3 days post-op udate

I'm 3 days post-op and cannot believe how incredibly well I feel.  I hope this continues.  I've tolerated water and today I'm allowed to get off the clear liquids and have tried a small amount of protein drink and cottage cheese - not together.  I've kept all crushed pills down.  I took pain medicine the night of the surgery and once the next day.  Medicine for nausa the first day only.

My surgery was scheduled at 3PM on Friday but by the time they wheeled me in it was a bit after 4PM.  I remained in recovery until about 11:15PM.  Some of that was pain control.  We knew because of the pain medication my oxygen saturation would be low and because I have that with my sleep apnea.  They were also waiting for a room to open up in the ICU.  I think ICU is standard procedure at this hospital when someone has sleep apnea and/or is diabetic.  It turned out to be really good care because they have one nurse per patient.  They put me on an insulin drip and monitored everything carefully.  After a few hours I was already felling bored.  I was awake, not feeling too terrible considering I had just been through surgery.  This was one of the ICU units that had been completely redone.  It had a flat panel TV which would have been great if it had been working.  They had some bugs to work out in the new unit.  The next day they moved me to a regular room on the same new floor.  It turned out to be a quiet, single room with a 42 inch flat panel TV that did work so I was good to go.  Had a very good experience.  They released me Sunday afternoon.  The only thing besides having to build my strength back up again and being sore in the belly area is the numbness and slight pinching I get on the outside of both thighs.  I did mention it to any of the doctors that saw me in the unit and they said they thought it was surgery related, the position they have you in on the table and would eventually go away.  One of the doctors told me that when they operate on you, they turn your bed so you are almost in a standing position with your feet on a board. I have back disc problems so I wouldn't be surprised if this added to it.  It should go away within the next couple of weeks.  I almost forgot to mention that my surgeon came in to see me on Saturday (I was surprised he was there) and asked me if I wanted to see a picture of my operation.  I said "sure!!"  He pulled out his iPhone and since I had a VSG, he showed me a picture of him holding up a piece of my stomach (a very large piece)  like he had caught a prize winning bass.  It made me laugh.  I was told by one of the doctors that I was born with a stomach that was for someone much larger than someone of my stature which is 5' 2.5".  I asked if overeating would have caused this and she said no, this was just how it is - lucky me.

I know I'm going on here but I do want to add this not so good experience.  There can be a lot of confusion at a hospital.  Knowing this from past surgeries at other hospitals, I printed out a list of previous surgeries and a list of current medications.  I brought many copies beginning with my pre-op appointment.  I also brought a copy of my healthcare directive.  The first problem is that it seems like each department is not technologically connected which they really are.  So I started with pre-op 1 week before my surgery.  They make a big binder there and entered everything in the hospital records system computer.  I go to get admitted and brought them the healthcare directive which they scanned, said it would take 3 days to show up on the system and to bring it in the folder they gave me to the waiting area reception desk.  I gave it to them.  When I got to the surgical prep department, they didn't have anything from my pre-op appointment or the HC directive.  When you get into recovery, they ask you questions again.  They again asked me in ICU as well as each shift that took care of me in the regular room - medications, etc.  Be prepared for this.  What I was not prepared for and what I thought I had planned for was I informed everyone that my partner/spouse of 23 years, Esther, would be there waiting during my surgery.  She was introduced to my surgeon in pre-op and I spoke of her in recovery and ICU.  They also had the HC directive.  When the surgery was over, my surgeon went down to see Esther and tell her I was OK and was in recovery and that she could go see me there.  When she got up there, the guy that was at recovery reception flat out told her she could not go in.  It was late and she decided she had to leave to check on our dogs.  We live at least 1 hour from the hospital. When she called recovery form home my nurse said "why don't you come up and see her?"  Esther was very upset and told the nurse they turned her away at the door.  The nurse gave Esther the ICU nurses desk phone number which she called the next morning.  In ICU one of my nurses was very by the book.  While I can appreciate that I don't appreciate that when Esther called asking for me she said because of the HIPPA law, she couldn't give her any information because she didn't know if that was really my partner even though she had heard me talk about her.  She didn't suggest that Esther call through the main ICU desk number where they could transfer her to me as she could not.  A friend of mine got through to me and told me that Esther was crying hysterically (not like her at all) and I told her to have her call me directly - they wouldn't let me call a different area code and you can't use your cell phone.  Poor Esther was worrying since the night before.  Esther was finally let in to see me in ICU.  When the nurse came up to her and decided she was going to give her some lame excuse, Esther told her she did not want to talk to her.  Esther thought they were discriminating against her (us).  I thought it was just an unfortunate chain of events, the kind that happens when there is a breakdown in communication - after all, this is a San Francisco hospital.  It turns out you need to give a code word to family members and the ICU and then they can give out information.  Were we ever told this?  No!  Between Esther going through the stress of my surgery and the episodes at the hospital, she was not herself until yesterday which was the next day.  The people that took care of me in the regular room were excellent to both me and Esther.

Many of you asked me to update you when I could.  Sorry I've gone on so long.

Laya

Glad you are doing so well!! Let Esther know that I am sorry she didn't get the code info.  LOL my dr went and got my partner who was outside smoking and told her that she needed to put it out and be in my room waiting for me when I got there!!  LOL we both laughed at that!
Enjoy your time off and don't do too much!

Esther thinks it was discrimination and quite possibly it was by those individuals.  Knowing what a 3-ring circus UCSF is, miscommunication runs rampant there.  I still plan on reporting it.

I'll remember you said not to do too much.  I have to keep reminding myself I have to heal, even if I am feeling so good. 

I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM AT THE HOSPITAL. IT REALLY IRKS ME. WORKING AT A LARGE HOSPITAL IN BOSTON ON A CHILD PSYCHIATRIC UNIT I UNDERSTAND THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF FAMILY AND PATIENTS......BUT THE ATTITUDE WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE.....AND THEY SHOULD HAVE LOOKED INTO THE SITUATION BEFORE TURNING HER AWAY. IT MAKES ME SAD TO HEAR OF SITUATIONS LIKE THAT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO EXPLAIN AND FOLLOW UP WITH PATIENT SERVICES. THEY NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SO THEY CAN WORK ON THIS ISSUE. IT IS MORE APPALLING TO ME THAT IT IS A SAN FRANCISCO HOSPITAL.

I think it may have been more of a miscommunication problem but it could have been discrimination by a few.  You don't really find that here in San Francisco.  I think you are right about the attitude, at least the ICU nurse should have told her to call the other number and they would be able to get through to me.  Not sure what happened in recovery but I agree this all needs to be reported which I will do just as soon as I can.

Laya

Poor Esther!!! So sorry you had that problem. Please do compain to patient care services or whatever department there is!

Glad you are feeling so well. Hope the sleeve was what you were hoping for!