Just checking in
Hi everyone, Just wanted to let you know I am fine. The day of surgery went by the book. I arrived at the hospital at 5:30 and was discharged by about 5 that evening. Hint - if you are the first surgery of the day you don't have to be there before 6, Day surgery does not open until 6:30. But be there about a half hour before it opens to get admitted and walk down to day surgery. By that time someone will be there to take your paperwork and get you in and started. If you surgery is later in the day - do what Lise says at your last visit - she knows what she is doing and will give you the info you need.
In the Day Surgery room they go over all your allergies and double check everything. They did not weigh me they just asked what I weighed. I had weighed myself that morning so that was a good thing. I would recommend you weigh before you go. Then they get you all settled in your johnny and get you to go to the bathroom one last time and then off you go to the OR department and they park you in the hall. There you are met by the anethesiologist (sp?)/ anethesitist (sp?). He explains what he will be doing and asks some questions and listens to your lungs. Then Dr. Beau comes to see you and tells you that you will be fine and jokes a bit and smiles and rushes off. Then you are wheeled to the Operating Room. They all introduce themselves to you and are all very friendly and kind. They dont disrobe you while you are awake. They give you a nice warm blanket because it is not just cold in the OR it is frigid. They put the compression stockings on you at that time as well. The anethesia guy dumps a bag of antibiotics into you pretty fast - that hurt my hand because they vein they used for my pick was kind of small. Then he tells you I am going to put you under now and the next thing you know you are in recovery. bada boom bada bing! You are there for a little while or a long while - I was pretty loopy and dont recall how long. But I do recall saying its 10 to 10 I have to wake up. I figure they started the surgery about 8 to 8:15 so it does not take very long. When I started coming around I kept looking at the clock to try to orientate myself in the day so I could come around better. I remember asking for my CPAP and they got it for me and then I rememeber calling for my husband and they told me you will see him in the next room. Then they took me back to the Day Surgery room and I slept and they kept waking me up, taking my blood pressure and making me drink little medicine cups full of water. Then they pulled my pick, made me pee and prove it ha ha, and sent me home.
Yesterday was 48 hours after surgery and so as directed by the doctor I removed my bandages. Everything was looking good on 4 of the 5 incisions. I have on staple on the uppermost incision right near the breast bone. I have 3 staples in each of the 2 incisions left and right just below each breast. I have 3 staples in the incision that is just above my belly button. And I have 6 staples in the largest incision on the left where the access port is.
It was the incision just above my belly button that was the problem. It only had 3 staples and should have had 4 and so the incision unlike the others which are all closed and healing nicely, had separated in the middle. there was a hole there large enough to put my little finger in. About one quarter inch by three quarters of an inch long. What to do? I covered it back up with a clean dressing and I called the nurse's number found in my booklet and they called me back by the end of the day. Jocelyne suggested I go to outpatients at my own hospital and see if they would put a steristrip on the incision to hold it closed until it starts to heal. So I did. I saw a lovely lady doctor who was kind and understanding and put 2 nice steristrips on my incision. I helped her by pushing the skin on either side of the incision which put the sides of the incision up close together and bingo - I was good to go.
I came home and covered it with a little dressing and taped some saran over it and had the nicest shower. Today everything is looking good thus far. Four of the incisions do not hurt at all. The large one is the one that hurts but the most I have taken for pain is an extra strength Tylenol night before last. (I got a pill splitter and cut it in four so as not to have it get stuck) I have not used any of the dilaudid that was perscribed. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 8 being when I would take meds, I have been running about 6 or 7 on the large incision and about 0 to 1 on all the others.
I feel tired and am still a bit wobbly but yesterday and today I have tried to have more calories. I am having a hard time getting all my water in mostly because yesterday I did a lot of sleeping. Can't drink water when you are snoozin' but today mostly my body muscles are sore. I am bruised from being manhandled from the OR table back to the gurney and I am tired because I am only sleeping in fits and starts. Last night was my first night in my own bed - the first 2 nights were spent in my recliner. I enjoyed snuggling down but it hurt to move too much so I got up kind of lame from not movinging in my sleep. When sleeping and I would move it would wake me up because of the large incision. So I still think a nap is in order today.
In between naps and snoozes I am walking around the house to get rid of the gas that settles in the left shoulder. The pain from that does not seem to be as intense today. Time for a snack now so I will wander off but wanted to let you know that I am fine and that this is not as painful nor as difficult as I had expected. I knew it was going to hurt but I thought I would be in agony and I am not. It is indeed surgery but it is not as debilitating as one might expect. Hope this info helps you waiters know better what to expect.
