The road to recovery

Jeff and I left for Grinnell Monday afternoon, checked into our hotel, drove around, and had supper at Godfather's Pizza. They had a wonderful salad bar which I was able to enjoy and Jeff could have the Pizza buffet. That night we talked about both our concerns and hopes. The next morning while Jeff was getting his breakfast I got myself prepped and ready for surgery. We were really early as I did not have to be to the hospital until 10:30 a.m. So we took a trip around Grinnell, Iowa. It is a beautiful little community reminensent of all of the old small towns we grew up with, sef sufficient.

After our ride we checked into the hospital and went up to the surgery waiting room. I was soon taken back to the back to get ready for surgery. Can you say high blood pressure???? I was much more nervous than I thought I would be. My blood pressure was 170/101..... Needless to say I got drugs really quick, also a massage to help relax me....yup they have massueses on the staff as they feel it is good for the whole patient. Everyone was wonderful. IV was in, Jeff came in for a kiss and an I love you. Off to surgery we went. I remember very little about the operating room, although they say I was awake for about 20 minutes getting ready for the surgery. Woke up in recovery.... wonderful nurse....I was able to have it laparoscopically. I was not sick at all, just sore, and very sleepy.

Once in my room, settled in, Jeff came in and we visited in spurts. I slept a lot. Dr. Coster came in and visited with both of us. My surgery went really well, except I had some adhesions he had to take care of first, but he was very pleased with the whole procedure. I have a very small pouch, 20 cc, really small. I was NPO for 5 hours and then ice chips until midnight when they took those away so that I could have a swallow study to make sure there were no leaks....

Unfortunately narcotics and I have a strange reaction together. I was wired for sound, up all night. Bless my nurse, Joyce, came and helped me walk, and sat me up in a comfy chair. She would come visit often to make sure I was doing okay.

The next morning the team was in to visit, all very pleased with my walking and alertness. Down to the swallow, now that was not fun..... I had to drink this foamy bitter, sweettart type drink thru a straw, then stand on a platform that moved. The more it moved the more I wanted to throw up, but I didn't because I did not want to drink anymore of that stuff. After that was done I came back to my room, Jeff was there after his breakfast to sit with me until I scooted him out the door to rescue Pablo from the Spa.

The swallow is done to make sure there are no leaks, although Dr. Coster blows up the pouch a lot to make sure that there are no leaks during surgery. Once the all clear came I was able to drink clear liquids. I got a sugar free popcicle, sugar free jello, coffee (yuk), vegetable broth (yuk). The popcicle was my choice.

My blood pressure was still running extremely high and my feet looked like something a hobbit would have (huge). They questioned both Jeff and I about my blood pressure. Jeff got pretty frustrated, but I know they just wanted to make sure that this was not the norm for me. After calling Dr. Coster's PA Jerrad, they were no longer worried. I still could not believe my feet.

I walked faithfully every 2 hours just because the bed was uncomfortable. Now having the surgery laparoscopically was great... but I now could not lie on either side as I had staples on both sides and a drain on the left side.

I have to say in all of the hospitals I have been in with my mom, MIL, myself, and Jeff; Grinnell Regional Medical Center was the best as far as clean, staff efficiency, caring, and team work. Even Jeff was impressed. The floor I was on was "gorgeous" as hospitals go. They had an aviary filled with the most pretty birds you could imagine. I would walk there and watch them 3 to 4 times a day, a quiet room with a water fountain and soft, soft music in the background, beautiful grounds to look down upon from my window with a lighted gazebo. It was too chilly otherwise they would have let me walk outside with help. I had a massage every day around 5:30.

They kept me until Friday because my blood count was not up to par, and a bypass patient has a harder time recouping those little blood cells. It was still low on check out, but improving. I will have another test when I go down on Thursday for my check up.

So I am home now, learning to eat slowly because I fill up very quickly, finding out I don't like coffee anymore. Baby food meats suck! Tomato soup tastes wonderful. I have to force myself to eat as I am not hungry although my head tells me I should be. I guess that is normal. Drinking water is a constant. Don't leave home without it so they say. I love hot tea. Popcicles still taste wonderful.

Oh yes, the feet look like normal feet now...I have spent a lot of time in the bathroom, a lot~~~~