Hi Amanda,

Welcome! I was the first person to get the surgery in NL (I was 3 hours ahead of my sleeve-sister Tracy ) five months ago.

I wrote (still occasionally write) a blog about my journey through referral and surgery - although others have more up-to-date stuff about the new ins-and-outs of the process - you might want to check out - http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/jdeon/uzone,blog/action,view/blog_id,311677/

Otherwise, read back through this forum and stay in touch - these wonderful people are a great source of inspiration and guidance.

Cheers,
Jenn

Hey Tina: Glad you are home and on the mend. I wish my legs had been a little
better I would have tried to get in to see you while you were there :( sorry that
I didn't get in. It was so nice of Jenn to help you out like that... she is awesome!
That is my one fear of having to lay flat on the OR table. But, I guess they and I
will deal with that at the time. Once I'm out and intibated I'll be fine. I will have to
also make sure thye don't have me laying flat in recovery. Or I will choke. I have
nightmares about that. I hate when you 1st. wakeup and can't move.
Thanks for all the info.

The only problem buying them second hand is ... you would still want
your own mask to use with it and they are $300.00 each. Even if you bought
a used one and sterilized it. They are suppose to only be good for a year.
So, more than likely the mask is stretched out and won't fit your face properly.

 Great to hear everyting went ok and your home....you were very imformative with your post ....it will be next year before I have mine done but thats ok with me ...keep up the good work and keep smiling

I'M BAAACK!!!

The last week has felt like a month but I'm finally home!  I guess the best place to start is the beginning.

I thought that on surgery day I would be admitted to my room and then go down to surgery but I was wrong.  On surgery day we first go to Day Surgery where we will be given a surgical gown, stockings, and booties to wear and will be given a recliner to sit in.  They will give you 2 pills to keep your stomach from being upset and something to keep you calm (ativan).  If you want something to keep you calm you need ot ask for it when you see the anthesitist at Pre-Admission.  You will need someone to bring your bag up to your room afterward.  I didn't have any family with me but luckly when Jenn found out she volunteered to meet me at 6:30 am in day surgery.  She stayed with me until I went in and then brought my bag to my room aferward. (Love you Jenn!!!)  Then you will walk to another surgical waiting area just outside the OR where you will be sit in another recliner.  The antthestist will come and talk to you and then when they are ready you will walk to the OR and climb up on the operating table.  There are very friendly and when I told them I get muscle spasms in my back when I lay flat they put a pillow under my knees and made sure I was comfortable.  They will put a mask on you and give you some gas that Jenn describes as Heaven and I describe as Hell (lol).  It was very dizzying and I found it very uncomfortable just before I went under.  I barely remember waking up in recovery.  All I remember is hearing someone say she is ready to go up to her room and thinking "I'm not ready, I'm not even awake yet".  An elevator ride and some overhead lights passing by later and I was in my room.  I managed to scooch over onto my hospital bed and I remember Jenn being there and unpacking everything for me, then the morphine kicked in and I was out like a light for a few hours.  They manage your pain very well.  I slept most of the first day.  Trina came to visit and Jenn came again that evening as well.  That first day is all kind of fuzzy.  Day 2 started with going down for the leak test.  The stuff is not too hard to get down but its the aftertaste that kills you.  Espcecially when you can't rinse your mouth.  Until they tell you your leak test was OK the only thing you get are these mouth swabs you dip in water.  I scrubbed my mouth with one of those and that helped a little but the taste still hangs on.  Once you get cleared to drink you are supposed to drink one little medicine cups every 15 minutes and gradually work up to 2-3 ounces at a time.  In the beginning every sip hurt for me.  I had a lot of swelling inside and could feel every sip seep its way down.  After they take you off the IV you will be give a gravol pill every 4 hours.  The first one I bit in a few pieces.  The second the nurse said there is no need to bite it so I didn't,  it got stuck and I had to keep sipping water until it disolved enough to go down. 

For me the gas pain didn't start until the second day.  I had a lot of trouble with gas because of the swelling nothing wanted to move.  Just as the water had to seep down the gas kind of had to seep back up.  By Wednesday morning I was still in a lot of pain because the gas just wasn't moving.  I ended up spending an extra day in hospital.  That day I walked a lot.  At one time I was out of bed for an hour and a half.  Finally I was able to get the gas moving and by Thusday morning I was feeling a lot better and was discharged.  Once again Jenn came to my resuce and brought my bag back to the hostel for me.

They keep you on clear fluids while you are in the hospital so when I got back to the hostel  I drank a bottle of high protein boost and it went right through me.  My first thought was that I had become lactose intolerant which I had heard can happen after surgery.  I didn't get any more protein in that day.  The next day I had a protein shake with water because I was afraid to add skim milk.  That stayed in OK.  on Saturday I added skim milk.  It stayed in OK so I figured that I could handle the lactose OK.  Then I tried a diabetic boost and that was OK too.  I guess the high protein boost must have too many carbs for me right now. 

I'm finding it a real challenge to get in my fluids and my protein each day.  It seems I have to constantly have a drink in my hand.  I have also noticed that if I do not get my fluids I do not lose weight because my body retains the fluid.  On Friday I had gained 4 pounds since surgery because I was still swollen and was not getting in enough fluids.  Today 3 days later I'm down 6 pounds since Friday.  I still have some swelling so I'm sure I will see a big difference in the next week or so. 

I don't feel hungery although a couple of times my stomach got really rumbly.  I drank some protein shake and that really helped.  Most times the thought of putting food in my mouth turns my stomach but last night my husband and kids were having a snack before bed and I really wanted a cookie or a couple of chips.  I wasn't hungry but I wanted to eat.  Although that was really hard I'm glad that I could not eat.  It forced me to stick with the program.  In time I will be able to have a little snack although it will be a little cheese or something else high in protein.  Right now I will just have to be good and wait it out. 

All in all I am 100% glad I had this surgery even with its ups and downs.  I look forward to a healthier happier me in the future.