Jackie Goes For Bottom Surgery

[Belle]

38 minutes ago, VickySGV said:

You cleaned yourself out from end to end, and the innards are one huge wind tunnel

?

 

Jackie it is good to see you are well enough to still post. Thank you for gracing us with your presence. I remember my wife dealing with gas pains post c-section a number of times (she had no vaginal births). It was the most painful part for her. Our bodies don't seem to like air anywhere except in our lungs. The first passed gas and first poop were always celebrations.

 

Belle ❤

[Susan R]

Excellent information Vicky.  Thank you.  Your commentary as an addendum to Jackie’s is very helpful in presenting the full picture of the experience.

 

Susan R?

 

 

[Jackie C.]

Yeah @VickySGV, that sounds about right. I'm sitting up and that seems to have cured my nausea. That and the wide open window. I almost feel like a person again. I have Arnica to help with the swelling. 

 

The origami doctor Rumer did has me thinking in terms of "well, that USED to be my..." I must have watched the animation for the surgery 100 times. I know where everything is, but my body needs to pull inventory and build a new nerve map before it can register sensations quite right. 

 

They gave me a plastic waffle. I've got a memory foam donut back at the room. It's all good.

 

Hugs!

[Jackie C.]

Huzzah! I'm allowed to walk! It's a duck walk and there's no grand e whatsoever, but walking isn't uncomfortable. Seeing what I was sitting in... that was uncomfortable. 

 

Hugs!

[Jackie C.]

No grace... stupid autocorrect. 

 

Hugs!

[KathyLauren]

Yay!  Glad to hear you are up and about.

[Belle]

You're making great progress. This is so helpful to experience vicariously. Thank you for sharing this Jackie!

 

Belle ❤

[Lucca]

Glad you're recovering!

[TommieAnne]

Congratulations on making progress Jackie.

Keep up the good effort!

[MetaLicious]

1 hour ago, Jackie C. said:

Huzzah! I'm allowed to walk! ... 

A small step for a woman, a giant leap for transkind! (I'm sorry, but that's just how my brain works when I'm... Who am I kidding? That's just how it works!)

 

Hurray for mobility! Put one foot in front of the other, and soon you'll be walking out the door! (Gah, did I do it again?) 

 

All seriousness aside, I thought they were going to keep you bedridden for a week.  Speaking for myself, I have a hard time staying in bed long enough to get a good night's sleep! It's good to hear you're up and about so soon.

 

[ShawnaLeigh]

Way to go Jackie!   I’m glad to hear it.  Walk as much as possible because it helps prevent blood clots.   
im glad to hear your progress is going so smooth.  

[Jackie C.]

I'm still pretty bedridden... but I can go to the toilet by myself which is a huge victory. I've still got drains and the catheter in though so I can just be a princess until they come out next week. I could probably handle more of the responsibility than I am, but I'm just as happy to let my lovely wife take care of it. 

 

It got cold here today, so I'm not planning on leaving the room until I have to. Comfy bed, plenty to read and friends I can chat with.  Everyone should be so blessed. ?

 

Hugs!

[Robin68]

7 hours ago, Jackie C. said:

I could probably handle more of the responsibility than I am, but I'm just as happy to let my lovely wife take care of it. 

Jackie C. Sorry to jump in on this so late. I have followed your thread from the beginning and I am so impressed! Your courage to venture into surgery has given me courage to explore it further. It just so happens I posted a question about surgery elsewhere and what you've described here serves as an excellent log detailing the process and challenges. I love you for this! ❤️

 

Hugs,

 

Robin68

[Jackie C.]

Part Four -- More Recovery

 

There aren't any pain medications in my system anymore, so let's see how this goes...

 

Coming up out of surgery was a bit of a struggle. My body did not appreciate the anesthesia and I fought my way back to conciousness. Nobody seemed concerned about it though. I guess it's pretty normal, even for an Irish girl who doesn't drink. Pain at this point wasn't too bad. Localized to the surgical site. Maybe a four or five out of ten.

 

The first night went pretty well. I had a morphine pump and I used it to keep the pain to a low roar. Maybe a one or a two. I had solid food right away. Fruit and cottage cheese.  No restrictions on what I could eat, that's just what I wanted. Comfort food. It wasn't easy to eat because you're limited to thirty degrees of elevation. That's basically laying down. 

 

Then the vomiting happened. After a disappointing breakfast on Wednesday morning my system decided that it did not care for laying flat that long. I couldn't keep water down. That made it hard to take medication and the anti-nausea medication did nothing. I was healing... and draining... well, but I was vomiting my guts out a couple times every shift. The nurses were great. Very friendly and understanding, but we could not get the vomiting under control.

