WARNING: The content shared may be graphic and discuss bodily functions with or without images. Do not proceed if this will offend you or you are not interested.
Coming Home From Surgery
The Car Ride & Pillows
The car ride home was a bit intense as I was able to feel several bumps. Luckily I had taken a pillow from home with me and the hospital let me leave with one of their pillows to hold over my stomach. I placed the pillows between my stomach and the seat belt.
Don’t Lay Down Flat
When I first walked in, I went straight to the couch and laid down flat on my back and quickly realized that was a mistake! Note taken. From that point on, it took me over a week to allow myself to lay down completely flat again.
Watched a Movie
Friday evening, I felt well enough to sit up on the couch and watch a movie. The only thing that sounded good to eat was jello, graham crackers, chicken broth, mashed potatoes, and a Publix sub. I ate very little of each of the items.
First Night of Sleep
I was able to sleep fine with some large pillows from the couch propped up behind me in bed. I made sure that I was propped up enough to not have to use my abs too much to sit, stand, etc. It was all legs.
Getting out of bed/ off of the couch
- Scooted legs off bed/couch
- Used arms to roll my body so all my body weight was on 1 should on the pillow or couch
- Used my arms to sit my body up straight with legs on the floor
- Looked straight ahead (chin up they said so I didn’t pass out) and wait for a few minutes before standing
- Use legs and arms to stand not abs as much as possible
Getting into bed/ onto the couch
- Sit down using legs and arms not using abs as much as possible
- Lean 1 shoulder into couch/bed
- Flip legs from floor up
- Use arms and legs to straighten out and get comfy trying not to use abs
Saturday & Sunday: Day 1 & 2 Post-Op
Right Shoulder Pain – Gas Pain
I tried to get up and walk around the room a few times that evening. I noticed that when I stook up, I had intense gas pains in my right shoulder, but they dissipated to my abdomen when I sat down. The more I walked and moved my arms up/down and forward/backward, the more the pressure in my right shoulder improved.
Taking Laps Around the Room/ Hallway/ Outside
I made sure to take laps every few hours up and down the hallway or around the room I was in. Each time I had to use the restroom, I made sure to take a few extra laps before sitting back down.
I did get outside for a few walks both days, but they were super slow walks down a few driveways and back and not alone. They were probably 3-6 minutes long.
Couch Bums & Netflix Marathon all Weekend
We spent all weekend watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maizle and another movie or 2. I quickly realized that I was not a TV series person. I wanted to watch a movie for 1-2 hours or so and not have to spend endless hours watching several seasons and episodes to finally get to the end. I wanted to watch some series, but I just couldn’t get into any of them knowing they would take hours upon hours of my time after the one we already watched over the weekend.
Food
I ate very small servings when I did eat and it all consisted of a small sliver of the Publix sub, chicken broth, mashed potatoes, graham crackers, Teddy Grahams. jello, or rotisserie chicken.
Pain Level & Medicine
Luckily, my pain stayed managed pretty well. The most intense pain I had was on Saturday. I had several times throughout the day where my eyes felt like they would pop out of my head without any warning due to a sudden electrical pulse lightning rod sensation from under my rib cage down to my left ovary. I found the more I didn’t move, the less often it occurred.
I didn’t need all the pain meds they gave me, but it is good to have them on hand in case I do happen to need them.
- Friday before leaving, they gave me IV pain meds that kept me feeling pretty good. Friday evening, I took my 800mg of ibuprofen, my stool softener, and my norco.
- Saturday morning, I took my prescribed 3 meds as I did Friday evening and I took the pain meds again Saturday afternoon and evening.
- Sunday, I stopped taking the norco (we started to split the pill into 2 so I wasn’t taking an entire pill at once as Sunday approached) I can’t and didn’t need it any longer. I continued taking my ibuprofen through the weekend as told.
Clothes
The most comfortable thing to wear was a nightgown or a cotton thin loose dress. I also wore shorts and baggy sweatpants on occasion. Honestly, the first few days, I wore the underwear from the hospital (as they gave me a few extras) and I knew they would not bother my incisions.
I always made sure to have a loose pair of shorts and a loose thin pair of sweatpants as well as a hoodie because I never knew when I would be too cold or hot.
Showering
My first shower was NOT alone. We got a utility stepping stool and placed into the shower so I could sit while showering or at least when needed. It felt so amazing to wash my hair and get clean! I remember having tons of goosebumps, not being able to put my hair in a towel like normal, and not being able to dry myself off all the way. I was not able to fully put lotion on my lower body. After my shower, I was completely exhausted so put on a robe right away and went and laid down in bed while I dried off and got my breath back.
