First days home

So I know this is a lot of posts.   But this is all the information that I wanted to know before I had the surgery.  I know that everyone is different but it was comforting to me to read other people experiences.   Most of the blogs I looked up didn't post much the first few weeks as they didn't feel well.   So I wanted to make sure mine was recorded.

The first day home, I was on Percocet after the drive home.  By the time that wore off about 7pm I was doing okay and didn't need more (I have a naturally high pain threshold).   I was getting my water in (I love ice water.  Before surgery I drank 200+ oz a day).  I was just so glad that I could drink again.

I went to take my nightly meds the first time that night as I headed to bed.   I have never been sick when I take my pills before and I have always taken them at night on an emptyish stomach.   Well when I took them that night I was seriously super sick as soon as I took them.   I thought they were all going to come right back up.   It was the first thing besides water that I had swallowed and I thought that was why.   Luckily Kilo had a better idea and grabbed a bottle of apple juice and had me drink some.   I immediately felt so much better.

Sleeping that first night was a little weird.  I have full body twitches and spasms while I sleep.  I was officially diagnosed with Periodic Limb Movement Disorder in 2009.   So my sleeping is semi like a wrestling match with myself while I sleep.   The first time I tried to roll over it was stabbing massive pain.

The hospital had sent home a flat pillow to use for splinting.  That is where you hold the pillow tightly against the wounds and the counter pressure helps it to not hurt.  So I slept that first night with that splint pillow held as tight to my belly as I could get.   Once I did that I slept great with just my normal sleep patterns.

I started Thursday with no pain meds still.   I slept without even regular Tylenol and didn't have a problem.  So I assumed Thursday would be the same.  I know that I have a high pain tolerance and just hoped that I would be fine.   Well my pain had other ideas.   So I took pills at noon, 4:30, and 10pm.  I started the Jell-O and broth per the diet instructions.   And one of our sweet neighbors brought over some soup for the family.   Since it was chicken noodle I chose to eat that broth instead of the broth from the store.  So good!

Other than when Kilo made me get up and walk I didn't move unless I had too as I hurt.   I watched movies and played on Facebook all day.  No more crazy posts from me.

After dinner I decided that I should be a good mom and help the younger 3 catch up on homework.   I am usually really good about making them do it daily but with all the pre op stuff we were way behind and everything was due on Friday.  So for the next 2 hours I sat on the floor with the 3 kids all around me as I rotated helping them.   The younger 2 don't read on level and so need all their math problems read to them.  CJBuddy kept asking for help and needs reminders to stay on task.   So read one, turn read for another, turn answer a question, turn start again.
Kilo wanted to help with this but his computer crashed about 4:00 and needed a complete reinstall.   Since he was working from home to help me he had to have that done and ready by Friday morning so that he could stay home with me.

Thursday night I had my dinner about 7:30pm because I forgot about it.  When I took my meds I didn't get as sick.  I did take the Percocet with the meds and slept great.   Still needed the stint pillow for every time I moved.

Friday I did better.   I was only on Tylenol for the day time.   I was able to move more without pain.  I was still super tired and fell asleep every time I laid down to watch something.  The kids had a busy day and Kilo decided he HATES having to run them around.   So much wasted time sitting in the car with no computer screen.   Mellissa had her play practice again till 5 and CJBuddy had a school fair that he had to be at from 3-6.

I did leave the house to attend the fair as that was super important to CJBuddy.  My mom, sister, and nieces came too.   So they came and picked me and the little 2 kids up and mom drove us in my van to the fair and back.

I got through the day eating what I was supposed to and doing the walking that I needed to without Kilo even having to ask me.   At bed time I got super super sick from my meds again.   Kilo brought me back the juice and it went right away again.  No pain meds to sleep and only used the stint pillow a little.