7 Surgical

I'm on the 7th floor of the hospital, which is where they send post-op surgery patients of all types. There are 2 other bariatric patients here somewhere on the floor. There are some trauma patients. There is 1 cosmetic surgery patient. There are lots of folks here. The floor is at capacity. Overall I think I'm one of the youngest here. The other half of this floor is for oncology. I see people that appear to have been here for a pretty long time. There are some that I look at and wonder if they will ever leave this floor. It is a little bit of an odd feeling to walk through that part of the floor (I'm doing floor laps...it helps with my recovery). Overall though all the staff have been really helpful.

My recovery is going well. I lost my catheter yesterday and I lost my IV this morning. I still have a drain in, but that should be removed today. Two days ago I could barely stumble 5 feet with people helping me. Now I do complete floor laps (10 min?) by myself. My belly is fairly sore and I'm still gladly accepting my pain meds (Lorcet). The nurse last night said I had a wee bit of constriction in my upper respiratory area, so I've been working hard on my inspirator to ensure I don't end up with pneumonia. I am now experiencing the dreaded gas pain episode, which happens to all bariatric patients. The surgeons inflate your abdomen with gas so they can work safely during the surgery, and while they try to get it all out when they are done, they can never get everything. So I'm feeling pretty bloated and uncomfortable. Gas drops (the same stuff you give to babies) really help. Walking the floor helps too. My mind seems to be mostly back. That anesthesia really made me feel loopy for a long time, but I think I've finally shaken the last side effects from that. 

Food-wise, I'm now on clear fluids. I started this stage yesterday and will continue it today. My breakfast included decaffeinated herbal tea and sugar-free jello. For lunch I'll get the same plus some broth. It doesn't really matter - I'm not at all hungry. The biggest focus now is staying hydrated, especially since my IV was removed a little early. Once I'm home I move to full liquids, so I'll be able to have protein shakes, pudding, applesauce, even cream of wheat. But the biggest focus will still be hydration. If I don't stay hydrated, I come back to the hospital. It may not sound too hard to stay hydrated, but when you can barely sip an ounce every 15 minutes...it can be a challenge to get enough. My tummy is itty-bitty now, and it must be respected or I will pay the price.