My surgery story or saga. Feels great to be home!
Post Date: 7/24/11 10:23 am
Please ignore mistakes because I just took pain meds:) and may not proof this. Also, don't be scared by anything that happened to me because my actual DS went fine with no leaks etc. I had other issues..
I hope the worst is behind me! I had a rough time and had to stay at the hospital from Wed till Saturday afternoon. I was surprised that my doctor let me go because my blood pressure was low, but I knew for sure I would do better at home. We were all packed up on Friday to go, had Pic line removed and when the nurse did my last vitals, my blood pressure was something like 74/48. I was so upset because they said I have to stay and get an IV put in for fluids etc. I asked for my presure to be taken again on a different machine with hopes there was an error. They did and it was better, but they all argued it was because I was so mad at them.lol They also said it has been low some other times. I can't remember it all, but I had lots of things go wrong which I was not expecting in any way! We think all of my issues were related to my body handling anesthesia and medications. I had neurological issues, we think from anesthesia becuase a similar thing happened after my tonsils were removed. One pupil was tiny and one was huge, they were not reacting to light and everything was blurry for me. I was so frustrated with that because for one it was scary and two, I could no****ch tv or read even if I felt like it. While all of that was going on, my bladder was not cooperating and I had to be cathed several times. The cath is so painful because of the bladder disease that I have so Dr. Smith gave me this bladder medicine that is supposed to relax a bladder that spasms. He thought that was making my blood pressure drop then got some labs back that showed my hematocrit had dropped. He re ran the labs because he said I did not look like someone that had lost 3 pints of blood. He said we might have to go to the Ct scan or ulrtasound to look. That was scary, but the the next time the blood came back ok. The lab person that came to check my blood took blood from the same arm that had IV fluids going into it so that must have messed up the reading. The labs were re-run on the correct arm. I am paying out of pocket so that lab mistake could cost be a LOT of money because it was a lot of lab work. I hope the hospital will take care of that. It also caused me to stay another day. Wo we were down to figuring out the low blood pressue and taking an antibiotic because one of my incisions looked red and warm. The nursed had to call him at all hours of the night and said he was always great about it and wanted to know just what was going on. I had a great nurse on the night that I think he had to be called the most. I always begged them not to call and bother Dr. Smith, but learned that he really does care more than Doctors I have had in the past. Oh the other bummer was they tried a few different pain meds and I would get rashes and horrible itching from them!I was talking nonsense most days too. My husband didn't know if I was asleep with my eyes open or what! I am takikng a very small dose of the pain meds so that I will not feel so yucky on them. While I was having the issues with my blood pressure, they decided to speed up the pumping of fluids into me which was not fun. I got so swollen that I could hardly see my knees or bend my legs. The IV machine and the bed had the loudest motors I have ever had in a hospitla and I have had4 major surgeries. Some people tried to tell me that I am the only one that has complained about that and then nurses and blood lab people would tell me they hear the same complaint all of the time and agree themselves, but for me not to mention that because they have to be on "their" side. So as you can imagine, I wanted out and I wanted out badly! It is so much better at home. The hospital had gotten all new beds and I have to say again that I have had 4 other major operations, some minor things and a hospital stay for being sick and have NEVER had an issue with the bed or the Iv machine keeping me awake. Their beds are air so the air is constantly bein pumped in to prevent pressure on the skin. It bothered us even with the ear plugs that they gave us. This seriously bothered me and was promised they would find a normal bed, but they never did. What made me mad was here I was so loopy I couldn't even see straight and the guy who ordered these beds was sent to my room to tell me how wonderful and expensive the beds were. I was feeling horrible and told him I did not want to talk and he could talk with my husband in the hallway, he WOULD NOT leave and did it anyway plus stayed way too long. He tried to fill me full of hot air and sunshine on how these are the best beds, but now they will be ordering some of a different kind and that most of their patients are not as mobile as me so need this and don't complain about the noise. Well, that is just absolutely untrue and these speches and visits to me only made me more angry. Nurses said they sure would not want to use the beds. We had to turn the bed motor off and over about an hour most of the air would be out and I would wake up in a squished position with no air under me where I could feel the hard bottom of the bed, but a bunch of air beside me. I would have to wake my husband up to pump the bed back up and start the whole cycle over again because we could not stand to leave the pump running because of the noise and the fact that I could feel the air compensate each time I slightly moved. I really would like to follow up on this with them because I had the best surgeon and want my mom and others to use him, but can't recommend the hospital because of the beds. Someone needs to tell that man off big time for refusing to leave my room etc.
