recovery update, possibly TMI

[winterbadger]

Well, I took the plunge and had a shower today and took off the bandages. The post-op notes said "after 24 hours" which would have been last night, but I figured there wasn't any need to rush things. The bandage over my umbilicus had some gauze packing underneath it and some steri-strips, as they said. I left the steri-strips (they're supposed to fall off by themselves) but took off the guaze and put fresh sterile gauze over it.

With the lower incisions, the bandage came off, and some of the steri-strips with it, as there had been some bleeding there (the cause of my first panic, when I was brushing my teeth Friday night and saw blood spots on my trousers which had soaked through the bandage, my undershorts, my shirt, and my khakis --yikes!) It looks like there was some bleeding Friday after the surgery, and again sometime after that (after I took the blood-stained clothes off and washed them I had put some extra gauze on top of the bandage, and that was stained but dry and brown). I'm not really sure if there's a problem here; they say to expect some pink or reddish discharge. I'll call tomorrow and see what they say; it doesn't look as if the wound has opened.

And, yes, I think I'm going to take a day or two off work this week. This has been much more of a thing than I expected it to be; I don't mind pain, but I'm very nervous about doing anything that will disrupt the healing or just re-herniate. I wish they passed on some sort of post-op evaluation after the surgery, instead of waiting a week or two. Yes, I would have been doped to the gills, but my pick-up person could have heard it, or they could have given me some notes.

Still some pain, but it feels like I have more range of movement. I'm still trying to be careful, as I don't want to mess anything up. I'm goign to try going withouth the Precocet today, just take ibuprophen and see how that goes. I'd originally planned to have dinner out with redactrice, shy_kat, and poliscidiva; I'm thinking I'd still like to try doing that.

Comments

[thespis-mellie.livejournal.com]

I hope you feel better soon!

[winterbadger]

Thank you! :-) I think a nice cup of tea is calling me right now...

[silme.livejournal.com]

You know, the last few times I've had surgery, it's been outpatient and what I'd consider minor -- the parathryoidectomy, having my deviated septum straightened out so I can breathe, etc. And I always think it's no big deal, I'll be back to normal immediately.

Wrong. It is a big deal whenever they're cutting into you. Give yourself a couple of days off to let your body heal.

[rethought.livejournal.com]

*seconds the part about the parathyroidectomy*

Just the fact that you're paralyzed for a few hours plays havoc on your body.

oh, and a question for silme...did you have both halves out at once or one at a time? Bring it to my email (rethought AT gmail DOT com) if winterbadger wants us out of his comments. :)

[winterbadger]

No, that's all right. [assumes Michael Caine persona] "Carry on with your mud pies, leftenant!"

[silme.livejournal.com]

Will do with the private email...

One gland only, btw. :)

[winterbadger]

It's astounding how bruised my insides feel just from, well, having people rummaging around among them for an hour or so. It took me a little while to realize that the feeling I normally associate with taking a whack to the ghoolies was coming not from that region but from further up and inside me. :-(

[magaidhbhan.livejournal.com]

Oooo, hope all's better soon! A day or two off definitely sounds like a good idea -- take care of yourself! Lots of good vibes coming at you from overseas ...

[winterbadger]

Móran taing! Tha thu uabhasach laghach!

[winterbadger]

Shamelessly twigged from (http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/ionnsachadh/bgfp/), by the way, before you get any illusions about my actualy capability with Gàidhlig.

[magaidhbhan.livejournal.com]

LOL - you had me completely convinced! (and I would have been none the wiser, either -- what a neat little website! I had no idea we had it :)

Tha mi 'n dòchas gum bi thu a' faireachdainn gu math nas fheàrr a dh'aithghearr! (I hope you'll feel much better soon!) :)

[winterbadger]

Thank you so much! :-)

[radiant-one.livejournal.com]

The order of the day should be resting and taking your pain medicine. Healthy thoughts!

[winterbadger]

*goes off to rest* :-)

[radiant-one.livejournal.com]

Good badger *pats him gently on the head*

Rest is the best medicine. Oh and avoid laughing, especially if you are belly laugher.

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Eeek! Well, I hope the recovery continues well! And yes, take some days off!!

[winterbadger]

I think I will, just one or two. No dinner tonight with the Grrls, but we're thinking of reschdeuling later in the week. poliscidiva was feeling a bit blah too, though she came over and watched the Stanford-Tennessee womens' BB game with me. Poor Cardinal! :-(

I'm glad to hear that your dad is home and doing well. I hope they will find no further cause for concern in all the tests.

[peaceful-fox.livejournal.com]

Yikes! I am so far behind in reading other people's journals....I had no idea you had surgery! I am hoping that you are feeling much better now and I am sending you good healing thoughts.

(((HUG)))

[winterbadger]

It's crazy trying to keep up. I didn't break major bones, and it's still taken me most of the day (from 11 when I got up to now, more or less solidly) to read a day or two's worth of entries by friends and do some photo management.

Apart from discomfort when lying down and a week or two of no exertion while the muscles knit back up, I'm a lot better now; *you* are the one who needs all the heal-yness!