1 week post-op (summary of my 1st week)

It's Tuesday, June 22, 2010. My appetite for food is very low right now. I hadn't eaten in 72 hours and hadn't had water for 36 hours (they only gave me ice chips after surgery until the next day). At first the problem with eating and drinking too much was that they were worried I'd feel nauseous (that never happened once fortunately!) but later it was because it put a lot of pressure on my torso/chest.

Because of the laparoscopic procedure, they pumped air into me so that they could maneuver around in my torso but when they stitched me up some of that air remained. I anticipated that I'd experience it, I just never knew what to expect and to be honest I had one bout of 'gas pain' that was one of the most painful experiences I ever had - that was 5 a.m. the next morning after surgery and I had just moved around a bit more than I had been I guess and that prompted the 'gas' to push out again my chest - oh, the pain! I groaned out in agony and the nurse heard me and arrived before I could even push the button to call her. I had also hit the morphine drip just beforehand which only activates every 5 minutes so I had to 'breathe it out'.

Later the gas felt like sharp pains in my shoulder bones or chest. They don't want anything to happen to donors so they gave me x-rays and an ECG again to be sure that's what it was but assured me it was just the gas. Only time, breathing deeply (I have this little breathing machine contraption to use) and walking will work it out. It seems to be all out now but I still kinda feel bloated...