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Today was my first full day home.  I spent four days in the hospital.

I seem to have lost 8 pounds since the morning of the surgery.  Granted, I did have my period so some of that weight was imaginary, but I'll take what the scale says anyway.  Already my sciatica feels non-existent, and my back doesn't hurt.

Surgery itself went fine.  I have a single incision near my belly button.  There's lots of funny bruising and I'll post a picture of that below.  Surgery took 45 minutes and I spent two hours in the recovery room.

The narcotic pain meds made me too queasy, so I wouldn't take them.  My first experience with liquid pain meds was on an empty, newly sleeved stomach so of course they came right back up and I refused to take those again.  So, they had a problem managing my pain.  The second day was so miserable.  Finally someone put me on a Tylenol IV drip.  Most nurses were great about replacing it on time, but there was one I had to beg and bug and she was usually an hour and a half late with it.  I think if I'd had better pain management, everything would've been a lot better.

They were going to send me home with liquid Vicodin, but since I refused it in the hospital, they sent me home with nothing.  I was supposed to crush up Tylenol and put it in my liquids.  Tylenol didn't cut it at home and I spent a murderous evening plotting destruction before my mom came up with some expired Vicodin from her oral surgery.  I didn't even care it was expired.  I crushed it, put it in some pudding, and even though it was disgusting and counted as a meal, I took it.  I was able to sleep through the night.  HALLELUJAH!!  I just can't wait to be off the pain meds so I can eat food that isn't mixed with bitter medication. 

I have a lot more to post about my surgery, but Vicodin makes me sleepy and I need a nap. 

Here's what my belly looked like when I pulled off the bandage this morning.  I'm fascinated by the all the bruising that isn't even that near the incision. Those dark marks in the lower left hand corner are from giving myself the blood clotting injections.