Long ago, I'm sure there were times when my training as a young human required that I make reports about successful trips to the bathroom. When my own children were small, we gave them lots of positive reinforcement for a successful trip to the bathroom (#1 or #2) both for their own self esteem and because it meant we didn't need to clean anything up - great!
As I recover from this surgery, all of those opportunities for positive feedback have returned but MAN is it weird to need to report on that progress. We've had lots of discussion of the farting angle here but some other key moments in this process including making sure you keep peeing when you are drinking liquids and after the catheter is removed (which is a unique sensation, I'll tell ya) and the first bowel movement which follows the "first fart milestone."
Yesterday was a big transition day, removing the aforementioned catheter was the big one in that it meant that I had to actually go to the bathroom to go to the bathroom. They kept the IV in so lots of liquids were flowing in, but it was now up to me to get them out. They want to keep track of how much comes out, though, so they can tell if everything is flowing smoothly, so when I go to the bathroom, I can't just do the regular procedure, I need to "go" into a little plastic urinal that they stays in the bathroom so they can keep track of how much has come out. Even when the kids were learning, I don't recall ever keeping score in volume, but that is the game here. Even after this newfound independence, I still need to push the call button and say "Hey, I made pee pee!" so they can tally it up. I imagine there is a big board somewhere on this floor with a bunch of gold stars next to my name. My mom will be so proud!
The second step - good ol' #2 - was actually easier but harder to claim credit for. Once you're sitting on the toilet, thing pretty much happen naturally and so there was no big build up for it. Since no one is expecting it to have happened yet, though, how was I going to get credit for it? Peeing may get me a gold star but I'm pretty sure that pooping will get me a cookie!
When the nurse came by later, she asked if I had been going to the bathroom and I, quite excitedly, said, "yes, both! It's going great!" She was very happy for me but I kept thinking that I pretty much just yelled out "I made a poopie, hurray!" The outcome was good, though - I got to actually eat some solid food this morning. A couple of pancakes and some mandarin orange slices that looked good but tasted like I.V. pole.
Later this morning, they took my I.V. out so I am now untethered and able to flit and theoretically able to flit around the room. Assuming there are no issues from lunch or oral pain meds, I should be out of here this afternoon!
Yay :)
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