For Dr Bell's patients

Hi I need your help to support to give positive and honest feedback about how the processing starts to get ready for the surgery at Yale Hospital for my angelettes, Lauren M. who will have this surgery on Jan 26th. All of you know I am Dr Aranow's patient and it is not the same processing on the day of surgery. I will be there to support her on the day of surgery with her hubby and Lauren . People who live in New Haven area, if you have a chance then It will be great to have visit her at Yale hospital and we hope to see you there. I know she have very good hands in Dr Bell. Let's give her comfort words and positive to make her feel peaceful on the day of surgery. Thanks a million for your support!!!! Hugs Kathy k

Hi Kathy & Lauren, (We missed you last night Lauren). Everything went really quick for me the day of surgery - I walked in, introduced myself and they immediately placed me in a room - I changed and someone came in for info in just a few minutes. I was very impressed how quick things went -- I did have a problem with getting the IV in, however, that was the only difficult part. I was wheeled into the OR - saw Dr. Bell (and prayed with him - he is great, isn't he) and was out in a flash. Next thing I knew I was awake in recovery. A bit later I was moved to my room. Hope this answers your questions. We'll be praying for you. God Bless, Kathy Bilodeau

He let you pray with him. Excellent, I love a doctor that allows you to pray over him first. I will ask to do that too. I have confidence in Dr. Bell and his skill. And I have the Lords approval to do this surgery, (because I asked for it ahead of time, waiting for his approval was what took me so long to do the surgery, in the first place.) I think I shared that with all of you. However, All of you that are prayer warriors out there, I would like to ask you to pray for protection for me. Pray that I will not develop complications, that everything will go smoothly. That everything will go as the Lord intends it to go. You know how the enemy likes to throw a monkey wrench in our freedom. Anything to keep us captive. I do still have a couple of questions. How out of it were you when you woke up in the ER. and when you got back to your room. Were you alert? Did you want to get up and walk around that night? Were you allowed to? When did you go home? The barium test the next morning. was it really hard to do? As for yesterday, my husband had a meeting last night so I had to stay home with my son. New Haven is a long ride for me to go to meetings anyway. I may end up doing the post op meetings in Middlesex and trying to find on in Bristol as well. Im also starting a counseling group next week to help me work out my food issues. Yesterday I became aware that I can no longer watch food commercials or shows about food. It makes me want to eat. Im trying to prepare a head of time and pay attention to whats going on in my head. Because I hear so many of you talk about the head hunger. Ive have some plans in place for what I intend to do to counter that. Like scrapbook, or get on the treadmill every time I want to eat. Or have a big glass of water in small sips. You all know the drill. Any tips you can share with me on how all of you handle the head hunger will help me. Im looking at this much like I did when I quit smoking, and that was a 30 year addiction. I told myself then if I had a cigarette I will die. I plan to repeat the same thing to myself when I want food. And of course, prayer. Prayer was more powerful than any mantra I could repeat. "Greater is he who is in me, than he who is in the world", and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Those are going to be my year verses I think. And when it gets to be a nail bitter. "Be still and know that I am God". Thanks everyone. Cant wait to see you all when Im on the other side. Blessings Lauren thanks Lauren

Lauren Being your angel duty, I will be there to pray together with you before you go to surgery. Go for nail bitter because I am nail bitter Hugs Kathy K

Hi Lauren, An answer for your questions. Were you alert? In recovery, sort of. I was really kind of out of it, kept telling the wonderful nurse there that I was in extreme pain (not everyone has pain tho). Don't know how long I was there when they wheeled me down to my room and they picked up my hubby on the way.Did you want to get up and walk around that night? No, it was late, like 7 or 8 and they put these booties on you in the OR that pump up for circulation. I got up the next morning after finally stopping the morphine. Were you allowed to? I was not in any condition that night. When did you go home? I had surgery Thursday afternoon, went home early Sat. afternoon. The barium test the next morning. was it really hard to do? No, not really. They wheel you down, move you to the bed thingy, and they have you drink two things, one is white, so you get to see on the screen what your stomach looks like. They give the stuff to you through a straw and you only need to take a few long drags. If you have other questions, e-mail me [email protected] and I will send you my phone number. Don't worry, things will go great. Dr. Bell is an excellent surgeon. My friend Lenny is having surgery about 7 days before you. Pam

I'll try to answer these as well: How out of it were you when you woke up in the ER -- I didn't wake up in the ER, I woke up in recovery - I was only slightly aware - I knew I was ok, and I was tired. When you got back to your room. Were you alert? -- Sort of, I was medicated, and tired, but I knew my husband was there. Did you want to get up and walk around that night? -- No, I woke up at 3:00 AM and got up - didn't walk, but went to the chair, changed and brushed my teeth. I didn't wal****il later - around 8:00 a.m. Were you allowed to? -- No one mentioned it to me. When did you go home? -- Surgery Wednesday morning, I went home Friday night. The barium test the next morning. was it really hard to do? -- I didn't have a problem with it, I was soooooooooooo thirsty, that it was almost pleasant. Hope this helps. God Bless, Kathy