I'm home!

My surgery was scheduled for 10:30 on Monday... I was out of recovery and in my room by 2:00. The nurses were very attentive in recovery. I have had asthma since I was 4 and always had problems coming out of anthesthia with an asthma attack. So right when I woke up I felt some tightness and they gave me a breathing treatment. Once I got to my room, I just slept! They got me up at 6pm to walk.. (they knew I was determined to walk when I asked what time I needed to be up) Getting out of bed for the first time wasn't so bad as I thought it was going to be. I did 2 laps on my first time and kept that up pretty much the whole time I was there. I also have some really bad low back problems so, I went thru 2 chairs before I found some relief sitting in the chair... the one chair has a horrible incline, that they are working on fixing. I did have my manicure and massage, but after my massage my legs hurt me really really bad... Dr. Blackstone was concerned if I developed a blood clot or something. I ended up staying an extra day because after the cathether came out, I could not go to the bathroom on my own... I felt the pressure to go and couldn't. (Doctor said it was from the anesthesia being in my system still) So they put the cathether back in until the next morning and my peeing on my own was the highlight of the day! Also my white blood cell count was high, so they wanted to rule out a chest infection... so I left today. I gained 15lbs in fluid weight... lot 9 of it already. I got pretty emotional with that and had to let a good cry out with that and the chair... otherwise I really didn't have too much pain, unless I pushed myself hard with working. At the 6am walk, I did 4-5 laps usually... it just felt good. I got home today around noon... slept for an hour or two... now going to eat and walk. Only thing I am having a hard time with is the sipping and getting all my water in... but I am working hard! Thanks to everyone for their well wishes!

Welcome to the healthy side Nicole! Congrats to you! ....Just hang in there with the sipping, walking and protein efforts. It won't be long before you're reporting your record breaking losses! Loser's Rock! Joyce P.S. I see shopping shopping shopping in your future!

Welcome back! Few posts on you over the past couple of days. Lot of well wishers. Here's to a quick recovery!

Yeah Nicole, happy to see you recovery well, and back on the boards. It sounds like you are doing well, and I wish you the best of luck on your continued weight loss. Gentle huggzzz coming your way Alli

Hi, Nicole, Glad to see you back on the boards and welcome to the losing side! Those 15 pounds of fluid will come off pretty quickly and then some! Keep up the good work. Wishing you skinny wishes, Virginia

Hi Kiddo! Glad to hear all is well. Isn't it amazing that a simple thing like being able to pee on your own can become so important! Your smart to walk a lot, they say it speeds up recovery and lessens any chance of blood clots. My surgery just might get rescheduled. Heartcare released me but made a strong recommendation for me to see a pulmonary specialist. I have a terrible cough as you know from pre-op. He's holding things up waiting for my Sleep Study report of 6 months ago to see if I need that really adorable CPAP for sleeping. You have no idea how much that bother's me....then he's talking about doing a pulmonary artery pressure reading and just can't understand why Heartcare didn't do one. (I called them, it's not part of our cardiac clearance) I finally got them to speed up the report from the sleep study people so maybe by Tuesday I can get back into the pulmonary doc. and get on with this. I have to be cleared though by the 16th when I see Blackstone and I don't know if that's going to happen. Steve has his surgery Monday so I thought while I was there with him I would get all the lab stuff in just as if it's all going to come together. Men...he actually thought I was going to just drop him off at the hospital, go to work and then pick him up when he's discharged!! He says, this is so easy, nothing to be concerned about! Of course we're having LAP-BAND so I hope he's right. I wouldn't be able to work! We are suppose to be released in the late afternoon provided everything is ok. If this is so easy why do these doctors make sure they turn you inside out!!!! I'm getting a little annoyed with this. Keep us all up to date on your progress, I'm so glad your back on the board! Carole

Hey Nicole, I am sorry that you had to stay longer. But it was better that they made sure everything was okay and you were healthy enough to leave. The sipping will get a lot better. I can now take big mouth fulls without it hurting. I think the first month is the hardest for the water intake. Just keep sipping all day. Chris, My daughter and my neice will be up at Mad Scrappers tonight. I wish you felt good enough to join us. I will be thinking about you. Glad you are home and everything is going pretty good. Take care of your self. Melissa

Welcome home Nicole, I am happy for you!

Hey girl, Glad you're ok, I'm here at the hospital doing my laps and thought I'd email you!!! Kind of drugged up but doing well and hope to go home myself tomorrow. I'm full of fluid, gained 17lbs!! Hope I can lie flat on my back tonight and get rid of some of it. We made it through and we're on our way!!! See you Tuesday! Katie PS Never did get a spa treatment, they booked it for my other date, got a gift cert. instead so will go later.

HEY!!! I tried calling you... but you were sleeping! I hope your hubby told you I called. Glad you did it!!! I told you it would be okay. I gained 15lbs with all the fuild, lost 7 on day 3. They may give you something to get rid of the fluid retention. I ended up getting 2 injections since my ankles were pretty swollen still on Wednesday night. But all of the fluid retention is pretty much gone now. I also haven't taken any pain medications today... I feel pretty good, but I got some diaherria... which I guess is normal. It just annoying... each gas I have, I go to the bathroom just in case its a surprise! Keep Walking! Call me when you get home!