CeeCee's Big Adventure...average, normal, really...Thank God! - Page 3 - ThinnerTimes

CeeCee · 02-19-2007, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Debz

Those marks are where the GBS fairy touched you with her magic wand....

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Debz- Love that- just found out it no longer hurts too much to laugh! BTW, one of the OR nurses? 6'2", big and burly, needed a shave. Was that the GBS fairy?

CeeCee · 02-19-2007, 04:11 PM

>Frankly, the day after was the all time worst day. THAT was when I had my "ohmigod, what have I done to myself?" moment. It passed. It might have stuck around longer, but I've noticed there has been slow but steady improvement every day.
>Trying to up my Boost (Glucose Control) intake. Pretty sure I need a few more calories. Finally tried the chocolate today- like coming home! "Hello, my little dark friend, where have you been?" Seriously- I have been afraid to veer from the straight-and-narrow road I am on, the vanilla was working, but the fantasies were starting up. Obvious chocolate withdrawal- I'm much better now, the shakes have subsided.
>TMI Warning!...My drain I still have in is still leaking. It's still draining into the bulb too, so I am not worried, per nurse practioner. Always, always listen to a nurse. Surgeons are gifted, extremely intelligent, but nurses are in the trenches and KNOW! >Want more info on the drains? It's called a JP drain, and I believe that is short for Jackson Pratt. (First couple days I was calling it Jack Sprat, Tom Dooley, Jack Foley, Charlie on the MTA! Apparently I know way too many Boston Irish!) At any rate, you almost ALWAYS come out of surgery with one or two of them. First, haven't a clue how they decide where to place them;where they're needed, I guess. I had two, one on either side of my incision, not quite symmetrically placed. One was removed the second day after surgery, as there was not much draining into it anymore. I'm still getting about 1/4 cup (between 35 to 50 mls) twice a day in the one I still have.
>Drain pain? No. It takes a bit getting used to, this tube coming out of your belly, but you get used to it. There's a length of flexible clear tubing, straw width- and not MacDonalds straw width, smaller. One end is in you-I swear, no pain!- the other goes to this transparent, flexible, grenade-shaped ball. At the top end is where your tube goes in, and there is a cap- think of the opening tab thingy on a beach ball. Anyhow, I empty it twice a day, morning & evening. I squeeze it out of the beachball opening into a little measuring thing they gave me, then dump it in the toilet. I am writing down the amounts to take to the good dr on my first followup at the end of this week.
>Drain downer- this is part of what is keeping me from sleeping on my side. (Boy, do I miss that!) Tried again last night; made my leak way worse. I think if someone would just squeeze me hard enough, I could get rid of this darn thing! Another thing; I'm not supposed to drive for another week. Well today we needed stuff from the pharmacy and the grocery store. I toyed with the idea of going along with my honey, you know, for the ride, fresh air, variety? Then I thoght, what am I going to do with the darn drain? I could tuck it in a pocket- but what if it gets tugged on accidentally and I start leaking badly? Heavens! What if got loose from the pocket and was dangling, w/o me knowing it, while I was looking over the Purdue chickens? If it was me a few months ago I would have been mega-grossed-out! So I stayed home. It was too darn cold anyhow, right? Right? Tomorrow will be milder; maybe I'll supervise my fiance from the deck while he fills all my birdfeeders. At least I can step outside for a few minutes!

Duckie · 02-19-2007, 04:22 PM

I choked on my coffee with the "Iknow too many Irish from Boston" comment. Only I could get that one!! I love Southie man!

(where's whitey?

) Seriously though, I'm glad you are doing well. You sound great, so upbeat! Yes, a JP is a Jackson Pratt. When do you see your surgeon again? It should be coming out soon. You will probably still need a bandage on that spot for occasional drainage.
Oh and YES IT WAS COLD TODAY! It was 2 degrees this morning when I woke up with (at 9a.m.) with a windchill of -24degrees. EEK! Break out the shorts and tank tops, it's going to be a heatwave tomorrow. 40 degrees. I can't wait. I"m gonna wear a dang spring jacket. lol
Take care of yourself hon. I'm off work this week. If you need anything, send me a PM. hugs, Duckie

Duckie · 02-19-2007, 04:23 PM

BTW... if you want to sleep on your side, just put a towel underneath you to catch the drainage. It won't hurt you hon.

