surgery soon getting nurvous

Hello all well my surgery is in 23 more days. I am getting a little nervous. Iam also very excited. just wanted to know what to expect the first days after surgery? and I need a little suport I can't belive its almost here.

Good luck to you, and remember you have all of us here in support. My surgery is 04/22/04 and I know how you feel. My stomach is in knots and I can hardley contain my joy at almost being on the loosing side.

I understand you being nervous, however, it is the BEST gift I have ever given myself. It is worth any pain, and all the apprehension. I live in Surprise , Arizona, and will be here for any support you may need.

Donna, Here is an *****A HA) of my profile, post op. Good luck to you!!!: 11-23-03 HI all, I'm home. Brrr! I AM FREEZING! (Funny, having the house cool before I left felt good, now my hands are like ICE) Surgery went well, and easily. Melissa said they could have had me done in 45 minutes, as my "anatomy was perfect". (I should HOPE so...lol) Surgery took an hour. She said if there were records to be won, mine would have been it. I woke up feeling a bit sore, but not bad at all. Def. not like that "gutted" feeling I had from 2 C-sections, tho essentially, I HAD been...LOL Prior to my surgery time, I had to give a urine sample and get an IV in, as well as the pressure cuff things on your legs. Well, with all the fluid they pumped into me, I had to pee in NO time. Well gee****hought I'd explode by the time we got a nurse to get me mobile, with an IV in, and all! Dr. Doxey and Melissa came in to see if I was all ready, and if I had questions. He said, "as soon as you see the anesthesiologist, you know you're on your way in 5 minutes". After that, the anesthesiologist came in to talk to me, asked me if I had any questions. I re-confirmed: NO MORPHIENE, CODIENE, or VICADEN!!! I remeber being very, very calm and at peace...excited if anything. After that, all I remember is the anesthesiologist giving me my "****tail", kissing Mark, getting a huge head rush traveling down the hall on the gurney, (seeing lights, lights, lights, lights, LOL) and then moving my body over to the operating table. It was freezing cold in there. (They keep it cold so the surgeons don't roast) And after that, I woke up in post op, listening to the nurse holler at some lady next to me: "WAKE UP, SUSIE (or whatever her name was) WAKE UP, your surery is over and you are in recovery" I was thinking "GEESH, enough already!!" LOL! I was about ready to shake "SUSIE" awake myself!! HUSH, ALREADY!!! It felt like a lot of pressure, but not pain. I kept inadvertently tensing up my tummy muscles, which made it more sore. So I tried real hard to relax. It wasn't "painful", just a tense feeling more than anything. Kinda like when you did too many sit up's. I also got a bit panicked, temporarily when I first woke up because I couldn't get the big breaths like I wanted and needed to. Plus, I went into to surgery with a nasty cold and a phlegmy, yucky cough and yucky lungs from it. Definitely encouraged coughing, I'll tell you! Anyhow, I quickly talked myself down on that fear and it subsided. The thing that sucked, mostly for Mark is, my surgery was @ 9:45, I didn't get in my room until 5:45 pm, that NIGHT. (No rooms avail.) So they wouldn't let Mark come back in the post op area, initially. (for what reason, I have NO idea) Once he did get back there, they shooed him out of there so fast! It was like they just let him see that I was still alive and sucking wind, and that was IT. After that, he went all the way back to El Mirage as one exhausted, crabby, annoyed husband. I would pay for this later, trust me. (cold shoulder -wise) I tried to walk every hour, and worked on my incentive spirometer also, (Prob. not as much as I should have, but the walking helped) but sometimes, when you could sleep, and they'd LET you, you SLEPT!! Again, because I had a bit of a cold going into this, the spirometer would trigger an awful coughing attack. Coughing SUCKS, but I think it helped my lungs bounce back faster! The next morning, I had the pure JOY of having my swallow/leak test. OMG, that was THEE most VILE crap I have EVER tasted in all my life!! The tech said "take a BIG sip", so I did. Well, after that, no way in HELL was I taking another "big