So sorry your father took the liberty of sharing your information.  It should be yours to share. 

I was so excited I think I told everyone I knew about my surgery.  And those that were against it; well, its not their life so.. too bad.  But I could see how this could cause an issue between you and your dad.  I'm sorry you were not able to express to him prior that YOU wanted to be the one to decide who knows and who doesn't.  But its too late for that.  I no longer have my dad here to share it with; so maybe count that blessing instead.  Be happy.

Hi Emily! I'm glad to see that you are doing well withthe surgery and going back to work already! :)

I know how you feel about having everyone know about your surgery; my mother-in-law (to whom I am very close) is doing the same and though it doesn't really bother me much, I feel that this is a personal subject and we should be the ones offering the information when the time is right. 

I know that she hasn't told many people; the people she told have told others and this is spreading like wildfire!  LOL  Perhaps that was the case with your father as well.  My mother-in-law is so excited for me that she wanted to share the news with some family members...well, they just ran with it. 

xoxoxo
Rose

Glad your home and recooping.  Wow, can't imagine the hicups most have hurt...Sounds like your feeling better now.  Join the walk, walk, walk, sip, sip, sip on line friends....lol.  glad your home and doing well.  Get some rest.  10 days out here and feeling better.  (except below the left rib cage, guess that's gonna hurt a while).. Kathy

In the week and a half since my surgery I have come to the conclusion that this whole process is in many ways like being pregnant.  You feel huge and miserable.  You know it won't last but it seems to take forever to get through it.  You also get a lot of instructions about what to do and it is hard to keep them all straight.  You also can never feel completely prepared.  You know your life will change and it is scary, but exciting at the same time.  But do not worry because when the time comes whatever is not done will get done.  And the changes to your life will be wonderful.

Following the liguid diet is boring, but not as hard as you think it will be.  You will feel different about it after the surgery.  Drinking all your food will only last a few weeks. 

I know it is scarey, but it will be ok.

Well, I went into sugery on Tuesday. Had a 5:30AM check in time. Got there, paid my co-pay stuff and then went down to pre-op.

I've always had bad, rolly, not easy to poke veins, so for the purpose of my IV, I told the nurse just to start with my hands/wrists because that is where I have the most luck. Top of right hand, blown. Top of left hand, blown. Finally got left wrist by thumb/palm. Okay then...

Had some bloodwork done, did another pregnancy test, saw the surgeon, saw a bonus surgeon who will be in the same OR helping, saw anesthesiolgist with his helper and a student. (OHSU is a training college). I was given some happy juice by one anesth. guy. Just mademe a little loopy. I could still function/talk, etc.

Hubby went to car to put some unneeded stuff away, then went to the waiting room. I got wheeled back to surgery!

There are something like 25 or more operating rooms in this hospital, IIRC, I was in OR18 or 22.

I remember having to roll over from the traveling bed onto the surgery table. There was a red doughnut squishy pillow which they called the bullseye. I was to put my head there. I also remember my left arm being stretched out and also on a soft muchy pillow.

After that - I don't remember NOTHING!! =)

I woke up in my hospital room. I think my hubby was there, but truthfully I can't remember. It was a shared room with one other person, who was sleeping when I got there, We became good friends!!  More on her later=)

I felt around my incisions, first counted 6....but then I found a BONUS incision lower on my gut, below my belly button. The rest were all above. The one by my sternum hurts the most. It's where the majority of the surgery took place to create the RNY pouch, and most likely the largest instrument placed. It's bruised pretty bad. I plan on having hubby take some pictures later.

None of the other sites hurt at all. Not even the least bit tender, though the sternum one isn't all that bruised.

Then came......vomiting...and after vomiting a couple times, dry heaves.....then after that HICCUPS. I had the damn hiccups for about an hourstaright!!! OMG!! Make them STOP!! =P

I saw my kids, hubby and mother inlaw. Fairly late, but I think hubby went to his moms to take a nap. She took the kids to the zoo. They had tons of fun =)

Wednesday is when roomie and I started talking. Her name is Darlene and she lives fairly close to me. She didn't have gastric bypass done, but close enough! Over the past year and half or so, her esophagus stopped working and the sphincter valve from esophagus to stomach just about closed up. So her surgery on Tuesday - The doctor cut that valve muscle abd then moved her stomach up around it. So she'll be on the same type of clear liquid/full liquid/soft foods as I am.

We really helped motivate each other!

