“Digestion is one of the most delicately balanced of all human and perhaps angelic functions.”

“Digestion is one of the most delicately balanced of all human and perhaps angelic functions.” -- M.F.K. Fisher

Day 3 AS - Friday, September 25

I finally wake up nausea free and almost feel like myself. My temperature was under control and I was starting to recognize my feet, toes and ankles again. Nothing is going to keep me there another day!!

Thankfully my surgeon concurred, because although I hate to admit it, I know her vote was the only one that counted. She was really pleased with my overnight improvement and ordered my discharge. I finally was able to consume all 3 oz. of breakfast too.

The day charge nurse came by to commiserate over the loss of chair -- it turned out she was the one who had ordered these and had the procedure herself 3 years ago. She spent about half an hour with me. I was discouraged that I was still in pain and she reminded me everyone has different pain tolerance and different physiology. She herself lost her pain when the JP drain was removed. We all recover in our own time -- and we do all recover.

John returned shortly after that followed by my day RN who removed my IV. Wow, was that thing ever taped on good! She did a wonderful job minimizing the pain as best she could. She provided us with bunches of supples to help with the drainage site collection and butt wiping and skin pain I had developed (likely from sitting in that awful wheelchair).

John hauled all my gear down to the car, made sure my seat was all the way up and set back. The day CNA came by and helped me clean up once again, then wheeled me down to John and freedom.

How great it is to be home! I was still exhausted -- it was all I could do to try to keep up with my fluid goals in between sleeping -- still difficult to concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time. I was cleared for a shower but as much as I wanted it I simply could not muster up enough energy.

It's great to have chairs that are soft and fit again! Great also to have my own toilet. I hate that I still can't quite get up by myself on Friday or wipe myself on Friday -- but am incredbily grateful for a soul mate that would do anything possible to help with my comfort in John.

No nausea, but awful painful gas, belches, burps and hiccups.

It literally took me hours to consume my night meds after breaking them up into small enough pieces to swallow without risking their getting stuck. One of the pill fragments the night before had been too big and did stick for about 20 minutes -- painful. I definitely don't want to experience that again.

I am hating the continuing gas and digestive issues -- tons of reflux while I sleep in spite of a pretty high dose of meltable Prevacid. Hopefully this will all calm down in a few weeks. Trust me colleagues -- you definitely don't want me back in the office yet -- between all the noises and awful smells it's truly gross -- even to me. Trust me on this. :)