That’s a (Stomach) Wrap: I’m Back at Work After My Operation

I'm not exactly operating at full capacity, but I'm back--and that's what matters! If I had to spend one more day in bed, someone would have needed to call Bryce. 

I had a laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication Wednesday. The hardest thing so far has been spelling 'Nissen Fundoplication,' but I'm a professional, and I handled it pretty well! If you're wondering what in the you-know-what a Nissen Fundoplication is and what the surgery is like--I've got you covered.

I suffered from heartburn for years. It seemed to get worse and worse. I tried a bajillion remedies--from TUMS to prescription meds--and nothing helped. I had severe reflux and found myself in misery due to my GERD. My doctor (shoutout to Dr. Pridgen of Tuscaloosa Surgical Associates) told me there was an operation that could help, and even though I wasn't too jazzed about the idea of surgery, I decided enough was enough and scheduled the operation.

I had surgery Wednesday at Northport Medical Center. I can't thank the staff enough--everyone there was awesome. I checked in for surgery; they prepped me for the OR, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the recovery room. I stayed in the hospital until Friday evening, and I have to give a special thanks to the nurses who helped me during that time.

I'm not going to sugar-coat it: it's been tough. No surgery is painless, so it's taking me a while to heal. In addition to the post-operative pain, I have something else to contend with--a new diet.

The top part of my stomach was wrapped around the base of my esophagus. Literally. It stops reflux, but it also stops me from eating regular food for a month. I'm on a "soft" diet now. I get to eat Jell-O, broth, oatmeal, grits, yogurt, and more Jell-O. I can't have bread, cake, meat, or plain vegetables. I have to wait for my stomach to heal completely before I can return to my normal diet. It's tough, but I know it's important to follow my doctor's orders.

In the meantime, I'm just happy to be out of the house. I'm still in pain, and I get tired really easily--but it hasn't even been a week since my surgery. I'm very optimistic about the future--and living a life without hellacious heartburn!