ONE WEEK POST-SURGERY

Well, today is ONE week post surgery and to be honest, I cannot BELIEVE how good I'm feeling considering they removed my ENTIRE stomach!!!  The last time I took my oxycodone was Saturday and last time I took tramadol was Sunday.  I've been taking care of the pain with Tylenol and been resting the best I can.  I am SO thankful to Dr. Kendrick and his team for all they did and for always calling me back after my millions of questions!

Yesterday was my first day at home by myself.  It went really well, but was extremely hard to not want to do things around the house like laundry and un-pack.  When Sean and Paige got home, they had supper and I decided I needed a few items for my week of puree foods.  We went to the grocery store and I decided I would try to walk with the cart (it acted like a walker) and if it seemed like too much, I'd have Sean get a wheelchair or scooter.  We probably only had about 10 things to get and one was on the opposite side of the store so it made me a little nervous as I really didn't want to over-do-it.  I walked THE WHOLE TIME at the grocery store and it felt SO good.  I was worried about paying for it later, but nope...felt great the rest of the night!  That was a huge hurdle! 

I had a hard time last night finding a comfortable way to sleep as I'm really wanting to lay on either of my sides, but that causes pain and laying on my back and upright causes my tailbone to hurt.  It was a night NOT full of pain, but full of tossing and turning as nothing felt quite right.  I look forward to laying on my side...someway, somehow!

TODAY....TODAY I got to start on puree!!!!  I've had applesauce which was good, yogurt which burned a little going down, and mashed potatoes which were like HEAVEN!!!!!!  It looks a little windy outside now, but I think I'll try to take a stroll at least down the block and back tonight when Sean and Paige get home AND I might try something else new or just have more potatoes! haha.

Anyway, SO FAR SO GOOD and I'm shocked by that.  I'm shocked by what our bodies can do and I'm shocked I feel so good.  Last Tuesday evening, after surgery, I was asking myself why I did this to myself when there was so much pain and nothing wrong with my stomach to begin with.  I'm sure there will be more times like that to come over time, but looking back over the last week puts a huge reality check in place.  I know EXACTLY why I did this....so I never have to deal with the cancer that took my mom and grandpa's lives, so that my family never has to hear "she has stomach cancer," so my family never has to see me the way I saw my mom fight with all her might, so that I can be around to watch Paige grow, go to prom, graduate, get married, have kids, etc.- all things my mom had to miss with my sister and I.  THAT is why I did this and the way I'm feeling makes me SO thankful!