My surgery was two weeks ago today. Here’s where I am right now.
I saw my surgeon on Friday. I’m healing perfectly and don’t need to visit her again. She said that I will probably dress like a fitness hobo for a few more weeks. I’m wearing a lot of random yoga pants and baggy tshirt combos because it hurts when things touch the incision sites. At this point, I’m really grateful that I work from home. I’m not sure that I could explain my appearance in court.
There are four incision sites. Two are much more sensitive. One of those is still crazy painful. The doctor said that these were directly on muscle, so they tend to be more painful and take longer to heal. One has turned into a raised lump. My husband tells me that this is scar tissue. It’s at a location where everything seems to rub on it. Once that pain lessens, I think that the pain will be down to a minimum.
I’m also able to sleep on my right side and stomach again without screaming. This is good because I was sleeping like crap without my preferred positions.
I exercised for the first time today. I decided to go for a walk around the neighborhood. I felt good while I was out there, but I was completely exhausted afterward. I need to ease back into a fitness routine. While I feel better, I’m definitely still healing and need to remember not to push it too hard at first.
Generally, I feel fantastic. No more stomach pain. My stomach/GI system hasn’t felt this happy in years. The first few days were rough, but things are easy now.
If you are friends with me on Facebook, you saw my glee – I can eat dairy again. That was a sign of the gallbladder problems, not lactose intolerance. My husband mocks me because my evening now has a cheese course. I am so happy to have yogurt back in my life. Stoneyfield, I’ve missed you. Someday, I will try cereal with milk again. (I’ll be honest, after the things that happened the last time I had milk, I’m still kind of scared to try it again.) I also look forward to ice cream again at some point. I bought a pint of frozen kefir last night and I am super excited to have that.
I do find that some of my tastes have changed since the surgery. Before, I was loading things up with salt and pepper because nothing tasted right. Now, I’m much more sensitive to salt. I also don’t crave the same stuff. Right now, I want cheese and crunchy stuff. I’m also more fond of chicken, which I find odd.
The healing process has been long, but this surgery has already done so much for me. I’m so glad that the doctors figured out what it was and I was able to get relief. (Seriously, don’t ignore your health. Get to a doctor. Regardless of how many times you are called a hypochondriac.)
Looking ahead, I want to get back into a fitness routine. (I wonder how long it will be before I can easily wear my Polar again. I know you miss HRM pics on Instagram.) It’s also getting a little chilly, so I look kind of absurd in capri yoga pants. I would like to resume wearing normal pants soon. I’ll get there.
So glad to see you are healing nicely. I have one incision that seem to take FOREVER to heal. Not that I think that will happen to you. Just letting you know, I get it. But I had forgotten about it until I read this, so there’s that.
And when I say have, I meant HAD.
I do much better with the grammar and editing when someone else writes it, apparently.
I think your incisions heal faster if Elmo and Tiki are allowed to lick them with their wonder magic tongues.
I’m so happy you’re feeling better. I had mine out 14 years ago and the recovery so fast due to age. Ahh…youth.
So glad you are coming along well in the healing process. How nice to be able to indulge in some of your favorite foods again. That is a bonus!