CeeCee · 02-19-2007, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckie

BTW... if you want to sleep on your side, just put a towel underneath you to catch the drainage. It won't hurt you hon.

I feel loved! It's not so much the drain; I have such a big belly, lying on my side wants to drag all my guts off to one side and it aches too much still!

pegasus · 02-19-2007, 04:53 PM

I'm sooooo glad your'e keeping us posted on all the highs and lows..... us newbies will know what to expect..... our surgery dates will be here here before we know it..!!!
thanks Cee Cee......!!!

rivercanyon · 02-19-2007, 07:36 PM

CeeCee another wonderfully written post. Thanks so much for sharing this adventure with us.

You sound so upbeat for a week out!!!!! Wishing you a speedy recovery and a quick drain removal. Rest and enjoy being pampered.

richyrich · 02-19-2007, 08:07 PM

What a great diary!!! I'm amazed by the variations in post surgery routine between doctors. That's why they call em practices!!!! Hehe!!!

CeeCee · 02-20-2007, 09:17 AM

>I'm having a pissy day, possibly my first "pissy pouch" day, as I have seen it called here. Don't get me wrong, I'm not dying or anything, but I think I was getting a smidge cocky...
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Just as I finish writing that sentence, I swear on the Bible, I got flowers from my TOPS group! All right, not so pissy...
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>Anyhow, I didn't do anything different, really, but I swear I have had two mini-dumps this morning! One was after I took my chewable multi-vitamin. I take it after breakfast, to avoid upset to my tummy; I've always had to take my vitamins this way. Well, I may have drunk my Boost a bit too fast, maybe didn't wait long enough to chew my vitamin. Got a wave of heat, a bit woozy. Definitely different from a "hot flash"! Then I had a cup of coffee, same as yesterday. Again, whoosh! The heat wave comes over me and I feel a bit rocky. Vitamin too sweet? Drank the coffee too fast? Who knows? I'll slow down, wait for my pouch to catch up. I've read here more than once that what affects you one day won't affect you the next, and vice versa.
>Called my PCPs office to get my Effexor changed to tablets, if possible. Surgeon and nurse practitioner didn't think the capsule was a problem, but I don't think either considered that a "time release" dosage of something won't be the same any more to a re-wired gut.
>Speaking of re-wired gut...Why do I keep thinking of the Three Stooges episode where they were trying to fix a plumbing problem and ended up with water shooting out of light fixtures, etc.?
>TOPS= Taking Pounds Off Sensibly...It is a non-profit, internation weight-loss program. Basically, you follow your own diet; get it from your dr., the internet, whatever. TOPS members meet weekly to weigh in and offer support to one another. We trade recipes, complaints, success, etc. I'm one of the co-leaders. I have not been their star participant, but I've been faithful, and if nothing else, they kept me from eating myself into a coma. And yes, I can still be a member after WLS. There's a special category for us, but we are still welcomed into the fold. At the Fall rally I met a member from my state who had WLS 2 yrs ago and has lost 200 lbs!
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CeeCee · 02-21-2007, 11:49 AM

>I feel much better today. I am more conscious of how fast I am taking things in. Happy pouch, happy me!
>Wierdness ...I know I've seen more than one member complain about smells bothering them. Well, I've decided I can't stand the smell of the paper tape holding my drain in place! I ended up spritzing cologne at the base of my throat and the wrists, to try and mask it. Right now I can't wait to get rid of this sucker at my appt. on Friday! Getting about 10 mls drainage now.
>JMO, but I'm pretty sure I've lost. I will not step on the scale, but I think my face looks less puffy, and when I was in the shower this morning, parts of my anatomy were easier to reach?