I had my sleeve surgery on Monday the ninth. When I came out from the surgery, the surgeon said everything went perfectly and I looked great. I was in a lot of pain, but to be expected, and was on the 24 hour observation-then get discharged plan.
They said to sip liquids slowly, but constantly. I couldn't do it, I was so scared because it felt like each swallow packed air into my stomach. My pain level wasn't being controlled well by oral pain medicine and they wanted me to be able to not need the IV pain meds before I went home. I forced myself to walk small grandma-steps to the door and a little out the hall, but that proved to be too much and I wasn't able to do it often. I was able to urinate after much effort a few hours after my surgery. The doctor came in at the end of my 24 hour observation period to release me, said the surgery went perfectly and there was no reason I couldn't go home.
After the doctor left, I expressed to the nurse how I just hurt so bad and I couldn't imagine going home in this much pain right now (my pain level remained an 8-9 out of 10). She said that if my pain wasn't under control, that was a good reason to keep me and she would call my doctor. She called him and he agreed to let me stay another night.
I mostly slept, couldn't move without horrible pains. I had what was expected, the air/gas pains in my stomach and left shoulder/chest felt like a stabbing charlie horse. My lower back also hurt with similar severity. I attempted to take the oral pain medicine as they recommended so as to get off the IV pain meds, but it was just too much. About three in the morning I realized it had been quite a few hours since I was able to go pee. I tried and tried, and my bladder was soooo full! It was so odd since I had been able to go after the surgery, but now I couldn't. The nurses did a scan of my bladder and found it to be way too full, so they gave me an "in and out" catheter. What a relief!
By the morning, instead of feeling better, my pain seemed to be the same or worse. I gave up on trying to sip water and reverted to ice chips. I still couldn't get out of bed without considerable help. I made many trips to the restroom to try to urinate again, and was not successful. Around the time of nurse change that morning, I had my new nurse take me to the restroom. He stayed outside the door waiting for me. I suddenly upon sitting down, felt funny and dizzy and the next thing I knew I was waking up sideways looking up at two male nurses trying to rouse me.
....to be continued
After the doctor left, I expressed to the nurse how I just hurt so bad and I couldn't imagine going home in this much pain right now (my pain level remained an 8-9 out of 10). She said that if my pain wasn't under control, that was a good reason to keep me and she would call my doctor. She called him and he agreed to let me stay another night.
I mostly slept, couldn't move without horrible pains. I had what was expected, the air/gas pains in my stomach and left shoulder/chest felt like a stabbing charlie horse. My lower back also hurt with similar severity. I attempted to take the oral pain medicine as they recommended so as to get off the IV pain meds, but it was just too much. About three in the morning I realized it had been quite a few hours since I was able to go pee. I tried and tried, and my bladder was soooo full! It was so odd since I had been able to go after the surgery, but now I couldn't. The nurses did a scan of my bladder and found it to be way too full, so they gave me an "in and out" catheter. What a relief!
By the morning, instead of feeling better, my pain seemed to be the same or worse. I gave up on trying to sip water and reverted to ice chips. I still couldn't get out of bed without considerable help. I made many trips to the restroom to try to urinate again, and was not successful. Around the time of nurse change that morning, I had my new nurse take me to the restroom. He stayed outside the door waiting for me. I suddenly upon sitting down, felt funny and dizzy and the next thing I knew I was waking up sideways looking up at two male nurses trying to rouse me.
....to be continued
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