The Skinny on my Surgery 2 days ago!

I got there 2 hours early for preop. The hospital, the staff, my doctor, all fabulous. I would recommend Dr. Harris and the New Hanover Medical Center (Surgical Pavilion and Women's & Children's Ward) in Wilmington, NC to anyone. It was awesome. I was told I was going to get an anesthetic to help me calm my nerves and then once I got in the surgical room would be given the strong stuff to knock me out. However, after about 2 minutes on the easy stuff, I was gone. I don't remember a single thing. My husband said I was talking and laughing and making jokes - that I was absolutley goofey - but I don't remember a single thing. The next thing I know, I was awake and dry heaving. The anesthetic must have had a very strong affect on me, so I dry heaved for about an hour, nothing coming up. That was awful. I was in and out of conciousness. The worst thing about it was this - no water, ice chips, et****il the following day! I didn't know that! I was soooo thirsty. My mouth was so dry, I just wanted to swish with a little water, have an ice chip melt in my mouth - nothing. That was almost unbearable.

I was moved up to my recovery room, I swear I was the first patient in the room and it was beautiful. I was in and out of conciousness until around 5:30. I finally woke up enough to sit up and talk with my husband. It was at that time that I was finally able to get some swabs for my dry mouth. They just dipped it in ice water and I was able to run the swab over my teeth, gums and tongue. It was heaven. I wasn't in too bad of pain and I didn't have any issues twisting around on the bed, trying to get comfortable. The only pain that I really felt and thought was odd, was my shoulders hurt so bad. I asked a nurse about it a few times and was told that because of my small holes I got a lot of gas in my upper body and if I wasn't expelling it through burping or passing gas, it was floating around in my shoulders. I thought that very odd, but I couldn't explain it any other way. That night I was able to walk 3 times around the floor and that felt amazing. I slept pretty well that night and was excited to have my xray the next morning so that I could finally drink a shot glass of water!

The xray the next day was not so fun. I thought for sure that drinking that liquid (any liquid!) would have been phenomenal since I was soooo sooo thirsty. The first drink was a thick maylox tasting liquid - it was like chalk. It was everything I could do to swallow 3 relatively large drinks of it to get the pictures. After that, I got a thinner tasting drink that was a bit sweeter and wasn't so bad. I passed which meant I got to have my shotglasses of water when I got back to my room! YES. Although I loved the water, the ice chips were amazing. I got to roll the little pieces around and chew them up - it was awesome.

I also got to check out my stomach - which I hadn't done the day before. I have 6 bandages around my tummy. I guess I thought there would only be 4 or so, but there were 6. The doctor said I had a very nice surgery and it lasted just about 1 hour and 15 minutes - he said everything went smoothly. My tummy is a little swollen and the front it sore to really move around - like pulling myself up from lying down it hurts. It is a sore like if you had a really intense workout and your abs just burned from the excercise - that kind of sore, so it isn't painful...just uncomfortable.

Oh yeah, I was also catheterized. When I asked the nurse at check in if I was going to be, she said no, so when I woke up with one in I was surprised. However, after talking to my nurse she said that always happens and the check-in nurse must have been misinformed.

I was discharged at 3pm the following day. I feel good and slept well last night. This morning my breakfast and lunch were my meds and vitamins. I have only had 2 doses of my pain meds since I have been home, but it has been an all day chore getting all the vitamins down. I still have another calcium one to take today! It's a never ending task. Oh well, they are sort of yummy. I had chicken broth for lunch and maybe had about 10 spoonfulls of it and was satisfied. I haven't been hungry all day. The water is keeping me full and I am sipping it constantly. I haven't made myself sick yet with getting too much but I have had been a little uncomfortable for a minute or two by taking too big of a swallow. That will be an entirely new learning process.

Anyway, NO REGRETS! I am just visioning myself in 6 months time. I can't wait.

Congratulations on a great surgery and welcome to the loosers bench (I hadn't had a chance to tell you yet)!!!  I'm glad you had a good experience at the hospital and didn't feel much pain.  I also had that shoulder/upper back pain and it did finally go away.  It is a common thing but I'd suffer through that all over again to have the surgery.  Anyway, just wanted to drop you a short note.  Again, Congratulations!!!


 

Loved living vicariously through your experience!!!  Thanks sooo much from a soon-to-be-op'er for such a vivid play-by-play.  :)  I'm thrilled you are now on the other side and looking forward to your future.  Look forward to hearing and seeing just where you are 6 months from now!  Congrats!

Welcome to the loosing side of the universe! Glad all went well. Heal, sip and walk!
Good Luck
Myrtis

Thanks for sharing your experience with us 
Im just starting my journey but if it happens, Dr.harris will be my doctor also..so it's nice to hear good things about him..
so you were in the new "Womens & Childrens Hospital"
I havent been inside but it looks very nice...
keep me informed about your progress...Good luck

you can email me [email protected]

I live in the Jacksonville area...are you closer to Wilmington?

Hi Bubba,

It's nice to meet you. My name is Barb and I'm sort of an 'old timer' on the NC forum. I look forward to getting to know you as you make this incredible, life-changing journey.

It's not uncommon for folks to develop the referred shoulder pain that you described. As you walk, walk, walk, and sip, sip, sip the gas pain will, if it hasn't already disapate quickly.

Keep sipping and walking, taking your protien and supplements. You'll be six months down the road in no time at all.

If you haven't found it yet, there's a support group in your area. Contact "Darcie" for details. You'll find that there is quite a contingent in your area and having support is a big help.

Wishing you every success in your journey.

Welcome to the loser's bench.

Barb

Thanks for your story - my surgery is scheduled for Nov 10th and this helped.  Keep me posted on how it goes.

What a great synopsis of your surgical experience!  Congratulations on your surgery, and best wishes for a speedy recovery!  Welcome to the loser's bench!

Wow! sounds like you had the optimal rny experience! I wish i had half the good luck you did :) (my experience is on my profile)

but sounds like you are doing really great! welcome to the losers club!