Legacy Lap RNY

Well now that my Lap RNY surgery at Legacy with Dr.Patterson is eight days away, I thought I'd ask a few questions I've been wondering about. I have my pre-op class this week so I imagine some of these questions will be answered there but it's always nice to hear from those who have already experienced it. How long were you in the hospital? Did you have a private room and/or bathroom? How attentive and informed were the staff? What was your pain level upon awaking from surgery? Does Legacy have specific visiting hours? Were they strict with them? What happened on the day of surgery upon checking in? What did you find was the most important thing to have at the hospital? Did you wake up with any tubes in you? What about a catheter? If so, when were they taken out? What did you eat/drink in the hospital? What pain medicine did you have upon waking up from surgery? Were you in a specific ward of the hospital? Were your incisions taped or stitched? When were you allowed to shower? How was the hospital's attention to confidentiality? Did they leave your chart around? Discuss private things in front of visitors instead of asking them to step out, etc.? Did anything occur that you did not expect? Thanks for all of your time, I've learned so much from reading this board, and I hope to contribute more as my journey progresses!  Best of luck! ~Melissa

I had my surgery at Good Sam on 12/13/07 with Dr Jan. After doing the paperwork at the desk, was taken to a bed/area in the short stay (I think that was the name of it) where they weighed, blood pressure, etc.  My son was there with me. Changed into the gown.  Went up to sugery & don't really remember much until I was in my room.  Private room w/bathroom in the general surgery ward. Very quiet.  Surgery was on Thurs - 6 pm or so and was released by noon on Sat. Dr came in the next day to see me - they paged my son after my surgery and Dr Jan spoke with him.  I was pleased with the care I got but I am not a very demanding patient.  Didn't really have a lot of pain but I have had a lot of chronic pain with arthritis and think I have gotten used to a certain amt.  The incisions were all steri-stripped. Had no tubes or catheter.  I had a pump that I could push when I felt I needed more meds - what they were, I have no idea. I took a shower on Friday and Sat before I left.  I didn't have visitors that would have been a confidentiality problem.  Dr. Jan did come in Sat and had an intern with him.  I wore the same clothes home that I went in, stayed in the hospital gown.  Did take a book but slept a lot.  I use a c-pap which they did not require me to use until I asked about it the last night - that did surprise me altho they did have me on oxygen at night - maybe that was supposed to take the place of it.    I felt that it was a good experience as far as hospitals go.  There was not a lot of waiting around - got there at 2 to check in. I didn't get the call before I left town for all the info they want up front so did it all when I got there and didn't seem to be a problem.  Good luck with your journey ...

I had my surgery in October 2005 for lap band (so some things *may* have changed) but here are my answers... How long were you in the hospital?  Overnight Did you have a private room and/or bathroom?  No, I shared with a woman who had had her gallbladder removed and who decided that, at 3:30 in the morning we needed to chat... How attentive and informed were the staff?  Not as much as I had hoped.  I was lead to believe that I would be on an obesity ward with, at the very least, other WLS patients.  The nurses rarely came to our room and we ended up helping each other more than the nurses did.  As a matter of fact we both had those stupid "hats" in the toilet to measure our urine outflow but the nurses never came in to change them but neither of us could move them very well, either, so we both just put them on the floor and ignored them.  The nurses didn't seem to care. What was your pain level upon awaking from surgery?  Nonexistent.  But, when I went to stand up for the first time I hurt.  I wasn't prepared for the pulling on my stomach but once I got used to it I was able to balance. Does Legacy have specific visiting hours? Were they strict with them?  I don't know.  My husband hates hospitals and didn't stick around for long.  Similarly my room mate had two little kids at home (post-pregnancy gallbladder removal, actually, thus some of the taking, too) so her husband was at home taking care of the kids. What happened on the day of surgery upon checking in?  They took me back quickly (I was the first of the day) and I waited to be wheeled in to surgery.  I also had a slight delay because they were trying to track down someone witness my living will. What did you find was the most important thing to have at the hospital?  My CPAP machine.  And moisturizer (I used lotion for my face and lips). Did you wake up with any tubes in you? What about a catheter? If so, when were they taken out?  Nope.  Just my IV. What did you eat/drink in the hospital?  Not much.  Ice chips.  I couldn't eat much of the food they brought me.  The broth was nasty (but so was it at home) and I wasn't ready for the jello. What pain medicine did you have upon waking up from surgery?  Morphine drip with a patient pain-control button. Were you in a specific ward of the hospital?  Heck, I don't remember any more. Were your incisions taped or stitched?  Both.  And glued. When were you allowed to shower?  Two days post-op. How was the hospital's attention to confidentiality? Did they leave your chart around? Discuss private things in front of visitors instead of asking them to step out, etc.?  Very attentive ... but ... my sister's brother-in-law works in the hospital in the anesthesia department.  He didn't know I was going to have surgery (I didn't keep it a secret I just didn't discuss it with him) and, apparently, as I was spread eagle (and, hopefully, draped) on the table he walked in to the OR to get some equipment.  He was talking to the people in the OR and "thought" he recognized me.  Hum.  Then he saw my name on the board and, yeah, he did.  We haven't discussed it. Actually, I've found them to be more aware than OHSU. Did anything occur that you did not expect?  Not really.  I guess I had hoped to be in a single room or at least post-op with another WLS patient but, since my room mate also had had lap abdominal surgery it wasn't that big of a deal.  She thought I was brave and she admired me. Again, I had lap band but, still, it was at Legacy.  I'll wait to see what other replies you get -- it could be that they've changed things around a bit by now.  Still, I would do it again (but maybe warn my sister's brother-in-law first, lol). Lori

How long were you in the hospital?  2 days Did you have a private room and/or bathroom?  private room w/ bath How attentive and informed were the staff?  I thought the nurses were great.  There was one in particular that seemed to know alot.  She answered questions for my family.  They don't have an obesity unit but they put all the bariatric surgery patients in the same surgery unit on the 6th floor. What was your pain level upon awaking from surgery?  I had very little pain. Does Legacy have specific visiting hours? Were they strict with them?  I think they do have visiting hours but they are not strict.  They brought a folding bed in so that my husband could spend the night. What happened on the day of surgery upon checking in?  Pretty much the same as the other post. What did you find was the most important thing to have at the hospital? A robe so that you could walk around without getting out of the gown. Did you wake up with any tubes in you? What about a catheter? If so, when were they taken out?  I had a catheter which they took out the next day.  No other tubes. What did you eat/drink in the hospital?  protein drinks and soup What pain medicine did you have upon waking up from surgery?  morphine button Were you in a specific ward of the hospital? 6th floor surgery unit Were your incisions taped or stitched?  The incisions are stitched on the inside but taped on the outside. When were you allowed to shower?  I was able to shower the next day. How was the hospital's attention to confidentiality? Did they leave your chart around? Discuss private things in front of visitors instead of asking them to step out, etc.?  They were respectful. Did anything occur that you did not expect? Not really.