I can't believe it's been 4 months since surgery (and 101 days since being discharged!)
How has my life changed?
1. I lost 10 pounds. Gained 5. But I still look like I lost 10. I can still wear my work pants but with a braided belt as tight as it can go. And I now buy XXXSP shirts and dresses instead of XXSP :) I can probably fit in 000P pants instead of 00P but trying to hold off :X
2. I eat better than I ever had before. This is because I don't suffer with reflux anymore
3. I am actually hungry now. I had to force myself to eat one meal before. I have several alarms throughout the day to remind myself to eat (I get busy at work!). I take in more calories now than I ever did before. I am also less cold because I take in more calories. HA.
4. Since my trip to the ICU (lung collapse on left lung, clot on right lung), I now give myself daily lovenox (blood thinning) injections. I continue this until September.
5. I have fewer dietary restrictions now than before complete stomach removal. I can eat pretty much everything. People warned me that I wouldn't be able to metabolize sugar well. This has luckily not been the case with drinks. So I can drink all the sweet tea I want ( as I say... get me out of the south but don't you dare take the south out of me! Ha!). I can even drink white chocolate mochas and eat ice cream. But candy? Hit or miss. Pastries? Can't do it anymore. Weird.
6. I don't know how I am nutrition wise. 2 months post of I was great. Have to wait to see on my 6m check up.
7. My hair is slowly falling out. I lose like 15 strands a day. I hope it stops!
8. I used to hate the rain. And cold. But after being in the hospital for 3 weeks, all fresh air and weather is welcomed.
Some pics to go down memory lane:
I do not remember being in so much pain the first time around. I was practically in tears. But this was me when I first got to my room! (a private room!)
3 days post op, I began to desat. This was before my lung collapse and pulmonary embolism was detected. Of course, I had to go into distress in the middle of the night, forcing a John Malcovich look alike to save me (forcing him out of bed first, apparently). And insert a chest tube while I was awake because I couldn't be sedated. Worst moment of my life.
My sister took the above video after I finally got to sleep post chest tube insertion. I apparently took off my mask several times and said "just let me die!"-- my poor sister!!! I was so uncomfortable. The ICU bed mattress made me feel like I was sleeping on large logs. My back hurt . I could barely breathe. Blah.
I slowly began wasting away after this. Like, all my weight just melted off.
While feeding tubes aren't fun, they do work!!! Pic 1 is right after ICU (when I hadn't really received any nutrition aside from fluids "infused with nutrients", pic 2 is a few days after discharge from hospital (when I was still NPO)
I do not miss the damn thing. The stitches hurt me so much that as they pulled it made me wretch/dry heave.
I'm not me without a gross pic. My feeding tube started to push out and contents spewed all over me. I had to tape it up to hold it in for dear life.
Luckily I got it removed a couple days later
My first taste of something other than liquid contrast on my taste buds. Miso soup. Miso enjoyed it. :)
My lovely lovenox injection collection. Will dispose of them eventually... :X (and correctly) The injections CLOSE BY A SPRING once done.... NONE of these needles are exposed OK!?!?!?! Oliver does not go near them. They are stored above his ability to reach anyway.
How has my life changed?
1. I lost 10 pounds. Gained 5. But I still look like I lost 10. I can still wear my work pants but with a braided belt as tight as it can go. And I now buy XXXSP shirts and dresses instead of XXSP :) I can probably fit in 000P pants instead of 00P but trying to hold off :X
2. I eat better than I ever had before. This is because I don't suffer with reflux anymore
3. I am actually hungry now. I had to force myself to eat one meal before. I have several alarms throughout the day to remind myself to eat (I get busy at work!). I take in more calories now than I ever did before. I am also less cold because I take in more calories. HA.
4. Since my trip to the ICU (lung collapse on left lung, clot on right lung), I now give myself daily lovenox (blood thinning) injections. I continue this until September.
5. I have fewer dietary restrictions now than before complete stomach removal. I can eat pretty much everything. People warned me that I wouldn't be able to metabolize sugar well. This has luckily not been the case with drinks. So I can drink all the sweet tea I want ( as I say... get me out of the south but don't you dare take the south out of me! Ha!). I can even drink white chocolate mochas and eat ice cream. But candy? Hit or miss. Pastries? Can't do it anymore. Weird.
6. I don't know how I am nutrition wise. 2 months post of I was great. Have to wait to see on my 6m check up.
7. My hair is slowly falling out. I lose like 15 strands a day. I hope it stops!
8. I used to hate the rain. And cold. But after being in the hospital for 3 weeks, all fresh air and weather is welcomed.
Some pics to go down memory lane:
I do not remember being in so much pain the first time around. I was practically in tears. But this was me when I first got to my room! (a private room!)
3 days post op, I began to desat. This was before my lung collapse and pulmonary embolism was detected. Of course, I had to go into distress in the middle of the night, forcing a John Malcovich look alike to save me (forcing him out of bed first, apparently). And insert a chest tube while I was awake because I couldn't be sedated. Worst moment of my life.
My sister took the above video after I finally got to sleep post chest tube insertion. I apparently took off my mask several times and said "just let me die!"-- my poor sister!!! I was so uncomfortable. The ICU bed mattress made me feel like I was sleeping on large logs. My back hurt . I could barely breathe. Blah.
I slowly began wasting away after this. Like, all my weight just melted off.
While feeding tubes aren't fun, they do work!!! Pic 1 is right after ICU (when I hadn't really received any nutrition aside from fluids "infused with nutrients", pic 2 is a few days after discharge from hospital (when I was still NPO)
I do not miss the damn thing. The stitches hurt me so much that as they pulled it made me wretch/dry heave.
My lovely lovenox injection collection. Will dispose of them eventually... :X (and correctly) The injections CLOSE BY A SPRING once done.... NONE of these needles are exposed OK!?!?!?! Oliver does not go near them. They are stored above his ability to reach anyway.
Life is definitely better. I am enjoying food. Aside from extreme fatigue I almost feel like my pre-cancer self. I am glad I evicted my stomach. I know I will face challenges and setbacks as time goes on, and I will need constant maintenance, but I made the right choice.
I am grateful for all of you who are always there for me!! I am grateful for the best family, friends, coworkers, doctors, everyone.
Much love,
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