Well, I'm home. Surgery went smoothly, so they only kept me overnight. This was a relief because a Jewish grandmother across the curtain from me spent the night moaning and repeating "Let me go. Let me go." I was somewhat unnerved by this until the next morning, when it became clear that she meant 'let me go to the bathroom' because she was having trouble urinating.
The surgery. I of course know nothing of it, I was under general anesthesia. I do know that I feel like I've been hit in the gut by a swung baseball bat, and that I feel like I'm having a heart attack. I was reassured prior to the surgery that this would happen - the former is because of the fourfive holes they had to make in me to put tools into, and the latter (cramps near my left shoulder) along with general ache and bloat are because after they do make the holes in you, they apparently inject high pressure gas into your abdominal cavity to give themselves more room to work. Although they do express the gas when done (read: push on your body and use you like a whoopee cushion) there are always some gas bubbles left that will be absorbed over the next few days.
I have been drinking, as instructed, using 1oz medicine dose cups. Four of those an hour is my required and likely maximum intake at least while my pouch is new and inflamed. Sigh. On the other hand, I'm too bloated and in pain to be hungry, so.
A zillion thanks to all my friends and family who have pitched in to support me, and that includes you, you know who you are.
As for now, well, they sent me home with a pint of liquid hydrocodone with instructions to 'just drink it every few hours to prevent pain.' I think I will take their advice and watch some TV while legally gorked out.
More updates later.
ouch.