ALL nurses were better than other hospitals that I have used. but some obviously not as good or as patient and understanding as others. My best nurse was actually the youngest nurse that I had and she was very sharp medically, patient and understanding on one of my hardest nights. I let the nursing supervisor know that all of my nurses etc. were pretty good, but there were a few that really stuck out and their names. I hope the young nurse stays that way over time. They asked me to come visit sometime which really made me laugh considering that according to one person (not most nurses) I was the ONLY one that had issues with the IV machine and the beds. I forgot to mention to them that on top of actually spending the night in at least four other hospitals, I also am in the Medical field and have worked in severl hospitals!!
On Saturday I decided that if I was not released, I was going home anyway and disconnected my IV expecting to totally get yelled at. Of course my nurse walked in right as I did it and she said I was probably going to get to go home. Instead of getting mad she said I needed a special cap in the Iv part in my arm and got one. I then went and took a shower and got to go home that day! Woohoo. Looking back, I wish that we had thought to go get a matress of some kind at Walmart and just put it over the deflated one that they had. We didn't think to do that because one person kept saying there was a regular bed somewhere in the hospital, but they didn't know if someone was in it or not, and others would say that was not true and every bed in the hospital was the same thousand dollar bed.
So, enough of the bed etc. issues that I plan to follow up on for the sake of future patients, I had the DS with about a 20z sleeve (seems bigger), a 100 cm CC, gallbladder removed and hiatal hernia repaired. No one ever put my cpap on me which was very much appreciated:)
I am on a liquid diet for three weeks. I also feel like I feel hunger and am not sure why. I feel like things are looking up from here, they have to, right:) I am walking and drinking does not bother me. Only my parents know about my surgery so there has been a lot of stress on my hubby so I feel bad about that. He did not get much sleep at the hospital either. It is good to be home!
Anyway, I am switched and please tell me I will soon look back on this as so worth it:)
Please ignore mistakes because I just took pain meds:) and may not proof this. Also, don't be scared by anything that happened to me because my actual DS went fine with no leaks etc. I had other issues..
I hope the worst is behind me! I had a rough time and had to stay at the hospital from Wed till Saturday afternoon. I was surprised that my doctor let me go because my blood pressure was low, but I knew for sure I would do better at home. We were all packed up on Friday to go, had Pic line removed and when the nurse did my last vitals, my blood pressure was something like 74/48. I was so upset because they said I have to stay and get an IV put in for fluids etc. I asked for my presure to be taken again on a different machine with hopes there was an error. They did and it was better, but they all argued it was because I was so mad at them.lol They also said it has been low some other times. I can't remember it all, but I had lots of things go wrong which I was not expecting in any way! We think all of my issues were related to my body handling anesthesia and medications. I had neurological issues, we think from anesthesia becuase a similar thing happened after my tonsils were removed. One pupil was tiny and one was huge, they were not reacting to light and everything was blurry for me. I was so frustrated with that because for one it was scary and two, I could no****ch tv or read even if I felt like it. While all of that was going on, my bladder was not cooperating and I had to be cathed several times. The cath is so painful because of the bladder disease that I have so Dr. Smith gave me this bladder medicine that is supposed to relax a bladder that spasms. He thought that was making my blood pressure drop then got some labs back that showed my hematocrit had dropped. He re ran the labs because he said I did not look like someone that had lost 3 pints of blood. He said we might have to go to the Ct scan or ulrtasound to look. That was scary, but the the next time the blood came back ok. The lab person that came to check my blood took blood from the same arm that had IV fluids going into it so that must have messed up the reading. The labs were re-run on the correct arm. I am paying out of pocket so that lab mistake could cost be a LOT of money because it was a lot of lab work. I hope the hospital will take care of that. It also caused me to stay another day. Wo we were down to figuring out the low blood pressue and taking an antibiotic because one of my incisions looked red and warm. The nursed had to call him at all hours of the night and said he was always great about it and wanted to know just what was going on. I had a great nurse on the night that I think he had to be called the most. I always begged them not to call and bother Dr. Smith, but learned that he really does care more than Doctors I have had in the past. Oh the other bummer was they tried a few different pain meds and I would get rashes and horrible itching from them!I was talking nonsense most days too. My husband didn't know if I was asleep with my eyes open or what! I am takikng a very small dose of the pain meds so that I will not feel so yucky on them. While I was having the issues with my blood pressure, they decided to speed up the pumping of fluids into me which was not fun. I got so swollen that I could hardly see my knees or bend my legs. The IV machine and the bed had the loudest motors I have ever had in a hospitla and I have had4 major surgeries. Some people tried to tell me that I am the only one that has complained about that and then nurses and blood lab people would tell me they hear the same complaint all