Recovery

I’m alive(sorry…)!. I’m now 3 days post op(just about to the minute) and I’m surviving. It is definately a challenge. I left the hospital on Wednesday morning after a good report from the doctor. Initially he was concerned as my vitals were all over the place. My first BP in recovery was 170/110, and my pulse ranged from 60 to 130. I am not the type to run 60 OR 130, so this was a bit troubling. Fortunately, I was drugged enough to not care. Once pain settled and a few fluid boluses went through, my pulse stabilized and my BP came down to a little higher than normal, but acceptible 138/84. I was on a morphine PCA pump during my stay and burned through about 60 mg of MS during 14 hours. Not terrible, not great. Mostly I was trying to get sleep, which didn’t happen during my entire stay.

My first memory in recovery was being able to burp. This is a godsend. I’m honestly not sure how people who can’t burp survive this surgery. The bloating that I’m feeling now is insane. As this surgery has progressed over the last 15 years, they have made the “wrap” looser and looser. Ideally it should prevent reflux and regurgitation, while not restricting swallowing and the like. Hopefully that is what we have done here. Obviously at only 3 days post op the swelling is high and it is hard to judge, but I AM reflux free so far. I haven’t been 3 days sans reflux in years.

Once my intestines get moving a bit more, I imagine things will be much happier in M3 land. Hoping to return to work on monday. Sorry for the rushed post, but will keep you updated!