7 Days, One Week.....

I can't believe I'm only a week away from surgery. I'm soooo excited and ready to the surgery portion done and on to the healing and weightloss. I meet with my surgeon tomorrow and then I have preop on Weds. I have a page of questions to ask him, but if I've left anything off please let me know. Also, here is a list of things that I "plan" to take to the hospital. My Mom will be with me so she can guard my stash. Thanks for the tips and prayers!!!

How long will I be in the hospital?
2. Do you use a drainage tube? Why/or Why not
3. What pain meds do you prescribe?
4. Can you please keep me off from work for the entire month of December ;)
5. At what intervals are the follow up visits
6.  how many incisions will i have?
7.  what is your mortality rate? -
8.  how many sleeves have you performed and were the patients happy with their weight loss?
9.  have any of the people you sleeved had complications and if so what were they?
10.  what will my exact post-op diet be?  clear liquids, full liquids, purees, what is the progression...
11.  when can i begin exercising?
12. how many of your wls patients had to have their gallbladder removed post op?  (He said 40% and offered to remove mine at the time of surgery, which I opted to do).
13.  What brands do you recommend for whey protein?
14.  How many daily carbs should i have, how much protein, sodium, calories?
15.  What size bougie do you use?  32, 36, 40?  How does bougie size associate with the staple line? 16.  how often does esophageal swelling/irritation occur?
17.  will you give me a script for anti-nausea med?
18.  what labs are done pre/post-op?
19.  anticoagulant after surgery?
20.  ppi ordered after surgery?
21.  what to use for constipation/diarrhea? 22. Can you explain the association with gallbladder surgery and gastric patients?

Hospital bag:
Robe
Laptop
Camera
Gas X strips (I want a pic of my dissected stomach)
Non skid socks
DST pillow (it goes wherever I go)
Earbuds
Vitamins
Burt Bees chapstick
Toiletries
Comfy change of clothes

if you drive, how soon will you be able to drive again, can you take liquid tylenol, when I got home I did not take to meds that were prescribed the pain was very minimal, but I did use the tylenol for head aches I guess it was from being hungry but it worked, and you might want to bring a glove for your hand, the one that will have the IV in it, my experience was my hand was really cold from all the fluids they pump you with, so it felt good to have something warm on it. Oh you will need a small pillow for the ride home to put between the seatbelt. Hope this helps

I'm slightly anemic so my hands stay cold. Thanks for the adds!

Ask for your pain med prescription at the pre-op visit. You don't want to wait at the pharmacy after being released from the hospital.

True. Thanks!