StephC's PS journey/I got approved!!

**losingjusme** · 05-03-2008, 03:56 PM

YAY
glad to hear you are home & well

rest and update us when you are up to it...

StephC · 05-04-2008, 12:55 AM

well my sleep habits have changed.

I'm sure its the pain meds, which have me napping instead of sleeping. Its also the bed. I can only lay on my back for so long and then it starts aching. Earlier in the evening, I was walking through the house doing little things dh kept saying stop it and sit down I'll do it, but I was just so tired of sitting. But I obeyed and sat down. I'm really taking it VERY easy.

The surgery was a breeze. In fact I felt better coming out of surgery then I did with the band. I don't remember the recovery room at all, I woke up in my own room. Which btw, somehow I got a private room. Oh yeah that was nice. The first night my nurses sucked. They were a couple of young girls, I don't know if they were understaffed but they were not very attentive. I got to my room at 11am and I was drowsing on and off all day. At 8pm I called the nurse and said I need to move. So she comes in and I said I need my catheter out and I want to get up and walk - my back and butt were sore from laying all day - she had already acted like I was inconviencing her when I called her in and she says well actually the dr doesn't want your cath out until morning. I said NO - no he told me as soon as possible so I can get up and start moving. So she says ok I'll be back after I do these other patients. (I couldn't beleive she would lie to me like that) 2 hours later she comes back - 2 hours! And that was bc I called again and said did you forget me? So she gets me up and takes me to the bathroom, just a very quick little walk and back to bed. So an hour later I have to pee again. She comes in and takes me to the bathroom and left me there. WTH! So then I put myself back to bed and an hour later I have to pee again. (I peed every hour the first day after the cath came out) She tells me that the iv is on battery and I can take myself. Needless to say I told all the other nurses about it the next 2 days! After her the other nurses were like angels of mercy. My dd was there all day friday and helped me up and around. The dr didn't let me go home bc I had so much drainage and was still using the pain pump quite a bit. So Friday they weaned me to percocet. I was nauseated alot of the time and I also had a headache. They gave me anit-nausa meds and told me the perc should take care of my headache - which it didnt' so I tolerated a headache most of the time. Back to the drains - the nurse from hell never drained them so I think they looked worse then normal.

The extra day in was ok, I was able to get up and sit in the chair and started to feel alot better. My dr said he was very tempted to take the drains out on Sat. since they had really slowed down but decided to wait until Monday to see how they are.

My binder is too big. Unfortunately they are one size fits no one - thats what the dr told me..haha... I guess I'm a shorter torso then most so the stupid thing rubs my boobs and my legs. For all of you about to have it done, the first day is the worst, just enjoy sleeping and healing.

I have had one moment when I thought my goodness is this really worth it? But then it passed and I know in a few days I'll be feeling alot better. The pain really isn't bad, its like a burning - and I dont' really need to take the pain med as much as it says to. I can take tylonol in between and be fine.

My hair is greasy and gross, I was going to wait until Monday and have one of my girls wash it for me but I don't know if I can wait til then. No showers for awhile, something about my belly button.

I've only seen my belly a few times but already it looks so much better. I have the little pouch at the top where he said he couldn't get the fat from.. I expected it... but otherwise I think it looks pretty good. I'll wait until he takes the drains out to take a picture. I never noticed anyone elses drains but mine have a spring inside and the idea is the suction helps to pull the drainage out. I think it works. Somehow I'm a pound less with all my clothes on, binder and drains then when I went in so I dont think I have as much fluid retention. That and I was peeing every hour!

I'll check in when I'm up and about. It was nice to read all of your good wishes.

Becky - have you heard from ins. yet?

faithmd · 05-04-2008, 01:25 PM

Steph, welcome home and congrats on it going well!!!!

**Kat817** · 05-04-2008, 06:11 PM

Welcome home....so glad to see you up and about, and doing well. Thanks for the breakdown---it all helps to know what we are headed for!!!

I have less than 3 weeks now!!! In fact 2 weeks from tomorrow-YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep posting when you feel like it--------I know you will feel better when you can wash your hair and shower---that is the worst thought!

How is the hunger hitting?

Hugs....really careful ones!!

Kat

BeckyinTexas · 05-04-2008, 09:28 PM

Steph....I'm so glad to hear that it's much better than you thought it was going to be! You have such a positive attitude, that'll make recovery so much easier. Sorry you had such a horrible little snippet of a nurse. So sad that she acted like you were putting her out and actually making her do what she gets paid to do! I'm just happy for you and I know that all this will be behind you soon and you'll be so thrilled with how you'll be looking. Then you can strut your stuff with the best of them! Nope, nothing from my insurance company yet but I'm gonna call then again tomorrow. I'm gonna start my every other day calling and hope like heck they'll approve me just to get them off their backs. Who the heck is it that does the actual approval by the way? I keep imagining them sitting there looking at my pictures and laughing. I really don't care who it is, I just want it approved! After they get a gander at my pictures, they hopefully will have mercy on me and stamp approved! Get to feeling better soon, Steph. It's so great to know that you're doing well, well, as well as anyone can expect. Just don't overdo! Take care of yourself and heck, sit back and let someone take care of you for a change. I can't wait to park my butt in my son's recliner and make him wait on me after my surgery! Keep us posted and God bless you, Steph!

StephC · 05-04-2008, 09:42 PM

Today was a good day - day 4 I guess if you count surgery as day one. My dd washed my hair for me - that was easy since I have a removable shower hose/head so I just stood beside the tub and leaned my head in. Somehow a clean body just makes you feel so much better.