So on Wednesday - they wanted me to get up to walk. I tried doing the logroll from the right side of my bed. OWIE!!! I could barely get up! So I tried doing it from the left side abd that worked a lot better for me. However, once I was sitting up, the nausea/lightheadedness and PAIN almost made me pass out!!! I was able to lay down right away. Nurse was very happy with me though! Ohh I also cried at that point because of the pain!

It earned me a shot of pain killer immediately in addition to my morphine IV drip. Plus the PCA drip I could hit every 10 minutes,

I also got a patch for behind my ear to help with any dizziness. It's something that people can use for motion sickness. Good for 72 hrs, and then I had a script for 2 more. Which insurance only covered like $3 so my MIL paid $45 =P

I WAS able to get to side of bed easier afterwards. They pulled my catheter at 7AM Wednesday. And told me I had until 1pm (6hrs) to use the bathroom myself or else they'd have to do a bladder scan and another catheter (with no numbing!) so At about 10 to1....I got up and peed!! They got a portable commode thingy so I wouldn't have to walk across the room. It didn't feel like that much had come out, but my hat was filled about halfway.

I was okay pain wise for quite some time though they had to start Some other stuff throughout Wednesday - my skin started majorly itching. Most likely because of anesthia wearing off, or being in bed, or medsm I don't really know. Except EVERYWHERE was itchy! Back, arms, chest, legs, feet...so I got a shot of BENADRYL in my IV and I passed out....probably a good 3-4hrs! But I wasn't itchy when I wokeup!!

I was able to order some jello (gross), some broth (also gross and not even WARM) and a popsicle. I had one of the two. It took them 45 minutes to deliver my food. So my jello started getting lots of moisture, brother, almost cold, popsicle, half melted. Okay by me, I didn't really want anything to begin with =P

Then the abdominal ga****from start of intestines to end...pain pain and more pain. I HAD to pass gas but it just wouldn't leave! Once it finally did, the pressure released and I felt so much better!

I ended up staying another night just because my nausea wasn't fully controlled. And I hadn't really been able to get up to walk, even though I wanted to. I saw a pyhsical therapist later on, and DID walk quite a bit. But I was real shaky afterwards so went to lay down again. I also brushed my teeth, and qiped myself down with some cleansing cloths that I brought from home. They are like baby wipes. But smell better =)

I think some other stuff happened too,,,but can't recall everything. I know hubby, gramma and kids came by again. Hubby and kids stayed at grammas house agaun Tuesday night, but then came home so he could check on the cats, bird, fish and to let the kids sleep in their own beds.

I was discharged this morning, got my stuff all together, exchanged info with Darlene, 5 prescriptions (pain killer, nausea med, zantac, colacem and 2 more patches for dizziness.

Plan was just to have gramma take me home, but I really wanted a shower. So we stopped at her place and I got in. Didn't have any problems, but felt really weak afterwards, so I ended up taking like a 3 hour nap. During that time, she went out and filled my prescriptions for me!!! YAY!! I took a zantac (will need to take 2 a day) and 10mg oxycodone. Which is what I was on at hopistal. However this one isn't liquid, but I was able to tolerate swallowing with no problems.

Ended up staying at mother in laws until 9pm (we left hospital at noonish) just because of the relaxation and PEACEFUL QUIETNESS!!!

Once we got to my house, with the kids still being awake and seeing mommy AND gramma...it got really loud!

But I had some more broth, hubby showed me my new laptop (which I'm using right now in bed....) and then had a popsicle. MY cat is snuggled up against my leg, I can't sleep, but not in any pain right now...until I started moving ={

I know when I went down to pre-op they weighed me and I was 297.5. Didn't weigh me again after that. So I did when I got home and it said 295ish. So only a couple lbs, but I'm still sowllen in my belly and still feel bloated with lots of gas!

Right now I still pass gas a lot, but it doesn't really hurt. I use my legs to stand and always brace my hands on something to help push. The toilet seat is low, so I use the walls.

I got in about 30 ounces of liquids, Mainly waterm but I did have a couple sips of decaf coffee and part of a popsicle while at the hospital in the morning, 2oz broth and 20oz of water at mother-in-laws plus had 4oz of broth here at home, and drinking a couple sips of fruit punch crystal light.

That's pretty nuch my story! If anyone has questions for me, I'll be glad to answer them, but please realize I might not be on the board as frequently =)

Take care and good luck to all those who have gone since me and will go this month!!!