Post surgery Update April
Check in with the surgeon general summary: *Sigh* I'm fine, but not as far along as fast as I'd like, which my surgeon says is normal for someone with diabetes. She says I'm doing quite well.
While I *am* healing, I still had gaps and bleeding, which she cauterized with silver nitrate. (ow) Some of my dissolving stitches are popping out of my skin, which is a normal part of healing. My belly button sutures pull and twinge a bit, which my surgeon says is probably due to the number of stitches that site needed to keep me buttoned up.
I am not yet cleared for either baths or pools, due to risk of infection. She suspects I may have a urinary tract or bladder infection, or at least complications with my bladder. Since it had had adhesion issues with my now gone uterus, it has a bunch of healing scar tissue, and the stretches on the bladder with normal function make it spasm. If this continues, I may end up needing medicine to go back to work and finish the school year. The spasms and pain may also just be due to a urinary tract infection, common for those who've had catheters. So, I got to pee in a cup for tests. After tests come back, maybe antibiotics.
I thought I was better than I apparently am. This appears to be an artifact of actually doing so much better than I was, when I was in fairly constant pain. Now that I have my pain so much reduced, below the levels where I started, I thought I was *all* better. In fact, I have a bit to go yet. My darling husband supposes that since I hurt for so much for so long, I don't actually know what normal feels like yet. The surgeon says, "Trust me, it'll get better."
I've lost about ten pounds since the surgery. Not that much is due to things coming out, but more from my body being more efficient since I'm working my way out of anemia. I'm NOT cleared for exercise yet, except for walks. I told the surgeon that this fall, I felt like my muscles were strong, but I had no stamina due to the blood loss. Now, post-surgery, I feel like I have energy, but my muscles are weak and I can't do much. The surgeon agreed with me, and tells me that I am out of condition. She says that when I do start exercising, I'll be surprised at how much more energy I have to do things, and I'll probably be able to melt off pounds quickly. But. Not. Yet.
I'm still on track for coming back to school mid-May.
While I *am* healing, I still had gaps and bleeding, which she cauterized with silver nitrate. (ow) Some of my dissolving stitches are popping out of my skin, which is a normal part of healing. My belly button sutures pull and twinge a bit, which my surgeon says is probably due to the number of stitches that site needed to keep me buttoned up.
I am not yet cleared for either baths or pools, due to risk of infection. She suspects I may have a urinary tract or bladder infection, or at least complications with my bladder. Since it had had adhesion issues with my now gone uterus, it has a bunch of healing scar tissue, and the stretches on the bladder with normal function make it spasm. If this continues, I may end up needing medicine to go back to work and finish the school year. The spasms and pain may also just be due to a urinary tract infection, common for those who've had catheters. So, I got to pee in a cup for tests. After tests come back, maybe antibiotics.
I thought I was better than I apparently am. This appears to be an artifact of actually doing so much better than I was, when I was in fairly constant pain. Now that I have my pain so much reduced, below the levels where I started, I thought I was *all* better. In fact, I have a bit to go yet. My darling husband supposes that since I hurt for so much for so long, I don't actually know what normal feels like yet. The surgeon says, "Trust me, it'll get better."
I've lost about ten pounds since the surgery. Not that much is due to things coming out, but more from my body being more efficient since I'm working my way out of anemia. I'm NOT cleared for exercise yet, except for walks. I told the surgeon that this fall, I felt like my muscles were strong, but I had no stamina due to the blood loss. Now, post-surgery, I feel like I have energy, but my muscles are weak and I can't do much. The surgeon agreed with me, and tells me that I am out of condition. She says that when I do start exercising, I'll be surprised at how much more energy I have to do things, and I'll probably be able to melt off pounds quickly. But. Not. Yet.
I'm still on track for coming back to school mid-May.