Re: The first month...what's normal?

[Guest guest]

Amy,

It really does get better. The first several weeks can be really

shaky and troublesome, but by week six, most of us have felt like

real human beings and not patients. One day, I cannot recall where

it was in my recuperation, I almost passed out in the shower.

Really. No kidding. I had to grope my way to the commode sopping

wet to sit down until I could regain my strength. I think it was for

lack of potassium. i went on potassium supplements, and it never

happened again. Othere have had severe nausea, and got meds to

combat that. Others have had bad diarrhea, and most have recovered

sooner or later from that. Point is that there *is* bright, warm

light at the end of the tunnel, though when you are wandering in the

darkness you might have a hard time believing it. Keep the faith,

darlin'.

--Steve

--

[Guest guest]

Amy:

You just described my 1st month post surgery. I have a big shower

chair that I had all ready when I came home from the hospital and had

bought an electric bed several years ago. I came home from the

hospital and fell asleep on the bed with my clothes on. When I woke up

a few hours later, I decided to take a shower. You guessed it--I fell

asleep sitting on the shower chair with the warm water running over

me! At least I was clean! Drying off tired me out again; took another

nap, this time with clothes off. Woke up, got dressed, took another

nap on the couch...Get the idea?

Try to get in a little more protein, it'll help with the energy level.

I found baby meat, nuked, to be easy. Not really tasty, but easy.

Also, flat diet gingerale provided an alternative to water. I was also

able to tolerate cocoa made with Hershey's cocoa powder, skim milk and

Sweet and Low.

Steve's right--it really does get better about week 6, and I found

that my post-prandial gas has disappeared now that I'm almost to week

12.

Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

DS 10/3 with Dr. Pomp at Mt. Sinai NYC

down 38 lbs, off the plateau but may still throw the scale out the

window.

> I'm going on three weeks, and while each day I feel a tiny bit

> better/stronger...I'm just wondering how " normal " I am during this

> first few weeks?

>

> I'm sleeping 10-12 hours a night, a shower whups my butt

energy-wise,

> and I'm trying hard to get in all my water. Food is a bit of a

> challenge but I can usually manage a poached egg, some soup, 1/2 a

> graham cracker, a popsicle...and that's about it each day for the

> past few days.

>

> Looking forward to weeks 4-5 when I feel less like a weak kitten,

and

> more like the lioness I usually am.

>

> Sorry to be a whiner...having a bit of a pity party this afternoon

> (tired of being tired and tired of this draining incision).

>

>

> Amy

> 12/5/01

> Dr. Jossart