Healing

I made it out of the hospital with only one night stay.  I was really, really ready to go home.  Those hospital beds are not comfortable and there is no way to get any rest while things are going on outside the room, people coming in to take your blood while you sleep, test your blood sugar, take your blood pressure...sheesh!

Coming home was great.  My husband had arranged all my new "food" into one cabinet and set up a tray by my recliner with a timer to know when to take a sip of whatever: water, protein shake, tea. All the remotes were by my side, too. He's been so helpful for me, but he's taken this "Captain" role on a little too enthusiastically and I told him that he may be the Captain of my team, but I am the Admiral, so please don't nag about this and that and leave me be.  I know how much you love me and I love you, but baby, please let me breathe (yes, I know, I know....into the inspirometer!)

I did have a bit of a melt down soon after I got home.  Thank goodness Dr. Jossart prescribes a tranquilizer.  I needed some pain medication too and a really, really good, long sleep. It suddenly seemed all so over whelming and I felt like I didn't understand what had just happened and the actual ramifications of the action.  I was tired and hurting and I guess a little scared.  I was supposed to walk 5-10 minutes every hour, but I was lucky if I could stay awake for that long. I was frustrated trying to figure out how often to take a 1-ounce sip of something.  Do I take more time or less time for "meals" since I'm supposed have it done in half an hour?  Water is important because I don't want to get dehydrated so how often and how long between sips? Why do I feel like my belly is so tight? I feel like I'm swallowing a lot of air with my sips and it causes some pain, too.
I had a lot to think about so I went to bed for a long time and woke up feeling a little better and not so freaked out.
We've since worked out a schedule for "eating" this way and it's getting easier everyday:
Morning: Protein shake (I've gotten all fancy and taken 8-oz de-caf coffee mixed with my chocolate protein powder for a Morning Mocha, or I add pumpkin pie spice to my vanilla for a Faux Pumpkin Spice Latte!)
There's also some meds to take. If my blood sugar is over 150, I am to continue to take Actos (a small pill).  Everyday, so far,  my BS has been 149, so I am continuing the medication.
I also take Prilosec which has helped with the feelings of heartburn and reflux, chewable multivitamin (in a bear bottle) and sub-lingual B12.
My mid-morning "snack" is something I have called Pro-Cal and it can be either a drink or with less water, a pudding.  I couldn't handle the pudding, so I'm sticking with the drink. I also take a Tums for calcium at this time.
Lunch is another protein drink and I live by a timer app that John put on my Ipod, which is with me constantly now, buzzing at various times for me take my sips.

The timer schedule goes like this: 10 minutes between water sips
                                                    7 minutes between "meal" sips for a total of half and hour.
                                                   20 minutes before water after a meal

Mid-afternoon "meal" is the same as mid-morning with another Tums.

So far, I haven't been able to make it to dinner.

You see, I am so full from all of the other "meals" and water that I couldn't possibly have a chicken soup protein base drink.
When I got my first meal at the hospital, I was given a "bariatric" clear liquid meal. I received chicken broth, sugar free jello and a berry flavored protein drink.  I ended up eating too much and I felt miserable for a long time.  It taught me the value of having a shot glass close by!

So, recovery continues. I feel better physically everyday.

Oh, I've lost 7lbs so far....