Brain and Brain! What is Brain???

I have no idea what the title of this blog has to do with the content but I was thinking of this entertaining Star Trek quote....

I was released from the hospital yesterday - in the afternoon about 2:30. Overnight was not bad. I fell asleep soon after the blog entry, was awoken around 11pm to check some vitals then I slept for about 6 hours with the help of some percocet. I slept on/off through the morning but the bustle around the hospital kept me awake. The doctors came by early to check on me and let me know I'd likely be leaving that day.

I had only been on the pain meds since the operation and my blood pressure was normal. I was running a low-grade fever but this did not seem to be much concern.

I took a walk early in the morning and one later in the afternoon. My afternoon walk I hooked up with a gentleman from Alaska that had had his bladder replaced due to cancer. He had been through three months of chemo already and had just had a new bladder constructed out of a portion of his small intestine. And he was out-walking me! He had had his surgery the previous Thursday however ;-). He was still in amazing spirits and quite healthy - told me he had been working out specifically to deal with his condition over the past several months and it showed.

I'll give fair warning now to stop reading if you don't want to hear much about the details of what else post-surgery involves :-).

The big concern of the hospital staff is if I was passing gas or not. I started the night before. This is apparently a big deal to make sure my gastro system was functioning after the surgery. Fun stuff. The good news is that more movement tends to get that system going and gets the CO2 that was pumped into my abdomen during surgery absorbed.

The only prescription I had was for more percocet so we stopped by the drug store on the way home. Also decided to stop by work at the end of the day to say "hi" to the crew. It was nice to see everyone. We had also had our chili cookoff so I brought some chili home.

Once I got home I was pretty exhausted - went to be about 7pm and woke up periodically through the night. I took two doses of percocet in the night and let me tell you - dreams on narcotics are pretty intense. Random dreams about Arby's and Allen Field House and being chased by dogs. And in full cinescope color!

This morning woke up about 9am and did myself the favor of taking a shower. The following picture is from the IV I had in my neck - I guess it was about the width of a straw. Starbucks straw - not those thin wimpy ones.

Dad and I walked over to Starbucks this morning so I'm trying to stay active and moving. Will be heading over to the grocery store later today as well. All in all things are going smoothly and things are healing up on/ahead of schedule.

Most importantly today is to see KU beat Texas in the Big 12 game of the season - should be a good game.