My “Goodie” Bag
I learned early into the first day post-op that it was not going to work for me to gather all of my needed items to carry from the couch to the bed each night so I got a bag and put all of my meds, oils, chapstick, charger, graham crackers, etc. in the bag.
I also carried my toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, a change of underwear, pads, extra pair of socks, and hair ties. I could easily grab the bag with all of my stuff if I needed to move or leave.
Monday – Thursday: Days 3-6 Post-Op
I spent a lot of time on social media scrolling, watching TV or a movie, talking on the phone, or just relaxing and staring off into space. Each day the pain got better.
“Using” the Restroom
Now, this is strange to be typing on a blog based on who will read this, but it is what it is and the point is to help those who are in or will be in this situation, so here it goes.
Each day, I had been taking the stool softener in the am and pm provided to me by my doctor. I had also been taking Gas-x chewable occasionally. It wasn’t until Monday morning 3 days post-op that I was able to “use the restroom” as in #2. It was so scary because you don’t want anything to hurt more than it does, you don’t want to damage your incisions, but you also know you’re at a certain point, your body is ready to do what it needs to do. The first few days, having a squatty potty or just anything (to elevate the feet) was very helpful for the healing and recovery process.
If you are not sure what a squatty potty is or the reasoning behind it, this hilariously silly video does actually have some proof behind the reasoning of elevating your feet while “using the restroom” especially at a time like this.
Afternoon Fever 99.6 Developed
There were several times that my body felt hot for no reason. We purchased a thermometer to take my temperature to make sure I didn’t get a fever above 100.5 per doctor’s orders. Monday – Thursday, I started getting a slight fever in the 99s every afternoon/early evening, but it never passed the 100 mark. When I felt it coming on, I would make sure to rest, lay down, drink water, and take my ibuprofen which always seemed to make the fever disappear.
Bloating / Swollen Feeling
Monday and Tuesday were the days that I think I felt the most bloating/ swollen even moreso than Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. This could be due to the fact that I had stopped taking the norco at this point. I felt ENORMOUS on Monday and Tuesday, but by Wednesday and on I just kept feeling less swollen.
Walking
I was able to walk longer distances and be outside for up to a 10-minute walk throughout the week. I still never walked on my own outside just in case. I tried to lift my hands up and down and forward and backward when I was up to help with any gas.
An Outing
On Thursday, my mom was in town and I went with her in the car to a pizza place for us to get take out. While in line I felt really weak and had to sit down. I felt as if I was not really there and I felt really delayed. It was so strange, but I must have overdone it, which is strange because the next day, I felt like I was moving quite a bit and felt normal.
1 Week Post-Op
I really started to see a change at the 1-week mark for the better and worse. I could move more similar to my daily lifestyle, but itching set in which has been very hard to overcome and deal with.
Laying on My Side & Bending Over
By Friday, I finally was able to lay on my side for a short period of time. I was able to move around more without my tummy hurting. I finally felt like I could bend over and pick things up off the ground. Prior to this, I had always used my legs or asked for help if I needed something from the floor, but at 1-week, I felt pretty darn good.
Showering
I was able to fully shower alone without any help. I still needed to get out and lay down with my robe on to dry off. Then I was able to get up, get lotion on and fully dry off, get dressed, etc. by myself without any worries.
Driving
I finally drove at 1 week and 1-day post-op to the store. The store is like a mile away so it was really no big deal for me at this point. I also had stopped taking the pain meds at this point so I was okay.
Bloating/ Gas from Surgery Gone
At 1 week or shortly before, I felt like most of the gas and right shoulder pain had totally dissipated.
Allergic Reaction to Steri-Strips/ Glue
Right at the 1-week mark, on Friday, I started itching all around my incisions. My paperwork said that I could remove my steri-strips after 1 week while in the shower, so that is what I did.
Initially, it felt so good to have the tape off the incisions and feel free and clean. Then the itching increased. All the research I did point to this being a natural part of the skin healing. Saturday, it progressively got worse. Sunday, the itching was even worse. At this point, I had tried oils, aloe vera, hyrdo cream, Serna, calamine lotion, Benedryl, etc.
By Sunday afternoon, I was fed up. This was not okay or normal. I sent a message to my doctor and took some Benedryl pills to fall asleep. I called first thing Monday morning and didn’t hear back right away so I called again and they asked me to come in. After looking at it, he said my incisions are healing well. There were no infections or open wounds, but I must be having an allergic reaction to the glue in the steri-strips so he prescribed an advanced strength hydro cream.
The only thing that has given me relief is keeping an ice pack on my abdomen. I also started taking my pain pills again due to the itching because it takes my mind off of wanting to scrape out my belly button or dig at my skin 24/7. I went back to see the doctor and he has prescribed me some prescription-grade hydrocodone cream.
