Surgery at HRRH

Hi everybody sorry I'm so late posting this. I had RNY at HRRH Monday March 2nd/2015 with Dr.Starr. They were nice enough to make me the last case of the day as I live 2.5 hours away so I didn't have to get up at an ungodly hour to get there. My surgery was scheduled for 1:30pm. I arrived a pinch late at 11:55 due to traffic. I parked in the parking lot where the Bariatric Clinic building is located right beside the hospital. (weekly parking pass 40.00 much better than 20.00 a day) and when in through the Emergency entrance. I made my way to the 5th floor upon getting off the elevator I turned left and left again going around the corner and down the hall. I announced myself as being present and scheduled for RNY with Dr.Starr at 1:30pm. She asked me to have a seat in the waiting room and someone would be right with me. I didn't even make it to the waiting room when a lovely lady called me and asked me the standard admission questions. What is your full name,Address and Date of Birth? What surgery are you scheduled for today? Who is your surgeon? Do you have any allergies? Do you have any additional health insurance over and above your Health Card? Are you covered for a private or semi-private room? There is a charge for the phone in your room, would you like to accept or decline said service? Have you been admitted to any hospital within the last year? Did you attend your PATTS appointment? Then I was asked to head back down to the waiting room and a nurse would call me shortly. I was only sitting there about 3-4 minutes when the nurse came and called me. Again she asked me many of the questions I had already been answering. Medical problems? allergies?surgery type?surgeon? she took my vital signs (blood pressure,pulse,temperature and oxygen levels) she put on my arm band and verified that all the information was correct and placed an allergy band on as well. She then took me to get weighted and to change into my beautiful gown,cap and slippers.(They give you 2 gowns one you wear open to the back and the other you wear to cover your back) She asked me to remove all jewelry as I was getting changed, I had meant to at home and forgot. She administered some pre-surgery medications, I can't remember the name of what they were but they were for pain, long acting so that they would help with post-surgical pain and I believe some type of relaxant. By the time all this was said and done it was nearly 1:00pm. She advised me that I would be taken by a porter down to the surgical area waiting room shortly and to have a seat in the waiting room. Again I was only sitting for about 5 minutes when I was called. A whole group of us went down together. (what  didn't like was that the people that were with us were left stranded at the elevator as there wasn't enough room for everyone. I was escorted into the surgical waiting area and my friend found me a few minutes later. While sitting there Dr.Starr came over to say hello and see how I was doing and the anesthesiologist came over to introduce himself and reassure me that we would be starting very shortly. Honestly I didn't have much time to get nervous because again within a few minutes they were asking me to say good-bye to my friend and advising her as to where she could wait to hear how I was doing and then I was walking to the operating room. I walked into the room and was asked to lay down on the table they had me remove one of the gowns the one covering my back I had been given to put on. They offered me a warm blanket as it was freezing in there. Then then asked me to take my arms out of my gown they kept me covered. The anesthesiologist was super friendly and chatty trying to keep me calm I assume. He asked me where I lived, where I worked, about my kids, etc.. During our brief chat he put the IV in place in my left hand and reassured me they were going to take good care of me. The only time I started to freak out a little was as they started to strap me to down to the table, which was why they had asked me to take both arms out of my gown, so the IV could be started in the left and the blood pressure cuff could go on the right. I asked him to please hurry and sedate me as I was starting to get a little antsy. He smiled at me again reassuring me I was going to be in great hands and quickly obliged my request for sedation and within a minute I was asleep.