 

One of my nurses had actually seen this before so it wasn't just me being a special snowflake. Well, it was, but I  wasn't all THAT special. That took until Friday to fix. What I needed was colder temperatures and fresh air. Also elevation. Everything got better after I could sit up. 

 

The gas started Wednesday too. That probably hurt more than the surgical site. Because of the vomiting, I got to enjoy the gas pains longer than if I'd been able to resume eating right away. They're still gurgling through me, but they're nowhere near as painful. Yay food.

 

Friday I got discharged. First we raised me up to a seated position. That happened in stages. We went from thirty degrees to forty-five. That was huge. After a half hour of that, we went full upright and I ate lunch. I also got some Shasta. Shasta tastes better than you think. Probably because it was the first fluid I took orally in days. 

After that we did "sit on the edge of the bed." That was painful, but I managed. Then we did walkies and some stairs. My natural grace is shot. Hopefully some comes back after the drains and catheter come out Tuesday. At three. For now my choices seem to be "duck walk" or "zombie shuffle."

No showers allowed until the drains come out either. I'm still covered in iodine. I look like an Oompa Loompa. I want that shower.

 

In the meantime, I'm confined to the hotel room. I'm sitting on an inflatable waffle. My pain is about a two and I feel it mostly in what used to be the tip. No drugs. They gave me the good stuff, but I'm staying hands off.

 

Hugs!

[TommieAnne]

The VA covered most of me in some kind of paint on plastic stuff that took weeks to wear off, but similar to being painted in betadine.

Take it easy for a while. Just because you have an urge to kick a football doesn't mean you should!

?

[ShawnaLeigh]

Wow thank you for this Jackie. It helps to hear and know what you went threw.  I certainly appreciate the time it takes to list all that and how you checked in with us often.  
Your my hero.  
❤️

[Belle]

Jackie is great to hear your progress!

[Jackie C.]

Philly has these 24-hour deli places. They're all over the place. I think that's where we'll be eating... a lot... until it's time to go home. Room service is great and all, but it's kind of expensive for what we got.

 

On the other hand, Wawas probably doesn't have gourmet pet dinners.

 

@ShawnaLeigh... bed rest is boring. I'd rather chat with my friends than just lay here and be a vegetable.

 

Hey @Belle! Happy to entertain. Not sure about the new avatar pic. The right side is hiding you pretty smile. Maybe pull it back a little? Have some fun!

 

Hugs!

[Lee H]

All goodonya, Girl. May the Force be with you -- the feminine force.

[Susan R]

@Jackie C. I so much appreciate you doing this for us all here.  Your descriptive and sometimes humorous updates are THE BEST!  You’ve been able to bring us all along on this part of your journey and it is helping me personally with my anxiety about having this upcoming surgery. Once again, Thank you!

Warmest Regards,

Susan R?

[Robin68]

7 hours ago, Jackie C. said:

Then the vomiting happened. After a disappointing breakfast on Wednesday morning my system decided that it did not care for laying flat that long. I couldn't keep water down. That made it hard to take medication and the anti-nausea medication did nothing. I was healing... and draining... well, but I was vomiting my guts out a couple times every shift.

You've really been through hell in this process. But you sound like you gradually improving. Your sharing these intimate details is very generous and honest. I am so grateful!

 

Warmly,

 

Robin68 

[Jackie C.]

You are most welcome @Robin68, I'm happy to provide insight. You just have to remember that going in my attitude was, "Whatever happens,  I'm better off than I am now." This really is life-saving surgery for some of us. I'm glad I can share my experience and maybe give my sisters a peek behind the curtain. 

 

Like I said, being trans is a struggle. If it didn't hurt then that would have been too easy. I have no regrets about pushing to get my surgery taken care of as soon as I could. I may have regrets about choosing to take the train though. ?

 

Hugs!

[Robin68]

LOL! I might choose the bus instead. Poor little Amtrak is so underfunded and abused. ?

[Jackie C.]

Trains have sleeper cars. I'm worried about the bus part too. It'll go train --> train --> bus to get home. You'll want to be able to lie down. Even with my inflatable waffle, sitting is no fun.

 

Hugs!

[Robin68]

9 hours ago, Jackie C. said:

Trains have sleeper cars. I'm worried about the bus part too.

Good point! I'll remember that. But can you describe this pillow? How does it make it easier to sit?

 

Hugs!