of the time and agree themselves, but for me not to mention that because they have to be on "their" side. So as you can imagine, I wanted out and I wanted out badly! It is so much better at home. The hospital had gotten all new beds and I have to say again that I have had 4 other major operations, some minor things and a hospital stay for being sick and have NEVER had an issue with the bed or the Iv machine keeping me awake. Their beds are air so the air is constantly bein pumped in to prevent pressure on the skin. It bothered us even with the ear plugs that they gave us. This seriously bothered me and was promised they would find a normal bed, but they never did. What made me mad was here I was so loopy I couldn't even see straight and the guy who ordered these beds was sent to my room to tell me how wonderful and expensive the beds were. I was feeling horrible and told him I did not want to talk and he could talk with my husband in the hallway, he WOULD NOT leave and did it anyway plus stayed way too long. He tried to fill me full of hot air and sunshine on how these are the best beds, but now they will be ordering some of a different kind and that most of their patients are not as mobile as me so need this and don't complain about the noise. Well, that is just absolutely untrue and these speches and visits to me only made me more angry. Nurses said they sure would not want to use the beds. We had to turn the bed motor off and over about an hour most of the air would be out and I would wake up in a squished position with no air under me where I could feel the hard bottom of the bed, but a bunch of air beside me. I would have to wake my husband up to pump the bed back up and start the whole cycle over again because we could not stand to leave the pump running because of the noise and the fact that I could feel the air compensate each time I slightly moved. I really would like to follow up on this with them because I had the best surgeon and want my mom and others to use him, but can't recommend the hospital because of the beds. Someone needs to tell that man off big time for refusing to leave my room etc.
ALL nurses were better than other hospitals that I have used. but some obviously not as good or as patient and understanding as others. My best nurse was actually the youngest nurse that I had and she was very sharp medically, patient and understanding on one of my hardest nights. I let the nursing supervisor know that all of my nurses etc. were pretty good, but there were a few that really stuck out and their names. I hope the young nurse stays that way over time. They asked me to come visit sometime which really made me laugh considering that according to one person (not most nurses) I was the ONLY one that had issues with the IV machine and the beds. I forgot to mention to them that on top of actually spending the night in at least four other hospitals, I also am in the Medical field and have worked in severl hospitals!!
On Saturday I decided that if I was not released, I was going home anyway and disconnected my IV expecting to totally get yelled at. Of course my nurse walked in right as I did it and she said I was probably going to get to go home. Instead of getting mad she said I needed a special cap in the Iv part in my arm and got one. I then went and took a shower and got to go home that day! Woohoo. Looking back, I wish that we had thought to go get a matress of some kind at Walmart and just put it over the deflated one that they had. We didn't think to do that because one person kept saying there was a regular bed somewhere in the hospital, but they didn't know if someone was in it or not, and others would say that was not true and every bed in the hospital was the same thousand dollar bed.
So, enough of the bed etc. issues that I plan to follow up on for the sake of future patients, I had the DS with about a 20z sleeve (seems bigger), a 100 cm CC, gallbladder removed and hiatal hernia repaired. No one ever put my cpap on me which was very much appreciated:)
I am on a liquid diet for three weeks. I also feel like I feel hunger and am not sure why. I feel like things are looking up from here, they have to, right:) I am walking and drinking does not bother me. Only my parents know about my surgery so there has been a lot of stress on my hubby so I feel bad about that. He did not get much sleep at the hospital either. It is good to be home!
Anyway, I am switched and please tell me I will soon look back on this as so worth it:)
Welcome home! Way to stand up for yourself even in the shape you were in. I hope all of this will soon fade as new and better things start happening on your journey. It will get better. Welcome to the dark side!
(((gentle hugs)))
--gina
(((gentle hugs)))
--gina
5'1" -- HW 195/SW 187/GW 115 July 08/CW 121 Dec 2012
******GOAL*******
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
Join us on the Lightweights Board!
DS on Aug 9, 2007 with Dr. Hazem Elariny
WOW - that's all I can say... You've really had quite the ordeal, but you're home and things can ONLY get better, right?
Hang in there, congrats on being switched and looking forward to seeing you on your journey!! Yes, its worth it!
HW-218/SW-208/CW-126/ Lowest Weight-121/Goal-125 - hit 8/23/09/Height-5'3"
Regain 30 lbs from 2012 to 2016 - got back on track and lost it. Took 8 months.
90+/- pounds lost BMI - 24 or so
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
Join us on the Lightweights Board!
So glad you're home! I had a round of different nurses the whole time I was there. The best one was my night nurse who had also had gastric bypass so she had firsthand knowledge of how I was feeling. I went home the next afternoon and several people expressed surprise that I went home so quickly but you're right - you can rest better at home. Hope today finds you feeling better!
Teaching is the essential profession, the one that makes all professions possible. —David Haselkorn
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