sip". If I could have had something to "bring up" for her, I would have, I swear. UGH!! NASTY! I have to say, even post op now, that was the WORST part of the whole surgery!!! And what made it so much more "enjoyable" for ME was, my lips were so dry/chapped from not having water, it was like they soaked that CRAP right up, and that was ALL I could taste. After that, they took me back to my room, and said I would be getting lunch in a while. That never happened. I was awful glad to have my Foley out the next day. Had no problems going to the restroom at all. Before I came home, they removed all my staples and drains. Damn, was I glad to get that ONE out. (JP drain, I think it is. It's a big bulbous thing that always, without fail, ended up in my CROTCH!!) It came out of my right side, but INSIDE me, it was clear over to my left side. What an odd feeling THAT was, when it came out, felt like all my innards was coming with it, but I swear, I could breathe SO much better. Then of course, loosing that damn IV. Toradol (Painkiller) tends to sting like HELL going into your vein, and I'm also glad to be past the Heparin shots (Blood thinner) as they also stung. And instinct tells you to rub what hurts...well, not with THAT shot. You can't. It'll bruise you and you'll get scolded by the nurse, too! I look like I've been paintballing or something! (all these little bruises on my tummy) I'll tell you, even as of 1.20.04, my left hand STILL has this hard, bruised LUMP of a vein where that damn IV was. It never looked like that before, and it's still tender, even. They forgot to give me most all my meals. (I had ONE, my entire stay and it was low-sodium broth that was SO nasty tasting. It smelled good, but that was as far as "good" went) They only remembered because I asked "shouldn't I be trying some broth or Jello"? I wasn't hungry, but thought I should get more in me than just ice chips) Also went nearly a full night without the "squeezy things" on my legs, to prevent blood clots. I didn't care about the broth, but really didn't want a blood clot. They finally got them up to my room after midnight, I think. They were irritating and would wake me up! (I'm a light sleeper) Anyhow...I feel sore, but fine. The gas sucks. My guts are just rumbling down there. Tried to fill my liquid Demerol @ Walgreens and ALL the local stores are out. (peachy) So, I went to take my liquid Tylenol, and neglected to tell Mark to buy sugar-free. (11-28-03, this doesn't exist, but it should have been adult liquid Tylenol and NOT an elixir!! It didn't make me dump) Well, I took one capful, and quickly realized it was VERY sugary. Hope to hell I don't get sick. (I didn't) Mark was kinda grumpy towards me today. This whole surgery experience was NOT a good one for him. When it came time for me to leave, the "transport" down in a wheel chair would be 20 minutes. I told the nurse, "forget it, I'll walk". Otherwise, I think Mark would have went ballistic and then vented it towards me in the way of a cold shoulder. Mark was NOT impressed. (He also had to work today, so I know that was on his mind) I just didn't need his frustrations vented towards me. This will be interesting as (I'm sorry guys) but not ALL men are nurturers. Mark can kinda be a "suck it up, buttercup" kind of guy sometimes. I surely don't need that. Pre-op: 242 Post op upon discharge: 239.1 (in 2 days time)(I only listed this as I was surprised to have not gained at ALL, due to all the IV meds)

Donna, It's so very normal for us all to get nervous... The first couple of days after surgery, just expect to be doing a ton of walking and depending on if you have open or lap, you may be a quite a bit of pain or mild pain... I think the first month and a half out are the hardest, you have to really take the time to adjust to all what has happened and learn how to eat again and become the new healthy you, you're going to feel tired and weak, which is also very normal considering your body is adjusting to the intake of very few calories.. Just take things slow and you are going to do awesome!!!! Try to get as much friends and family support as you can, and if you can't always keep us posted here cause we are definitely here for you and will be your support!!! Good luck and Take Care, Kim Open RNY 272/148/135 -124lbs @ 7 months post-op