Ann
In the Day Surgery room they go over all your allergies and double check everything. They did not weigh me they just asked what I weighed. I had weighed myself that morning so that was a good thing. I would recommend you weigh before you go. Then they get you all settled in your johnny and get you to go to the bathroom one last time and then off you go to the OR department and they park you in the hall. There you are met by the anethesiologist (sp?)/ anethesitist (sp?). He explains what he will be doing and asks some questions and listens to your lungs. Then Dr. Beau comes to see you and tells you that you will be fine and jokes a bit and smiles and rushes off. Then you are wheeled to the Operating Room. They all introduce themselves to you and are all very friendly and kind. They dont disrobe you while you are awake. They give you a nice warm blanket because it is not just cold in the OR it is frigid. They put the compression stockings on you at that time as well. The anethesia guy dumps a bag of antibiotics into you pretty fast - that hurt my hand because they vein they used for my pick was kind of small. Then he tells you I am going to put you under now and the next thing you know you are in recovery. bada boom bada bing! You are there for a little while or a long while - I was pretty loopy and dont recall how long. But I do recall saying its 10 to 10 I have to wake up. I figure they started the surgery about 8 to 8:15 so it does not take very long. When I started coming around I kept looking at the clock to try to orientate myself in the day so I could come around better. I remember asking for my CPAP and they got it for me and then I rememeber calling for my husband and they told me you will see him in the next room. Then they took me back to the Day Surgery room and I slept and they kept waking me up, taking my blood pressure and making me drink little medicine cups full of water. Then they pulled my pick, made me pee and prove it ha ha, and sent me home.
Yesterday was 48 hours after surgery and so as directed by the doctor I removed my bandages. Everything was looking good on 4 of the 5 incisions. I have on staple on the uppermost incision right near the breast bone. I have 3 staples in each of the 2 incisions left and right just below each breast. I have 3 staples in the incision that is just above my belly button. And I have 6 staples in the largest incision on the left where the access port is.
It was the incision just above my belly button that was the problem. It only had 3 staples and should have had 4 and so the incision unlike the others which are all closed and healing nicely, had separated in the middle. there was a hole there large enough to put my little finger in. About one quarter inch by three quarters of an inch long. What to do? I covered it back up with a clean dressing and I called the nurse's number found in my booklet and they called me back by the end of the day. Jocelyne suggested I go to outpatients at my own hospital and see if they would put a steristrip on the incision to hold it closed until it starts to heal. So I did. I saw a lovely lady doctor who was kind and understanding and put 2 nice steristrips on my incision. I helped her by pushing the skin on either side of the incision which put the sides of the incision up close together and bingo - I was good to go.
I came home and covered it with a little dressing and taped some saran over it and had the nicest shower. Today everything is looking good thus far. Four of the incisions do not hurt at all. The large one is the one that hurts but the most I have taken for pain is an extra strength Tylenol night before last. (I got a pill splitter and cut it in four so as not to have it get stuck) I have not used any of the dilaudid that was perscribed. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 8 being when I would take meds, I have been running about 6 or 7 on the large incision and about 0 to 1 on all the others.
I feel tired and am still a bit wobbly but yesterday and today I have tried to have more calories. I am having a hard time getting all my water in mostly because yesterday I did a lot of sleeping. Can't drink water when you are snoozin' but today mostly my body muscles are sore. I am bruised from being manhandled from the OR table back to the gurney and I am tired because I am only sleeping in fits and starts. Last night was my first night in my own bed - the first 2 nights were spent in my recliner. I enjoyed snuggling down but it hurt to move too much so I got up kind of lame from not movinging in my sleep. When sleeping and I would move it would wake me up because of the large incision. So I still think a nap is in order today.
In between naps and snoozes I am walking around the house to get rid of the gas that settles in the left shoulder. The pain from that does not seem to be as intense today. Time for a snack now so I will wander off but wanted to let you know that I am fine and that this is not as painful nor as difficult as I had expected. I knew it was going to hurt but I thought I would be in agony and I am not. It is indeed surgery but it is not as debilitating as one might expect. Hope this info helps you waiters know better what to expect.
