16th April 2018

OMG what else can I say.? What a day that was. I am still not sure when I came out the op, I will ask Simon on Monday when I see him.

It was like the worst hangover ever… well almost. I did get alcoholic poisoning once on holiday. That’s another story!

I just felt that I was being pumped with all sorts. I did have oxygen on for a while (probably op day and day after) but my sats were lower than normal as I was just not breathing deeply enough, I knew that. Everything else was fine it was just the sickness. I was as sick as a dog on op day and into the night. I brought up all the blue dye that had been pumped into me by the anaesthetist. For those who have not had the op you are filled with gas to blow your tummy up and also blue dye. The dye is incase there are any complications and they need to scan or x-ray you. It will show up any leeks in wounds etc. Most people pee and poop the dye out but I just brought it up in a couple of multi coloured yawns! But I was sick a lot, no food of course and did get down to a couple of bile wretches. I also occassionally dribbled horrible liquid into my sick basin even after I had stopped being sick. I had the feeling it was just the drugs in my saliva.

I remembered being offered my liquid pain relief, (gabapentim, usually taken for fibromyalgia) but it tasted as fowl as my mouth so I could not take it.

I was not drinking but I had taken a little sponge for wetting my mouth (I had got it last year when I was in for 5 ops on my wrists) a mini sponge on a stick. A little life-saver. So I was getting fluids pumped into me constantly, peeing constantly and sipping with my sponge on the first day and night. I also had taken my usual mouthwash. It is not strong like listerine or the usual ones on the shelves. The nurse diluted it and that’s what I used every time I was up at the bathroom.

I also had a lovely rose toner that I used on my face everytime I was up. I kept my face fresh and moisturised, brushed my hair, to help me feel more human. I took advantage of having a wash down too, to help me feel fresh. I had my first shower in the middle of the night at end of official day 1, so technically into day 2.

I also couldn’t have a great sleep which was making me worse as I was having wild nightmares playing out in my head, all day and night and into the first day after. It wasn’t until the second night that I realised that I was suffering withdrawal from my normal pain relief. Once I asked for my gabapentim I fell asleep within about half an hour and got at least 5 hours good sleep. After that I felt much better.  Each night I was in I was up in the middle of the night having a wash or shower and the nurses had to change my bed, as I was soaking with sweat. Probably just down to the plastic under the sheets and the man-made pillows. Not something I’m use to. So to sum it all up… was it worth it? HELL YEAH!!!

So what can I advise you?

• Take everything you think you might need or want while in hospital. You will not use it, but nice to know it’s there
• Must haves; nice soap, mouth sponges, mouth wash (not too strong), tooth brush and toothpaste, face toner and cotton wool, face cloth, moisturiser, more nightware than you think you might need. Bed socks, (I was hot one minute then cold the next). Something to play music on. I played youtube relaxation videos 24 hours a day. + Charger
• Be prepared, you might be terribly sick like me, or NOT, I can only descibe it as hinggy (a good scottish word). I kept telling myself. It’s not that your stomach thinks your throat’s been cut. It’s that your throat doesn’t know your stomach’s been cut!
• Get up and walk about. You will have gas. It may be painful it might just be annoying. I’ve had worse in my life.
• Sit on the edge of your bed, straight back and take lots of deep breaths. Do this a lot. You may not feel like it, cos you feel sick. I was told to do this by the physio to get my sats up. It got easier each time I did it. I was soon off of oxygen after that.
• Take sips, no gulping as you may be sick.
• Get your meds in liquid form. I was told my gabapentim did not come in liquid form, or that it had to be especially ordered and would take weeks. Bollocks!!! It does, it’s just that it’s about £75 a bottle that lasts a week. I went privately for my op, so the hospital did produce within 10 minutes of saying I did not have it. When I got home and spoke to my doctor the truth came out. I had it the next day.

I saw my surgeon every day and asked if I could stay a third night, which I was glad about, as again I was up at 3am all sweaty and the bed had to be changed. I just felt I was not ready to go home and wanted to feel more like myself. That did the trick as I got more sleep and got off water onto diluting juice.

I understand that different hospitals do different things in respect of eating and drinking, right from the start on LRD through to eating normally. Nuffield put me on a solids LRD pre-op and wanted me on liquids only up until day 10 post-op. Then onto purees until day 21, then soft foods bla bla. I went onto solids about day 18. Why? Because everything I ate was fine. I had no adverse signs or bad feelings after eating, or disagreements. It has been that way since. Some of the things I’ve eaten since day 18 have been, haddock, sea bass, venison, steak mince, tuna, chicken, moroccan lamb steak. Tonigh I’m having salmon skewers with vegetables. I’ve not been totally off sugary foods. I’ve eaten rhubarb, apple sauce, stewed strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, banana, lotus biscuits or lighter than light t-biscuits. Must fly to check my dinner.

If I remember anything else I’ll add it later.
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