Coming home post

I had laproscopic RNY surgery tuesday morning, 2/06/07 and 8:30am. I went to the surgery check in at 6:30 with my husband and his best friend (to keep him company while he waited) I changed out of all my clothes. I was on my period so they had me keep panties on with a pad. I'd had a tampon but they made me switch. I got a shot in the abdomen from an RN. It was an anti-coagulant named lovenox. He checked my vitals and told me what my procedures were going to be that day. Then we waited a while. A gurney came for me, and my visitors were cut loose to wait. I was taken to a pre-surgery room where I got an IV. My veins had been dodging everyone for a few weeks working up to this, so a few failed IV attempts left my arms bruised darkly in several places. They finally got one to stick in my hand. I should mention this wasn't their fault, or mine.. my veins just weren't playing nice. I met the anastesiologist, an OR nurse, and the surgeron's resident, but my surgeon, Dr. Ali didn't come to visit me. I wasn't scared. I didn't cry, or fret. I was making sure I stayed calm. They put me under, and I don't remember when or how. I just remember waking up in the recovery room. Nothing hurt, I became very lucid very quickly and there were lots of remarks on how well everything had gone and on how well I was talking and acting. I had told them I was going to get a LOT of visitors that night, so they kept me in this recovery room for 3 hours! while they got me a solo room. The recovery room was very noisy, but worth the pay off of having a private room. My parents, my best friend, his girlfriend, my husband, his best friend and all ton of my co-workers all came to see me that night. I couldn't have anything to drink or eat, or swabs or anything, but I didn't mind it too much. I was very lucid and aware, and laughing and having fun with my visitors. I got up to walk on three separate occasions the day of my surgery. People came and checked on me all the time and did various tests. It was my first overnight hospital stay ever. The next morning I got up at 5 am and walked a LOT. Probably for half an hour. Later in the day I had to drink 16 oz of water or jello before I could go home. I plugged away at those liquids until I'd hit goal. I sat up a bit in the hospital chair, and my husband came back to visit me before noon. My surgeon resident came to visit me and said I was doing awesome, and later my surgeon Dr. Ali came by and gave me my walking papers. I'd consumed 18 Oz of liquid, and walked 7 times for at least 10 minutes each. I was free to go home. So, my hospital stay was as short as possible, and my recovery was as good as is possible. I'm a goal case, so far. The car ride home was the worst part of it all so far. I've been home with no complication and no nausea or vomiting since last Wednesday. I get my staples out in two days. I drink two 8 oz protein and soy milk shakes every day to hit the 60 grams of protein they want from me, and then I just drink water and watered down split pea soup the rest of the day. I take all my meds, and today I walked around my entire block with my mother. I still can't wipe my own behind yet, my husband or mother has had to do it for me. My mom comes to stay at my house during the day while my husband is at work. I'm going to the gym tonight for the first time tonight to see what I weigh. My husband is super curious, because my skin has gotten very loose. I'd lost 25 lbs before the surgery, and I'll post later with my total loss once I've weighed again. I'll answer any questions any one has, but I have to admit I've had SERO problems at ALL, so my case is both ideal, and boring. I don't know a lot about how to battle nausea, pain etc.

Thanks for updating, I am a bit nervous and don't know what to do with myself (my surgery is tomorrow) so I am just reading blogs, post and washing clothes. But I am very happy to hear you had a successful and uneventful surgery.

Ive had almost the opposite results I too was excited for the surgery did well in the hosp. Little pain nothing meds couldnt help but now that Im home Ive been sick constantley. Total nasause all the time very very gas sorry TMI. I have an appointment with the surgeon today and dont know how im going to make it there because Ive been so sick.

I'm so sorry to hear it, Christina! I hope it is something explainable that they might be able to fix with meds! Let's hope for the best! Can you get someone to drive you?

My hubby is taking me but I feel so sick I dont know how Im going to feel getting in the car and going to the dr's. I'm not sure if this is the norm a friend of mine had the bypass and stopped taking the pain meds because they made her sick so I stopped taking mine on tues night and I still feel horrible. I'm just hopping the dr can give me something for the nasause.

Also, for the record, I've lost 12 pounds in the week since the surgery. I weighed 352 before the pre-surgery diet, weighed 330 the day of surgery, and now weigh 318 today, 9 days later.