Day 2 at home

Been to the docs this am to have dressings changed, no infection, yippee! Blisters due to allergic reaction pretty nasty still, but all in all am happy with recovery thus far.

Lance has been a star, is at the chemist now getting more drugs haha... need painkillers today big time. Last had them Sat night in hospital, so not doing too badly with them. Your prayers and msgs and care are making this all the easier too.

My time at Chelsea & Westminster

Well my stay is over. I have been amazed by the excellence of the staff during my time.

From the first exploratory interview with the bariatric nurse, Nuella, to the bariatric nutritionist, Kelly, to the respiratory team, esp Dr Gary Davies, to the pre op assessment nurse (is he still playing Angry Birds on his iPhone?hehe), to the nursing staff, with special mention to Valerie and Maria... for whom nursing is so obviously a calling, and not merely a job.

And finally, a HUGE thanks to my surgeon, Mr Bonanomi. Professional, no nonsense, approachable. I see him on 3 November for a follow up appointment, and hope he is happy with the healing of my wounds and my weightloss and bloods.

People really shouldn't slate the NHS always... yes, they have their problems (I nearly reported my NHS dentist, and promptly went private), however, here is a classic case of how well it CAN and does work too. The care is second to none. I feel so blessed to have been a part of it.

Home from hospital!

I got back last night. Lance asked the black cab driver to drive extra slow as I had just had surgery, and he was a gem. Drove so gently and slowly round the bends etc. Was a difficult journey but the easiest I could have had I think.

I cannot shower as I had an allergic reaction to the plasters they used, am quite blistered. Lance (bless him) has bathed me, and I've been for a short refreshing walk in the garden. My abdomen feels so weird.

Given myself the anti DVT injection (Enoxaparin Sodium) which stings like hell and makes (yet another) glorious bruise, but it has to be done every day for 2 weeks.

Surgical team were fantastic, ward staff were (mostly) excellent. Had a good night's sleep, hardly slept in the ward, due to pain, and the ward staff are so noisy.

But I had trouble with cannulas. So they had to come out and I had dissolved/injected pain killers. After the first 2 cannulas (one in each wrist) had to come out as they were hurting too much after the first night, they tried to insert another 6 cannulas in different areas, all failed. I have small delicate veins I think. And I bruise so easily. Looks like I've been in a punching match, my arms are so bruised.

I have 6 key hole wounds (they are bigger than we thought they'd be tbh - the shortest is about 2-3 cms long), and a bigger drain wound. That hurt like hell getting out, even though they morphined me prior to taking it out.

Amazing to think it took me 6 months from start to surgery, it took others in the ward at least 1 year to surgery, I was fast tracked for sure. An answer to prayer. W e are delighted that the surgery went okay too... just over 4 hrs in surgery, 5 hours in recovery, 3 days in hospital, not bad for major abdominal surgery! 

I have not taken any painkillers today, am very sore (especially in drain site) and achy, but am bearing it and will try and use painkillers as little as possible.

Hubby has taken some lovely gory pics, will paste them on my blog. He is also cooking me some chicken vegetable soup... with everything in it... chicken, stock, carrots, onions, chickpeas, tomatoes, celery, potato etc. and it is smelling divine! He will strain it for me, as I can only have clear liquid for 2 weeks, then onto pureed for a month, softer foods for a month... then slowly building up to more solid food.


Onwards and upwards, small steps... and in my case... small sips :)

Liquid food diet

Optifast shakes. I bought my supply from the hospital. They are not cheap! But are full of protein and the necessary vits and minerals I need at this stage. I also used them in my pre op stage, the only difference being I mixed them with 200ml water pre surgery, and now I mix them with 200mls skimmed milk, for the added protein and nutrients.

I am on a liquid diet for 2 weeks. Crucially |I need water, protein and vitamins at this stage. I am a great water drinker (hubby calls me a 'reservoir') so this won't ever be a problem. The vitamins are in one multivitamin tablet the hospital gave me.

