Today I feel better. Funny what one day (a restful day) will do. The worst is always the day after surgery. I'm not having as much dizziness or nausea from the Oxycodone--hopefully, I won't get too used to or addicted to it. I told my brother that I was taking it and he said, "Cool. Sports stars get addicted to that."
I am waiting to have another BM, this time I wonder if it will be less liquid and more painful. Since I had my first BM, though watery, I stopped the milk of magnesia, like my post-op instructions said. I may take it again since my system is notably less watery now.
Went to see my urologist today. He said that it's less surprising that I have urinary retention since it's after the surgery and I have a history of retention. I'm going to go on generic Flomax and keep the catheter till Tuesday. Then, they'll take it out, test my bladder and make sure I can pee on my own. He thinks I'm an anomaly since I'm a young woman and he doesn't know why my body does this -- most of his patients are older men.
I'm going to watch a movie now...will let you know if I come across anything good!

hey rockpine - I'm glad you're feeling better today. I'm sorry you have to keep the catheter until Tuesday. I hope that's not too uncomfortable. I'm actually surprised that doesn't happen to people more often after surgery - it would make sense that our major organs would object to such violations!
Definitely please let us know if you find some good movies - I'm on the lookout for anything entertaining these days :D

Day Four:
Woke up and had my first "normal" BM. Thankfully, it wasn't that painful. Post BM there was a raw and sore feeling but not nearly as painful as with the pre-surgery fissure. A sitz bath afterward helps a lot with easing pain. Thanks to Citrucel and milk of magnesia, it was a bit fluffy. The first was a bit firmer, the last a bit fluffy.
My urologist put me on Tamsulosin (generic Flomax) to get my bladder ready to be able to empty on its own by the time the catheter comes out. This is powerful stuff and right after the bowel movement, I got really dizzy and lightheaded and felt like I was going to faint. I drank some water and laid down for awhile and felt better. I think the combination of that and the painkiller will make me a bit unable to do much of anything other than lie around for the time being. I haven't been able to watch a whole movie or episode of Glee yet without falling asleep.
The pain is better than before and I'm getting some of my appetite back. Amazing what rest will do. Hurts a bit when I sneeze or cough. I wonder if I will feel ready to go back to work on Thursday.
Thanks for your support and well wishes!

My shoulders and tummy r hurting pretty bad too, worse than my butt! But I haven't had my first BM yet although I can feel the volcano rumbling! Hope it's easy! Here's to healing! Cheers!

Day Five:
The second "real" BM today was smaller with no pain during but stinging and some burning afterward. Felt much better after the sitz bath and took my pain meds again.
I can function with the meds better and am not getting as tired or dizzy as before.
After surgery I keep noticing the word "butt" in everything. I got these yummy peanut butt-er cookies from Trader Joes and am reading a non-fiction book with a farmer whose last name is "Butz".

Day Six:
Had three bowel movements today already and it is only 2 pm here! They were smaller and neither hard or soft but pretty painful afterward--but no pain coming out. Thank God for sitz baths! They seems to do the trick with easing the post-BM pain.
Tried to make this my first day without using the pain med but after 3 BMs I decided that I needed one today. Am going back to resting--that seems to be doing the trick to healing more than anything else.
I don't think I will make it back to work on Thursday like I was planning. Am taking slow baby steps up my stairs (two steps on each stair) and am not very productive in doing other things, even reading much. How long did you other LIS-ers wait to return back to work?
Tomorrow, I'm going to my urologist to take a stab at seeing if I can pee without my catheter.

Hey Rockpine- Any way you can take another week off? With your needing the catheter and all, I know I would have wanted that! Or at least wait until Monday. You are brave to think about going back so soon but I know sometimes people don't have a choice.
Hang in there - it sounds like you are doing great!
Bambi

Thanks for the encouragement to take another week off, Bambi. Yeah, if I'm up to it then, I am thinking I will check in on Friday at work to show my face and get what needs doing done and will come back to work on Tuesday full force. I wish I didn't have to check in though!
Today's two great developments:
My catheter is gone and I can pee on my own! And today is my first day without the pain meds! I feel a lot more present and it's the first day that I can really read without taking a nap. I still can't drive since the urinary meds make me dizzy and sleepy, but it is nice being able to be more present.
Also, the BMs this morning didn't seem to hurt nor bleed as much as the ones yesterday afterward. Each day gets a little better!

It will be a week Thursday for me and there's no way I could go back to work. Now, I am a stay at home mom since AF laid me out but still. It's so important to give yourself that time, if you can! Today I decided to bake a complicated German coffee cake for my husbands birthday, I was feeling great today! Well it took a few hours and I was sore and exhausted. Remember the burn and it will help you. I think if we try to go beyond what we should, it will cause us to tense up those muscles we just had released! Maybe I'm overthinking but I do tend to do that lol! To top it off today my period started, so happy it wasn't visiting for my surgery! Now with AF, this would usually mean a week of he'll so I guess this will be the test...I just hope it doesn't cause any complications...
So do rest and pamper yourself! Then hopefully you'll only have to do this once and AF will be a distant memory in the near future! Happy healing!

Yeah, I should rest my bum. Been walking a little bit easier and relatively faster today. I went to the grocery store today and lots of older folks were passing me by so I think that means I should take it easy.
You're right, Elphie. Today I went to lunch with my mom and went to the grocery store and then I was ready to do some lying on the couch. Things that normally wouldn't exhaust me at all do so now.
It's officially one week after surgery!
The two am BMs didn't sting as much afterward--like I've been saying, each day does get better. Still have some regular discharge and have to cover my bum with TP when doing the #1 since it tends to irritate it and makes it bleed a little bit. Maybe the catheter was a blessing in disguise to have for the first week?
I am much more lucid without the pain meds and finally felt with it enough to check the dreaded work email. It wasn't as bad as I thought and felt much better about getting that out of the way. Even got a bit dolled up for the first time since surgery today. Did my hair, some makeup, and painted my nails!