Exactly 7 days have passed since doctors took scalpels to my lower abdomen. It seems like it’s been a lot longer.
Eating has become a precarious endeavor as of late.
A few days ago, the poo was elusive — now, it seems intent on earning the title of the bitchy poo.
Nearly everything seems to provoke the poo into fits of irritability, causing me to sit on the porcelain throne for great lengths of time, many times to yield nothing but a few mumurs of protest, but no solid evidence of the mutiny being waged in the depths of my bowels.
Ambitiously, I attempted to ingest half of a small order of mild stewed chicken curry the other day, with unfavorable results. I’ve since resorted back to my simple diet of oatmeal for breakfast, miso soup and brown rice for lunch and dinner. If my appetite approves, I partake in a small serving of salad, but I always leave a little room for jell-o for dessert. As a gastronome at heart, inevitably, my stomach will grow weary of such bland fare and will learn how to behave nicely once more.
Desperate to restore some normality to my digestive system, I have decided to cut the pain meds, cold turkey. As I mentioned in the previous entry, my prescription of percocet has been depleted, leaving me with a supply of 600 mg motrin. I took a dose and decided to see how long I could last before taking the next… it’s been nearly 18 hours and I seem to be tolerating the discomfort quite well. I think I’ll try to forgo taking it as much as possible, at least to give my stomach a break from all the drugs.
I’m starting to regain my mobility and I’m now able to move in and out of bed, albeit gingerly, on my own. Thank God we opted for the adjustable queen-size Tempurpedic bed. It has contributed greatly to my post-surgery comfort level, and with the back elevated, it is easier for me to get in and out of bed without stressing the incision on my lower abdomen. People have teased me about my purchase, saying that only old people buy adjustable beds, but I’ll happily endure the jibes knowing that in times like these, it is so worth it. Besides that, I love the convenience, since during times of wellness, it provides a comfortable environment for lounging with your favorite book or movie without having to crink your neck or back.
The road to recovery certainly doesn’t seem as perilous as I had imagined; but I’ve found that things are usually not as bad as I anticipate.
My blood pressure monitor has been hovering around 118/80, much better than my pre-op 155/99. Aside from having the worst behind me, I suppose having no worries for another three weeks ahead can have a positive affect on anyone’s outlook.
