Jana--glad u r better and home.  I also had my surgery on the 7th and had complications.  I had severe problems breathing in the recovery room and ended up in the ICU for 2 days.  Then to the Bariatric Unit.  Had large rectal blood clots for the next 4 days and major watery diarrhea since then.  I have also been ruled out to have C-Diff, but still have it. My oxygen level is now back to normal and I only have my IV in now.  I so want to go home, but can't til I get rid of the POOPS, and they say "don't really know what's causing it".  Loosing patience here in the hospital--today is day 9.  Hang in there Jana, and now....Move forward girl !!! 

Hi everyone and congrats to you all for your December surgeries!!!

I am over 3 years post-op (RNY on June 12, 2006) and now my mother just got her RNY surgery date of Mon, Dec 28th.  She is very excited and I couldn't be happier for her to experience this incredible journey! 

Her dr. is different than mine, so his program is different than what I went through for my surgery over 3 years ago.  She was told to go on a 2 week liquid diet prior to surgery, starting yesterday.  She's concerned about getting through Christmas without being able to eat.  Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for us is surrounded by lots of family and FOOD.  I only had to be on a liquid diet for 2 days prior to surgery, so I never had to go through this.

We're wondering....do people really get through 2 weeks without 'cheating' and eating actual food?  And what about suggestions, motivation, for my mom who won't be able to eat anything on Christmas?  She doesn't want to 'cheat', she wants to get through the holidays on this liquid diet.  But I'm curious if there are people who weren't able to get through that 2 week period without food?  

Thanks!!! (my mom is NOT internet savvy, so I'll be printing out replies and giving them to her to read) :-)

Happy Holidays!

 Hi! We're being surged the same day! I don't have to start my liquid diet until the 26th, so Christmas dinner will be my "Last Supper" so to speak. I'll dedicate a bit of turkey to you - white meat, of course! ;)  Good luck!

 Well, to say that my surgery went as scheduled and like clock work would be the best thing in the world for me...but unfortunately I cannot be so lucky and say that everything went like clock work. The surgery itself seemed to have gone well, woke up in little to no pain, and what I pretty much expected I was supposed to feel like. Liked my little pain pump...a lot. Tuesday went for my dye test to make sure there was no leaks or anything, and that came back OK...so the doctor started me on my phase 1 liquid diet. 30 ccs of liquid every 1/2 hour is her recommendations. Have to adjust it for sleeping, but all in the same. Drank some diluted apple juice, then some water and did this for about two hours and felt sick...and very much in pain, so I went to sleep. Woke up a few hours later in so much pain I couldn't even cry out for help. Told my nurse, and my vitals were taken...I had a fever of 102.9, and the pain in my belly was like none I have ever even imagined in all of my life. Kept asking my nurse for some relief, and was pretty much ignored. After 7 hours of pain and a high fever she finally was cued in to call my surgeon in case something was wrong! My surgeon came in and told me she wanted to go back in and see if they missed something, or something had gone wrong. Ended up having a pin sized hole in my lower bowel, and the liquids I was drinking was becoming peritonitis in my stomach cavity!!! 

Ended up with a two day stay in ICU, and still only on swabbing my mouth...no liquids as of yet. Was moved up to a regular room on Thursday, and was feeling ok, but then ended up with explosive diarrhea that gave no rhyme or reason to when it was coming, it just came! This now lasted for another 24 hours, and they were worried that I contracted c-diff in the hospital with all that I had been through, so they couldn't stop it until the bowel test came back. Thank God it came back negative and they were able to stop the diarrhea. 

After that ordeal, and all seemed like I was finally on the mend, they started me on the clear liquids, and a week later...I am home. So far, so good on the liquids. Sticking to water and propel for right now, and hoping to have some chicken broth for lunch today. I've been extremely swollen, and my stomach feels like it weighs a ton right now, but I'm sure as the gas slows down and I don't retain so much fluids, that will all come down (praying it does). But as of right now, I am alive...not sure where I was going to be Tuesday night, so I guess that's a big bonus right now. Now I'm just going to take one day at a time, one hurdle at a time, one step at a time, and pray that I get stronger and stronger every day. 

wooohooo! My new "birthday" with the lap band is 12/28 as well.  See you on the other side :)  I'm so excited