I woke retching and in pain but honestly I don't remember much of this time as they were giving me medications and I was in and out of consciousness. I think I remember someone telling me it was 3:35pm when I woke up initially. I was in recovery till almost 6:00pm none of which I really remember and then I was taken to my room. I had been transferred prior to waking up in the recovery room onto my hospital bed and my friend was waiting for me in my room. I was attached to a monitor to watch my heart rate and oxygen levels and I had my IV still in place. I continued to be very drowsy and had to have oxygen on. I struggled with nausea/retching all night long, although nothing came up as I hadn't eaten since midnight. They were very nice and very attentive giving me medications for the nausea/retching and the pain. I think most of my pain came from the retching. I got up to the bathroom with help a couple times in the night. They had trouble with my oxygen levels overnight but they just increased my oxygen and I was fine. My heart rate was quite high for the first night as well. I had several dressings covering my incision sites, there were 5. They were covered with what looked like eye patches lol. I had 1 on my upper abdomen up nearly between my boobs but lower, 1 in my belly button area, 1 on the right side of my abdomen and 2 on the left side. The dressings on 2 of my incisions were draining quite a bit of clear/bloody fluid. They changed the dressing once and then just reinforced it after that. The next morning Tuesday I had blood work drawn and I was still struggling with nausea/retching but they let me have ice chips. The nurse helped me to wash and get the skin cleansing agent they put on you in the operating room which is pink off it was terribly itchy. She helped me get dressed into my own comfy PJ's and honestly it made me feel like a million times better. I was allowed clear fluids for lunch and dinner. I was pain free by late morning. I still had some trouble with nausea but the retching had stopped. My oxygen levels settled by that night and so did my heart rate. I was up and walking around the unit by that afternoon and through the evening. They taught me how to give myself the blood thinning injections and I was doing them myself by bedtime. They had a physiotherapist come see me but I was already up and walking around. Dr.Glazer and Dr.Starr came to see me and by that night I was ready for a good sleep. My roommate was discharged so I had the room to myself that night and I slept well. I was able to get up on my own through the night to go to the bathroom. Wednesday morning I had more blood work but I woke up feeling fine. I was passing gas, had no nausea, no pain. I had a small bowel movement. I was given full fluids for breakfast which I tolerate just fine. I was able to get up and bathe myself at the sink and change into fresh PJ's on my own and I had my IV removed. I was seen by Dr.Glazer and Dr.Starr and I was given the okay for discharge. I was seen by the dietitian and we went over my diet for the next 4 weeks. I was given all my paperwork for my follow ups with the Bariatric Clinic. I was given all my prescriptions. I had full fluids for lunch and was discharged by 1:30. 48 hours in hospital and I was on my way. They were all fabulous !!! I had the same 2 nurses for the 48 hours I was there and they were great. I stopped at the pharmacy next door in the professional building where the Bariatric Clinic is the pharmacy is directly across the way from the Emergency entrance, I picked up all my medications and then we were on our way. 

Now because I live so far away I was asked to stay at a near by hotel for a few days to ensure I didn't run into any complications. We scooted over to a near by No Frills to pick up some groceries that I would need and were to the hotel by 3:30pm. I had booked a room at the Comfort INN BOOOOOOO !!! Tuesday night there was an ice storm and the power was out in the surrounding area including the Comfort INN, my friend was livid and argued with them that I was fresh out of the hospital and could not be exposed to these types of conditions (no heat,no ho****er,no power) they assured her the power would be back on by 10:00pm. She asked for more blankets and tucked me into bed under 5 blankets to keep me reasonably warm, by 7:00 AM we still had no heat or power and I felt like crap. She was getting nowhere with the desk staff she had been down to the desk nearly every 3 hours to explain I couldn't handle it and nobody had even been down to the room to check on us to see if we were okay, so I gingerly walked down to the front desk to speak with them and was told upon them seeing me to please pack our things we were being moved next door to the Best Western which had power. Comfort Inn agreed to pay for 1 night till power was restored. Once I got to the Best Western there was no way I was leaving. Staff assisted us to unload the car and took our belongings to our room for us, asked if I needed any help to get to the room offered a wheelchair which i declined. Brought extra pillows and supplies to our room without being asked, offered to have someone drive us over to the hospital if I need to be looked over, they checked on us 3 times before 8:00pm to ensure I was okay. We got a refund from Comfort Inn and stayed the rest of the week at the Best Western so much nicer and much more pleasant staff and it seemed like they cared if I was okay. The rest of the week was uneventful and I was on my way home Sunday morning at 10:00AM.

I hope this gives you a picture of my experience at HRRH, it was great I have absolutely no complaints, staff was pleasant, friendly and helpful. If you have any questions please let me know and I'll try to answer them.

Thank-you for sharing 😀 great info.

This information is awesome Thank you for taking the time to post with details took away tons of anxiety for me