6pm by the time I settled in my room. And by settled I mean, writhed in pain, close to tears, trying to sleep so my discomfort didn't drive me crazy. It was 10pm when I insisted that I try to get up and go to the bathroom. I figured laying there wasn't "getting it done" so might as well try something different. I had read on various forums how important walking was to ease the gas pains. Finally by 2am I had a handle on the pain. I give credit to the morphine and the walking. I diligentley walked every 1-2 hours (and asked for pain meds atleast every 4) and by morning felt like a new person. A sore person, but new nonetheless. I had my UGI, passed it, and then got to drink a protein shake. I was scared to death. I didn't want to take to big of swallows or drink too much too fast. Also it hurt, I had awful gas pain when I drank. I finished most of it...enough for the nurse to consider me "good to go." So last night I got to sleep in my bed. :sigh: And sleep I did. And when I woke up at 5:30am, I felt awful. I was behind on my pain meds and I hadn't walked all night. After 2 hydrocodones and a few laps around my yard (yeah, I'm now the crazy lady that wanders around her yard really early in the morning), I felt good again. I've walked all day, kept up on my meds and followed the liquid diet exactly and overall I feel pretty good. I still seem to have a fair amount of gas. I'm ready for a night of sleep and see how tomorrow goes.