Ann
Wow ! great details. I felt like I relived the day. I didn't have to prove my pee but everything else was pretty exact. Welcome to the losers bench. I'm glad things are going well. The port incision is a dandy. It will hurt for a while. apparentlyl when they put it in they attach it to a muscle and that's what hurts. Laying on your side is difficult for the first few weeks. I can't believe how many people I've read about that go back to work within 2 days of surgery. There is no way I could have done that in the first week. Oh well...today is my 6 week anniversary and can't believe where the time has gone. You'll be good to go in no time. I just read on the lap band board someone who was banded on Monday and yesterday she put up her xmas tree and decorated it. Amazing. Anyway, Ann, take care and get lots of rest. It makes a big difference. keep up the great work and let us know about your progress as you go. I know you will. I'm going to Moncton on the 22nd for my fill !!!
patsy
patsy
HW/SW/CW/GW
362/305/250.6/160 (54.4 since surgery)
1st Fill Dec22 4cc's * 2nd fill May 14 1cc = 5 ccs * 3rd (un)fill June 5 .5cc = 4.5 ccs *4th fill July 8 2cc=6.5cc, unfill of 1cc sept 09 = 5.5cc; Nov 8 fill of 1.5 =7ccs
Patsy, is it 6 weeks already since you've had your surgery? Wow, time really has flown. So good to know that you're doing well after the surgery too. Best of luck to you as well. And I'm so pleased and happy that you lost 4 lbs. this week!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!! That's awesome news. I wonder if your body just held on to the weight because of all what your body went through with the surgery? So glad that the weight is moving off of you. Like I said before, you should be so proud of yoorself for losing 67lbs before the surgery! You're an inspiration!!
There is no way I could have gone back to work in 2 days! I am still weak and not sleeping right and I know I am a strong woman but I could not possibly have done that. I am worried that the 2 weeks he gave me as certified sick will not be enough. I want to have my staples gone before I go back too. They are not in very good and sticking out all over the place and one incision doesn't have enough staples and it bothering me. I have enough sick leave to take the entire month off with the holidays coming up and I just may do that. After all its all about me and feeling well. And as for the chick who was banded Monday and put her tree up on the 4th - either she is lying or dillusional and will regret her move later on. I had my tree up before surgery and I am so glad I did that. Just to do my walking up and down my hall way to try to get the gas to disipate out of my shoulder is exhausting.
Today is Saturday - 5 days out and I have lost 7 pounds. I know that will slow down. I am trying to have calories for meals and snacks. I am having about a half a Carnation Instant Breakfast for breakfast so that is half of 150 calories. Then tomatoe soup diluted with milk for lunch and chicken broth for supper. I am using juices and gatorade and fortified milk (powdered milk added) for snacks and I try to have the other half of the Carnation for one of my snacks. I am getting better at getting the water in . Yesterday I got in 5 cups and they recommend 5 to 7 cups per day. I am doing well all things considered but I think the 7 pound loss is contributing to my weakness. What things did you use during the mixed liquid stage? I am not a fan of creamed soups. I was thinking of calling Rinette and asking her if I could have regular Carnation Instant Breakfast which is 300 calories per serving instead of the no sugar added version.
Maybe I will call you later today.
Ann
Today is Saturday - 5 days out and I have lost 7 pounds. I know that will slow down. I am trying to have calories for meals and snacks. I am having about a half a Carnation Instant Breakfast for breakfast so that is half of 150 calories. Then tomatoe soup diluted with milk for lunch and chicken broth for supper. I am using juices and gatorade and fortified milk (powdered milk added) for snacks and I try to have the other half of the Carnation for one of my snacks. I am getting better at getting the water in . Yesterday I got in 5 cups and they recommend 5 to 7 cups per day. I am doing well all things considered but I think the 7 pound loss is contributing to my weakness. What things did you use during the mixed liquid stage? I am not a fan of creamed soups. I was thinking of calling Rinette and asking her if I could have regular Carnation Instant Breakfast which is 300 calories per serving instead of the no sugar added version.
Maybe I will call you later today.
Ann
Ann , you are doing amazing & I love how you relived the day for us . It was a step by step recall & I really admired you for taking the time & doing it .
Sounds like you are recovering perfectly , thank heavens for that. You keep doing what your body tells you to & you will be healed in no time.
Looking forward to your next post ...
Sounds like you are recovering perfectly , thank heavens for that. You keep doing what your body tells you to & you will be healed in no time.
Looking forward to your next post ...
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