Hunger... boy this is absolutely crazy but I have NO hunger at all. I'm down in weight by at least 5 lbs. While I was in the hospital I bet I didnt' eat more then 500 calories the whole time. Everything grossed me out and nauseated me. My dd brought me some yogurt from McD's that I normally love and I took one bite and it was so sweet it grossed me out. It seemed like everything was intensified. Or just plain didnt' appeal to me. Since I've been home I havent' eaten a whole lot but I'm making myself. I'm not nauseated but not hungry either. Today I ate half of a peice of lasagna... well half of a half I guess and I was full. Then we went for icecream in the afternoon, so I ate a small cone, for supper I had 2 chicken wings. We had jello cake and I just tried to eat a sliver of it and ended up just eating the topping. I'm drinking alot of water, some juices. I ate bran cereal in the hospital on friday bc I was concerned about bm's. Then I ate bran cereal last night for supper, today I drank a small glass of prune juice. I had gas so bad but it wasn't releasing... if you know what I mean - so I was afraid of being constipated - well thank goodness that worry is over! Every thing came out very easily in the end. :)

DH changed my dressings today. Geesh I love this man. He was so cute, washing his hands and holding them up like a surgeon, then I laid on the bed and he and dd took the old off and replaced everything. My belly looks so good - I can't wait to take pics. I only took one nap today. When I woke up my hubby and dd were dressed and ready to go to the athletic banquet ... yeah the one I was so worried about.. nope I didn't get there and I hugged dd and said I'm sorry and she said it doesnt' matter mom, I don't even care if dad goes, its really not a big deal. So of course I had made it a bigger deal then she had. So I hugged dh and told him he's a good daddy. Yesterday was her prom and that was another thing I had worried about missing, but her dad, brother, sister, sil, and sis.bf were all there for the grand march so she felt loved, I'll be at her next one... next week (this was her bf's prom - different schools)

So tomorrow I have to go in to work for a little bit, dd is taking me over in the morning, I said I think it'll take longer for my computer to boot then for the actual work I have to do- then I go to the dr. My dd is going back to Philly at noon so my friend is taking me to the dr. Hopefully the drains will come out tomorrow. I'm not getting much out of them so I think he will. I really hate this binder, its just too big and I don't see that its helping much. Kinda stupid to make them one size fits all, just bc there are some short people in the world.

My biggest complaint is my back aches. I normally sleep on my side or stomach so this being on my back constantly just isn't getting it. I can only sleep about 3-4 hours and thats it, I gotta get up. I got up last night at about 12 or 1 and got on LBT, watched some tv and ended up sleeping in the lazyboy chair. Everyone gets on me if I do anything around the house -not like I'm really doing anything - today I made lasagna - not too physical - but it just gets so hard to sit in a chair hour after hour.

So thats day four. Everyday gets better and yes it is worth it.

**Kat817** · 05-04-2008, 10:21 PM

Yay! Yay!! Yay!!! If possible Steph----you have made me more excited for mine to come~~I am SO glad you are doing so well. You and Julie have me so psyched up I can hardly stand it!

2 weeks from tonight---I will be bouncing off the walls!!!

Keep doing what you are doing, it sounds like you are doing AWESOME!!
Kat

BeckyinTexas · 05-05-2008, 04:01 PM

Steph....Sounds like you're doing great! I'm so glad. Keep up the great work! Kat, I'm so excited for you and I know you can't wait. Still no word about my insurance but I know it'll come through for me. Steph, continue to take care of yourself and don't overdo.

juliegeraci · 05-05-2008, 04:07 PM

Steph, that is exactly how much my doctor cut off too. I wish you a speedy recovery.

StephC · 05-05-2008, 04:29 PM

Just came from the dr, he took out my drains so I thought I'd post my pics. Sorry it looks gross. If you look close you can see my port scar is now next to my belly button. He circled where my port is. Today is only day 5 so theres alot of swelling. But I'm still pleased with the results.

juliegeraci · 05-05-2008, 05:03 PM

I am so jealous you got your drains out so early. Tell me, how much were you bleeding? I have 1 still in and its 2 weeks. You look great.

**Kat817** · 05-05-2008, 07:15 PM

Wow!!! I'm so excited!!!!!

Kat

StephC · 05-06-2008, 10:55 AM

I think I look bloated. But heck I expected it, all the swelling and stuff. If you watch the procedure and how they pull the skin all off and stuff its no wonder I'm swollen like a balloon.

Julie I had 2 drains and on Sat. the dr was tempted to take them out then, but left them until Monday. I only had about 20-30 cc for 12 hours on Sunday, then 12 hours later Monday morning I had 15 and 20, then 8 hours later he got about 10 out of one and hardly anything out of the other. He said I might still get drainage out of the hole where he pulled it out. I had a little on my wrap but not much.

I made my first solo outing this morning. I ran to the bank - I didn't get out of the car just quick little drive. I didnt' take any pain meds this morning so I felt ok. I just took tylonel tho, I just feel achy. I don't have any pain really, but the rest of my body aches, not sleeping in a natural postition I think has a lot to do with it. Question for the rest of you tt'ers, how long till you can sleep on your side? I sleep in bed with my feet proped up on blankets, or in the recliner.

Everyday is a little better.

Frangipani · 05-06-2008, 11:13 AM

Steph,

Looking good

! It looks to me like your Dr. made a very excellent and meticulous incision, I bet it will heal just beautifully!!!!

I'm glad to hear that you are feeling more energetic and were able to get out!!!!

I'm guessing I will need to be going to the bank a lot too after my PS, probably for emergency cash infusions (

).

Foofy · 05-06-2008, 02:54 PM

You absolutely look bloated - as well you should after surgery. But the flap - she is gone! You are going to look terriffic when the swelling goes down. Did you notice any effect on your thighs from the TT? You don't look 47, that's for sure!