TT - Day 5 - Post Op

Fresh gauze was put on my incision again today.  It still remains to be an overwhelming process.  I feel very anxious and break out in a sweat.  I saw the incision again, still looks nice and is healing well.  I was able to take the time and clean off some of the adhesive left on my skin from the initial bandages from surgery.  My abdomen has areas with varying sensations.  Some places it has no feeling so it feels like I am touching someone else's skin to areas that are hypersensitive.  Once non-stick gauze is put back over the incision, I then have to put on a man's cotton shirt and then wrap my binder on over the shirt.  The shirt helps prevent the binder from agitating the incision area.

I continue to have my drainage tube that enters one side of my hip and I believe that is goes the length of the incision but am not quite sure.  There are two sutures at the entry point holding the tubing in place.  I don't know why but seeing that freaks me out a little.  I have to keep ointment and crisscross band-aids over the area because it's basically an open wound.  The bulb that contains the drainage is attached by Velcro to my binder which is nice.  This prevents it from hanging loosely so less chance for me to get my fingers or anything else entangled in it.

After sponge bathing today and putting fresh gauze and clothes on, I was able to tighten my binder more than it was.  That's good because that means the swelling is going down.

I've been experiencing some muscle spasms randomly.  They're to be expected.  I was prescribed Valium to help relax those muscles if needed but have managed to just breathe through them without the meds. I also am taking an antibiotic to be proactive in prevention of any potential infection.  I take them twice a day so one again tonight and then my last one in the morning.

I've lost 5 lbs since surgery.  My surgeon told me I should lose at least 4 lbs once the excess skin was removed.  I weighed the first day after (on Friday) and had only lost a pound but I also need to keep in mind the IV fluid and swelling may have some way factored into that. 

I have a my first follow-up appointment on Wednesday and hopefully drainage will be down to a minimum so the drain tube can be taken out.

My next to oldest daughter keeps calling me asking for pictures.  A demanding little thing she is.  Given what I've described above with the drain tube, binder, and shirt plus the sexy little compression thigh high stockings I get to wear for two weeks I'm quite a sight to see. Although I've every intention to take some, because of my nervousness and the feat of getting through the bandage changes I haven't paused to take any. 

Not just yet.

Oh yeah, Happy Labor Day too.