I'm switched and feeling better every day!

I had my Lap-band to DS revision on the 15th, and the stomach and guts have been fantastic, but my feet were injured during the surgery.  My left foot in particular has been excrutiatingly painful if I put weight on it and then throbs away when I rest it.  I'm starting to see some progress with the feet though.  Went to see an orthopedic dr. about it yesterday and she prescribed air casts, which feel pretty good.  She also prescribed a topical anti-inflamatory gel (Voltaren) that she said didn't really get into the system much and should be ok after the surgery, but after I read the package insert, I'm not up to risking it.  It clearly warns against potential stomach issues and is contraindicated for use with anti-coagulants, and I'm on Lovanox for another week.  So, I'm up and around on it to go to the restroom or fetch things, but not really walking like I pictured in my head before the surgery.  

I had a bit of a scare with the surgery.  When I was extubated, I was ok, sitting up and talking, then had some sort of spasm or something that closed my airway and they had to reintubate me.  I remember none of this, thank goodness!  But I did wake up with the tube in which was one of my worst fears.  They did pull it out within a few minutes of my first being aware of it.  The worst thought for me is that Dr. Bonanni was already out telling my son everything was ok when they paged him STAT for me.  I hate the thought of how scared he must have been.

I'm grateful to be alive and to have this new start.  I'm grateful that as a revision, I actually woke up switched.  I was scared scar tissue or damage to the stomach could have prevented my DS.  I'm grateful that Jenna came to visit me and pull me back from the edge on the third day after my surgery when I was questioning my judgement in having the surgery.  Listening to her experience and having her there to answer my questions and calm my concerns was a major help! 

Other than my foot issue, recovery had been going great.  Any belly pain has been minor like a 2-3.  I'm already able to sleep on my side which feels a lot better to me than being on my back.   I'm getting in all my fluids and protein.  I'm taking my vites, and though just multis ADEK so far, I"m ready to start adding in the rest.  I'm going to be on Vitalady's schedule.   I start purees tomorrow and am glad to be trying something different.  I've been having thinned chocolate cream of wheat (the chocolate is a scoop of chocolate pure whey stack), protein shakes, and trader joe's soups mostly during liquids.  I also had some panera bread broccoli cheddar blended and that was like manna from heaven. 

I had 1 day of crying and begging for mercy type constipation, but once I completely stopped the pain meds and had a little help from colace, the guts have rumbled into action and seem to be working fine.  My poor son!!  I warned him what he was probably in for, but jiminy cricket, I've got some awful smelling gas.  I don't know how much and how smelly it should be.  I suspect I might be senstiive to the whey protein.  That would be a bummer since I really like that chocolate whey stack.

It's funny.  I cut and paste so much great information into a booklet for myself off of this forum.   I read and read and thought I had my s--t together.  But now that I'm actually switched, I feel like a little chick leaving the nest.  I've got new questions!  To save the veterans' sanity, could one of you guys remind me how to search the archives?  I cut and paste the explanation before, but I can't find where I cut and paste it to.

For now, I'd appreciate any puree recipes you can share!  Oh, and advice on how to get the dry, crusty, scabs inside the nose to go away so I can breath again.  Between the NG tube and the oxygen, my poor nose is very unhappy. 

Thanks for all the support here!!

Glad to hear you are doing good, it gets better every day.

Thanks!

So glad you are ok... Welcome to the Dark Side.  Only thing I can think of for the nose is maybe some Vaseline to soften is up a little, sorry not much help.

Take care of you,

Lynne

Hi Lynne,
Thank you!  It is great to finally be on this side!   I had a great nights sleep and feel even better today. 

I actually tried a little neosporin in nose with a breath right nose strip and the nose seems a hair better.  Thanks for your suggestion.

