My recovery…

So I want to start out by saying that even though my recovery has not been a breeze so far, I would endure all of these symptoms and more for the precious angels I have been blessed with.  I love them so much, but it was so tough to take care of them the first few days because mommy was in so much pain. I felt like I was not able to take care of them the way I had always envisioned.

Okay so here it goes…there may be TMI posted below so beware!

• Typical incision pain: This was the least of my worries.  I had the typical discomfort of abdominal surgery but it was regulated with pain meds.
• Excruciating neck and back pain: This one threw me for a loop.  I felt very uncomfortable on the OR table after pushing on it for such a long time.  Then when they set me up for the c-section I remember telling the anesthesiologist that my neck and back hurt. But the worst was after…it hurt to look down at them while trying to feed them and I could not get comfortable to sleep..and the pain meds did not touch this pain AT ALL.  It gave me a nauseating headache and just made things miserable. I am seeing a chiropractor and she is helping a ton (oh, and she has twins and went through a very similar experience to mine!) It still comes and goes, but I am trying to do simple stretches and such to help!
• Swelling: After receiving fluids throughout both procedures, my whole body swelled.  I could not see my knees.  And it pooled in my right hip so my lopsided belly to the left and a huge right hip…I looked sexy!!!  It took a full 2 weeks for the swelling to go down.  I finally have ankles again and can wear more that one pair of flip flops…just in time for the cooler weather!

 

• Huge bruise on my left side: this one shocked me! The nurse in the hospital asked me if I had fallen…uh, no?!? The doctor later said that it was from the incision and that some blood had pooled over on that side.  This pic is after delivery!

• Hematoma: A blood filled mass developed under the skin.  You know the bruise mentioned above…it was firm to the touch and tender so I called and they checked and called it a hematoma.  We are hoping that it re-absorbs on its own.  I am putting heat on it at night and hoping that it goes away.
• Hemorrhoids: no need to explain myself!

Each day I am getting better and better…as of right now I am only taking ibuprofen a couple times a day, so I’d say that is pretty good!