Laps

When you have laproscopic abdominal Sx they puff you up with carbon dioxide.  This stuff floats upward under your ribs and commonly settles in your right shoulder area (particularly after appendectomy sx.)

(Self Portrait shows the classic "don't touch my belly" nightie / t shirt / fuzzy socks that every post-sx girl needs in her wardrobe.

I was discharged Sat "noonish" and looked forward to an afternoon of "sack time" since the past 48 hours had given me precious little.

I went to lay back onto several pillows I'd stacked there..."Holy mother of God!!!"  I think I scared SM with my screams.  The gas in my shoulder muscles caused unbelievable pain if I tried to incline, even slightly.

Saturday night I slept "wodged" straight up and down with pillows in the corner of our sofa with feet flat on the floor. 

I managed to get some sleep...(ha) and "woke" up with the infamous "cankles" and swollen feet.  Not enough lap time.  One of the things you've got to do is get moving after any surgery.  I thought I'd been walking enough but I guess not...(Cankels are truly disturbing.)

Sunday felt better after my shower (yeah!) but then I started feeling like I was getting the flu.  Redness around the incision site, low grade 99 temp and a weird headache that felt better with frozen veggie bags on my head, neck shoulders.  The NP I spoke with said to monitor and call in Monday if not better.  I suspected that the "gas" was migrating to my neck and head. 

About 4 hours later (and many more laps) I felt good enough to try to sleep in the recliner.  Yes! Finally!  I got about 7 hrs in last night with a 1 hour walk in the middle. Redness is gone but belly is still distended.

So my life has become walk through the house for about 45min to an hour, then nap to recover.  Up and repeat the cycle.  Hey it works!! I feel better!

The dogs love to lay in my path and always start out walking with me.  Today I been much more active.  I unloaded the dishwasher and did some laundry but have managed to squeak in 3-4 naps between it all.  Shameless aren't I?

And of course there's always the Food Channel when there's absolutely nothing else on.