Hi Lori!  Glad to here all went well with the ortho doc!  I had mashed potatoes tonight (premade Diner's Choice) that I thinned down with lactaid milk. with a little shredded cheddar cheese.   I love Panera's cheddar broccoli soup (especially when in a breadbowl) so plan on making a trip soon to get some.  I'm already getting tired of everything and can't wait to graduate to soft foods.

Keep up the good work.  I think we are going to make great DSers!

Thanks Joyce.  I'm glad things are going well after your surgery!!  

I'm definitely ready to get out of the liquids phase today!  My son made me a couple things from recipes I got off here:

Fabulous Ricotta Fluff Stuff1 large container of ricotta cheese1 box SF jello instant cheesecake puddingdollop or two of sour cream (to taste)A little bit of milk to lighten it up (about a cup-add last and gradually)Mix it all up and enjoy however you want it

Fabulous Custard -- full of protein, easy on new post-ops ~delicious!
3 cups milk3/4 cup splenda4-5 eggs (depending on size)2 tsp vanilla1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)handful of coconut (optional)Preheat oven to 375'. Beat eggs, nutmeg and vanilla together in baking dish. On the stove, bring the milk and splenda just to a boil, then stir together to the eggs. Bake for 25 minNOTE: when the milk is coming near to a boil, you'll get a little foam on the top. Remove this foam before stirring into the eggs, or it will get a weird texture on top

Unfortunately, my new DS tastes have kicked in for the second time and something I would have liked before surgery tasted crummy after.  I just didn't care for the fluff stuff (sad).  I seem to be extra sensitive to the artificial flavors in the instant pudding.  Yuck-o to me, but maybe yummy to you if you are looking for something.

I love, love, love the custard though.  I definitely wouldn't try the coconut yet in it, but it is really good without it (to me anyway). 

The mashed potatoes sound wonderful to me.  Hunter bought me some instant potatoes (Betty Crocker I think), and they sound good, but I looked at the ingredients and they are so full of artificial stuff.  I just couldn't bear the thought of letting the little bit of food I can have be of such low quality.  He's picking me up an actual bag of potatoes after work today. 

He's been such a huge help to me.  I hate having to rely on people (not necessarily a good thing), and it is really bothering me that I have had to lean so hard on him after the surgery.  Of course, alleviating my comorbidities now, hopefully means less leaning later though. 

Talk to you more soon!
Lori

Hi Lori,

First off, Congratulations on your revision !!! I am sorry you had that happen to you, unfortunately sometimes it does. I also had Dr. Bonanni and he is EXCELLENT, wonderful surgeon, beside manner, very caring.  The first 2 weeks are rough but after that you will start feeling better day by day. I am going on 6 weeks post op and 1st off regarding the gas, It is NOXIOUS.  It is worse in the beginning but does get a little better, depending on what you eat it can be okay or urgh... I am currently on soft foods, I was on puree for 3 weeks like you will be. I didn't like pureed meat or baby food, so I lived on mashed potatoes, yogurt and protein drinks ( they give you such gas). I wouldn't worry too much right now what is in the mashed pot, because you are getting very little in the beginning. I would just get advice here on pureed foods and online and go from there.  Once you can have soft foods you are like OMG, becasue for me it was 5 weeks before I could eat real food (soft foods).  

Good Luck
Kathy

Thanks Kathy!  I think Dr. B did a wonderful job on my DS.  I can't believe how fast my body has healed and how little pain I've had compared to my past surgeries.  It is a bummer about my feet, but it sounds like it isn't uncommon to have foot pain post surgery, and I have a previous injury that surely didn't help.  I did have trouble getting the hospital staff to listen to me about the severity of my foot pain, and I didn't get the orthopedic consult/treatment  I was hoping for until I got home a week following surgery and took care of it myself.  But all is well, and I'm super grateful for all the things that went right!

Tried some pureed baby meat earlier.  Gooey ham.  Added salt and pepper.  Not so tasty!!  I'm craving something with chicken breast, cheese, and veggies.  But how do you get that to come across as tasty in a puree?

Congratulations, Lori.

Gail