Surgery date is in February!! OMG!! What now?

Apparently the red deer hospital recommends premier protein from costco so you could give that a try.   I'm guessing the extra vitamins and things in the ensure are whats making your belly turn.   

Ensure is what was recommended for me as well. 

I can't help feel that their should be more options available...

I would like to use Isagenix cleanse for life for a week out of the two just because I feel it would do the job quite well.  I am going to ask at the hospital when I do my pre-surgery exam if this is an option.  I might have to run it by the nutritionalist. I guess we will see soon enough :)

It's not about empty bowels it's about shrinking your liver.  Glucerna or Ensure HP regular Ensure isn't approved.  Headaches happen especially if you have still been drinking coffee or eating a lot of sugar before hand.  

Yes, I understand it's about shrinking your liver.  Ensure HP is approved through Alberta Health Care Weight Loss Centre and in fact is the only option.

Hey pinner. How did it go?  How are you feeling?

I'm feeling so disappointed. 

When I didn't' hear from the surgeons office regarding a surgery date I called to get an update. 

I have called 3 times before and never had a call back, so I was expecting to get the voice mail again. BUT SHE ANSWERED. Only to give me bad news. I was approved for surgery very beginning of June, but she was still booking surgeries approved in March and April. Which means I have already waited 9 full months plus. She said that she will get dates for May and June in late March. She thinks I would be looking at a surgery about 4 more months out. Are you kidding me?

So disappointed. 

She said that the hospital lost an anesthesiologist and that caused a backlog. But seriously. 

I was told 8 - 10 months from approval. Now its looking like 13 months. Maybe. 

hello,

Can I ask what clinic you are with?  I am with the Calgary clinic and I was approved back in early Jan and was told by my surgeon that my surgery would most likely be in May.  However, I just received a call that I am to go in to sign my consent forms and receive my surgery date on June 17.  I have no idea how much longer before I get the actually surgery but I am so eager and am feeling very frustrated because I am ready to get this show on the road.  It doesn't help that patience is not my friend ;-)

Hi Bpayne,

I am going through something similar.  What clinic are you with?  I am with Calgary. I am just curious if I am in the for the same frustation you are.  Please let me your clinic

I'm on the other side!!!  

All went well :)  Surgery was textbook!  Recovery is slow... The second day after surgery I had a little break down.  I had done a lot of walking to get the gas moving and didn't keep up on my morphine :(  Called 3 times for pain meds. By the time the nurse came I had started crying :...

I was in so much pain from the C02 that wasn't moving in my belly.  No burping, no farting.  I was taking the GasX with no relief.  Walking like crazy. There was this pain in my right side that was just getting worse.  The nurse was great when she got there.  Morphine hooked up right away. Hot blanket on my belly (worked the best to move the gas). I knew that I was breaking down due to the loss of serotonin combined with the pain but still not fun. 

Once I got home I found that I didn't have enough items to keep me hydrated.  I could only consume a very small amount of liquid.  I was able to get one ensure down the day I got home and some water with flavoured electrolytes.  Not enough to keep my body alive.  I noticed that my skin was starting to crumple on the back of my hands and on my calfs.  Very week :( The second day home I was able to get more fluid down but definitely not enough.  I couldn't figure out how to get my protein in.  I would have to consume 5 or 6 ensure just to reach the protein requirements.   I knew that wasn't happening.  

I started experimenting with this protein powder that I purchased at Popeyes.  It's flavourless with 28 grams of protein per scoop.  Luckily this powder dissolved in the chicken broth without leaving clumps and it still tasted like chicken broth.  Not exactly the same but drinkable.  Phew!! I can save my hair!!  2 of these drinks a day and one ensure (which is all I can drink with gaging) will leave me at 68 grams of protein a day!! 

I'm off to buy some pudding today.  Yeah!!  I forgot about pudding :)  This will help increase the calories taken in!  

There is only one thing that I am going to mention to Dr. Debru that I wish was different.  One of the incisions is right on my bra line.  I haven't been able to wear a bra since I got home.  I've tried the soft to big for me sport bra and it still rubs on my incision.  My mom has stated that that will bother me for ever!  I hope not but heading out into public without a bra isn't a pretty sight.  Must wear layers ;)

Head hunger is very real!  OMG, I want to eat everything!!  I have been asking to lick the sauce off of all the food my family eats.  I even took a bite of a pickle and rubbed the pickle over my tongue just to get the taste.  I didn't swallow anything but the pickle tasted good :)

No acid reflux yet!!  yeah :)  I haven't touched the prescription for acid reflux.  Thought I would wait to see if I need it.

I'm just so glad all went well and I can start the healthy part of the rest of my life!! 

If you have any questions please feel free to ask :):)

If I could suggest one thing to bring to the hospital would be a heating pad.  The heated blanket they gave me really helped move the gas!  They ran out of them when I was there. Had to wait till the morning to get another one.  

I would definitely bring a heating pad to get the gas moving!!