Day 2 Post-Op - A really bad day

Today was really, really rough.  Like really.

According to my binder, I was supposed to be drinking 4 protein shakes, albeit very slowly over an hour or more if needed.  Plus 4 cups of water/liquid.

So optimistically, I started the day off with half a pain pill because I still hurt.  I waited the requisite half hour and began sipping my first protein shake of the day.  I sipped half of it (4 oz) over 45 minutes.  Then, I stopped because I felt full.

I waited another half hour and took my first blood pressure medication, a small pill so I did not need to cut it.  I took it with water.  I still felt really full.  Then, I started to feel painfully full.

I had stomach pain and back pain.  Thinking my pipes were still swollen (and they probably are, I just had surgery!) I put ice on my stomach.  Not on my incisions which are near my waist, but high right under my rib cage.  This seems to help.

From 9:30 to 1:15, I was in pain.  I tried to walk to see if it would help move things along.  I called the surgeon's office, but had to leave a message.  It just felt like nothing was leaving my pouch.  I was having little burps every few minutes.

At 1:20, I threw up the first time, a little clear liquid, and mostly curdled milk.  Five minutes later, the surgeon's office called me back.  I explained what had been going on and that I had just thrown up.  The nurse told me it sounded like I might not be tolerating the protein shake very well.  I should concentrate on getting my liquid in and maybe just try a quarter of protein shake.

In the next twenty minutes, I threw up two more times.  Almost all clear liquid at this point.  But after the third time, I finally felt better.  Stomach and back pain were gone.  I waited an hour so my stomach could settle and began sipping water.

In three hours, I sipped close to 8 ounces of water.  That is less than an ounce per 15 minutes, which should be doable with just water.  Something that should be able to go right through my pouch and keep me hydrated.

But no, that full feeling was back.  Not as bad though.  So, I just stopped drinking, waiting for my pouch to empty.  It was getting a little painful again and I was burping again.

Then, something inside released, painfully so.  It was like a plug had been pulled.  I literally felt the water rushing out of my stomach into my small intestine.  It was almost like a burning feeling.  When it reached my large intestine, it became more of a painful cramping feeling.  I had to take a nap at this point, I was so tired and couldn't take the pain anymore.  When I woke from my nap, I passed gas for the first time since surgery.

So, I had some sort of blockage.  I don't know what it was.  I ate fine yesterday.  I kept everything to small sips and all liquid.  All larger pills (just the pain pill) were cut in half.  Hopefully, it will not be a reoccurring issue.

I just started sipping some chicken broth.  So here's hoping.  On the bright side, now that that is over almost all my pain is gone.  So I am hopeful that I won't be taking any more pain pills, unless it gets bad again tomorrow.