Back to Blighty in time for tea!

Well I am home.

I don't really know what to write to be honest.

I had my 2nd Operation on 9th November 2007.

My port was replaced and re attached to the tubing, and then I was given 4.5mls of liquid to kick start it all off again.

I have 2 lovely brand new holes in my tummy... one where the original port scar was, and another one to the right of it where they poked around for the errant tubing and dragged it back through my abdomen.

Once again I came to with that tube in my throat after the anaesthetic. My throat is still raw from where they hoick it out.

I was given a shot of something in the leg for the pain, and then about 30 minutes later a REALLY nice shot of something else. That did the trick. Other than that, it was just paracetamol like last time.

I went back to the ward (or should I say private room) about 4 hours after surgery... so it was about 2:30 when I saw TB again. I was bright and alert - unlike my near comatose state of delirium last time - and we chatted and I phoned a few people and texted and stuff. I was still tired out from it all and did sleep a great deal, and so did TB! The chair was very comfy obviously.

I thought I was going home that day as Dr. Dillemans had told me that on Wednesday, but the nurses told me that was not the case. I couldn't drink or eat until the following morning, even though I had not had anything done to my actual band... and all in all had really only had a big fill. But they were adamant. So I just let it go. I swigged my Evian and sucked my sweets when they left the room anyway! At about 4 o'clock, I said to TB that there wasn't any point in her hanging around if I wasn't going to be let out that day, so she got a bus back to the NH hotel in Brugge where we were staying. It used to be the Sofitel, but has been taken over. Its well lush, you should try it.

I was drifting in and out of sleep, trying to get the TV to work, reading my book, sleeping etc and in the end gave up for the day and turned the light off at about 5:30. Then at 6:00pm a doctor came into the room to see me. He asked if I had had a drink and something to eat. !!!!

I said the obvious NO... and he said "Yes, you should drink something and eat a yogurt and then if all is ok, you can go home."

YEAHHHHHHHHHH

So I drank a cup of water, wolfed a yogurt and then jumped out of bed and got dressed and waved goodbye to the nurses. By the time I was downstairs I could feel that I had definitely had an operation and an anaesthetic, and all was a bit woozy! - but I called a cab and he took me to the hotel. Interestingly each journey to the hotel and back has been a different price... Weird.

When I got back, TB was not expecting me and she had gone out and got a hair cut and stuff. She looked like she was having a great time without me ! HA HA.

So I got into bed, and there I stayed.

That's about it really. I got no aftercare check up or anything, so it makes the whole aftercare from the private nurse that we HAD to have last time look like a bit of a joke don't you think?

Also it didn't seem like a big problem to be in the Sofitel/NH hotel rather than the Acacia... Much much better hotel and the same price! Ho hum.

Anyway, that's that. Yesterday we got up and I did intend to stick to fluids... but my curiosity got the better of me I am afraid. I have become quite the little rebel haven't I!! I just think they say all this to cover their own back. As long as I am careful I will be ok. At the end of the day their advice hasn't been all that has it!!!!!! So in the morning I ate a yogurt and a mousse from the market that is on T'Sand square (the square with the fountain which we never saw last time) every Saturday morning from 9am-1pm.

Then I knew I was hungry as I felt shaky... but I didn't actually feel hungry if you know what I mean. It was a different sort of thing. So we went back to the hotel to have lunch (seeing as its all expenses!) and I ordered grilled perch with mashed potato. It was about 150g of fish and a couple of tablespoons of potato. I managed it, but I actually felt a little bit too full. I chewed it to a pulp and swallowed wanting to know whether I was actually restricted. I just wanted to know and after all this waiting and messing about I think I deserve to get things moving a bit faster. 8 months ago I would have totally done the whole liquids thing for 2 weeks, but I am just not prepared to punish myself anymore. I really don't think its necessary as long as I feel ok and stop when I am full. I mean - I knew there was something wrong with my band since May - they said there wasn't and gave me pain, infection and agony for 5 months. So maybe I actually know a bit more about my body than they do...???

So yesterdays lunch went down a treat.

The next meal was dinner, and I ordered lasagna... again gooey and soft. I ate the topping, and about 1/5th of the plate. I was full. (see below) TB ate the lot, and mopped the juice up with bread... then said that she could still eat more.

ME = BLOATED TB = FAMISHED

Then today I drove home from Brugge. It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.

We stopped for breakfast at 11:30 in a little town an I had a slice of apple pie and TB had 2 toasted cheese sandwiches and salad. Again I was full.

We drove all around the place looking for shops to buy coffee and cheese, but every single supermarket is shut on Sundays. Rubbish.

We got to the ferry early and got the 3:30 to Dover. On board I ordered an orange juice and a toasted cheese sarnie as was feeling really weird. I swigged the orange juice down quick and then cut all the crusts off the sandwich and just ate the soft squidgy middle bit, then laid down on the seat and slept for the whole journey. I awoke about 5 mins from Dover and felt much better.

The drive home was uneventful, and I dropped TB off at her place and unloaded her stuff. Then when I got home my little monkey came running out of the door yelling "MUMMY!" and was so pleased that I was home. So a mass huggle on the drive with DH and DS ensued and WOW! How I have missed them. Its so horrible being away from your family.

DH had prepared tea and made quorn sausages and chips. "Great" thinks I. Nevermind, I didn't think i would eat much anyway as I didn't feel too hungry really. Just thirsty.

So we sat down, and I ate a piece of sausage and a chip. Then rested a little, chewing well just in case as it is dry, and then I have another piece of sausage and a couple of chips... Then I thought "right I have to stop right now". I felt that another bite would bring on an episode of watering mouth and back thumping. So I Stopped and waited about 5 minutes, but it didn't get better. Then I felt the water and got up and DH kindly came and thumped me on the back between my shoulders... it lasted like this on and off for about 25 minutes, and in the end I was so exhausted that I couldn't be bothered to eat anyway. So that was tea.

I haven't ever experienced a sustained attack like that. It was the same feeling as the others I have described on this blog, but they never lasted that long. I had to get up a couple of times to go to the sink and it was only after leaning bent double over the sink talking to M (Bunk mate from Brugge who was banded same day as me) on the phone that it gradually subsided and I actually felt it go through the band. Phew.

So that was today.

M is worried about her trip to Brugge now, she is worried just like I was that there is nothing wrong and she is just a failure. I felt exactly the same. I told her to prepare herself as I really was not prepared to see what I saw, even though I was 99.9% sure I had suffered exactly the same problem as INFORMER. It still didn't help me. I just fell apart knowing that I had been robbed of 8 months of emotions.

So there we are.

I will keep you posted, but please do check out the photo's under "Operation Number 2 Photos"