A few days ago (4/13), I went to a nearby hospital to have a laparoscopic cholecystectomy -- gall bladder removal surgery. I checked in at 9:30 am and was home in my recliner at 2 pm. The surgeon and his staff were courteous, efficient and kind. The last thing I remember is scootching myself from the bed onto the table. Then, lights out until recovery, a couple of hours later. I felt better then I thought I would Wednesday evening and Thursday, but I did have pharmaceutical help.
In the 4 days since surgery, I've gone from a liquid only diet to a diet of liquids and some minor solids. I've gone from not being able to sit upright comfortably to being able to sit, stand and walk (slowly). I have had one piece of chocolate. I had a tiny bit of very light colored coffee yesterday and two cups of the same today -- it made me giddy. I have had no beers. I have not pooped. Yeah, maybe TMI, but I'm starting to wonder when that mechanism is going to restart itself and if I'll live through the experience. I'm afraid of constipation.
I can definitely see why oxycodone (percoset) is addictive and highly sought after on the black market (even if it does cause blockation of the bowels). It not only takes the pain away, it takes the irritation away. In the past few days, I've gone from taking two pills every 4 hours to taking 1 pill at longer intervals. Today I took one upon awaking and haven't taken one since. If I'd taken them at the 2/4hr rate, I'd have finished them off pretty quickly and then had to go cold turkey. As it is, I'm easing my way off them. There is some actual pain getting through the filters now, but mostly it's irritations. Life is much more pleasant without irritation.
My head hurts a little, my shoulders are a bit tense, there's soreness in my back, my arms and my legs. I'm just not as relaxed as I was two days ago, I'm almost back to normal. These little aches and pains are nothing new and their absence during maximum oxycodone time was a little vacation from reality. Sadly, I'm departing that happy place and heading back into the normal world of tense shoulders and sore lower backs. I know I'll heal from the surgery, even though I'll probably lose patience with the process. The other stuff is just part of growing older, and I can't outrun that. Especially with my hamstring and knee problems.
Posted by buggy at April 17, 2005 05:17 PM | TrackBack