After the surgery, I faced a 3-month recovery period and actually needed the entire time to fully recover. Liquids were allowed for the first week then soft foods for several weeks. I added other foods very carefully then returned to rehab after a month for a shorter and less intensive workout.
My quantity of food was greatly reduced and since the surgery, I have no sensation of being hungry. I can eat a very small breakfast and get home from rehab and food shopping by 1:30 with no hunger pains. I get a bit weak, but no hunger.
I am not a patient person but I did not want to do anything to hurt the surgery site. All was well for about two months. Suddenly, the acid reflux was back. I went back on the reflux drugs but it was still bothersome.
Tests were ordered. These are gruesome tests with tubes down the throat for 24 hours to test the acid levels and barium swallows to watch the esophagus, the surgery site and to check pressure levels.
I also began having a hard time with food just backing up in my esophagus. No food or water would go down.
After many tests, it was determined that the top of my stomach was wrapped too tightly around the esophagus and food was just backing up in my esophagus. It was not actually acid that was causing my problems but backed up food.
So, after much discussion, I was instructed to cut my food into little pieces, no liquids during meals and to eat very slowly. If I can give the food time to clear the surgery site, it won’t back up. It has worked. I have no more problems swallowing; I just have to eat very little food at one time and very slowly.
The doctors looked at me rather surprised when I said, “So, no surgery and no new medicines. I just need to change my behavior? That is great news. I can do it.” I guess that is not a patient’s usual response.
As I cooled my jets during the three months of recovery, I sat and planned our escape. Since the WC lawsuit was settled, we could now do needed maintenance in our house and we desperately needed to have the inside painted. The fumes would not be good for me so we planned a three-week road trip during the painting.
It worked. On the three-month anniversary of the surgery and with approval from Dr. K., we took an amazing 6,000-mile road trip. We visited many friends and relatives, ate Southern food, several different types of BBQ, went to the Grand Ole Opry and sipped whisky in Kentucky. We even spent two days in New Orleans. We didn’t want to come home.
We love traveling together. This was our 4th cross-country road trip. We laugh and say that before anyone gets married, they should spend two weeks in a car together. Survive that as a couple, you can survive anything!
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