Question:
Are there any detailed

day of surgery journals anywhere? Just curious as to what to expect the day of the surgery.    — Gary F. (posted on October 25, 2002)

October 25, 2002
Gary, this is pretty much what happened to me on the day of surgery.... 5:00-up , taking shower with Betadine solution on the stomach area 6:00-at the hospital[Mercy Scripps, in San Diego, Ca] 6:20- put in a hospital gown, and in a private room awaiting to go down to pre-op 7:00- down to pre-op on a gurney 7:15- IV started, foot pumps placed on feet 7:30- IM injections of Heprin started,[to prevent blood clots] 8:00- A shot of ?, boy did it make me feel good ! 10:00- I awaken in recovery. Don't ask me what happened, but its over. Aprox 2 hours later, I am transfered to a room. Hope this helps, Toodles
   — Sherry S.

October 25, 2002
Didn't keep a journal that day...but here is what happened to me. Didn't sleep well that night. Had an appointment with my surgeon at 9:00 just to make sure everything was still a go, had to leave my house at 7:00 (it is about a hour and 1/2 drive) Didn't have to check into hospital until 11:00 so we went to Mall and walked around for a while. Checked in, exactly the same stuff as the previous person stated. Surgery was at 1:00 they rolled me down the hall at 10 mintues til....however, I don't remember that, I was already out of it. Woke up in recovery about 3:30 and was in my room at 4:00. They had me up, walking and going to the bathroom by 7:00. Sleep really good that night !!! Good Luck HELP!! All you post-opers....How in the world do you control the "NEED FOR SHOPPING" ? Now that I don't mind trying on clothes and almost look pretty good in clothes that fit, I want to go shopping EVERYDAY. I know I can't, I now have enough to get me through the next 30 pounds or so, I know I need to save that money for my FINAL NEW WARDROBE !!! Any suggestions ??? Thanks as always !! Sharon Jacksonville, FL = Open RNY 05/13/02 = Dr. Eric Thoburn Gainesville, Fl 5'9" 310/219
   — Sharon H.

October 25, 2002
My surgery was last Monday...so its all pretty clear. I was up at 430, at the hospital by 6. (I was first on the schedule at 8). checked in, showed my insurance card 100 times, was given a gown, and weighed. On a scale that didn't work, by the way -- I had to be weighed again on another scale. Walked into pre-op room, was given an IV. Talked to anesthesiologist, surgeon, and some of the nurses. Was wheeled down to OR, and transferred to the table. Woke up in recovery a few hours later with an oxygen tube in my nose (just the kind that you slip in and out) and a foley catheter and an IV. Was in recovery about two hours, then brought to my room about noon or so. My family was there. Lots of meds were given to me thru the IV -- pain killers (morphine), antibiotics, blood thinners, etc. The first few hours weren't bad, except I was itchy all over from the pain killers...and they weren't exactly fighting off the pain. At about 6 I finally saw a doctor -- whom I begged for a different pain medication. Got it about 7:30. I didn't sleep at all that night (you'll find that hospitals aren't conducive for sleeping)...but I made it. The catheter came out the next day (after my Upper GI). Good luck!
   — Tamara K.

