May 14, 2013 – Day 19 Recovery

What I didn’t share from yesterday (since it happened late) was that my usual protein shake caused me agony for about an hour, including it all coming back up.  That’s twice in one day??  Then this morning, I made myself another protein shake, sipped but craved something to eat so I pushed my luck with fresh sliced turkey, biting tiny bites and chewing lots (I ate some yesterday and it went down fine).  I’m on pureed foods at this point with no clear understanding of when the switch to soft foods is supposed to happen.  I’ve been told by a friend who’s been through this that the quicker you move through the stages, the better you heal.  I shouldn’t always listen to my friends, lol.

BARF…for hours.  Today there was this “stuck” feeling where I imagine my esophagus meets my stomach that wouldn’t go away and was even painful off and on until hours later.  Water wouldn’t even go through.  Just a little scared today and not just because of this incident, but because this was the third throwing up of food in about 24hrs.  So, I placed a call to the Ottawa Nurse Practitioner.  Thank goodness she was right at her desk.  She suggested that it was possibly a stricture (swelling and scar tissue blocking the hole leaving my new tummy to my small intestines) IF each meal and drinking was prevented from being digested (throwing it all up) but so far, it’s been my last two meals but not every meal.  Instead of my file being transferred to Kingston (which what was promised) the nurse wanted me back in Ottawa to see her at least one more time (which worried me a bit).  She requested a date on what was supposed to be my first week back.  I’ve asked about an extension to my 4 weeks off after all of these complications and the nurses comments that my healing and complications are likely due to my added procedure (hiatus hernia).  So, I’ve been given an unknown extension letter reading “your time off for recovery will be reviewed on May 29th”.

I was able to sip a drink by about 1pm (after my eating issues started today about 10am) and then was very hungry for food by 5pm.  Everything I ate (and boy I ate slow and super pureed food) stayed in.  I’m drawing the conclusion that I progressed myself too soon into soft non pureed foods.  That doesn’t quite explain the protein shake but from what I’m learning, our new “pouches” are very finicky.

35 minute walk with Kirk today which helped turn the day around a bit after a rough start 🙂