Most people stay in the ICU one night and then head up the 5th floor after that. While you are in the ICU you will get the best of care and someone will always be right there to help you. Once your up on the 5th floor you are more on your own. You will have these cuffs on your legs to help circulate your blood around to help reduce blood clots. They inflate and deflate regularly...I thought they felt nice. You will get a shot in your stomach every few hours...medicine to help reduce blood clots. It burns and do not let them give you the shot anywhere but your tummy...one nurse gave me the shot in my arm and it hurt and bruised for weeks. You start walking as soon as you can...I couldn't because of pain even on a medicine pump. Once you are on the 5th floor you don't have a pain pump...it's oral medicine you have to push the button for the nurse to come and give you. I stayed in the ICU an extra day because of some werid reaction to medicine that left me pretty much blind for a day...vision was so blurred I couldn't see anything...rare though. The next morning after your surgery you go for the leak test. You have to stand on this little ledge and drink this horrible stuff so they can x-ray your stomach. You do NOT have to drink all of it...tell them when you've had enough. I wasn't able to drink hardly any so they ended up giving me a CT scan which is just as good...that person tried to get me to drink alot too and I told them no I couldn't...they were still able to do it. It's better if you can have someone there with you to back you up and help take care of you. I had to do it by myself because my husband had to watch my daughter most of the time...it was hard...but worth it.

I also live in Westminster and go to a support group at North Suburban.  So are you getting your surgery done in Fort Collins? Why so far?    I for got to look why type of surgery are you having.  How long will you be in the hospital does your doctor think?  That will also have to do with you game plan.

Thaks I will see if I can pick up these books.  I wanted to know about what it will be like for the first day, the first week after, so that I can best know how to have my support system support me.  If that makes any sence.  I do not want to have people over to help me if I will be all sleepy cause of the drugs they give or not.  I am not sure.  I have a pre-operation and hospital team visit on the 13th maybe that will answer some of my questions.  Have you been to a support meeting.  Was that worth going to if you have.  Thanks fo respoonding to my question.  You rock. To respond to yours.  I am schedule for Dec 19th.  I have all the Ins. stuff squared away.  I have my friend to run my business and some friends to come over to help me if I need it.  Tell me how it was for you.  David   P.S. I live in Westminster if you do not mind I would love talk with you on the phone if you are up to that.  My number is 720-570-0767  You can dial *82 so that I can not get your number if that is a worry for you.  I know that women need to be careful.  I could realy use the information if you are open to that.  Well Blessings and Happy holidays to ya.  David

dr. thomas brown accepts medicare. i don't know about medicaid. he is in denver colorado

Thank you all for your help.  It gave me a great idea of where I'd have to start. I got my referral packet around the beginning of November and sent off the application letter THAT NIGHT.  Their letter says they'll get back to you within two weeks, so you can imagine I was fairly frantic when I still hadn't heard as of last night. I called today, just checking to see if maybe my application hadn't made it to them. I'm APPROVED!!!!!!! I can't believe it was THAT QUICK, and only one letter! She said my packet went out the 28th and I should get it today.  Sure enough, DH called to say it was in the mailbox when he checked it this evening (I work till 9:30PM Friday nights).   I am so excited.. on to the next step!