1 Week Post-Op

Tomorrow will be 1 week since my Lap-Band Surgery and BOY! what a difference a week makes! I'm not sure I have ever been in as much pain as I was when I first woke up, well, maybe 1 time when I was in labor with Violet, but that's another story.
Thursday (8/23) I had a couple of Pre-Op appointments at Baptist Hospital. I must say, Baptist is a "Bariatric Center of Excellence" and I was so impressed! I had both Violet and Phoenix at Baptist and have NOTHING negative to say about the hospital. Anyway, Paula and then Steve and then Mom kept my kids while I was at these appointment. Afterwards, I picked the kids up and we went to get Veronika and head to their 1st dance class of the year! Things were so crazy I forgot to take a picture of them! Phoenix is "supposed" to be taking dance this year, but so far he's not so sure about it. After dance we went home, ate dinner, got ready for bed and then took the kids to my Mom and Dad's house to spend the night. Then, it was back home for Steve and I. We got our things ready for a Short Hospital Stay and then called it a night.
Friday (8/24) The day started EARLY! My alarm went off at 4am, I popped right out of bed even though it was probably 1am before I was able to fall asleep the night before! I had to shower with a special antiseptic soap. I had Steve take some "Before" pictures for me. I had intended for him to take these the night before when I was still dressed and had make-up on, but I forgot so this is what I have to remember my old self by!

We arrived at the Hospital at 5:30, we waited to be checked in and then they took a large group of patients back together. The family members were dropped off in the Surgery Waiting Area and the patients were taken back to Surgery Prep. I had Steve take this picture of me to send to the kids. I thought they would think I looked pretty silly with my blue hair net on:)

Surgery got started around 7:30, and let me just say, I LOVE me some drugs. I got a shot of Versed in Pre-Op and it felt good! I even apparently told my nurse that I really liked it because I don't drink so it was my only chance to get DRUNK!!! AHHHH! I'm sure they hear all sorts of stuff from drugged up patients, but good grief! I remember getting to the OR and they put a little mask on me and the next thing I new I was waking up in Recovery!

The surgery went well, Dr. W said my liver was a great size (the purpose of the Pre-Op Diet I was on was to shrink the liver to make the operation easier). I also had a small Hiatal Hernia that he repaired.

I spent the night in the hospital where they kept my pain under control quite nicely! 

Saturday morning we were discharged, stopped by the pharmacy and went to pick up the kids. We've never spent 2 nights away from Phoenix and have only spend 2 nights away from Violet when Phoenix was born, we missed them! 

*Tomorrow will be 2 weeks post-op and I would say I'm about 90% back to my normal self. I'm still a little sore, but nothing bad at all. I just got to start "soft" foods, which means pretty much anything except crunchy, dry things and chewy dry meat! I weigh-in again tomorrow, but so far I've lost about 20 lbs. since Aug. 10!

Phoenix

Phoenix turned 3 in July! He is not really too interested in Potty Training, he will occasionally tell us he needs to go pee-pee or poo-poo, but nothing consistent. Right now in "school" we are working on Pre-Writing Skills, ABC's, some letter recognition, and his reward at the end is getting to cut a piece of paper! He goes to Speech Therapy on Monday and Wednesday and Physical Therapy on Wednesday. He LOVES his therapists, Mrs. Katie (PT) has been with him since he started in 2010, he has been with Nicole (ST) since May of 2011. He barely qualifies for PT but we want to leave him in it as long as he needs it. His speech is REALLY taking off! Some days we can understand 90% of what he says. Other days, not so much; but that is pretty characteristic of Apraxia. We all love to listen to him talk and tell us stories, he has learned to compensate with lots of hand gestures and dramatics. He is the sweetest thing, he loves to cuddle and kiss. He also adores babies! I'm pretty sure "Baby Wy-wy" is his favorite person in the world and he loves to hug and kiss Baby Gwen. I have to watch him around babies in public, people aren't typically crazy about a 3 year old touching and kissing their baby! This year he is starting dance with his sisters! He and Violet will be in the same class and will be learning Tap, Ballet and Gymnastics. He's growing up so fast, so I really love that he will climb in my lap and say, "Hold me baby" (hold me like a baby) or wrap his arms around my neck at naptime and say "Kiss momma." He really is our Sweet, Baby Boy!