Now I get it!!!!
I've been home for a couple of days now and I'm finally getting the whole surgery story from my husband. Now instead of thinking "Why can't I XYZ", I'm telling myself that what I am able to do is phenominal, considering what was done to my poor unsuspecting insides! lol
The surgery wasn't supposed to take more than 2 to 2 1/2 hours. It ended up taking almost five!!! I knew the doc wanted to fix the hiatal hernia, do the actual RNY bypass and place a feeding tube into the remnant stomach. The dr had discussed a concern about having enough "material" to work with because my stomach was on the small side already. But once he got in there he found a much smaller than expected stomach. He fixed the hernia without any problems. After he separated a very small pouch from the remnant stomach he started having some problems. He was trying to bring the remnant stomach closer to the abdominal wall to make placing the feeding tube easier, but my stomach kept tearing. Apparently the same thing happened while he was trying to construct the pouch. I ended up having a large amount of stomach removed, and my pouch is very tiny, though the Dr assured my husband that it would stretch. He told my husband that it was just going to be a much harder recovery than most WLS patients have.
It would have been wonderful if someone had mentioned all of that to me!!! lol My husband finally told me the whole story last night when I was beating myself up for being such a wimp with the pain and the recovery process. DH said he didn't tell me earlier because he didn't want me to worry!! Hubby says the Dr came to my room once I was settled in and talked to both of us, but I have no memory of that at all!!! Gotta love good drugs!!!
Anyway... I feel better today because now I know why I'm not progressing and why getting in even 8 oz of fluids a day is hard and why the Dr suggested infusing through the feeding tube instead of drinking by mouth. None of this has anything to do with willpower, or strength, or being a wimp. All of the problems I have had are a natural part of my healing process!!! Just like we shouldn't compare our weight loss to others, we can't compare our recoveries either!
Thanks all for your awesome support!!!! I still have a long way to go, so continued positive thoughts and critter swinging would be mush appreciated!
The surgery wasn't supposed to take more than 2 to 2 1/2 hours. It ended up taking almost five!!! I knew the doc wanted to fix the hiatal hernia, do the actual RNY bypass and place a feeding tube into the remnant stomach. The dr had discussed a concern about having enough "material" to work with because my stomach was on the small side already. But once he got in there he found a much smaller than expected stomach. He fixed the hernia without any problems. After he separated a very small pouch from the remnant stomach he started having some problems. He was trying to bring the remnant stomach closer to the abdominal wall to make placing the feeding tube easier, but my stomach kept tearing. Apparently the same thing happened while he was trying to construct the pouch. I ended up having a large amount of stomach removed, and my pouch is very tiny, though the Dr assured my husband that it would stretch. He told my husband that it was just going to be a much harder recovery than most WLS patients have.
It would have been wonderful if someone had mentioned all of that to me!!! lol My husband finally told me the whole story last night when I was beating myself up for being such a wimp with the pain and the recovery process. DH said he didn't tell me earlier because he didn't want me to worry!! Hubby says the Dr came to my room once I was settled in and talked to both of us, but I have no memory of that at all!!! Gotta love good drugs!!!
Anyway... I feel better today because now I know why I'm not progressing and why getting in even 8 oz of fluids a day is hard and why the Dr suggested infusing through the feeding tube instead of drinking by mouth. None of this has anything to do with willpower, or strength, or being a wimp. All of the problems I have had are a natural part of my healing process!!! Just like we shouldn't compare our weight loss to others, we can't compare our recoveries either!
Thanks all for your awesome support!!!! I still have a long way to go, so continued positive thoughts and critter swinging would be mush appreciated!
"It's not what is taken from you that counts. It's what you do with what you have left."-Hubert Humphrey
The lizards are still swinging for you, babeee! It all makes so much sense now. You keep pushing fluids through that tube and you're going to be just fine. You should be able to push protein and vitamins through soon if you aren't already.
((hugs))
--gina
((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
It took me a bit to find out what happened to me as well.. a very similar thing. I ended up with a sub total gastrectomy. Then in recovery I started vomitting tons and tons of blood. They went back in thinking it was the esophagus but could not stop the bleeding which was causing me to through up tons and I cannot express how much.. blood.. a radiological intervention team came from another hospital and saved my life.. I took 9 units of blood... having said that.. recovery is a tad slower but it will soon be behind you... I feel great!!! You are on the road to recovery listen to yourself... :)
I also had a gastrectomy, too. I think all of my stomach was removed except the pouch. To this day I don't know why. I didn't find out until 6 months out. Thankfully, I didn't have any complications.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
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