I'm post-op from my Lap RNY!!!

Just wanted to share my story & how I'm doing.. Hope you enjoy! I showed up for surgery @ 6am on the 6th, they got me ready & wheeled me to the PACU to talk to the Anesthesia team, nurses & Dr. Dolan to sign my blood consent. It was 8am when they took me to the OR room.. The last thing I remember was them pulling me up to the bed and seeing the scrub tech and saying hi.. lol.. I'm a scrub tech and use to work there 4 years ago, so I made sure there was a scrub that new what they were doing.. After that nothing.. I'm sure I moved myself to the bed but they gave me the happy juice.. Next thing I know, I'm back in PACU (recovery) I know I talked a little but I was so sleepy and don't remember much, just that I talked a little.. I don't know how long I was there.. I They pushed me through the waiting room to the elevator and up to 5A (the floor). I was still super sleepy. I got to my room at 2pm.. Once I got up there I realized how bad my left arm felt, come to find out they put a 14Gauge needle in the bend of my arm while I was asleep.. That hurt like HELL! They got it out very quick.. My back also hurt really bad, from the positioning on the bed.. My stomach wasn't hurting at all.. It took about 2 hours for my Morphine to get hooked up and my back was hurting really bad.. Once I got it I was pushing that button every 6 minutes if I wasn't passed out. The rest of the day is kind of fuzzy from all the pain meds.. I did walk some laps around the floor.. I think I did 5 that afternoon... I was NPO the rest of the day except some ice chips to wet my mouth.. Friday, when I woke up the techs came in did all my vitals and I got my Foley out and hep-locked my IV, so I could get up and move around more.. I told them I didn't want the Morphine anymore, it made me so sleepy... I was so happy to hear that I could take a shower.. After my shower I did 10 laps around the floor.. I was actually feeling really good.. After that I took a little nap.. They put me on Liquid Loratab, which made me really sleepy to, so I didn't take much of that.. The rest of the day consisted of small naps and more walking.. My back was still hurting.. That was my biggest complaint my whole stay in the hospital.. Friday I got put on clear liquids till the next mornings breakfast.. Saturday I woke up had my clear liquid breakfast.. I was so ready to go home, the bed is what I think continued to hurt my back through my whole stay. The resident came in to check on me, I told him that I wanted to get off the Loratab, so I wouldn't be so sleepy and get up & move around... I felt so much better on the Liquid Tylenol. I did some more walking that morning and took another shower. I found out that Dr. Dolan was going to be coming around at 12:30pm to check on me after my full liquid diet to see how I handled it.. I got my lunch, Carnation Instant Breakfast & Crystal Light.. I did really well with it.. Dr. Dolan came around at 12pm and said I was doing great & he was going to discharge me. I was so happy & ready to go home to my own bed. I was out of the hospital by 1:30pm.. Once I was at home I laid down for a nap cause I was a little tired. When I woke up I got to see Lucas for the first time since Wednesday night.. We were both so excited about seeing each other.. The rest of the weekend has been small naps and just getting up and moving around.. I think I've been doing really well for just having surgery less than a week ago.. My stomach is a little achy, but I think most of that is from some gas pains & from one of the incisions that my doctor said was the camera port, so that was moved around more that the others and that's probably why it's still hurting.. Monday morning I woke up at 8:30, I took a shower and then Lucas, Rick & my Mom all got up at 9am. I was able to drink 2.5 ounces of my protein shake in about 15 minutes, taking small sips at a time.. I still haven't had a full feeling yet. That's the only thing that kind of worries me.. I hope that I'm not taking too much in.. We all took Lucas to daycare this morning & that wore me out.. We came back home I had about 3 table spoons of SF pudding, and about 30 minutes later started sipping on some Morning Spark SF Cranberry juice (it's like the Crystal light, but has a very small amount of caffeine in it), so that's helping with my caffeine withdrawals.. They aren't bad, but I was starting to get a little shaky this morning.. I think we are going to go to Wal-Mart this afternoon to pick up some stuff for everyone else.. So that's been my last couple of days since my surgery.. Thanks to anyone who made it all the way through my long story..

I'm glad you posted your story. I have been wondering what to expect. And now I know. Thanks so much. It sounds like you are doing fine though. I hope I do as well as you have done and are doing. I'm so nervous about the pain level. I just don't know what to expect. I think that is what the most of my worries are. Well I wish you luck on your recovery and weight loss. Keep us posted.

TaReesa, I'm so glad I was able to help you with what to expect.. I knew I had to write everything down, just in case I forgot some detail in my journey.. You will do great! The only pain I really had was from my back and my stomach would ache anytime I would move, but It was not like a horrible pain, it was a lot less. I too hope your surgery goes as smoothly as mine did! Keep us posted on how things are going with you & before you know it your date will be here! If you have anymore questions feel free to ask! Diana, Thanks for all of your advice! I've been trying so hard to constantly be sipping on my water or protein shake. Yeah that 14ga that they started on my hurt like hell! They had already got a 20ga in my hand before surgery, but I guess before they started they thought they needed something a little bigger. I was just glad they took that darn thing out quick! I wish I had you hospital bed.. Mine was nice, but not that nice.. lol.. I'm sorry you had a ruff recovery from surgery, but I'm so happy that you are doing well now..

Congratulations. I must say you are doing very well. I couldn't wal****il day 3 other than to the bathroom and back. I was so dizzy and had so much diarhea. I finally made it 3 times around the nurses station on day 3 so I could go home. I had to lean on a wheel chair to do that. I didn't have a lot of pain and the Toradol did a lot better for me than the narcotics. I didn't get my IV out till day 3 either. I'm better now and tolerate all food I have tried including steak. I just can't eat much. My daughter says I'm anorexic. at least the amounts I'm eating. Now, don't go trying to do too much you had a lot of cutting done inside and you need to heal. Drink all your water, that has helped me a lot. If I don't feel very well I have found I need to drink some more water. I don't know why that has changed, but it has. I have had to use 14 gauge needles on people wide awake, but they are the ones to draw a unit of bllod with. They are at least twice the size of an IV 14 gauge. They are literally the size of a framing nail. they hurt like a son of a gun. We usually use a 16 gauge, they are big, but not as bad a 14. Ya got to have a big vein. Glad they took it out right away, it had to be painful every time you moved. I had a great hospital bed. They said they spent several years looking for the right beds for the remodled floor. they had a jell like top that was about 3" thick. It was great. I wish I had one at home. Well, here I am rambling on. Take good care of yourself and welcome to the loser side. Diana

Diana, Thanks for all of your advice! I've been trying so hard to constantly be sipping on my water or protein shake. Yeah that 14ga that they started on my hurt like hell! They had already got a 20ga in my hand before surgery, but I guess before they started they thought they needed something a little bigger. I was just glad they took that darn thing out quick! I wish I had you hospital bed.. Mine was nice, but not that nice.. lol.. I'm sorry you had a ruff recovery from surgery, but I'm so happy that you are doing well now.. I reposted this to make sure you get the message that I posted back to you.. I didn't think that it would put my message above yours.. sorry about that..