Kevin1708
Century Club
Firstly, I really have to send out a gigantic ‘thanks’ for all the wonderful messages of support ~ it really is great to know there is a ‘network’ out there.
My last post (from memory) was the night before surgery – I had been told that I would be going to surgery around 07:45 the following day (Tuesday 5th April 2011) so plenty to do the next morning . . . My last meal was . . . a cheese ploughman’s !!!
Strangely enough I slept like a baby and was up and showered the morning of the op and sat on my bed waiting for the nurse.
The room and the facilities were top class as was the staff – I cannot speak highly enough of them.
I remember chatting to the anaesthetist while laid on the operating table (me, not him) then the next thing I knew I was waking up in the High Dependency Unit. What a strange sensation . . . and would you believe it ~ the nurse in charge of the ward lives a matter of 5 mins from me ! I felt awful, not so much in pain but, well just awful – impossible to describe save as to say I never want to feel that way again. I was lucky as I had a ‘self administering Morphine drip’ so pain relief was a simple pres of a button away. I fell in and out of sleep for most of the afternoon.
Maybe I should explain here that I opted for the open bypass surgery ~ as those of you who have come to know me even a little over the last couple of weeks will know, I tend to over obsess and my research into to WLS has been extensive to say the least. Not wanting to rehearse early lively debate about which operation tops which my decision to have a bypass was (in my mind) based on very sound reasoning. The reason behind opting for open was simple ~ do I want a neat inside job with a scar or a neat outside job (with potentially 5 scars) when the open is truly tried and tested . . .
I was moved back to my room the following day (Wednesday) – the pain was immense and the feeling of “what have I done” was overwhelming – to be honest if I could have turned the clock back I would have – this feeling remained with me all Wednesday and all through Thursday. I would say it was a mixture of pain, sickness and “Hell my life has changed, what have I done”.
I had my gastrography which was passed with flying colours. I was again returned to my room and told I could have a sip of water and would be given clear soup later that day (Oh joy!) I was visited by the dietician and spend some time going though what was ahead of me for the next few weeks.
I was advised to wear loose fitting clothes for a week or so – I told the nurse that If I had loose fitting clothes I would not have needed their services !
When I woke up on Friday Morning life seemed a little brighter, the birds were singing and there was a glimpse of sun in the sky . . . one of the nurses had one too many buttons undone (I have that affect on women) and I thought, maybe things are on the up?
I was seen by my consultant each day but for a final debrief (some of you have filthy minds!) on Friday am. I was told everything went very well and that all my bloods and liver etc. were pristine. I was collected later that day.
Saturday and Sunday brought much improvement though it did still hurt to cough or sneeze.
On Monday I returned to work for a few hours.
Here we are on Thursday PM just over a week post surgery and I feel fantastic . . . The food thing is a little strange as in I am eating 5 – 6 meals a day consisting of low fat/sugar custard, Muller yoghurt, rice and some puréed bits and bobs. I have had no problem with digesting anything (which I hope is not a bad sign) and have even tried Morrison’s own eat smart crustless quiche which is so savoury it hits the spot. I even had a Heinz Tomato Soup at Morrison’s Café. I am having some problem drinking 2 litres of water/ milk a day which is strange give the quantities I would drink pre – op.
I hope I am doing everything as it should be but somehow it all seems too easy. I suspect I will struggle to remain on the puréed stage for 4 weeks – but let’s wait and see . . .
It would be great to hear from you guys . . .
Kevin xx
PS . . . In an earlier post I questioned “do we tell other about the surgery” . . . I was against it at the time of posting butr now feel that honesty is the best policy in part for safety reasons and also it is so unfair expecting those who know to lie for you and let’s face it there is now so much in the new about WLS it will soon be trendy to have WLS xxx
:break_diet:
