How I'm feeling 5 days post-op (Laparoscopy)

Hey,

It's Monday, the start of a new week and day 5 of my recovery from my laparoscopy. 

I'm feeling sore today. Gas pains have definitely gone down and now I'm starting to feel more pain from the incisions and all the work I've had done inside. I'm definitely less exhausted than I was, but I'm starting to get headaches and backache and just generally feeling a bit uncomfortable. 

The only trouble with starting to feel a bit better, is that I feel more human again. That doesn't sound like a bad thing, but it means I feel like I can do what I did before, and I definitely can't yet. Even silly things like making myself some lunch, I feel like I can do that now. But then I definitely suffer for it later in aches and pains and tiredness. 

I need to realise how much my body has been through in the past 2 weeks, and let it heal. I had a week of pretty taxing anxiety, then an operation. While it was a hell of a lot simpler and smaller than my previous operation, I've still had multiple procedures done and gone home the same day! 

I went in for a diagnostic laparoscopy and potential treatment for Endometriosis (if they found any during the exploration part of the surgery). That's 1-2 procedures. I ended up having 6! Laparoscopy, Endo treatment, Cyst drained, Hysteroscopy, Adhesion removed and Endometrial Biopsy. So I'm allowed to feel a little bit fragile. 

I hate being bored and I hate having time sick from work. The only other times I've been off sick were for my last operation (which to be fair was 3 months off) and when I was in A&E with suspected Malaria. I also hate having to ask people to do things for me. But I rushed back to work a month too soon last time and really don't want to do it again. What if that caused the adhesions?!

Each day has been a little bit better than the last, but I'm definitely not done recovering yet.

Surgery Day: Feeling very tender and high on painkillers and anaesthetic. Had a panic attack about 3 hours after surgery for unknown reason. Given two anti-sickness injections, extremely dry sore throat. Pain. Go home and feel ok just a bit sore and nauseous. Can't face eating yet. Had a tiny amount of toast after operation, but dry bread and dry throat = fear of choking! Mild shoulder pain - gas.

Day One: Woke up at 2:30am in agony! Shouted out for mum. Couldn't move and felt like whole right side of my body was being sliced! Aka... gas pains. I'd had a bit of shoulder gas yesterday but now it was agony. I tried going to the toilet, agony. Tried walking around, agony. Laying down, agony. Until 6:45am I had a mixture of peppermint tea, water, hot water bottles, back rubbing, shoulder massages, stomach rubbing, laying down, sitting, standing, rocking, swaying... anything to get rid of this gas pain! If you've ever had surgery in your stomach/pelvic region you will know exactly which pain I mean! Unlike any other pain I've had! I was exhausted and so was mum. Nothing we did would ease the pain. Eventually I found lying on my back with my knees bent was the most comfortable position and I feel asleep for about 1.5 hours there. I woke up feeling better but exhausted. Still can't manage food, until the afternoon when I had some pasta and some of a McDonalds! Keep falling asleep but not sure if that's due to last night or operation.

Day Two: Keep falling asleep again. My boyfriend is coming tonight and I don't want him to be bored. I manage to kneel on the floor and very very briefly tidied the hospital stuff off of the floor. Definitely regretted that afterwards. Feel pretty low and sad today. Not sure if my hormones have been affected by the operation or if I'm just emotional because of lack of sleep and what's happened. Boyfriend gets here and I feel a lot better. Still achey but better.

Day Three: Lay in today. Slept for a very long time. Back is starting to ache now. I feel like I need to stretch, especially my back but obviously I can't because of my stomach. Can get out of bed on my own now but slowly and struggling. Starting to feel my incisions more but gas pain has gone down. Feel low again.

Day Four: Felt more human today. Boyfriend washed my hair so feel less disgusting and played games on PS2 he brought round. Quickly got too tired to do anything and had a nap. Appetite has come back more today and feeling less sick when I eat. Back really aching and incisions starting to itch and tingle. Feel sad again but not for long. Serious cabin fever from being in my room. Really want to go out!

Day Five: Getting headaches, but not sure if from procedure or from amount of screen time I've been having lately. Back aching a lot and little pain in stomach. More uncomfortable. Hungry and less nauseous. Removing dressings today. Booked a dr appointment for the end of my time off work to check everything's ok before I go back. CABIN FEVER! Sleepy again and trying to take it easier than past couple of days. I've run out of stuff to watch on Youtube AND Netflix!