October 26, 2002
HI I HAD TO LEAVE MY HOUSE AT 530AM HAD MY SON SLEEP OVER AT A NEIGHBOR HOUSE THE NIGHT BEFORE AFRAID HE WOULDT GET UP FOR SCHOOL OK HE IS 12. WENT TO ADMITING SHOW MY CARD SAT IN WAITING ROOM FOR FEW MIN NURSE CAME DOWN AND GOT A GROUP OF US TAKEN US UP STAIRS AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE OFF ALL CLOTHES AND PUT ON GOWN THEY HAD A BED FOR ME THEM MY HUSBAND CAME AND SEEN ME THE ANST. CAME AND TALK TO ME ASK ME TOOPEN MY MOUTH NEED TO CHECK IF EVERYTHING WAS OK FOR ANST THEY WHEEL ME DOWN TO THE OR AND I THINK I WENT ON TO ANOTHER BED AND WOKE UP IN ICU BECAUSE I HAVE SLEEP APECA AND THEY WERE WORRY ABOUT MY BREATHING STAY THERE FOR ONE WHOLE DAY THAN TRANSFER TO MY OWN ROOM. I WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN I COULD NOT MOVE AND MY BACK HURT REALLY BAD. I WASLUCKEY MY SONS GIRLFRIEND WORK THERE AS A NURSE AND CAME INTO ICU AND HELP I DID LIKE ICU BECAUSE IT WAS ONE ON ONE WISH I COULD OF STAY THERE THE WHOLE TIME. I AM NOW 6 MOS PO AND DOING GOOD AND I AM VERY GLAD I HAD IT DONE ALMOST AT 90LBS AND I HAVE 50 MORE TO GO TAKE CARE AND GOOD LUCK WRITE BACK IF YOU WOULD LIKE ROSEMARY
   — ROSEMARY A.

October 26, 2002
Boy, my experience was a little different from most of the posters. My surgery was scheduled for 5 pm, because my surgeon had to come from NYC into the suburbs to the NJ hospital where I went. I had to be at the hosp at 3 pm, so I went to work for most of the day, because they still wouldn't let me eat anything after midnight, and I figured I was better off at work than at home where I'd be hungry. I checked into the hospital, and proceeded to sit around in the gown, on the bed (in a room without a TV, dammit!) for about 3 hours. Finally, the anesthesiologist came in to talk to me around 5, and said they'd be getting started "soon." An IV had been started, he checked it, and then he left. Another hour or so passed, and finally, someone came to move me down to the OR holding area. That's where I found out that my surgeon was stuck in traffic, and wasn't even in the hospital yet. I was alone, because my husband was home with the kids. I hadn't thought to bring anything to read or do, so I just kind of lay there, while the nurses fumed about the doctor being late. Finally, he got there around 8, and after talking to me briefly, I was wheeled in. I got very nervous as they were wheeling me--I remember starting to shiver like crazy. The nurses threw another blanket on me, and I remember talking to the anesthesiologist, who told me this would be "a snap". That's about it--until I woke up, back in the holding area, crying "It hurts, it hurts." They handed me the morphine pump, and I know my husband and best friend were there, but they left soon, and that's all I can tell you, till the next morning! I'm 3 months out, down 78 pounds, and feel great!
   — AmyL

October 26, 2002
Just had surgery the 17th- a few different things happened to me. Got to hospital and blood pressure was 190/120- so I wasited in a bed with hospital gown for an hour to see if it would come down. Next taken to surgery holding area and saw anathesiologist- was super. Tole heim of high blood pressure and heasache- he said fine he had two hours to fix both. Got really cold on the ride to the suregery room- got the warm blanket. Got in the surgerty room one of the nurses said "oops"- we all kidded ( something wasn't long enough-- aint that always the way it is. Any way they had me move over and started strapping me down, anthesiologist said that I should feel nothing in about 12 seconds - after 9 seconds I remember nothing. Woke up in my room - dont even remeber the post opp. Felt ok., Tube in neck and oxygen and cathater. Started itching all over and got a diffent pain medicine. They let me sleep for several hours.
   — Jan S.

October 27, 2002
Actually, I typed up my WHOLE WLS experience, including day of surgery and hospital stay. I've also typed up a *WHAT TO EXPECT* list starting from your consultation to follow-up visits after surgery....of course, my experience may be different from others because I went through BTC in Ypsilanti, but it is a complete list (since I also work there in surgery and have been in a lot of departments and know what goes on). It's kind of long, but if anyone wants it, feel free to check out my profile page to get my email address and ask me for it....I'd be happy to send it.
   — Lynette B.

October 28, 2002
If you've got time, you might want to look at my profile. I took a journal to the hospital with me and kept a pretty detailed account of what happened during those few days. When I got back home I added a lot of the information to my profile. My surgery was July 8, 2002 and I have lost 78lbs. so far.
   — Jenny S.