Slimfast... hmmm. The nutritionist said it has too much sugar in it so not to have it much/at all. The Optifast shakes do not have a coffee flavour and I am not enjoying tea/coffee currently (even my rooibos tea in small doses is unpallatable), so I have one of these shakes throughout the day, every second day or so.

I starined Lance's delicious chicken soup and put it into an ice cube tray. I melt a block as and when I need to. Protein!

The fridge is full of jellies... low fat of course. Cranberry and raspberry are my favourites currently.

My Slim Fast supply.

Lance's yummy chicken soup. He gets to eat the bulk, me only the strained bit sadly... but it does taste good! I'll try and recall all he put into it... chicken, celery, pepper, salt, chicken stock cube, chickpeas, potato, carrot, onion, tomato... cannot think of what else he put in.

Battered and bruised

Apologies for the pics below, but this is my record of my surgery, and this is a good reminder for me of what I have been through on this WLS journey. There are 5 wounds from the lapascopic surgery, and the bigger wound on the left (the 6th wound) not seen in this shot, is from the drain site.

My view from B1, my bed.

Battered and bruised... I had two cannulas in overnight, then they got too small (I have small, delicate veins), they put in another SIX cannulas (IV drips), all of which failed.. hence me being left with very bruised arms.

They gave me this gross tasting blue liquid, which, if there are no leaks in the stomach, make the urine in the catheter green... so.. in this case, green urine was GOOD :)

The bad for the drain, with excess leaking blood.

The drain. This hurt the most. It's cruicial though, as if blood is coming through, then the stomach is not securely closed. In taking this out, I had to be morphined, and it STILL hurt like hell.

Hubby

He has been just marvelous, he's been with me every step of the way, and at the hospital as much as possible. He went back to work 6 days after my surgery. My sis has also been great and visited as much as she could.

First 2 days in hospital

Friday am, first meal. Foul chicken soup (literally made from a chicken stock cube and some salt and pepper), and an equally gross little jelly. Only could manage a few spoons of each.

Putting on a brave face! I believe a lot of one's recovery is mental, so have pushed myself to be positive and as active as possible from the start. I managed a short, slow walk early on Friday am with hubby helping me.

Nights are horrid. Aside from being in pain and away form the comforts of home, putting up with the noist nurse station (which was right next to me), and being awoken to have bloods taken at 2am, and then given painkillers every 6 hours... not an easy time. I have been catching up on sleep since I have been home.

Thursday, after 4.5 hours in surgery, 5 hours in recovery, I was taken to my ward, where my sister immediately took these two flattering shots below!

WLS stats

I will update my weight loss now and again... basically, when I remember!

So...first weight loss stat: 7kgs loss.

Pre op diet, lost 7kgs (surgeon was happy as this makes the liver lighter, easier for him during lapascopic surgery). The diet consisted of Optifast shakes, where you mix the protein shake mix with 200ml water.

Tomorrow morning is surgery, we are both nervous, Lance more than I tbh. Dear lad.

We are having an early night, as we are having an early morning, the cab will come at 6:15am to take us to Chelsea & Westminster Hospital.

Gnite all.

Well, Thursday beckons!

I have to say I am rather nervous, never having had an op before, and me having dodgy lungs for a general anaesthetic, but I do have faith in the surgeon and anaesthetist, they have taken every eventuality into account.

I have lost just over a stone for the surgery... 7kgs. Not as much as I had hoped for but I hope this satisfies the surgeon.
I have so may friends and family praying too, am sure all will be 100% :)

Okay, own up please!

Who's taken my slippers???

I am packing my hospital bag and cannot find them. I have underclothing, facecloth, towel, 2 x PJs, gown, toiletries, a book and meds packed.

As well as charger and earphones for my iPhone when I leave ICU (I can use it in the ward).

What things might I have forgotten to pack? Hmm.