I am almost three weeks post op from having Duodenal Switch surgery. Time has gone by so fast. Sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday, and other times it feels like it was so long ago that I was in the hospital. I have heard that it takes 4-6 weeks to heal from surgery and I totally believe that. I feel so fortunate to have had surgery and so thankful for this new life that I will soon have.
The surgery went just fine and there were no complications. I was surprised at how quickly they have you up walking the halls. I know that the reason is so that blood clots don't form. I think I should get some kind of award for all the walking I did! It actually felt better to be upright rather than laying in bed, so I took full advantage of my walking time. I would do three or four laps each time instead of just one. I feel like that helped my recovery. I did a lot of walking of the halls in my house once I got home.
The pain was more severe than I anticipated once I got home. There was no pain pump for me to press. I did find that if I stayed up on the pain meds every four hours it was better. Each day the pain seemed to get better. I was off pain meds five days after surgery. I returned to work full-time seven days post op. That has been going fine. I would not recommend going back to work that quickly. It worked okay for me, but I could have used more time at home if I had the opportunity.
Adjusting to my new stomach post op has been a challenge. For the first two weeks post op, I was on a liquid only diet. This consisted of high protein soups, drinks, and shakes that I got from my surgeon's office. It was hard the first few days to get all the protein and fluids in. After surgery, my abdomen and stomach were swollen. Once the swelling went down, I was able to take in more liquids. I am now on a soft food diet for two weeks. That only adds in a few high-protein foods. I love cottage cheese, so I am glad to be able to eat that.
Things are a slow-go for me right now, but it will get there. The important thing that I need to keep remembering is to have patience with my body. I am so positive that things will get easier day by day. Thanks for following me on my journey and reading my blog. I appreciate each and every one of you!
