Suggestions for time leading up to surgery...

My apologies for this being so long but it felt important to express thoughts that have been stirring around in my head for months…

I’ve been preparing for DS surgery in various ways for the past year.

I’ve stopped blaming myself for not getting to goal with the VSG (I was 15lbs from goal when I was put on a medication to counter symptoms from a traumatic brain injury which caused a 68lb weight gain).

I’ve made peace with taking supplements several times throughout   the day and eating low carb consistently for the rest of my life (I already do extensive labwork regularly). I’m recovering from an injury so I’ve had to back off exercise for the time being but I’ll get back in the swing of things as soon as I can.

I’ve accepted that I’ll likely stink up the place when I have a bowel movement (this 1 was particularly difficult for me as a family member who had the old style intestinal bypass in the mid 80’s can still clear the house with the stench).

I’ve been working on resolving my feelings of shame, building my self-worth and self-esteem to minimize any psychological/emotional issues getting in the way of my success.

I’ve read and re-read well over 200 pages here as well as some on each of the other discussion boards, bookmarked a lot of postings and know I’ll start with Vitalady’s supplement packs right out of the gate.

I’m in the process of collecting the last of my medical records to substantiate my need for the surgery.

I tracked my food intake for a few months but they’ve told me it’s not necessary (YMMV).

I’ve chosen to work with Dr Keshishian and have done the preliminary planning. Now I’m waiting ‘til my supplementary insurance coverage kicks in, in January.

In the meantime, I’m increasing my vitamin A & D to be at optimal levels before surgery (as a pre-op I am not considered deficient but I’m at the lower end of normal). I am also trying to increase my protein levels to promote healing and keep levels high when my intake will be minimal in the early days. I’ve recently realized I’ve become sloppy with my water intake, so I’m re-training myself in that way as well.

Anything else you would recommend I do (or not do) during these last couple of months of waiting?

Also, do any of you have any brilliant suggestions for how to find anyone to stay with me for the 2 weeks I need to stay close to Dr K’s office? All my family and most of my friends live internationally, and virtually everyone has other commitments that prevent them from helping me.  

Any other observations, suggestions, tips, etc are most welcome.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and recommendations so far. I am very grateful.

Tricia

Sounds like you have your ducks in a row. You said you've had to stop exercise but can you walk in short spurts for about 10 minutes and do that often?

I hope others will chime in and have suggestions about having someone close to help you for those 1st 2 weeks. It might be that you just need someone to check on you a couple of times a day, maybe once face to face and once by phone.

Wishing you all the best as you get ready. Oh, I was going to mention that once you're out of the hospital take your time on the vitamins. It takes some folks several months to be able to take all the vitamins in Vitalady's schedule, just be patient with yourself. 

--gina

Hi Gina,

Thanks so much for your response.

At this point, due to the level of pain (even with meds), I’m only able to do any real amount of walking in the water but it is improving VERY slowly…a far cry from the 2 hr, 6 days a week I was doing in the spring. Unfortunately, I had to give my gym membership so I’m trying to come up with low cost option. In the meantime, I’m trying not to beat myself up for backtracking and very gradually increasing things.

Unfortunately, I am required to have someone physically with me for the entire 12-14 days. At this point, my only option seems to be flying a friend in from Argentina which isn’t financially feasible for me. But, I am so determined to make this work I will leave no stone unturned.

Thanks for mentioning to be patient getting up to speed with the supplements. Of course, like many people, I have much less patience with myself than with others.

Tricia

Personally,  I would work on being completely free of pain meds for at least a few months before surgery. 

Thanks. That's a very good point. I'd thought about that momentarily a couple of times and then promptly forgot. I will do that.

Thanks, Gina, for giving me the push I needed to exercise. I could feel myself making excuses when I responded to you a few days ago. So, on Sunday I headed back to the pool and walked in the water for an hour. Yesterday, I made an appointment at a new gym since I’ve just moved. Today, I worked out in the water at the new place.

Tricia

Hey there! I had my surgery with Dr. K and I love him! I'm sure you'll be very pleased with him, too. :)

You seem to have everything all lined up. You will be better prepared that I was (I didn't start taking vitamins nor increase my protein until after my surgery.)

Where do you live? Are you having your surgery in Delano or Glendale? 

I can tell you that I paid someone (my roommate) to help me with my recovery and I regret it very much!! I gave her one month's free rent ($550) because I thought I would need her 24/7. Turns out, I only needed her to walk my dog three times per day and to drive me to one follow up appointment. Other than that, I could have done everything on my own. Are you sure you need someone the entire 12-14 days?

Do you have any friends who are out of work right now? Or what about calling an agency that employs home health aides? I'm not sure how expensive that would be, though. Another thing to try is Craigslist. I know that might seem scary - but there are legitimate people on there! You would have to be really diligent in checking references and backgrounds, but that might be an option.

Another option: If you are having your surgery in Glendale, I could visit you in the evenings to make sure everything is going okay. I work in Marina del Rey, so I wouldn't get out there until around 7pm each night, but I wouldn't mind! Either that or I could call you each day to make sure you have everything you need. There is no need to fly someone from Argentina for that!

Thanks for your generous offer to check in on me.

I live in the Bay Area so they require that I stay nearby. Dr K’s office has told me that I will not be released from the hospital without having someone there with me, for my entire time in the area, at a hotel for the 12-14 days.

I’m about to reach out to friends of friends/family in hopes that someone would be interested in getting away from the Canadian winter.

I’m not sure which hospital I’ll be in. It sounded like he may be working out of a 3^rd hospital by that time. When I last asked about it, it sounded like it would likely be in Pasadena instead of Delano.

Thanks for your vote of confidence for Dr K. I chose him in large part because of the overwhelming number of his patients here who rave about him. I’m a revision and feel blessed to have access to 1 of the top surgeons in the world.

Tricia

I live in the Bay Area also, and had my surgery at Glendale.  I had a friend pick me up at the hospital (required by Dr. K) then she drove me to my hotel and settled me in, then left me there.  We had gone grocery shopping before all of this, so I was prepared to hole up in that hotel room for a long time.  She called me 3 times a day to see if I was OK. 

I had cases of water, my suitcase of stuff, food I could eat/heat in the microwave (all soups and puddings), my protein powders, etc.  I stayed there, watching TV and sleeping, reading library books, for a week till my sister flew in from NC.  It was wonderful.  I had a lot more energy and felt pretty good when my sister arrived.

I'm not suggesting that you do that, but I did it and was fine in the hotel by myself.  I actually wanted to be alone after being in the hospital for so long.  Every couple of hours the nurses wake people up to take vitals, and I never slept very well with all those people moving around.  I was in heaven in that hotel room by myself with 2 large bed, a table, a small frig, and I got to do what ever I wanted when I wanted.  Then my older sister showed up....

Thanks for sharing your experience (& making it all sound easily “do-able”).

If that was acceptable to Dr K, that sounds just about perfect for me.

It should be easy to have someone check on me, although that would all be from a distance (unless I was in Glendale & I was able to take up Amy’s VERY generous offer).  I could have all the food, water and other supplies in my car. I think it would easier to get someone to join me for the 2^nd week, especially if we could get out & do some sightseeing.

Were you able to do much sightseeing, etc with your sister during the 2nd week?

That would just leave me with arranging someone to pick me up from the hospital. I have an old friend in the Santa Barbara are, maybe I could talk her into taking a half day off work to help me out.

Sounds like I need to clarify which hospital I’ll be having surgery and go from there.

Thanks again,

Tricia