Have we crossed the mountain?

Day 2 – We just had our surgery. Many a time we find ourselves in our rooms. Your mother is there by your bedside and your spouse busy getting your medicines for the day in an order. Yes, you just completed your surgery successfully and the proof the light dull ache at the surgery site. Your entire body has  aches and your feel groggy and lazy. That’s ok. Your body went through a grind and all the muscles are sore because of the anaesthesia. 

It is the day for you to enjoy the attention. Just chill in the bed waiting for the body to recover. Its like the day after your first workout. Your day starts with your surgeon coming over and checking you up. Depending on the surgery, there may be tubes coming out of your body. Each tube has its role and help the doctor know what is happening inside the body. Be patient! All the tubes will be out!

Because of surgery and especially in abdominal surgery, bowels don’t move and hence you might feel stomach heavy and full. May be a bit of nausea too, but actual vomiting is very unlikely.

Ask the nurse to prop u up- most beds allow you to sit with back support. Remember to ask for the lower part of the bed also to be raised and then you will not slide down while sitting. First day, always remember to ask somebody to help you move. Then the stretch on the suture line will be minimal and hence pain and discomfort least! Make it a point to continuously fold your legs at the hips and knees to prevent the blood from clotting in the legs. Also a degree of joint movements will give you a sense of control on your body and feel better. Learn to clench your muscles and release them. Helps the flow of blood from the limbs!

By evening if you are allowed liquids you will start feeling better and unless there are specific instructions, keep increasing the quantity of liquids taken. Avoid aerated drinks. Juices, water, coconut water and later coffee or tea is good. Towards evening you can progress to soups.

Next day we should make it a point to get out of the bed, attempt to walk or sit in the couch. You will be allowed soft diet like idly and some buttermilk rice in the afternoon.

Having plenty of liquids will help you keep hydrated and also reduce the need for IV fluids. Always make it a point to drink water from a measured container to track the volume and remember to note down all the food/liquids you had. The surgeon will be very keen to know. The urinary catheter will handle the urine and the need to use the toilet for other reasons will be less if you can delay solids till you are mobile.

Discharge from hospital is decided by the surgeon based on wether we are mobile, eating food, tolerable pain and able to manage ourselves. Of course, discharge only if there are no medical issues.

So it is obvious, that we decide when we get discharged. Let’s cheer up and get going!