I'm Home

Well I'm home and relatively comfortable, and having just read a few people's accounts of their "tummy tucks" I know I should consider myself relatively lucky. Its day 3 post surgery, the drains came out yesterday (they even offered to let me go home yesterday) and I'm able to move about ok and potter in between rests.
Having said this - it was not fun - in fact is was an awful experience - I'm still not sure if I would do it again knowing what it was like. I woke up feeling ok - but then slid into lots of pain within a few hours. Because of needing to wear the compression garment, and the fact that they were pumping me full of fluids, the pressure on my bladder was unbearable and I wanted to go all the time. But of course I couldn't move - so had to keep trying the bed pan which was awkward - yada yada yada. So they upped the pain killers (morphine) which worked and I finally (about 8 hrs later) I finally got some relief. But by then I was so doped up and not eating/drinking anything that I became incredibly nauseous and this became my main issue. I eventually stopped the pain killers about 2.15 on the day after surgery, and over the next 12 hrs the nausea subsided. Then it started again the next morning! I finally worked out that it might be the antibiotics - confirmed when they double dosed me and I threw up everywhere! nice! Anywhere from there on in, I stopped feeling so nauseous, starting eating and drinking and started to recover.

Now day 3, home, mild pain only and feeling pretty normal within myself. Hopefully there are no setbacks ahead - apart from wearing this awful pressure garment - which is the main source of pain

On the more negative side - they are insisting that I can not cycle for 6 weeks, and with the Tour Down Under only 7 weeks away- it would make it very unlikely that I would be ready for the 97 kms. I haven't given up though - when I go for my next outpatient appointment I will try again. They talk about no vigorous exercise - What is vigorous? if I cycle slowly on a recumbent bike with minimal resistance and keep my heart rate low , for limited periods of time initially- how is this much more vigorous than walking? I would think at 4 weeks this would not be very stressful on the tummy at all - particularly if its healed enough that I'm back at work (only have two weeks off). I will try again. I don't want to risk the results, but I want to be sure that the risk is real, and not just a standard line.

Anyway - tomorrow I start my walking schedule - I will aim for the block to start with