Switched, and finally out of the hospital and at the hotel!!!

Wow.

 

This revision kicked my ass.

 

I was rolled into surgery on the 4^th, and was just today released. Dr Greenbaum was able to revise my VBG to a DS with no surgical issues at all. The surgery took just under 5 hours.

 

All my vitals were good except for my heart rate .. which has been on the high side all my adult life. Well, suddenly, it was spiking into the 150s, and that was somewhat concerning. They put me on some med to lower it, which immediately spiked my blood pressure – which had always been perfect. So now I’m on a low dose of HBP medicine, which is doing its job fabulously well. Funny, huh? I check into the hospital to have weight loss surgery in order to alleviate several co-morbidities, and walk out of the place with another to add to the list.

 

Another reason I’m glad I didn’t wait another three years to have the surgery.

 

Did I mention this surgery kicked my ass?

 

Last Friday and Saturday were real low points for me, emotionally. For seven days straight, they set the same “meal" in front of me (jello, broth, horrid protein drink and tea). The first time I saw it, I hated it. The 10^th time, I nearly cried, and the 21^st time I was ready to hurl the tray across the room. I really didn’t eat a bite of food by mouth for four days. They were giving me IV fluids, but on the Friday and Saturday after surgery I really just wanted to crawl under a rock and die.

 

Sunday I hadn’t had a shower for a full week, but I felt strong enough to get pissed about the re-run menu. When Dr G came in on Monday, I put a very weak foot solidly down and told him I HAD to have a shower and I HAD to have something more real to eat. He agreed to both, and that was a very small turning point.

 

Then a few other things happened on Monday. The Director of Nursing of the hospital came in to give me a pep talk. He was and is SUCH a great guy, and had been in just chatting several times earlier, but he essentially told me that for every day I didn’t get up it was adding another two days when I wouldn’t feel *able* to get up.

 

And then my friend who traveled with me asked me about the lap band. As I explained to her that it’s essentially the way I’m configured, inside (thinking, of course, of my VBG), it ~dawned~ on me that I’m NOT configured that way, anymore. That all my months of saving and planning and researching and questioning had all been put toward this surgery which was now BEHIND me. It felt astonishing to me: the very worst of it was behind me. I no longer had that wretched VBG pouch that had made me vomit for the last 23 years!!!

 

That thought then lead to the realization that it only gets better from here, and how quickly I GET better is for the most part up to me. I think the food, the shower, the pep talk and the realization that the worst is behind me was enough to give me a sense of control which I hadn’t been able to muster until then. Tuesday morning I woke up feeling SO much better about where I was headed, and I started walking laps around the nurse’s station. And then this morning, I felt even better yet.

 

So…. I’m at the hotel. There is only one more dreaded obstacle in front of me, and that’s the 5-hour flight home. My plan is to board the plane and get zonked on pain meds.

 

~smile~

 

Thanks to everyone for your good wishes and healing thoughts. Knowing you guys gave a rip offered me a glimmer of hope that I’d get through it when very little else was doing the job.

 

A special thanks to Elizabeth N, who made an effort to meet with me before my surgery, and also came and visited me in the hospital.

 

And a VERY special thank-you to my switch-sister angel, Denise (aka Dapme … the Flying Pig). I was so uncommunicative during my lowest points that I didn’t make her job easy. Denise, you’re fabulous, and I can’t wait to get start on this journey with you and Kelly and the rest of the Seattle DS support group gang. I’m looking forward to the June meeting.

 

There were some pretty hysterical moments during my hospital stay that I fully intend to blog about, but right now I just feel like taking a big, fat nap.

 

xoxo

 

Kathy

 

 

 

 

Kathy!!!!

Thank you so much for posting!  I saw Denise last night and was concerned when she told me about the issues so hearing from today is absolutely fabulous! 

I'm glad that you're at the hotel and continue to send you my brilliant pink vibes of postive energy!

Amy

Kathy,

I am so glad to hear that you are free and almost on your way home. We have all been thinking and praying for you this whole time. Sorry to hear that things went south for abit but I am glad to hear your on the mends!!! 

Take your naps, sip your water and walk your way home.

~~M

Kathy...been on the downard slope while in the hospital right along with you.  I had a revision from my yucky ol VBG to RNY on April 6.  Things are definitely looking better.  Glad to hear you are on the other side and doing better every day. 

Rebecca

Hey Kathy----
   So glad that your spirits are lifting and that you are feeling better---

Take care and have a "happy" flight home--LOL

Maureen

Good to hear you are on the road to recovery... and home...

It's a relief to hear you're on the mend and will be home soon.  I've been wondering about how you were doing way over there on the eastern side of the states.  Glad you're doing better.
Sheryl

Kathy, how wonderful to hear from you. I'm sure your ears must have been ringing often enough from all of us thinking about you (and talking about you behind your back :-)

It sure sounds like you turned a very sharp corner, and you'll be back to full glory very soon.

Let me know when you feel up to visitors once you settled back in at home.

Hi, Kathy

I missed the last Auburn support meeting so was very relieved to see your post! There's just no getting around the fact that the first couple of weeks suck, but you're past that mark now and things will only get better. Looking forward to seeing you soon. Judy

so good to hear that you are doing well!
Mari