Second post op report

[valdab]

Hi Anne

I've been anxiously looking for your post since your op and was starting to get concerned, but then of course I realised - you're in this gang now. Hadn't occurred to me to look in the post-surgery forum. Doh!
I am now on holiday in Namibia with limited internet so this will be brief. I have read quickly through your news and firstly, well done for getting the surgery behind you, and great news that it was completed so swiftly.
I'm so sorry to hear of your slow recovery - I feel sure that your small frame must be partly to blame, and lack of food when you have little in the way of reserves is going to very quickly take it's toll. Could you perhaps try some stewed apple - something bland? Fresh grated ginger in hot water is very good for nausea.
I will check back in a couple of days - I'm sure you must find this hugely frustrating, but try to keep positive.
Please know you you have been in my thoughts since your op.
Valda
xx

 

[Paleowoman]

Thanks Valda - I'm eating tiny bits, am hungry but when I eat things seem to go 'wrong' and I get pain cardiac area and heart races for ages - gut pressing on cardiac area.

Hope you have a lovely holiday in Namibia !

 

[heartweave]

Anne
I am so sorry to hear about your recovery, I hope things go much better from here on out. Of course, I am on pins and needles listening to how it went for you as I will be following in the next few months as well. I second the motion of taking as much protein as possible, even protein powder if you can. I have had multiple surgeries and found that wound repair was aided by protein. Please stay in touch.

Here's to your speedy recovery

Leah waiting for aortic valve replacement.

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Leah - my actual wound, at least on the skin surface, appears to be repairing very fast. My skin always heals fast so maybe that's why. The scab fell off days ago. I've been gently rubbing a bit of jojoba oil lotion in the area around - not on the actual scar though - and I've found that very ehlpful for when the skin was 'pulling' like it does around scars/scabs.

 

[kfay]

Paleogirl, Sorry to hear about your stomach issues. You might want to ask your GI dr when you see him if it could possibly be your gallbladder. There have been several of us who unexpectedly developed gallbladder problems soon after this surgery. I fell into that boat. I was positive I was having heart pain (and got myself a stress test because of it) only to discover that it was actually my gallbladder. I had many of the other problems you have been describing as well. I had surgery to have it removed and quickly felt so much better.

 

[Paleowoman]

I will ask the GI guy about my gallblader but I sincerely hope it's nothing to do with that as I normally have a high fat diet (not at the moment though), moderate protein, low carb and it would be impossible for me to go low fat, low carb and high protein - very unhealthy. I can't go high carb due to diabetes.

 

[neil]

hears hoping you get it sorted, keep your chin up

 

[Paleowoman]

Well I saw the GI guy yesterday and had an abdominal ultrasound and barium swallow and meal later. Saw the GI guy again today. The tests came back fine and he is saying that the cause of my too big weight loss and abdominal problems is 'surgical insult' and pain. He's told me to graze with small meals and have fat, like cream and cheese to help me put on weight. Those are the kinds of foods I would normally eat anyway so now I know my gall bladder and everything is fine that's good. I'm geting a lot of sternal pain which is also radiating out to my back - I can feel a rib out of place but that I suppose is normal too. The GI guy was confident that with grazing and fatty foods I can halt the weight loss and then begin to put back weight on.

I feel such a mess as I should be out walking etc and I'm not much further forward than a couple of weeks ago - walking in the living room but weaker. Am reassured there are no strictures or other abdominal problems to contend with though.