Thursday, January 31, 2013

First bike ride - surgery + 14 days



I did not have to walk last night but a short rest
was in order at one point.
I went on my first bike ride since surgery last night.  A night time mountain biking ride with a group from the local bike shop.  UGH I think Dr. Swanstrom accidentally removed one of my lungs!!  I thought with all the skiing before we went to France that I would be in better shape for the ride but no way.  I have not been on my bike since October and it felt like it.  No legs, No lungs.

I did some serious huffing and puffing with no unusual pains or sensations anywhere.  My chest felt completely normal during all the heavy breathing and nothing is sore in that area this morning.  I suspect the anesthesia sets you back a little as well as all the sitting around eating french cheese and foie gras.

Tonight is my last Nexium which I have been taking as a precaution to control acid reflux after the surgery.  Historically there has been about a 30% occurrence  of acid reflux in POEM patients but I think Dr. Swanstrom may have tweaked the technique a little to
try and reduce that likelihood. I will ask him at the next visit.  He told Kelly after the surgery he thought acid reflux would be unlikely but did not elaborate. 

We are still waiting for our illegal unpasteurized cheese to arrive in the mail.  Interestingly Louis Pasteur was a professor at Strasbourg University when he invented pasteurization.

3 comments:

  1. Hi there. I am three weeks out from my POEM surgery and am so thankful for your blog. My doctor seems a bit more conservative as he has had me on a soft diet...I am nervous to introduce foods but know that I have to. It seems you experienced a quicker pace with food...I'd love any encouragement at all. How are you doing now? Thank you so much, Janell

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  2. Hi Janell,
    It was important for me to chew chew chew every small bite for a long time. I remember having some discomfort for a few hours or maybe a day if I took too large of a bite or neglected to chew it properly and it got a little stuck on it's way in to my stomach. NEVER have I had food stuck like before. I would say that now (2 years) my swallowing is 99% normal. I occasionally need to take a swallow to get some food to pass all the way to my stomach but I am pretty sure it is much like the sensation that normal people feel when they have swallowed something a bit too large (no panic, no real discomfort, I have not gagged once since surgery).

    I think it is wise to be on soft foods for a while, let things heal a bit before chunky things arrive.

    Oh my gosh your life will be so much better. My quality of life is so much better now that I can eat and drink without emotion. I suspect you will be the same. Be careful, chew chew everything. You may have some heartburn and need to be on meds for that but I tell you what Life is so good Who cares about that small inconvenience. I take an over the counter Pepsid each night before bed. I only feel my acid reflux a few times a year after I eat too much spicy fatty sausage or something that would cause most people heartburn. They did a 24 hour ph test 6 months after surgery and detected some reflux while I was sleeping which I was not aware of and that is why the Pepsid each night.

    Good for you, what a life changing experience!!
    Contact me any time,
    Scott

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