Day 3 postop, and...

...and it's painful.  Not as painful as hard labor with no anesthetic, but it's a close second.  My entire belly hurts if I try to move in almost any direction, and getting out of bed is just exhausting.  However, I did not write this update to complain.  I know the potential complications of this stuff and I seem to be cruising right along at the expected rate of recovery.  I need to be up and moving more than I am, I'm sure, but I can only handle about 5-6 trips out of bed per day at this rate.   I am, however, making sure to get in all my protein shakes and liquids, along with using my SCDs so as to avoid DVTs, PEs and all the other really bad stuff.  John has to give me a shot of Lovenox in my belly every morning, and that's a real treat, let me tell you.  I'm supposed to give them to myself, but I figure they must be kidding because that's just ridiculous.  Luckily, John doesn't scream and faint at the sight of a needle and so he can handle it.


The most entertaining event since coming home was watching John pull out my On-Q pain pump catheters last night.  Each little tube is about 14 inches long and they ran down each side of my belly (just under the skin) to administer the anesthetic to fight some of the pain.  The little ball of anesthetic gets smaller and smaller until it's gone, and then you have to pull out the tubes/catheters.  John undoes the tape, dressings, etc. and starts freaking at how long the tubes are.  He keeps pulling and pulling and they keep coming and coming. He's practically breaking into a sweat over it, so worried that he's hurting me, and I can feel nothing at all.  Nothing.  I keep telling him it's okay, I don't feel anything, stop worrying, all to no avail.  He's such a sweetie.  I think the thing that freaked him out just a little less than that was that I insisted on voting Tuesday.  So as soon as they discharged me, we drove straight to Bethany, our polling place.  It was touch and go;  I could barely walk, shaking like a leaf, but dang it, I HAD TO VOTE!!!  And so I did.  :)


If I have rambled, well, I guess I always ramble, but at least this time I can blame drugs.  Hopefully, a little more of the pain will abate over the next couple of days and getting out of bed won't seem such a herculean effort.  


Y'all take care.


~k