Day 4 Discharge Day

Oh Happy Day! I got to take a shower.

More introductions more testing. Kenny aka Macaroni spent the night and did my morning walk with me. I was feeling a lot better and was able to walk a longer distance at a faster pace.

My lab work for the day was fine. I was given more instructions about how and what to eat, medication dosage, movement and exercise, and what to expect and how to go about scheduling my follow up appointments and attending the support group sessions.

Arriving home was nice. My Boo had something very special waiting for me to help make my recovery period a little nicer.

I continue breathing into my Incentive Spirometer (at least 4 times a day) and continued with my liquid diet measuring my 2 ounce portions. I was still very surprised that I wasn’t famished.

My diet consist of 2 oz portions
· 16 oz of a high protein drink (spread out over the course of the day)
· Sugar free drinks (no carbonated beverages)
· Sugar free jello, pudding and yogurt (allowed Splenda, Equal, etc…)
· Broth soups and low fat creamy soups
· Skim milk
· 32 oz of water (in between meals working my way up to this amount)
· 2 chewable multiple vitamins with iron daily
· 2 TUMS each day

All drinks must be sipped slowly, no gulping…Why? Because it will cause me to become nauseated vomit, or experience pressure in my chest while eating.
Now of course I had to step on the bathroom scale excited to see what my weight loss is from 4 days of not eating…OMG I am 10lbs heavier!!! After stepping on and off of the scale at least 5 -6 six times I surrendered. How could this be? From the I.V. all those bags I was required to have after surgery, is that it? That must be it! *SIGH*

As the day goes along I am beginning to feel more gas, and rumbling in my stomach. Extra strength Tums is helping me with that, but the real challenge is thinking I have to pass gas, and being surprised. That’s not gas.

My first real test came when Kenny put a smoked sausage in the microwave. The aroma of the meat juices caused me to salivate like a hungry lion. I practically ran out of the kitchen to keep myself from having a melt down. I made it past that moment, and the minutes it took him to chomp down on his smoked sausage sandwich and chips. But I had visions about that piece of meat close to an hour after he finished eating, as the smell lingered in the air. Wasn’t easy but I did it.

My life after bariatric surgery in the real world has just begun!